7 Things Your Depression Doesn’t Want You to Know

Depression is the most common mental disorder among people today, and it’s also the most common cause for missing work.

The fact is that antidepressants form the largest category of medication sold worldwide, and according to statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO) the number of people using them climbs between 10 to 15%.

Why is this happening? Is our increasingly complicated lifestyle making us more vulnerable? The truth is that there’s no clear reason “why” – all we know is that just as no two people are the same, there are no identical cases of depression.

That’s why it’s very difficult to determine the set of strategies that will help everyone who’s suffering from depression, but there are some simple facts that are worth remembering on the days you feel at your lowest.

In today’s article, we encourage you to learn what they are.

1. Your self-esteem is critical

The way you see and interpret the world around you can vary according to your self-esteem. When you’re low, you become obsessed with everyone else around you, as if they’ve been given the things that you should have had for yourself.

You might start to view yourself as someone who doesn’t deserve certain things, or even worse, that you don’t have “what it takes” to receive them.

A lack of self-esteem creates internal imbalances and conflicts that will slowly take their toll on you over the course of your lifetime.

It’s often been said that the most dangerous form of depression is the one that comes from within. In such cases, there’s never a specific cause that triggers your disorder. The problem resides within yourself, and could have been growing since your childhood.

If your family situation has always been difficult, if your relationship with your parents has never been positive, or if you never matured emotionally, your self-esteem will most likely be low.

Every day, you continue to harbor an inexplicable sadness, lacking motivation and feeding the discouragement that leads to depression.

Be certain to pay attention to your self-esteem! Make sure you’re the main star in the movie of your life and not a supporting actor!

2. Your suffering isn’t going to last forever

We promise you this: depression doesn’t last forever, nor will that pain you’re feeling that has paralyzed you.

If you approach every day in a more rational way, shutting out negative thoughts and holding on to your dreams, your depression will eventually let you go until it’s just a distant shadow that fades and disappears.

3. Focus on the present

The past is in the past, it’s gone, it is no longer there.

What good does it do to focus your attention on those days a month or a year ago, when all they do is cause you pain? It’s not worth it and don’t start thinking about your future in a fatalistic way, either. Remember that you don’t have a crystal ball – there’s no telling what might happen.

Allow yourself to live in the here and now with maximum intensity and the happiness that you deserve. That is the only thing that’s worth your efforts.

4. Always ask for help, but make sure you’re asking the right people

You might have heard people say that “your family is who you should turn to first, they’ll never fail you.” Well, hopefully, that’s the case, but bear in mind that there are still certain people who are capable of doing more harm than good.

Some people even believe that if you have a diagnosed depression disorder it’s because you’re a weak kind of person “who’s always sad.”

Be careful. Seek help from a professional and then lean on your family members and friends who really know how to listen to you, to comfort you, and who have the right words at the right times.

5. Your depression doesn’t like to leave the house

It’s the truth. Your depression loves the darkness with the blinds drawn. It craves the silence, where you lock yourself in with negative or fatalistic thoughts.

Don’t let it trick you – get outside and walk every day for at least half an hour. Breathe in the fresh air, let the sun kiss you with its warmth and talk to the people you meet. Surround yourself with life, movement, light, and joy – every day.

6. Your depression loves junk food

Pastries, snacks, frozen dinners, fast food… these foods all calm your anxiety and give you momentary pleasure, but, in fact, they also promote the chemical imbalance of depression, further fueling those negative neurotransmitters.

Start eating more fresh fruit and vegetables. Drink water and tea. Following a healthy diet helps you feel better and your body will start getting rid of toxins.

7. Decide to say “no” to your depression

This isn’t easy. Saying “no” to depression requires a lot of strength and courage, but one thing is clear: you are not your depression.

You’re a human being who deserves to find happiness again, who should look at your life with enthusiasm and hope. So now… why don’t you let go of that lurking shadow that’s trying so hard to make you suffer?