How to Put an End to Depression

Depression can have many, many faces. If you are not aware of your feelings and emotions on a daily basis then it can creep up on you and cause misery in your life when you least expect it.

We get sad when we fail in our exams, when we're rejected by the person we love, or when someone very close to us passes away. Depression, however, could be more fatal than just plain sadness. It could cause life-long consequences that could ruin your self-esteem, your health, and your well-being.

Here are some excellent tips for conquering depression and to help you get the most enjoyment out of your daily activities.

1. Be Certain of Your Future Goals

If you have no goals then the future will seem uncertain. This will create anxiety and just add to the problem. Having goals gives you something to look forward to in life. They drive us on and create a desire for life. Keep your focus on your goals.

2. Keep a Journal.

Every day, write down your deepest feelings. Say what you want to say. Get it out of your head and onto paper. Don't hold back. This is a very therapeutic way to pull yourself back up. Keep writing down whatever comes into your mind and very soon you will feel your mood start to improve. Done properly, this method can create dramatic changes in emotion.

3. Get Enough Light and Sunshine.

Lack of exposure to sunlight is responsible for the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which could trigger a dispirited mood and a lethargic condition.

Melatonin is only produced in the dark. It lowers the body temperature and makes you feel sluggish. If you are always cooped up in your room (with the curtains closed), it would be difficult to restrain yourself from staying in bed.

This is the reason why many people are suffering from depression much more often in winter than in the other seasons. It's because the nights are longer.

If you can't go outdoors to get some sunshine, you can always lighten up your room with brighter lights. Have lunch outside the office. Take frequent walks instead of driving your car over short distances.

4. Keep Busy. Get Inspired About Something.

It's a fact that people are happiest when they are producing something. Do some activity that you have always wanted to do. Live a life full of inspired activities.

What is it that you really love to do? What are you passionate about?. Taking a nice walk in the park, playing sports, reading books, or listening to some soothing music.

5. Make Some Time For Yourself.

I mean it.

Listen to soothing music. Soak in a nice warm bath. Ask one of your close friends to massage you. Take a break from your stressful workload and spend the day just goofing around. In other words, have fun.

6. Eat Healthy and Exercise Regularly.

Avoid foods with lots of sugar, caffeine, or alcohol. Sugar and caffeine may give you a brief moment of energy; but they would later bring about anxiety , tension, and internal problems. Alcohol is a depressant. Many people drink alcohol to "forget their problems." It never works. The ONLY way to handle problems is to confront them. Describe your problems in your journal fully. If you really face them the right solution might appear.

Exercising regularly is a vital depression buster.

7. Increase Your Social Life.

Your friends are there to give you moral support. Spending time and engaging in worthwhile activities with your friends could give you a very satisfying feeling. Nothing feels better than having group support.

Get intimate. Establish close ties with your family and friends. The love you get from others is very satisfying. In times of depression having stable influences around you is comforting.

Really take control of your own life. Follow these tips. Come up with your own solutions. You really CAN do it!

Phil de Fontenay has been counselling people in all aspects of life for over 15 years. He has helped many people take back control of their lives. He firmly believes that ANYONE can get better. Find out more about depression at http://www.BuildaBetterYou.com/depression

In The News:


R&D Trends: Depression - Clinical attrition driven by mature market conditions
MarketWatch (press release)
Several drugs have progressed through the pipeline for depression in recent years, including Pristiq (desvenlafaxine; Pfizer), Oleptro (trazodone extended release; Labopharm), and Viibryd (Forest) in the US, and Valdoxan (agomelatine; Servier/Novartis) ...

and more »

Globe and Mail

Cheeseburger blues: High-fat foods may be making us depressed
Vancouver Sun
Fatty "comfort" foods might actually make people depressed, new Canadian research suggests. Universite de Montreal researchers are reporting that high-fat diets increase anxiety and depressive-like behaviours in mice — a finding that a leading ...
Cheeseburger blues: could high-fat foods be making us depressed?Ottawa Citizen
Comfort foods can lead to depression, study findsGlobe and Mail
A Heart Made of Face Parts; The Eating Depression Cycle ExplainedThe Atlantic Wire
Science Codex -Irish Health
all 53 news articles »

IMF Chief: World Facing Possibly Worst Economic Insecurity Since Great Depression
Wall Street Journal
"Your generation is facing probably the worst economic insecurity in decades, possibly ever since the Great Depression," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in her commencement speech to the John F. Kennedy School of Government graduates.

and more »

BigPond News

'Cheerful' Corby out of depression as clemency lifts spirits
The Canberra Times
Schapelle Corby is believed to be recovering from depression and bouts of psychosis that have affected her in jail. Kerobokan jail's doctor Agung Hartawan said yesterday that Corby was in good spirits following the news of her clemency.
Corby stages dramatic recoveryBigPond News
man whose love keeps Schapelle Corby saneNEWS.com.au
Corby case that divided a nationAdelaide Now

all 921 news articles »

The many faces of depression
Chicago Tribune
Sadness touches all of our lives at different times, but depression can have enormous depth and staying power. It's more than a passing bout of sadness or dejection, or feeling down in the dumps. It can leave you feeling continuously burdened and can ...
Has depression become a cliché?InjuryBoard.com

all 2 news articles »

The Masculine Mystique and Male Depression: Embracing Your Vocation of Destiny
Huffington Post (blog)
That was the year my father became overwhelmed with depression and tried to take his own life. My father was a writer with dreams of success, which to him meant being able to make a living and support his family. I began to understand what drove him ...


