3 keys to manage depression without psychologists

Several simple habits can start to bring us back into a positive mindset.

You can call it emptiness, depression or existential crisis, but the point is that you don't feel good. You may have talked it over with someone, yet the people around you don't understand you very well and you end up locking yourself in your room.

This situation is more common than you think, but the natural tendency is to think "these things only happen to me", to rejoice in the fact that you're not feeling well.to wallow in a sense of isolation that can lead to the dreaded depression. The good news is that you can learn to manage depression.

Far from being something to avoid, depression is a wonderful opportunity for self-knowledge, but first of all let's investigate the causes.

• Related article, "Are there different types of depression?"

Where does depression originate from?

When a person suffers from this disorder, he experiences apathy, sadness and loneliness. They lose interest in everything and tend to isolate themselves from the world. But... why?

There are as many reasons to suffer from depression as there are people in the world, although the most common consequence is that your schemes are broken and, suddenly, you feel that the life you had set up no longer makes sense.

There may be triggers that lead you into this grief, such as the death of a loved one or a love breakup.

Although there are also cases of being years with a very sedentary lifestyle (poor diet and no exercise) until falling into the pit of depression. There is even the feeling of not fitting into society.

Managing depression

Regardless of the situation, being immersed in such a situation requires some objectivity, and although a psychologist can give it to you, you can do it on your own. How? With these three keys.

1. Observe yourself and write

Think about it, what do you do throughout the day? If you spend all your time identified with your thoughts, they will become a prison governed by your mind. If you think about the function of a knife you can come to two conclusions: it can do good and evil. That is, it can be used to cut the bread that feeds your family, but also to kill another person.

The same happens with the mind, which is a double-edged sword: it can serve to live fully in all spheres of your life, but it can also become a tremendous tool of self-sabotage in the service of your ego.

Sometimes we have no idea why we feel the way we feel, so to observe ourselves and slow down the pace of the mind it is advisable to capture your thoughts in an emotional diary.

Yes, I purposely say "emotional" because not just about what you have done today, but also about how the situations and experiences you live through make you feel. and experiences that make you feel.

This exercise will increase your self-esteem, but it will also give you peace and serenity. In any case, the cognitive and emotional benefits of journaling are countless.

2. Get moving and eat healthy

One of the things we do when we get depressed is to think too much about the negative aspects of our life. I don't know if you know this, but the mind produces about 60-80,000 thoughts a day, most of which are negative. We are experts at judging ourselves and blaming ourselves for everything that happens to us.

How do we get out of this spiral? By moving. In other words: get out of the house and do some exercise like running, or walking for 30 minutes or an hour. The movement, whether high or low intensity, makes us release endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, giving well-being and pleasure to our body.

If you also start eating more healthy and natural products (fruits, vegetables, legumes, etc.), instead of convenience foods and industrial pastries, your body and mind will thank you. This is one of the oldest keys to managing depression.

In other words, your eating and exercise habits play a key role in counteracting the effects (and symptoms) of depression. Another option in that regard, which will be a breath of fresh air, is to sign up for activities that interest you but that you never contemplated..

3. Talk to friends (and strangers)

Although to reach depression it is common not to tell what you feel to your closest environment, a good friend can be the best psychologist. When I say "good friend" I mean someone who can listen to you and bring you out of your thoughts, not someone who won't listen to you.not someone who does not listen to you and tells you their problems immediately.

By telling someone about your emotions, you are giving your inner world space to manifest, so the effects of depression are lessened. In fact, that person can give you his or her point of view and make you aware of your self-sabotaging thought patterns. In other words, they act as a mirror for you..

In fact, the figure of the coach emerged in the 1960s with Timothy Galway (although its origin goes back to Socrates' maieutics), to increase mental toughness and bring out people's full potential through active listening and action-oriented questioning. Yes, new technologies are making us interact less and less in person, so you can overcome that mental barrier to dare to step out of your comfort zone by meeting people.

Your amygdala (or emotional brain) will detect that you're in danger, but you're not, it's just lack of habit.

As I know this exercise is not easy, think of it as a challenge. For example, if you go to the coffee shop or the bar next to your house, dare to interact with someone who is close to you. The easiest thing to do is to communicate something positive to the other person in a polite way (if it flows, you can even strike up a conversation).

Ask yourself: what's the worst that could happen? If they ignore you, surely you will learn from the experience to do better next time?.

Conclusion

Depression is more common than you thinkWhether you experience it or not, by looking at yourself in perspective you will be able to record your thoughts and emotions in a journal to prevent it or mitigate its effects.

In addition, if you go for a walk, run or do some exercise (even at home, no matter how little), your body will produce endorphins and other hormones responsible for your well-being.

The next time you live a complicated situation, remember that you already have the most important tools to overcome them: your mind, your breathing and your body.. This does not mean that professional support from a psychologist is not necessary. In most cases, it is essential to receive professional guidance. However, knowing these keys to manage depression can make our lives easier, whether we decide to go to a therapist or if for some reason we do not have that possibility.

Finally, remember that we are social beings, so sharing what you think and feel with your environment and interacting with strangers will help you see life with different eyes.