Dealing with Depression

Introduction

Everyone has times in their lives when they feel fed up or miserable. It is usually for a particular reason, does not interfere too much with daily life, and does not usually last longer than a week or two. This is part and parcel of life.

However, if these feelings go on for weeks or months, or become so bad that they start to affect every area of your life, you may have depression. If you are depressed, you will probably notice some of the following:

• You feel unhappy, miserable, down, and depressed. This feeling will not go away and can be worse at a particular time of the day, often first thing in the morning.

• You cannot enjoy anything.

• You lose interest in seeing people and lose touch with friends.

• You are unable to concentrate properly and find it harder to make decisions.

• You lose your self-confidence and feel guilty and unworthy.

• You start to feel hopeless, and perhaps even suicidal.

If you notice this phenomenon taking place, you may find that you feel nervous, restless, or agitated. Either you can’t get to sleep or sleep too much. You feel exhausted and have no energy. You wake up early and remain awake throughout the night. You may also end up having a headache or upset stomach.

Other people may notice that you make mistakes at work or can’t focus, seem unusually quiet and withdrawn, are avoiding people, worry about things, and are more irritable than usual. They may find you complaining about vague physical problems and stop looking after your home and yourself properly.

Most people do not experience all of these, and some people may only be aware of physical symptoms. You may think that you have a physical illness because you feel very tired or have problems with sleep, but physical symptoms can be the first sign of depression.

When should you seek help for your depression?

You may need to seek help if you (or a friend or family member of yours) notice the following symptoms:

1. Your feelings of depression affect your work, interest, and feelings toward your family and friends

2. Your feelings of depression have been going on for quite a while and do not seem to get better.

3. You find yourself feeling that life is not worth living, or that other people will be better off without you.

Why does depression occur?

Depression is not a sign of weakness. It can happen even to the most resolute people. Sometimes, there will be a clear reason for becoming depressed; at times, there will be no reason. It can be a disappointment, frustration, or because you have lost something or someone important to you. There is often more than one reason, and these will be different for different people. The following are some common reasons:

1. Life Events and Personal Circumstances

Depression can be triggered by a stressful or distressing event such as a bereavement, relationship breakdown, or loss of a job. If your life circumstances mean that you live alone or have no friends or family around, you may be more likely to become depressed.

2. Physical Health

Sleep, diet, and exercise can all affect our mood and how we cope with things. Physical health problems, particularly those that are serious or long-term, can cause depression or make it worse. These include the following:

• Life-threatening illnesses like cancer and heart diseases

• Long-term and/ or painful illnesses like arthritis

• Viral infections like ‘the flu’ or glandular fever particularly in younger people

• Hormonal problems like an under-active thyroid

• Conditions affecting the brain or nervous system

3. Childhood Trauma

Some people may be more vulnerable to depression than others. This may be because of difficult childhood experiences or trauma which can include abuse, neglect, witnessing violence or a traumatic event, or an unstable family environment

4. Alcohol and Drug Use

Drinking alcohol or using drugs like cannabis can make you more likely to become depressed in the long term.

5. Genetic Factors

Depression can run in families. If you have one parent who has been depressed, you are also more likely to become depressed.

Can I get better on my own?

The good news is that most people with depression do get better on their own by doing things to help themselves. You may be able to overcome depression by yourself. Which will give you a feeling of achievement and confidence to tackle such feelings again if you feel low in the future. The following are some suggestions to drive if you're feeling depressed. You must find what works best for you and create your list of helpful strategies.

Talk to someone

If you've had some bad news or a major upset in your life, try not to bottle things up. It can help you tell someone close to you how you feel about it. A trouble shared is a trouble halved. Try writing down how you feel.

Keep active

If you can, go outside for some exercise, even if it is only for a short walk, this will help you keep physically fit and sleep better. It can also help you focus on other things and free your mind from depressing thoughts and feelings.

Eat properly

You may not feel very hungry but try to eat regularly. It is easy to lose weight and run low on vitamins when you are depressed or eat too much junk food and put on weight you do not want. A balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables can help you keep your body and mind healthy.

Avoid alcohol and drugs

Alcohol makes depression worse in the long run. The same goes for street drugs, particularly cannabis, amphetamines, cocaine, and ecstasy.

Settle into a sleep routine.

Try to go to bed at the same time each night and get up at the same time each morning. Do something restful that you enjoy before going to bed like reading a book. If you are unable to sleep, get out of bed and do something relaxing, like sitting quietly on the couch.

Read about depression

Ask your doctor for the written information that can help you understand what is going on. Give you guidelines on how to cope with stress better. You can also have friends and relatives to understand what you're going through.

Do something you enjoy

Spend some time regularly doing something you enjoy like reading or another hobby.

Practice self-kindness

You may be a perfectionist who drives himself too hard. Try to set yourself more realistic goals or expectations. Be kind to yourself.

Keep hopeful

Remind yourself that many other people had depression, but now they have recovered. Remain hopeful that you will also recover.

Take a break

It can be helpful to get away and break your normal routine for a few days. Divert your thoughts from your daily stress and worries. If you can change your environment even for a few hours, it can help.

Practice your faith

Faith can be a very powerful way to help you think positively, give you motivation, and maintain a routine in your life. Attending a mosque for daily prayers can also be a good means of socializing with others and changing your environment. Recitation of the Holy Quran and Salat can enhance your spirituality, which will help you come out of your depression.

Some people need extra help, especially if their depression is severe it goes on for a long time, or the things they've tried to get better have not worked. If this is the first time, you're experiencing depression, you have a roughly 50/50 chance of becoming depressed again. So, it is important to know how to get help if you need it. If trying to get better on your own is not working, or recovery is not as quick as you like, it may be a good idea to speak to your general practitioner.

Conclusion

I would like to iterate the following three golden quotes of Charlie Chaplin on the matter of existence:

1. "We have bad days because they open up our eyes to the good days we ignore in life."

2. "Nothing is permanent in this world, not even our troubles"

3. "The most wanted day in life is the day when we have not laughed."

Chin up buddy! It always gets worse before it gets better. The night is darkest just before dawn. Help is always on its way. Trust the process, raise your energy levels, and the right things will happen to you in life. Never let this moment be your identity. Never let your present situation be your final destination because just when a caterpillar thinks its life is over, it evolves into a butterfly.