How to cope with depression. Eat healthy

We believe that depression is a temporary deterioration in mood that should not be given much attention. This attitude towards the disease leads to the fact that every year in Russia the number of people who decide to commit suicide is growing. It is worth recognizing that depression is a rather serious disease, the treatment of which must be approached with all responsibility. There are many known methods for identifying the disease and its treatment. There is even a special depression scale that allows you to determine the degree of the disease. In the West, many people have a personal psychotherapist. People understand that by trying to cope with an illness on their own, they are harming themselves. We are used to dividing everyone into the healthy and the mentally ill in the old fashioned way. But there is nothing wrong with going to a specialist to explain how to overcome depression. There are lots of ways to do this. In mild cases, you can help yourself. Moreover, this disease is easier to prevent than to treat.

Story

Do you think depression is a modern disease? However, it is not. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates described a condition called “melancholy,” the symptoms of which are very similar to depression, and also gave some recommendations for its treatment: tincture of opium, warm cleansing enemas, drinking mineral water from the island of Crete, massage and baths. He drew attention to the fact that people's mood often depends on the time of year and weather. Hippocrates wrote that the condition of many melancholic people improves after a sleepless night. Then he almost made a discovery therapeutic effect sleep deprivation and phototherapy are currently known ways to treat depression.

Causes of the disease

Depression can occur in a person against the background of any events, strong negative emotions, for example, death loved one, dismissal from work and so on.

In this case, they say that the disease is reactive in nature (from the word “reaction”). It happens that the disease develops during severe stress at excessive load brain A person is faced with a lot of problems that he cannot cope with. At least that's what he thinks. The brain's defense mechanism is activated. A depressed person begins to think something like this: “I won’t succeed. Why do anything? Life isn’t going well. I don’t want to live.” But sometimes the disease occurs without any apparent reason. In this case, depression is called endogenous ("originating from within"). Psychologists have also noticed that many people in bad sunless weather or when spending a long time in darkened rooms can develop a state of depression, joylessness, and fatigue. Here they talk about the seasonal nature of the disease. It is treated with light therapy and walks fresh air in sunny weather. Sometimes depression occurs as a side effect when taking certain medications, such as corticosteroids, Levodopa, and so on. After discontinuation of the drugs, the patient's emotional state improves. Abuse of alcohol, drugs, and sleeping pills can also lead to painful anxiety and restlessness in a person. Some women may experience depression during pregnancy.

Symptoms

Diagnosing the disease is sometimes very difficult for specialists.

We have a common opinion that if a person seeks help from a psychotherapist, then he is mentally ill. And this is a stigma for life. Many patients try to keep silent about the signs of the emerging disease, fearing the prescription of antidepressants. Some do this out of fear that this information may end up in medical card and become known to the employer. Experts have their own methods for determining the presence and severity of the disease. One of them is testing the patient. This disease has no gender or age. It is believed that depression in men manifests itself in the same way as in women. And it can arise both at a young age and in old age. Psychotherapists believe that a person can be said to have depression if two of the main symptoms and at least three of the additional ones are present. The main symptoms include:

• a depressed state that does not depend on external factors, manifesting itself over a long period;
• sudden loss of pleasure and interest in something;
• loss of strength, increased fatigue.

Additional symptoms are:

• frequent feelings of guilt, fear, causeless anxiety, and so on;
• pessimism;
• low self-esteem;
• thoughts of death, suicide;
• loss or sharp increase in appetite, weight gain or loss;
• insomnia;
• inability to concentrate on anything or make decisions;
• the appearance of an unpleasant sweetish taste in the mouth (glycogeusia).

Information about the symptoms and causes of this disease will help us understand how to overcome stress and depression. Next we will talk about methods to cope with the disease.

Antidepressants

Is the whole world around in black colors? Lots of problems and no way to solve them? The circle is closed, there is no way out? How often do such thoughts appear in our heads. We are all human, and each of us from time to time has some problems in the family or at work, our mood deteriorates, we get tired. But if restless thoughts, fear, and despair overwhelm you too often, it’s time to visit a psychotherapist. There is no need to guess how to overcome depression on your own. Qualified specialist help will come in handy here. Treatment is not always carried out in a hospital. The main method is outpatient, with the use of antidepressants. For mild forms of the disease, herbal-based medications are often prescribed, for example, Hypericin (extract from St. John's wort). More powerful tools include:

• medications "Clomipramine", "Cipramil", "Imipramine", "Fluoxetine". Used to treat deep melancholy and apathetic depression. They are stimulant drugs.
• medications "Desipramine", "Pyrazidol". Intended for subpsychotic depression. They have a beneficial effect on the anxiety component of the disease.
• "Amitriptyline" remedy. Often used to treat patients with suicidal tendencies. A sedative drug.
• medicines "Lyudiomil", "Azafen". Prescribed for mild depression with light elements anxiety.
• the drug "Coaxil" (indicated for high blood pressure and intolerance to antidepressants).

