Women And Depression-How To Battle Depression Head On
No one can detail life with depression and other mental illness better than people who are actually going through it. Depression impacts millions of people everyday, from all walks of life. It doesn't matter if you belong to opposite ends of the financial and lifestyle spectrum. It affects everyone. Rich and poor alike, men and women. working class or elite.
Depression can lead to intense feelings of hopelessness, lethargy, frustration along with physical manifestations like weight loss and unkempt appearance. However, research indicates that the incidence of depression occurs more in women than men. According to research, " women are twice as likely as men to develop major depression." They also have higher risk for what is known as seasonal affective disorders and while there might be many theories about why this might be, common factors are always present in one or more of these situations. It can also impact all aspects of your life like, relationships, families, career, social life and feeling of self-worth- and is complicated by factors such as reproductive hormones, social pressures and unique female response to stress.
However, it is important to know that you are not alone. Depression is treatable and there are many things we can do to make ourselves feel better. The catch, however is that feeling better requires action but taking action when you're depressed is difficult. Dragging yourself out of bed is hard enough everyday and you don't have much energy to go out and take the day head on without feeling more depressed and frustrated about plenty of things in your life. So you're wondering, however in the world are you going to start changing this? It is important to know and learn about the factors that cause the depression among women so you can tackle the condition head on, and treat the depression accordingly and prevent it from coming back.
Symptoms of depression in women vary from mild to severe and are distinguished by the impact they have on your ability to function. Here are some signs and symptoms that are recognizable of people suffering from depression.
- feeling of hopelessness and helplessness. you feel as if nothing will ever get better and you're not going to get out of this rut.
-you don't feel any more about your former hobbies, the things you like, the things you enjoy doing and social activities you love to do.
- disheveled untidy appearance
-change in sleep pattern
-feeling angry, agitated and restless
-feeling fatigued, sluggish, and drained of energy
-trouble concentrating, decision making and remembering things
-pains, headaches, cramps and other physical manifestations
-suicidal thoughts
There are however, ways to seek help to treat depression and find meaningful solutions to tackle this problem
1. reach out for social support-you can make a huge dent in your depression with simple but self-help steps.feeling better takes time and effort when you don't feel like making an effort.but you can get there if you make positive choices for yourself each day and draw on the support of others. Ask for support when you need and share what you're going through with the people you love and trust. you may have neglected your most treasured relationships, but they are the ones who can get you through this time.
2. make face-time a priority- phone calls, social media, text messages are a good way to stay in touch but this does not replace the good-old-fashioned in-person quality time.
3. try to keep up with social activities even if you don't feel like it-often, when you're depressed, it's more comfortable to retreat in your shell and comfort zone, but being around with people and going out to spend time with people that matter to you most, will make you fell less depressed.
4. join a support group for depression- being with others who are going through the same ordeal can go a long way in reducing your sense of isolation. there are a lot of support organizations that you can go to and reach out to in the community and ever resource is readily available for everyone who needs it.
5. aim for enough hours of sleep- depression typically involves sleep problem.whether you are sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers.adopt healthy sleep habits for you to be able to get as much sleep as you can.
6. practice relaxation techniques-a daily relaxation technique can help relieve symptoms of depression, reduce stress and mood swings. try yoga, deep breathing, go for a jog or simply enjoy an alone time.
7. play with a pet- pet animals are known to give a certain joy to their owners. having a pet around who you can express your loneliness, happiness or whatever you are feeling without judgement or ridicule can bring out an overwhelming sense of relief. plus, the responsibility of taking care of another life, will give you motivation to get up and get going everyday.
8. add a mindfulness element- especially if your depression is rooted on unresolved issues or trauma, or fed by obsessive negative thoughts. focus on how your body feels as you move. be mindful of everything serene and quiet around you.like the brush of fresh air in your face, or the ray of sunlight through your hair, the smell of a favorite scent or the rhythm of your own breathing.
9. eat a healthy nutritious diet- what you eat has an impact on the way you feel.studies show that cutting back on salt, unhealthy fats, caffeine, sugar and alcohol can help relieve symptoms of depression. besides, consuming too much of these was never good for our body to begin with.
10. get a daily dose of sunlight-amazing how a dose of sunshine can change our moods.so take a walk on your lunch break, have coffee outdoors, walk in a local park, hike with a friend or significant other, you'll be surprised how it changes your outlook in a more positive way.
Depression can put a negative spin on everything, including what you see in yourself and everything around you and the future. But it is not entirely a difficult situation to manage. As long as you recognize the problem and are willing to pull yourself out of it.
XOXO,
Karen