Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, stress, sadness, excessive worry – all these conditions can affect your quality of life. Depression can damage your brain and increase the risk of major psychological disorders.
Sadness is normal and part of everyday life. However, research shows that when it becomes excessive and you can’t control it, it leads to stress and eventually to one of the major depressive disorders.
These are generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), depression, chronic stress, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or bipolar disorder. In today’s article, we will tell you how to get out of depression and sadness. Read on!
Treatment Options
Research studies show that depression is treatable. There are various ways to ease or treat the symptoms of sadness and depression. If you are suffering from consistent sadness or depression, you can consult a psychiatrist who will prescribe you medications called antidepressants.
Although antidepressants such as SSRIs are useful in easing the symptoms of depression and anxiety, they can cause side effects like fatigue, insomnia, poor metabolism, digestive distress, bad dreams, hallucinations, etc.
Another treatment option is psychotherapy sessions where a psychotherapist has one-to-one counseling with you. Besides, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) has also been found useful for people with chronic stress and depression.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT is a psychological treatment and works by changing the behavior and attitude of people. CBT focuses on your thoughts, beliefs, behavior, and attitude. A psychotherapist finds out how your psychological processes impact your emotional wellbeing and what can be done to overcome issues.
Besides, CBT is a form of conversational therapy where you have a one-to-one session with the therapist. The therapy is used to treat individuals suffering from mental health conditions like stress, depression, and anxiety.
CBT likewise can help you develop alternative ways of intellect, thoughts, behavior, and attitude. The purpose is to decrease the risk of psychological distress. Common CBT interventions are stress and anxiety management through relaxation techniques like self-talk, deep breathing, and in-depth self-analysis.
Physical Activity
Physical workout or exercise is essential for your physical and mental wellbeing. Not only does it strengthen your body muscles, but it also improves blood flow to vital organs of the body including the brain.
A large body of research evidence backs the significance of exercise for easing stress, depression, and anxiety. Experts recommend at least 30 minutes of physical activity 3-4 times a week. Depending on your age, physical condition, and stamina, this could be a simple morning or evening walk, jogging, running, or more high-intensity aerobic exercises.
Regular exercise releases good endorphins in your brain, which are brain chemicals that enhance your mental sense of wellbeing. Exercise lowers the risk of heart diseases, hypertension, obesity, and protects against Type 2 diabetes.
A regular workout can yield important psychological health benefits. Exercise improves blood flow to the brain and helps reduce symptoms of sadness, depression, anxiety, OCD, bipolar disorder, etc.
Natural Food & Diet
Research reports show that eating a lot of processed or sugary foods can cause both mental and physical problems. Studies suggest that a diet including sugary content is not good for the mental health of people.
Contrarily, including natural food items such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, fish, and essential oils can reduce the symptoms of sadness and depression.
For instance, bananas are rich in tryptophan and tyrosine as well as other essential vitamins and amino acids that can help boost the production of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter that soothes your brain.
Serotonin reduces sadness and improves your mood. Tyrosine in bananas plays a key role in the formation of dopamine, which can alleviate your mood and make you feel happier.
Similarly, leafy green vegetables contain folate that produces certain chemicals like dopamine and serotonin in your brain. These chemicals are called “feel-good” chemicals. Likewise, fish and olive also overcome the intense levels of depression.
Social Interaction
You may not know but limited social interaction is also one of the leading causes of depression and anxiety. Social isolation can negatively affect your psychological health.
Research studies found that loneliness can cause cognitive decline, depression, poor immune system, heart disease, poor quality of sleep, etc. Socialization can lighten your heavy thoughts and make you feel happy. Social interaction can also promote a sense of belonging, safety, and security.
Wrapping up, sadness, worries, depression, anxiety significantly impacts your life. Although it is impossible to completely diminish sadness, learning to cope with it can improve your quality of life.