It is worth remembering that taking medications on your own without a doctor’s prescription is prohibited. Only a specialist will be able to accurately determine the presence and severity of the disease and prescribe the medications necessary to solve the problem. The doctor prescribes the dose of the drug for each patient individually. Treatment is carried out under close supervision by a medical institution.

Psychotherapy

For mild to moderate severity of this disease, specialists often turn to non-biological types of therapy, such as psychotherapy. In some cases, the method is used in conjunction with psychotropic drugs. But sometimes depression can be treated without prescribing antidepressants. The psychologist first determines the type and extent of the disease.

He then prescribes appropriate treatment. Depending on the task performed, the following types of psychotherapy are distinguished:

• Behavioral. Has a beneficial effect on people concerned about psychosocial or interpersonal problems. Helps patients avoid unpleasant, painful activities and create a comfortable, attractive work environment around them.
• Cognitive. Often used in conjunction with behavioral techniques. Allows you to eliminate pessimistic thoughts that interfere with healthy activity, block dysfunctional attitudes and beliefs.
• Interpersonal. The method is based on the “here and now” principle. Aimed at solving current problems of interpersonal relationships.

Benefits of exercise

There are other non-drug ways to combat this disease, such as chronic depression. They are usually used by psychotherapists. But knowing about them beneficial effects on the human psyche, you can try to cope with depression on your own or even prevent it. One of these methods is regular exercise. This technique is used both in conjunction with antidepressants and as an independent means of therapy. It has been clinically proven that during physical activity our body produces and releases it into the blood. a large number of endorphin (hormone of joy). Who doesn’t remember what a wonderful feeling of satisfaction, pleasure and pleasant fatigue comes over us after a good run in the fresh air or after an hour’s workout in the gym?

In addition, it is believed that an increase in body temperature during exercise contributes to general relaxation of the body. Experts advise everyone who wants to cope with this disease to perform exercises that involve deep breathing. Do you want to know how to cope with depression on your own? Do yoga, swimming, running or walking. Greatest results the method is used for depressive conditions that develop in people after a stroke and recovery from alcohol addiction. However, it is worth noting that the technique is ineffective in severe forms of depression.

Occupational therapy

Such a technique as occupational therapy has much in common with the method of physical activity. Some of us have probably noticed that while doing any housework or any other work, we are distracted from the everyday problems that have piled up, calm down and relax. Many of us even unconsciously use occupational therapy to relieve mental stress, anxiety and fear. The most positive point here is the absence of any medications. Therefore, this method simply cannot cause harm, even if used without the prescription of a specialist. The fact that work has a beneficial effect on the human psyche and mood was known to ancient Greek doctors five hundred years BC. And in Franklin's time in America, occupational therapy as a method of treatment was often used by Quakers in sanatoriums. There the mentally ill spun flax. Such work calmed the nerves of patients and returned them to normal life. Want to know how to treat depression at home? Do laundry, cleaning, car repair, whatever... As long as your thoughts are occupied. Then you simply won't have time to worry and be sad.

Other methods

There are other, no less effective techniques that will help overcome such an illness as chronic depression. They are often used in psychotherapists' offices. But you can also use them yourself at home. These include:

• Light therapy. Many of us have noticed how our mood deteriorates when autumn comes with its slush and lack of bright sunny days. For some people, this seasonal mental disorder may cause severe consequences. Light therapy is then the most popular and effective treatment method. Both special artificial lighting chambers and natural sunlight are used here. The best option- a walk on a dry sunny day in the fresh air. It has been noted that 0.5-1 hour a day for 8-12 weeks of using the method is enough to stabilize the situation.
• Music therapy. In this case, music is used medicinal purposes. You can listen to classics, play your favorite song or melody. It became widespread as a method of treating the mentally ill after the Second World War. Surprisingly, it was used not only in psychotherapy, but also to facilitate childbirth, treat tuberculosis and stomach ulcers.
• Meditation. There are many various techniques, during which the meditator takes a certain position and concentrates on his internal sensations. Often the intake is combined with certain breathing exercises. It is known that meditation has a beneficial effect on metabolism, blood pressure, brain activity and so on.
• Art therapy. The method is based on the influence of fine art on the human psyche. The term "art therapy" was coined by artist Adrian Hill in 1938 when describing his work in sanatoriums with tuberculosis patients. The technique is often used when working with people who have difficulties in relationships with other members of society, if they have phobias, anxiety, low self-esteem, fears, stress, etc.

