DEALING WITH DEPRESSION
Many people struggle with depression. Sometimes it's hard to recognize the symptoms or even know exactly what it is you're feeling, but it can be even harder to know how to handle the situation. On my website you will find coping mechanisms, information, and resources.
What is Depression?
Depression is a mental illness caused by changes in brain chemistry. It is a mix of emotions making you feel very sad or "down" which effects how you act, think, and feel. Depression can cause negative impacts on one's life personally and socially. It can negatively impact school or work, your relationships, your responsibilities - and if it's not dealt with correctly it can lead to the use of drugs and alcohol and often suicide.
How To Know If You Have Depression
- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness: Thinking that nothing will ever get better and there’s nothing you can do to improve your situation
- Loss of interest in daily activities: You don’t care anymore about your favourite hobbies, pastimes, social activities, or even sex. You’ve lost your ability to feel joy and pleasure.
- Appetite or weight changes: Significant weight loss or weight gain. Loss of appetite or tend to overeat
- Sleep changes: Either insomnia, especially waking in the early hours of the morning, or oversleeping
- Anger or irritability: Feeling very angry, annoyed, or even violent for no known reason. Tolerance level is low, temper is short, and everything and everyone gets on your nerves
- Loss of energy: Feeling fatigued, sluggish, and physically drained. Whole body may feel heavy, and even small tasks are exhausting or take longer to complete.
- Self-loathing: Strong feelings of worthlessness or guilt. Harshly criticizing yourself for faults and mistakes
- Reckless behavior: Engaging in negative behavior such as substance abuse, compulsive gambling, reckless driving, or dangerous sports
- Concentration problems: Trouble focusing, making decisions, or remembering things
- Unexplained aches and pains: An increase in physical complaints such as headaches, back pain, aching muscles, and stomach pain.
HELP & RESOURCES
SELF-HELP
To help yourself as much as you can, try to reach out to other people. Engaging in the outer world will help keep you distracted. Make sure to have a healthy diet - a bad and unhealthy diet can effect your mood and mental state just by itself. Also making sure to get enough water and sleep is very important. Water will flush out all the toxins and make you feel better altogether. As well, being overtired makes everything seem worse. You need to make sure you get the proper amount of exercise per day, it will get the blood flowing and give you energy which will always help. As much as you may want to, try not to lay in bed in your dark room all day. Open your curtains, get some sunlight and fresh air. Try doing things that will force you to get ready for the day and get out of the house.
PROFESSIONAL HELP
There are many options for councillors and therapists. Having a therapist can be good for your mental health just so you can talk to someone about how you are feeling. Talking about your feelings and emotions will never make it worse, only better. You can also speak to a psychiatrist or family doctor about a medication to deal with your depression. Medication isn't for everyone and it can often cause other/bigger problems so make sure to see your doctor about it first and get as much information about it as possible. Depression will usually take a while before it gets better, it's a process. So don't be worried if it doesn't work right away, just be patient.
RESOURCES
Hotlines:
Suicide: 250-753-2495
Substance Abuse: 1-800-662-4357
National Hopeline: 1-800-784-2433
National Suicide Prevention: 1-800-273-8255
National Youth Crisis: 1-800-448-4663
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Websites:
https://www.mentalhelp.net/articles/depression-hotline/
https://www.thekeltyfoundation.org/resources_list.php
https://www.columbusrecoverycenter.com/depression-resource-guide/
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