"I have the feeling that nothing is really worth doing. A friend asked me "what would you like to do, if you could choose freely", and I came up with...nothing."

Anonymous

• Getting support from people

  Together we are stronger. Receiving the support you need is crucial to lifting you from the fog of depression and keeping it at bay. Ma...
  Together we are stronger. Receiving the support you need is crucial to lifting you from the fog of depression and keeping it at bay. Maintaining a balanced perspective and sustaining the effort required to beat depression can be difficult on your own. The very nature of depression makes it difficult to reach out for help, but isolation and loneliness only makes depression worse. So maintaining relationships with those close to you, and retaining social interaction with others, is very important.
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• Healthy food, healthy mind

  You are what you eat! What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, ...
  You are what you eat! What you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.
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• Doing exercise

  Exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with depression. It may be the last think you feel like doing when you’re depressed. But, stu...
  Exercise is a powerful tool for dealing with depression. It may be the last think you feel like doing when you’re depressed. But, studies show that regular exercise can be as effective as antidepressant medication when it comes to increasing energy levels and decreasing feelings of fatigue.
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• Sleep tight

  A good nights sleep is essential for any improvement in well-being. Aim for 8 hours of sleep if possible. Depression typically involves...
  A good nights sleep is essential for any improvement in well-being. Aim for 8 hours of sleep if possible. Depression typically involves sleep problems. Whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers. Get on a better sleep schedule by learning healthier sleeping habits.
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• Positive Thinking

  Those with a more positive outlook tend to deal more easily with daily challenges, even minor ones such as not being able to find a par...
  Those with a more positive outlook tend to deal more easily with daily challenges, even minor ones such as not being able to find a parking space. Consider how you might react in the same situation. Even if you have to pretend, try to adopt their optimism and perseverance in the face of difficulty.
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Get information about your medication

It is important for you to know about your prescribed medication and its side effects. Your doctor can provide you with some informatio...

It is important for you to know about your prescribed medication and its side effects. Your doctor can provide you with some information leaflets about your treatment and medication.

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Take One Day at a Time

Don't become overwhelmed with what you have to do tomorrow or next week. Focus on one task at a time, and have friends, family members ...

Don't become overwhelmed with what you have to do tomorrow or next week. Focus on one task at a time, and have friends, family members or housekeepers do mundane tasks like cleaning or walking the dog. Free yourself to do things you enjoy like reading or drawing.

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Be creative

Creative pursuits are a good way to take your mind off sad thoughts or turn them into something positive and vibrant....

Creative pursuits are a good way to take your mind off sad thoughts or turn them into something positive and vibrant.

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Engage in social interaction

Even a short conversation about weather with the mailman can perk you up when you're depressed....

Even a short conversation about weather with the mailman can perk you up when you're depressed.

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Accept that you are depressed and it’s not your fault

Being angry or critical with yourself will only make things worse. Telling yourself to ‘Pull yourself together’ or ‘Snap out of i...

Being angry or critical with yourself will only make things worse. Telling yourself to ‘Pull yourself together’ or ‘Snap out of it’ won’t help.

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Be more active

Don’t withdraw from life. Socialising can improve your mood. Keeping in touch with friends and family means you have someone to talk ...

Don’t withdraw from life. Socialising can improve your mood. Keeping in touch with friends and family means you have someone to talk to when you feel low. Take up some form of exercise. There's evidence that exercise can help lift your mood. If you haven’t exercised for a while, start gently by walking for 20 minutes every day. Find out more about exercise for depression.

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Face your fears

Don’t avoid the things you find difficult. When people feel low or anxious, they sometimes avoid talking to other people. Some people...

Don’t avoid the things you find difficult. When people feel low or anxious, they sometimes avoid talking to other people. Some people can lose their confidence about driving or travelling. If this starts to happen, facing up to these situations will help them become easier.

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Don’t drink too much alcohol

For some people, alcohol can become a problem. You may drink more than usual as a way of coping with or hiding your emotions, or just t...