It is worth mentioning other methods used by doctors, with the help of which even severe depression. These are magnetic therapy, acupuncture, hypnotherapy, aromatherapy, transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, etc.

How to cope with depression during pregnancy?

Preventing a disease is always easier than treating it. There are situations when the occurrence of an illness can be expected. We are talking about a condition called depression during pregnancy.

It manifests itself in women in different ways: frequent mood swings, tears for no reason, increased irritability, fatigue, loss of physical strength and so on. Is it necessary to talk about how negatively all this affects the unborn baby, not to mention the health of his mother? What advice can I give here? Firstly, you must definitely ask your family and friends to help with household chores. Secondly, do not hesitate to seek help from a psychologist if the situation requires it. His qualified assistance is necessary in some situations. Thirdly, the expectant mother should try to get enough sleep every day. Lack of sleep is the main cause of psychological problems. Depression often occurs on this basis. Reviews from women who have already given birth indicate that with the constant help of loved ones, they rarely experienced a similar condition during pregnancy.

Anxiety Limiter

Very often we are overcome by fear about what has not yet happened, but may well happen. We are constantly worrying about something. Some of us worry about the illness of our loved ones, drawing in our imagination terrible pictures of complications of the disease. Someone - about the inability to repay the debt on time, assuming what will happen if the money is not found on time, etc. Of course, all these problems are very important for us. But many things that we are so afraid of never happen in our lives. It turns out that we worried in vain. It takes away our joy in life, peace of mind and physical strength. The habit of worrying about any reason can lead to the development of severe depression. Therefore, it is so important to curb our emotions and thoughts in time so that they do not overcome us. How to do it? Set what is called a “worry limiter.” Just imagine for a moment that the worst thing you fear has already happened. That's it, you have nothing more to lose. But the world didn’t collapse after that, did it? Nothing bad happened. All problems can be solved, including these. All that remains is to breathe out and move on with your life. So was it worth getting upset over such trifles that may never happen in our lives?

Faith saves

Many people are interested in the question: how to get out of depression on your own, without depressants and the help of a psychologist? There is one simple one and the right way defeating worry, anxiety and lack of self-confidence once and for all is religion. A believer always adheres to eternal fundamental truths. This gives him peace, tranquility and confidence in the future. He knows he is not alone. He will not have to fight his problems alone if they overcome him. There is a God who will never leave him. Even an unbeliever who is in complete despair often turns to the Lord in prayer, grasping at the last straw that promises him salvation. In difficult situations we cease to be atheists. So why wait until despair and fear come over us? Why not turn to God right today with a prayer for help?

How does this work on a psychological level? First, by saying prayer and expressing our feelings and aspirations in words, we clearly identify our problem. This further helps us solve it. Secondly, when we turn to God, we understand that we are not alone. This gives us confidence in ourselves and our abilities. Even the most psychologically strong person can one day break down when dealing with their problems alone. Third, prayer is the first step to resolution difficult situation, which worries us. It is impossible to ask God for something every day and not start doing something about it. The famous French scientist and experimental surgeon said it this way: “Prayer is the most powerful form of energy that a person can generate.” So why not use this energy to solve our pressing problems?

Will a sleepless night help?

This technique is often used by specialists in the treatment of mentally ill people. Its scientific name is sleep deprivation. It was known to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates, who established a connection between a sleepless night and an improvement in the mental state and general well-being of the patient. The trick is to keep the patient awake at night. A distinction is made between complete sleep deprivation (the patient does not sleep all night and the entire next day) and late night sleep deprivation (the patient is woken up between 1-2 am and does not sleep until the end of the day). Want to know how to overcome depression? Swipe sleepless night and sleep the whole next day. Perhaps this is exactly the kind of shake-up your body needs. A positive effect from using the method can be achieved in 60-70% of patients. True, it has been noted that after returning to normal sleep and wakefulness, many patients experience frequent relapses illness. Therefore, the reception is combined with light therapy, the prescription of antidepressants, etc.

