Can you help yourself if you suffer from depression? Yes you can, keep in mind though that depression is a difficult condition that saps your energy and can bring about a questioning of is this worth it.
So what can you do to help yourself if you suffer from depression?
Perhaps the number 1 thing that you can do is have a support network, allow friends and family that can help in. Depressive thoughts will often centre on “I am not worth it”, but perhaps just for a time you could let others have the opportunity to help you. Perhaps you could arrange to have coffee or meet them somewhere. This gives you focus and sets goals that you can achieve and offer someone who can listen to how you feel.
Exercise has been shown in numerous studies to help with mild to moderate depression. Yet many people are put off this because they feel they have to be out at a gym or jogging round the streets in lycra. Any exercise will do going for a walk in the park for example, or walking round the block. Perhaps you could start small with only 5 minutes and build it up through the weeks. Exercising also has the advantage of getting you outside and again sunlight and particularly vitamin D have been shown to help some people with depression.
Depression often disrupts sleep patterns so try to have a routine round sleep go to bed at a consistent time and get up at a regular time. We all need different amounts of sleep (usually around 8 hours). Don’t be tempted to have an alcoholic drink to help you sleep for again it disrupts your natural rhythms. You can try things like relaxation if sleep eludes you, try set the worries to one side.
Finally and perhaps most importantly tell your GP how you are feeling they can prescribe both medicines and treatments that will help you deal with your depression and can help you to get back to the person you want to be.