For some people, alcohol can become a problem. You may drink more than usual as a way of coping with or hiding your emotions, or just to fill time. But alcohol won’t help you solve your problems. It could also make you feel more depressed.

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Have a routine

When people feel down, they can get into poor sleep patterns, staying up late and sleeping during the day. Try to get up at your normal...

When people feel down, they can get into poor sleep patterns, staying up late and sleeping during the day. Try to get up at your normal time and stick to your routine as much as possible. Not having a routine can affect your eating. You may stop cooking regular meals, eat snacks throughout the day instead or miss breakfast because you’re still in bed.

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Fix your personal problems

Work on your personal problems, using small steps to make sure you avoid becoming overwhelmed. Work on only one or two simple things at...

Work on your personal problems, using small steps to make sure you avoid becoming overwhelmed. Work on only one or two simple things at a time, breaking large or complex problems into goals you can easily accomplish. Use rewards, friends, family, and support groups. What negative or stressful situations exist in your life? What can you do about them? Don’t give up and allow your problems to continue. Brainstorm solutions and ask other people for ideas. Some depressed people reject all the possible solutions, finding reasons to eliminate each one as unacceptable, unpleasant, or unworkable. Don’t let negative thought habits interfere with problem solving. Keep an open mind to all possible solutions.

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Stop bad behaviour

When you complain, cry, talk of sad feelings, or discuss problems, your friends and loved ones probably respond with sympathy and tende...

When you complain, cry, talk of sad feelings, or discuss problems, your friends and loved ones probably respond with sympathy and tender loving care. Unfortunately, these loving responses reward and help maintain the depressive behaviors. Some friends or family even take over chores for a depressed person who stays in bed or asks for help. Again, this rewards the passive or dependent behavior. Perhaps you reward yourself when you drown in negative thoughts or self-pity. Many depressed people eat, spend money excessively, abuse addictive substances, or have sex without love to feel better. Eliminate these and any other subtle rewards for depressive behaviour.

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Control your thinking

Another thing is to consider removing the word “depressed” from your vocabulary. Instead, think of these feelings as low moods. The...

Another thing is to consider removing the word “depressed” from your vocabulary. Instead, think of these feelings as low moods. The term “depression” has so much baggage attached to it – by thinking of your feelings as a “low mood” you are more easily able to appreciate the fact that there are also high moods. Low moods seem more controllable.

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Beat procrastination

The symptoms that we experience when depressed, such as fatigue and hopelessness, make it easy to fall into a habit of putting things o...

The symptoms that we experience when depressed, such as fatigue and hopelessness, make it easy to fall into a habit of putting things off until we feel better. When important deadlines draw near, however, procrastination creates anxiety and guilt that further feeds our depression. It's a vicious cycle, but it can be stopped by learning how to break through the habit of procrastination.

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Learn how to forgive

Holding on to anger about past events can contribute to depression. Forgiveness can help us heal and move forward, but the way we often...

Holding on to anger about past events can contribute to depression. Forgiveness can help us heal and move forward, but the way we often define forgiveness may prevent us from taking this important step. Do we really have to forget what happened and act like things are okay? To enjoy the benefits of forgiveness, however, we don't have to take it that far.

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Get a handle on your household chores

When we feel depressed it becomes difficult to keep up with daily chores such as housework because we just feel too tired and unmotivat...

When we feel depressed it becomes difficult to keep up with daily chores such as housework because we just feel too tired and unmotivated to work. Unfortunately, a dirty home only magnifies our feelings of worthlessness. The good news, however, is that by taking a few simple steps we can regain control of the mess and help ourselves feel better.

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Know that you’re not alone

Every day, thousands of people worldwide face the same struggle you do, and know exactly how you feel. You have support if you need it....

Every day, thousands of people worldwide face the same struggle you do, and know exactly how you feel. You have support if you need it.

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Happy People

They may not be helping but they are acting out of some level of concern for you and your welfare, even if it feels like you’re being...

They may not be helping but they are acting out of some level of concern for you and your welfare, even if it feels like you’re being blamed for your disease. However, anybody who insists that the depression is your own fault and if you just try harder you can fix it, can be summarily ignored.