There is a lot to be said about how to overcome depression. But our most important assistant in this is ourselves. In any situation, no matter how difficult it may be, it is useful to follow these recommendations:

• Don't be left alone with the problem. Share it with someone close to you. Someone will definitely suggest the right solution if you don’t find it yourself. It’s not for nothing that people say: “One head is good, but two are better.”
• Lead active image life. Do sports, dance, draw... Then you simply won’t have time left to think about your experiences.
• Try to get out into nature more often. Communication with her has a beneficial effect on our well-being and mood. Nature gives powerful charge energy, replenishes vitality.
• Find yourself some outlet. A person is not a robot. You can't just focus on work and family all the time. Everyone probably has something they like, be it fishing, cross-stitching or writing poetry. Let others consider your hobby an empty whim; it is vital for you and gives you peace and satisfaction.

We looked at methods to overcome depression. Some of them are used only by specialists in the treatment of mentally ill people. But most can be used independently, at home and without a doctor’s prescription, to get rid of constant anxiety, fears and bad mood.

Depression is a serious mental disorder that leads to... pathological conditions, which can only be eliminated with the help of a doctor. However, people often understand depression as a depressed state in which they find themselves when various troubles occur in their lives. Many events can lead to depression. The main condition is significance for a person. If a person loses or becomes unable to have something that is meaningful to him, then he becomes depressed. And here it becomes important to be able to cope with depression on your own, so as not to worsen the situation so much that you will have to be treated together with a doctor.

Absolutely all site readers psychological assistance site face stress. What causes stressful state? Unpleasant situations, criticism, dissatisfaction with specific events or phenomena. Every day a person is faced with something that he does not like. If he is unable to free himself from negative emotions that would otherwise accumulate, then the person may soon enter into depressive state.

Based on the above, two conclusions can be drawn:

1. To cope with depression, the situation that is depressing you should not be significant to you. The loss of a large sum of money will be depressing, since a person has been saving it for a long time. If you lose something you have been working on for a long time, it can lead to a loss of strength and energy. A person should simply understand that in this world you can work for a long time on something and lose everything in one moment. It's unpleasant, painful and offensive. However, it depends on him whether he will grieve over what was lost or will not give up and will continue to live. Make what is significant insignificant or less significant, not as important as the opportunity to live happily, no matter what.
2. To cope with depression, learn to let go of negative emotions. If you keep them to yourself, they will soon reach their peak limit, after which the person will either break down or plunge into depression. Why hoard something that doesn’t bring you pleasure and happiness? Think about it. Troubles will happen all the time, but why accumulate the bad emotions that arise.

The human psyche is unique - it is ready to live by the rules that a person dictates to it. However, many people from childhood are taught to accumulate all the bad things and not notice the good. The sages say that unhappy parents can teach their children to be just as unhappy. Such parents cannot teach to be happy, because they do not know what it is like. That is why so many people who continue to preserve the traditions of their parents plunge into despondency, melancholy and apathy.

However, every person has a choice. If as a child, when you were little, you adopted everything that was inherent in your parents in order to survive, now, when you are already an adult, you have a choice - to be like your parents, or to become different than you want be. Every person has the choice to live the way he wants.

Just understand: if you decide to live differently than before, it will require a lot of effort and time from you. You can't change your life in one day. You will have to spend many months and even years learning not to give up, remain calm and be happy. However, if you try, you will achieve what you want.

How to cope with depression?

The problem of coping with depression is becoming more common. The reason is that a person does not always realize what is happening to him, which is why he is not able to find ways quick fix unpleasant condition. To cope with depression, you must first acknowledge its presence. Moreover, you need not to cherish this state in yourself, but to see how happily you can live, how uninteresting the world becomes while a person is in it.

Depression has existed throughout history. However, for some reason it is becoming increasingly difficult for modern people to cope with it. What is the reason? Psychologists find answers in the lifestyle of past and modern people. If in ancient times people were forced to lead an active lifestyle, work physically, think less with their “smart” heads and analyze the situation, then modern people are less active, think more than they do, and constantly focus on troubles.

There is such an expression as “woe from wit”, when a person may have a lot of knowledge, but not use it or do not know what to do with it. Modern man is very smart, but his stupidity is manifested in the fact that he is simply not able to use his own knowledge. And the former person can be compared to a child who does not understand anything, but feels that it is unpleasant for him. He simply does everything to get away from what is unpleasant to him.

Sometimes you just need to allow yourself not to be depressed. This is quite difficult to do until you understand that a person is capable of managing his own conditions.

1. What prevents a person from smiling?
2. What prevents a person from doing what he loves?
3. What prevents a person from going out into the sun and enjoying its warm rays?
4. What prevents a person from simply saying to himself: “Enough is enough. I'm tired of being depressed"?

People simply enjoy the fact that they can do nothing, citing depression. If at first you can understand that a person is simply tired of constant failures or troubles, then later it can no longer be called laziness.