PsychCentral.com

Erratic Web Use Associated With Depression
ITProPortal
A study on the behaviour of university students online and its correlation with depression has highlighted that those with the illness tend to use the internet more erratically, and in many different ways compared to their non-depressed classmates.
Depression Linked With More Internet UsePsychCentral.com
High internet use linked to depression - researchHerald Sun
Depressed people act differently onlineMSN NZ News
Business Review Australia -Tech2
all 11 news articles »

Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Depression is a genuine illness
Sarasota Herald-Tribune
Depression is a common illness that affects one out of five people at one time or more during their lives. It's not the ordinary sadness that people feel when misfortune strikes. It's something that often strikes out of the blue and lasts for what ...

and more »

Contactmusic.com

Jason Derulo says Jordin Sparks kept him from sinking into depression ...
Fox News
Jason Derulo says girlfriend Jordin Sparks kept him from sinking into depression following a serious spine injury. And after four and a half months of being in a neck brace, Derulo said performing his new single “Undefeated” during the "American Idol" ...
Jason Derulo: Jordin Sparks Saved Me From DepressionContactmusic.com
Jason Derulo says Jordin Sparks helped him through neck fracture ordealMyFox Phoenix
Jason Derulo: Jordin saved meBelfast Telegraph

all 34 news articles »

Stuff.co.nz

Stay-at-home mums more depressed
Stuff.co.nz
According to a US poll by Gallup released last week, mothers who don't work outside the home were far more likely to be depressed, with 28 per cent reporting depression, compared with 17 per cent of working mothers, and also 17 per cent of working ...
How mothers who stay at home are LESS happy than those who work - and more ...Daily Mail
Stay At Home Moms Are Less Happy Than Working Moms -- StudyHollywood Life
Working Mothers Emotionally Stable Than Stay-At-Home MothersTopNews New Zealand
The Stir
all 8 news articles »
Google News

Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic or Treatment-Resistant Depression About Vagus... Read More

Learn To Take Control of Depression

While depression is a growing epidemic in western society, it... Read More

Wellbutrin For Depression: When Its More Than Just The Blues

We all have blue days:We're missing someone we've lost, the... Read More

Eliminate The Belief That Your Illness Is Genetic

Many illnesses, emotional and otherwise, are often said to be... Read More

Are you suffering from Depression?

Millions of people sufferaround the world from a depressive illness.... Read More

Efficacy and Safety of Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Depression Published in Journal

On September 1st, the efficacy and safety of vagus nerve... Read More

FDA Deems Vagus Nerve Therapy Approvable as a Treatment for Depression

On February 3, 2005 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration... Read More

New Treatment for Chronic Depression

Vagus Nerve Stimulation for Chronic Treatment-Resistant Depression About Vagus Nerve... Read More

Depression in Long Term Care Heart Patients Often Goes Untreated

Cardiologists, other doctors and long term care staff might be... Read More

ADHD and Depression -- More Common Than Thought

"Thanks for Noticin' Me" says Eeyore. He walks slowly. He... Read More

Depression After A Heart Attack

There are several factors can lead to depression after heart... Read More

Depression - Causes and Treatments

Depression has long been considered a character flaw indicative of... Read More

Tuning the Music Therapist

Music so strongly evokes emotional responses that it is being... Read More

25% of Americans Suffer From a Mental Illness and do Not Get Adequate Relief From Antidepressants

According to the June 7th issue of the Wall Street... Read More

Neuromodulation Is Now The Mainstream Therapy For Chronic Depression

The cover of the March 7, 2005 issue of Business... Read More

Can You Overcome Depression?

There are many things that happen within the body when... Read More

How to Uncover the Reason You Cant Sleep Tonight

If you are like me ...you love your sleep!Sleep deprivation... Read More

5 Super Effective Tips To Kill Depression

Being lonely is a normal part of our everyday lives.... Read More

What?s Causing My Depression and Fatigue?

Chronic Fatigue and Chronic Depression are absolutely systemic in our... Read More

Vagus Nerve Stimulation: What are the Benefits and How Does It Relieve Depression?

Vagus nerve stimulation is more effective than antidepressants and is... Read More

Anxiety and Depression Treatment - 5 Tips for Beating Depression

Everyone has days when they are down, worn out and... Read More

How to Get Rid of Your Worries: 5 Golden Rules and a Warning

Suresh was a worried person when he came to me... Read More

New Treatment for Depression to be FDA Approved by Late June

With the next few weeks, the FDA is expected to... Read More

5 Tips to Reduce Depression

While war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people... Read More

Fighting Depression by Restoring Your Routines

When we have depression, one of the things we drop... Read More