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See a Doctor

Depression is not just feeling a bit down, it is an actual disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disord...

Depression is not just feeling a bit down, it is an actual disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Speak to a professional and see what you can do to remedy the situation.

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Hobbies

Did you previously enjoy painting? Pick up the paintbrushes again! Always wanted to learn how to ride a horse? Sign up for some lessons...

Did you previously enjoy painting? Pick up the paintbrushes again! Always wanted to learn how to ride a horse? Sign up for some lessons. It can seem daunting leaving the house and participating in this way, but hobbies, particularly organised ones, can give you a structured reason to be out in society, meeting people and learning new things.

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Sunlight

Spend as much time as you can in view of a window, or better yet, outside. Sunlight has been shown to affect serotonin levels in the br...

Spend as much time as you can in view of a window, or better yet, outside. Sunlight has been shown to affect serotonin levels in the brain and therefore your mood, and over the long term, this could help to ease your depression.

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Don’t be afraid to have a cry

Better out than in, as they say. It’s generally advisable to go and find somewhere private so nobody sees, and maybe take a pack of t...

Better out than in, as they say. It’s generally advisable to go and find somewhere private so nobody sees, and maybe take a pack of tissues, but you’re likely to find yourself feeling better after.

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Look good, feel good

You probably want to sit around in trackies or gym shorts but if you’re going outside, make a bit of an effort – you won’t regret...

You probably want to sit around in trackies or gym shorts but if you’re going outside, make a bit of an effort – you won’t regret it. Chaps, suit up. Ladies… also suit up if you want to. In no time you’ll feel like you’ve got your swagger back.

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Time

Everyone's case is different, but the consistent factor is time. It takes time to relax after a breakup, but don't take too long or you...

Everyone's case is different, but the consistent factor is time. It takes time to relax after a breakup, but don't take too long or you'll become too depressed.

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Decissions

Think before you act; do not something you will regret....

Think before you act; do not something you will regret.

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Helping a depressed person

Learn how to avoid becoming depressed yourself while caring for a loved one who is depressed....

Learn how to avoid becoming depressed yourself while caring for a loved one who is depressed.

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Dealing with depression

You can not beat depression with sheer willpower, but you can make a huge dent with simple lifestyle changes and other coping tips....

You can not beat depression with sheer willpower, but you can make a huge dent with simple lifestyle changes and other coping tips.

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Emotional self-help

Many people suffering from depression need to find ways to better manage stress and balance their emotions. Building emotional skills c...

Many people suffering from depression need to find ways to better manage stress and balance their emotions. Building emotional skills can give you the ability to cope and bounce back from adversity, trauma, and loss.

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Reduce stress at home and at work

Ask for help with some of the stressful things in your life. See if your friends or family will take care of some of the daily hassles,...

Ask for help with some of the stressful things in your life. See if your friends or family will take care of some of the daily hassles, like housework. If your job is stressing you out, figure out ways to scale back some of your duties.

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Do not give up

You may feel hopeless right now. You may feel like you are never going to get better. But feeling that way is a symptom of your conditi...

You may feel hopeless right now. You may feel like you are never going to get better. But feeling that way is a symptom of your condition. If you give yourself some time and allow your treatment to take effect, you will feel better again.

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Be open to new ideas

Your therapist may have suggestions that sound strange. He or she may push you to do things that feel awkward or uncomfortable. But try...

Your therapist may have suggestions that sound strange. He or she may push you to do things that feel awkward or uncomfortable. But try to stay open. Give new approaches a try. You may find them more helpful than you expected.

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Interact with nature

Animals live in the present moment and they show love unconditionally. Observing and interacting with them will help you get over your ...

Animals live in the present moment and they show love unconditionally. Observing and interacting with them will help you get over your problems.

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Your strengths

Remember your past accomplishments and build yourself up. What made you successful before? What are your strengths? Frequently, this ex...

Remember your past accomplishments and build yourself up. What made you successful before? What are your strengths? Frequently, this exercise will build self confidence, help you figure out what went wrong, and generate ideas for success in the future.

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More Tips & Hints