To cope with depression on your own, you first need to want it, and not just try or pretend that something is being done.

• Change your attitude towards those situations that make you depressed. A person is asked to reduce the importance of some of them. There is no need to worry about anything, as this will only lead to exhaustion. It’s better to focus on what’s important, and just take everything else as trivial.
• Keep calm in stressful situations. We will not suggest that you avoid stress. Just learn not to create situations for yourself that will cause you stress. At the same time, there is no escape from troubles. It is better to learn not to run away from them, but to easily cope with them.
• Postpone important tasks until later. If you feel a loss of strength and an inability to cope with something, allow yourself to resolve all the issues later. You will still have time to resolve important matters, but now allow yourself to rest.
• Get plenty of rest. Depression suggests that, most likely, before it appeared, you took on too many responsibilities and work, often encountering failures and the inability to complete everything on time. If that's the case, then save yourself the trouble of doing work that other people have to do. If you just work a lot, then postpone some tasks until later to give yourself a break.
• Communicate with people more often. Moreover, the circle of communication should be varied and interesting. The more people you communicate with, the less you get stuck on one thing. Topics with different people constantly overlap and sometimes do not coincide. At the same time, these people should be interesting to communicate with, pleasant and friendly.
• Focus on enjoyable activities. Things that are not interesting to do lead to depression. A person may have had to spend a lot of effort on doing things that do not give him anything good. Here you need to please yourself. Make time to pursue your hobbies.
• Move, avoid idleness. Depression develops where there is stagnation. Note that when people are depressed, they lie on their beds and suffer. Don't allow yourself to be lazy. Play sports. Go to the beach. Go shopping. Don't let your negative feelings keep you stuck at home.
• Eat right. Moreover, do not forget to eat in principle. Many people get so caught up in their worries and activities that they don’t remember the last time they ate. It is easy to throw a hungry person off balance. And if you are full, then you are more satisfied.

If all the recommendations do not work, do not neglect the help of a psychologist. Despite the negative attitude towards these specialists, it is better to take care of your own mental health rather than the opinion of society. It is better to get rid of depression with a psychologist than to spend your life always experiencing it.

How to cope with depression on your own?

It is possible to cope with depression on your own if you react to its occurrence in time. In mild form, depression is not dangerous. You can go hiking in sunny days either play sports or physical work. However, with severe depression, things become more complicated. A person usually already revels in his condition and does not want to get rid of it, finding various arguments and justifications.

To cope with depression on your own, do not allow yourself to isolate yourself in the house, close the curtains and listen to sad music. One day you can afford this behavior. But on the second day, wipe your tears and go outside to people. It is not recommended to resort to such methods of getting rid of depression as drinking alcohol, taking pills, going to nightclubs or other places where “free love” flourishes. Why?

1. Alcohol ruins your health. You will have to drink every day in order to once again relax and not think about problems.
2. The pills will only calm you down temporarily. What will you do then when their effect stops?
3. Nightclubs and other places with “free love” will not solve your problems, even if the cause of your depression is unhappy love or separation from a loved one. You need to resolve all issues with your loved ones or let them go and move on with your life.

To cope with depression, you need to realize that all problems are created by a person himself. If you have encountered failures that are causing you to suffer, then it’s time to realize that you created them yourself. You have done things that lead to failure. Trying to find someone to blame, you forget that you are no less guilty than others. When you try to find the answer to how to solve the problem, you forget that you have to start by changing your actions.

If depression has really exhausted you, then you should admit your own powerlessness. Ask family or friends for help. Don't be ashamed of your powerlessness. It’s better to get rid of it so as not to sink further into depression.

How can you finally cope with depression on your own?

You will have to change your lifestyle a little (actions, views, daily routine) in order to finally cope with depression on your own. If you are ready to get rid of your condition, which allows you to lie, suffer and be lazy, then start making changes. What is important here is internal desire, not external necessity.

Every person is characterized by both positive and negative emotions that accompany him throughout his life. A sad and melancholy state of mind occurs in the event of undeserved grievances, loss of loved ones, as well as loss of faith in one’s dream.

If this condition does not leave a person for a long time or becomes a constant companion in life, then the onset of depression cannot be ruled out. However, with some information and the support of a good doctor, true friends and kind relatives, severe depression can be healed.

Diagnosis and methods of healing from the disease

If a person has never wondered how to cope with depression, then undoubtedly the time has come to resolve this issue once and for all. This mental disorder is characterized by the following symptoms, which everyone needs to be aware of, and if at least one of them is detected, you should seek help. qualified help to the doctor.

