How to Cope With Mild Depression
See doctor or a psychiatrist for a diagnosis and treatment plan., Connect with people., Take a class or join a group., Volunteer in your community., Join a support group., Try light therapy.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: See doctor or a psychiatrist for a diagnosis and treatment plan.
The first step in coping with mild depression is to seek out professional help.
Talk with your doctor or a psychiatrist about your symptoms, such as feelings of hopelessness or insomnia, and see if you indeed are suffering from mild depression.
Your doctor can prescribe you something to get started and then refer you to a psychiatrist, or you can find a psychiatrist on your own and go to see them first.
Ask whether an antidepressant could be helpful.
Talk with your healthcare provider about adding or increasing therapy sessions and ask whether individual or group therapy would be most beneficial for you. -
Step 2: Connect with people.
Reach out to friends who can help you avoid the isolation and loneliness that are risk factors for depression.Spend more time maintaining your relationships with family and friends.
You can schedule meals together or just take a walk with a group.
Identify people you can trust who will listen to you when you need them.Let these trustworthy people know what you are going through and ask them to reach out to you periodically or arrange outings.
Being social is particularly important for extroverts, or people who typically thrive on being social.Avoiding contact with others is common among those suffering from depression, and this can help worsen your mood.Keep in mind that you might need more time to recover after spending time with people.
Be sure to allow yourself this time, but keep socializing as best you can. , Another way to ensure that you are being social and not isolating yourself due to your mild depression is to challenge yourself by taking a class or joining a book club or other group.
Local recreation centers are a good resource for finding classes.
They typically offer ones on subjects ranging from cooking, to exercise, to dog training.
Libraries can be a good resource as well, often hosting book clubs, discussion groups, or computer classes.
Enrolling in a class will have a doubly positive effect.
You will be around people, and you will be learning a new skill.
This will help increase your confidence and self-esteem, which can help with your depression. , By making a commitment to helping others, you will force yourself to be around people on a regular basis.
Helping others actually helps you feel more connected socially, which consequently helps alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression.Volunteering is also helpful for building gratitude and counteracting negative thoughts.
The range of volunteer opportunities is almost endless, from serving as a reading tutor to cuddling babies at a neonatal unit.
You can also volunteer at a local library or animal shelter.
Thinking about your hobbies and interests is a good way to find ways to volunteer. , You will have a sense of belonging and having people understand the struggles you are facing when you join a depression support group.
By meeting with its members, you will be able to learn more about mild depression and the ways that fellow members cope with their issues.Your therapist may be able to help you find a support group in your area.
You can also visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website to find support groups.Support groups are not a replacement for therapy, but they can be a powerful addition to it.
Group therapy may also be a god addition to individual therapy, and it may also be covered by your insurance. , If your sadness and depression are caused by seasonal affective disorder (SAD), resulting from the lack of sunlight in the winter, a light box may help.
Make sure your light box emits little UV light but provides an exposure to 10,000 lux of light.Start by sitting in front of your light box for 15 minutes each day, and gradually increase the time.Researchers think the type of light in a light box may activate an area of the brain that controls circadian rhythms and may help boost melatonin production.
Both of these can be helpful in treating the symptoms of depression.You can buy a light box without a prescription, but most insurance plans won’t cover the cost.
You can also simply spend more time outside during the day.
Try going outside on your lunch break or taking a walk outside in the evening to get more exposure to natural light. -
Step 3: Take a class or join a group.
-
Step 4: Volunteer in your community.
-
Step 5: Join a support group.
-
Step 6: Try light therapy.
Detailed Guide
The first step in coping with mild depression is to seek out professional help.
Talk with your doctor or a psychiatrist about your symptoms, such as feelings of hopelessness or insomnia, and see if you indeed are suffering from mild depression.
Your doctor can prescribe you something to get started and then refer you to a psychiatrist, or you can find a psychiatrist on your own and go to see them first.
Ask whether an antidepressant could be helpful.
Talk with your healthcare provider about adding or increasing therapy sessions and ask whether individual or group therapy would be most beneficial for you.
Reach out to friends who can help you avoid the isolation and loneliness that are risk factors for depression.Spend more time maintaining your relationships with family and friends.
You can schedule meals together or just take a walk with a group.
Identify people you can trust who will listen to you when you need them.Let these trustworthy people know what you are going through and ask them to reach out to you periodically or arrange outings.
Being social is particularly important for extroverts, or people who typically thrive on being social.Avoiding contact with others is common among those suffering from depression, and this can help worsen your mood.Keep in mind that you might need more time to recover after spending time with people.
Be sure to allow yourself this time, but keep socializing as best you can. , Another way to ensure that you are being social and not isolating yourself due to your mild depression is to challenge yourself by taking a class or joining a book club or other group.
Local recreation centers are a good resource for finding classes.
They typically offer ones on subjects ranging from cooking, to exercise, to dog training.
Libraries can be a good resource as well, often hosting book clubs, discussion groups, or computer classes.
Enrolling in a class will have a doubly positive effect.
You will be around people, and you will be learning a new skill.
This will help increase your confidence and self-esteem, which can help with your depression. , By making a commitment to helping others, you will force yourself to be around people on a regular basis.
Helping others actually helps you feel more connected socially, which consequently helps alleviate feelings of loneliness and depression.Volunteering is also helpful for building gratitude and counteracting negative thoughts.
The range of volunteer opportunities is almost endless, from serving as a reading tutor to cuddling babies at a neonatal unit.
You can also volunteer at a local library or animal shelter.
Thinking about your hobbies and interests is a good way to find ways to volunteer. , You will have a sense of belonging and having people understand the struggles you are facing when you join a depression support group.
By meeting with its members, you will be able to learn more about mild depression and the ways that fellow members cope with their issues.Your therapist may be able to help you find a support group in your area.
You can also visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) website to find support groups.Support groups are not a replacement for therapy, but they can be a powerful addition to it.
Group therapy may also be a god addition to individual therapy, and it may also be covered by your insurance. , If your sadness and depression are caused by seasonal affective disorder (SAD), resulting from the lack of sunlight in the winter, a light box may help.
Make sure your light box emits little UV light but provides an exposure to 10,000 lux of light.Start by sitting in front of your light box for 15 minutes each day, and gradually increase the time.Researchers think the type of light in a light box may activate an area of the brain that controls circadian rhythms and may help boost melatonin production.
Both of these can be helpful in treating the symptoms of depression.You can buy a light box without a prescription, but most insurance plans won’t cover the cost.
You can also simply spend more time outside during the day.
Try going outside on your lunch break or taking a walk outside in the evening to get more exposure to natural light.
About the Author
Jerry Gonzalez
Enthusiastic about teaching practical skills techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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