8 Habits that May Cause Depression
Many things and habits can cause depression. Did you know that habits such as diet, exercise, contact with nature, breathing, and the direction of your gaze can, over time, cause depression?
Many factors can cause depression, which is why if you change a few small daily habits, you can notice an improvement in just a short amount of time.
We invite you to get to know these harmful habits that you may be enacting unconsciously every day.
See these habits that may cause depression:
Read also: Fighting Depression with Yoga
Lack of nutrients
Although this might seem strange, it’s true that depression is related to the nervous system, and this is nourished by the foods you eat.
You need the following nutrients daily in order to be balanced, and therefore, in order to avoid depression and other nervous conditions:
- Magnesium, found in walnuts, leafy greens, avocados
- Tryptophan, present in cacao
- Omega-3 acids in linseed
- Vitamin B12, found in sardines, eggs, dairy products
- Folic acid, present in fruits and leafy green vegetables
Harmful foods
On the other hand, there are foods that directly act as a poison and steal vitamins and minerals from the body. They create addictions, change the body’s natural balance, and contribute to worsened moods.
They are:
- Meat, when consumed in excess;
- Saturated fats;
- Aspartame (artificial sweetener);
- Preservatives and artificial flavoring;
- White sugar and sweets;
- Artificial beverages;
- Alcohol.
Lack of exercise
Exercise is indispensable for life and it also helps generate endorphins. These are happy hormones.
A lot of people believe that exercise is necessary just to maintain a healthy weight, but humans have always exercised before just to survive, and now it’s more of an aesthetic question.
But at the end of the day, it is still important to do it.
As soon as you’re done, you’ll notice a great improvement.
Looking down
Of course, this surprises you, but eye movements are also related to moods.
Looking down is related to negative feelings, which is why you should try looking up and keep your eyes focused on details up high. This is an extremely simple exercise and it doesn’t cost anything to try it.
Avoiding internal conflicts
According to some therapists, you must find the origin of the problem in the majority of depression cases. There is generally some sort of conflict, and the problem arises when it is ignored and we wait for time to cover it up.
The individual may be doing something that he/she doesn’t want to do, they might have repressed anger or sadness built up.
In order to treat these emotional issues, we recommend homeopathy or Bach Flowers, as they have no contraindications or side effects, and they can be taken at any age.
Read also: How to Prevent Depression due to Lack of Serotonin
Do not forget nature
Psychic imbalances are becoming more and more common, appearing even in young individuals. One of these factors could be influenced by our lack of contact with nature.
The color green is a natural balancer, and sunbaths are especially necessary when one isn’t feeling well, but the truth is, we all need it.
If you live in the city, you should at least try to find some nature during the weekends.
Barely breathing
Today, we breathe just enough to survive, but every cell in the body needs oxygen, which is why if we don’t give them oxygen, they will be subjected to stress.
It is important to learn to breathe correctly. To do so, you could try some type of therapy (yoga, tai chi, anti gymnastics, feldenkrais…)
Lack of contact
Depressive people tend to isolate themselves and avoid contact with other people, including some of the closest people to them. That’s why you need to fight to recover, although initially, it may be difficult.
A good option, for example, is to let others give you a massage.
Using essential oils that have mood-boosting properties is an even better idea, like oregano, lavender, chamomile, bergamot, geranium, jasmine, lemon, sandalwood, mandarin, melissa, orange, neroli, petitgrain, pomegranate, sage, lemon balm, and ylang-ylang.
In this case, smell each one and let yourself be guided by your own intuition.
Once you’ve chosen an oil, mix it with a moisturizing cream.
Do you have any of these habits that cause depression?
Photos courtesy of John Loo, cwd 1978 and Poytr.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
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