Difficulties arise with everyday household chores; an activity that has always been enjoyable (reading a book, computer game, watching your favorite TV show) has ceased to be such; the emergence of a state of indifference and fatigue from the outside world; negative melancholy and sad feelings begin to be protracted (more than fourteen days); loss of self-confidence, associated with low self-esteem and self-doubt; change of rhythm normal sleep, the occurrence of insomnia or excessive sleepiness; against the background of a state of forgetfulness, concentrating attention and thinking on something becomes impossible; the pessimistic feeling of existence does not let go, everything that is happening around seems meaningless and in vain, a feeling of numbness of the body arises; unpleasant physiological sensations in the form of headaches and aching pains, spasms, problems with the digestive system; the occurrence of prolonged irritation due to any minor reason; the appearance of thoughts of suicide and an attempt to realize them.

If you have the symptoms described above, you should first consult a doctor, since depression is often caused by another existing disease, as well as a consequence of taking medical supplies. When conducting an examination, the doctor must establish the root causes of the disease, as well as prescribe the necessary treatment procedures.

Common diseases that lead to depression include: lack of vitamins and minerals; diseases thyroid gland, as well as the emergence hormonal imbalance, including changes associated with the menstrual cycle in women; long-term use medications (depression is often listed as one of the side effects in the instructions included with medications); the presence of an underlying disease that may be accompanied by depression (heart and vascular disease, diabetes, Parkinson's disease and others); abuse alcoholic drinks And narcotic substances; exclusively women's diseases(postpartum depression, premenstrual tension syndrome).

The necessary knowledge about your inner state that suppresses interest in life will help you overcome it. This knowledge will calm you down somewhat and make it possible to understand the reality of depression, as well as the availability of many ways to overcome this illness. Knowledge will provide additional options for getting out of depression. To get them, you need to do the following.

Pay a visit to city ​​library where to study literature that reveals the secrets of depression and anxiety states and the value of happiness. When selecting books, you need to pay attention to recommendations for reading them according to age. This literature can also be searched on the Internet.

Visit the relevant Russian-language Internet sites with articles on this topic, which will also help “open your eyes” to the problems of depression and give useful recommendations aimed at combating it.

You should always share your knowledge regarding depression and getting rid of it with other people, as well as listen to their advice based on your own practice and life experience.

The most effective and time-tested method of combating the condition negative attitude to life is personal communication with specialists in the field of therapy and psychotherapy. Certain methods have been developed to get rid of the disease in question, and each good specialist has his own unique style. If it is initially possible to establish proper contact with the doctor, and at the same time the patient experiences a state of comfort when communicating with him, then, undoubtedly, there are all possible prerequisites for further recovery. Time and science have developed three enough effective methods aimed at getting rid of the disease.

Behavioral (cognitive) therapy. It comes down to the joint activity of the doctor and the patient, aimed at combating and changing negative stereotypes of thinking. The method is very effective for acute and chronic signs of the disease, and even antidepressants are inferior to it. It also protects against the consequences of relapse.

Behavioral therapy (dialectical). It involves focusing a person's attention on negative, unhealthy and harmful behavior. Provides an opportunity to develop skills for subsequent adaptation to stressful situations in the future.

Psychological therapy (interpersonal). It is a short healing method based on research into the impact of depressive symptoms on interpersonal human relations. This method is suitable for practical application at availability of light, as well as a moderate form of the disease.

We should not forget about treatment with proven medications. For this purpose, you should contact the appropriate specialist doctor, who, after examination and examination, will prescribe certain medicines. Before taking these medications, you must carefully read the attached instructions, which reflect side effects. In case of any discomfort states after consuming them, you should immediately report these facts to your doctor, since he will be able to either change the dosage or prescribe a different medication.

If you have a negative attitude towards medications and have no desire to take them orally, you should inform your doctor, who will be convinced that you have the opportunity to cope with the disease on your own. Moreover, this expression of will must be exclusively truthful and without a grain of guile.

An effective alternative to taking medications is herbal treatment, in particular St. John's wort, which has sedative properties. In this case, everything should be carried out under the supervision of a doctor and without combining the use of this herbal remedy with medications, since this can lead to side effects in the form of a rare serotonin syndrome, causing increased body temperature, clouding of consciousness, convulsions, and death. If you have the slightest of these signs, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Well-known alternative methods for treating depression include therapy based on creativity and art (art therapy) and influencing the human body through special needles through certain points on the body (acupuncture). It is advisable to find a good and adequate therapist who, along with the generally accepted ones, can also advise an alternative treatment method. A number of specialist doctors, due to their bias, treat the practice of these techniques with distrust and even contempt, which should not be forgotten.

It's no secret that soulful music undoubtedly lifts your mood, so getting rid of signs of depression with its help can also bring positive results.

Animals living at home are also excellent antidepressants that relieve symptoms of depression. You should try hanging out with them certain time, during which to care for them, feed them, walk them.

A different look at the existing way of life

Everyone knows that human dream quite an important component of the physiological and psychological health, and its deficiency leads to negative state fatigue, isolation and irritation at the world around us.

To maintain and return healthy and full sleep, you must first follow its schedule. You need to go to bed at the same time every day. Before going to bed, do not drink drinks containing alcohol and caffeine, and do not exercise 3 hours before bedtime. You should also create a comfortable temperature in the room for sleeping and remove various irritating factors from it.

It is advisable to search the literature or the Internet for useful tips about healthy sleep and ways to get rid of insomnia; you should not scold yourself for not being able to fall asleep on time.

Regular exercise and sports will also undoubtedly be beneficial in the fight against depression. Scientific studies have shown that sport is in no way inferior in its effectiveness to a number of medical antidepressants. You should start with regular street walks, make them a systematic habit, gradually increasing the distances covered.

It seems advisable to join your friends and acquaintances who are interested in any sporting activity, since training in a group greatly motivates movement and the desire to improve one’s results, imbuing a person with a competitive spirit.

Practicing various types of martial arts will help you throw out accumulated emotions, introduce you to new people, and expand your sports horizons. Excellent motivation to continue physical development and self-improvement in sports areas related to team play. Science has proven that athletic people are least likely to suffer from depression. You just need to start by choosing the most appropriate sport, and you should not skip training, you need to exercise regularly and consistently.

A healthy diet is also important in the quest to overcome the disease. It is recommended to eat natural foods (fresh vegetables and fruits), drink significant amounts of water, and avoid absorbing foods with increased content sugar and artificial additives.

You should also pay attention to your appearance, which often becomes neglected and unkempt during periods of depression. You need to take a step towards self-care, change your wardrobe, haircut, go to cosmetic procedures. These actions will certainly have an impact on raising your mood and vitality.

Communication with optimistic people, around whom a person feels comfortable and confident, will also help a lot. Most of them will be happy to share their positive mood and also give a lot of useful tips, revealing the secrets of the colors of the surrounding reality. On the contrary, contacts with pessimistic people should be limited and, if possible, completely eliminated, otherwise there is a risk of worsening your depression.

Changing the line of behavior

In difficult periods of life, to answer the question of how to cope with depression on your own, you should find something you like, which will serve as an excellent help in getting rid of a negative state.

One of the options is an interesting hobby that is permanent in nature (hobby). Moreover, it does not have to take a lot of time and be highly costly, the main thing is that this activity brings satisfaction and arouses interest.

Having a pet will also have a positive impact, since along with this there will be additional responsibilities for its care and maintenance, which, as a result, will help to abstract from unnecessary dark thoughts. In any case, the animal itself will respond to the care and affection shown to it with mutual unselfish love and devotion, which in itself will bring additional meaning and positivity to life.

It is advisable to plan the activities of your upcoming day in writing, since you will always have a picture of upcoming and necessary things before your eyes, and therefore negative thoughts will become less common.

We should not forget about the many joys of life around us, since a depressive state alienates a person from them with its indifference and indifference. It is recommended to treat yourself to something positive and bright, which will undoubtedly return a person to positive thinking.

It must be remembered that you should not immediately abuse various objects of pampering; a gradual and smooth approach is useful in everything. So, from all the variety, first you need to choose one thing ( interesting program or a collection of humorous stories), viewing and familiarizing yourself with which, without any doubt, will raise the general mood.

These joys of life must be added gradually and, as it were, incrementally, positive events should come one after the other. Gradual work in this direction is a further key to success in the fight against sadness and blues.

Another useful and quite interesting recommendation is the advice to keep a diary to combat depression. It is necessary to honestly reflect your gray and gloomy thoughts, while not holding back yourself in absolutely anything. You should not be afraid that someone will become familiar with its contents, because, in the end, this is a personal matter. Regular and daily diary keeping will allow you to objectively see the decreasing dynamics of the disease, which will provide additional stimulation on the path to full recovery.

If there are improvements in the fight against depression, even if they are not significant and significant, but there is some kind of stalling in the development of further progress, it seems appropriate to begin to provide moral assistance to other people who find themselves in a similar situation. It is possible that, against the backdrop of their problems, your own will seem not so important and serious, which, in particular, will serve to draw correct conclusions regarding yourself. It is important not to overdo it with this activity, so as not to harm your own psyche. If states of discomfort arise and your own problems worsen, you must immediately stop such charitable activities, since self-care in this case is paramount.

Changing your mindset from dark to light

The disease itself seems to be an insoluble, global and endless problem that does not allow answering the question of how to cope with depression on your own. In this regard, the stages of recovery should be considered as gradual and even steps towards their goal, and not an offensive complete healing in an instant. You should not have a penchant for a psychedelic analysis of your psyche, which immerses you in a complete lack of faith in the inevitability of healing. In this case, you need to replace your negative way of thinking with a more positive perception of reality. Interesting ways to do this are as follows.

You can give a nickname to haunting depression, thereby separating it from yourself. At the same time, in moments of a particularly depressed state, internally tell yourself that the cause of these experiences is the named something, and not the person himself.

It is useful to have a role model for yourself, namely to choose an image famous person, who managed to achieve complete victory over the disease. For this purpose, you should look for the necessary information in the library or on the endless expanses of the Internet, where you will definitely find a lot of interesting and useful information about worthy people whose experience you can learn from and use in solving your own problem.

You need to be patient with yourself, while being more realistic about life’s reality, while realizing that almost every person is important and needed, and at the same time, you should not complicate any minor circumstances by placing your depression on some kind of pedestal. In this case, the person will be overwhelmed by the awareness of his worthlessness and helplessness, often turning into feelings of irritation and anger.

You should also make a list on paper of all the “cons” of life, indicating in particular existing debts, difficult work activities, as well as uninteresting and short-lived vacations, and rest time in general. Opposite each position you need to write practical recommendations aimed at getting rid of these problems. After a little analysis, it will immediately become clear that, in principle, everything is solvable, and there is not the slightest reason to fall into complete despair.

A mandatory element of the built chain of the above circumstances that contribute to the fight against the disease is the internal awareness of the need to overcome one’s dark thinking and reach a new level of understanding of the existing problem.

You should learn to start thinking differently, more positively, abstracting from any negative thinking patterns, and at the same time increasing your assessment of yourself in your own eyes. Of course, in this method, the support of a specialist with a certain qualification is very necessary, however, there are a number of points that absolutely every person needs to know and remember.

Any human feelings tend to pass, including negative thoughts, such as hopelessness.

It is necessary to make a list of your “pluses”, indicating all your positive aspects and even the smallest achievements, and then conduct introspection and objective self-assessment. Surely, the data indicated positive points will sufficient quantity, and it is possible that positive side will outweigh the negative.

You also need to plan and carry out real actions, even if you don’t want to do this due to a depressed state. An example could be: putting things in order in one of the rooms, meeting with loved ones, going to some place for a specific purpose. Despite their insignificance, all of these activities will indicate certain achievements and successes in the fight against depression.

Incoming negative thoughts should be subjected to situational analysis, calling into question any of your own conclusions about the possible occurrence of adverse consequences. In this case, it is useful to turn to written analytics, indicating on the one hand the existing negative, and on the contrary, a rational solution to the problem.

At the stage of maximum implementation of replacing a negative way of thinking, you should focus on your own self-confidence, which will allow you not to give in to any difficulties in the future and not succumb to new depressive attacks.

It is necessary to learn to see the positive beginning in almost everything without exception. It is very useful to sit down in a comfortable chair, relax your body muscles and, closing your eyes, think about all the good things in life, as if relaxing a little. Perhaps this list will initially not differ in significant volume, but you need to return to it from time to time on a regular basis, supplementing it with something good.

You should try to “cross out” past memories of various kinds of negativity from your memory, replacing them with bright memories that convey joy and a feeling of happiness. In a word, everything bad and gray needs to be driven away from oneself.

You should also change the way you talk to yourself, which will certainly add positivity. In case of any failures, you should not regret it, but you need to ask yourself what experience can be learned from this for the future.

It is necessary to accept the realization that if a person is prone to depression, then the risk of its return cannot be ruled out, especially if the original causes are not eliminated. When the first signs appear this state it is necessary to take all possible measures aimed at preventing its progression, as well as reducing the disease to zero. The help of an appropriate medical specialist will never be superfluous.

If there is no positive result of treatment when contacting a specific doctor, you should contact another doctor specializing in this field.

If there is a misunderstanding of the proposed method of treatment, you should not hesitate to inform the doctor about this, and also express to him the whole range of negative and disturbing feelings and sensations, taking into account the fact that he, as a specialist in his field, will never judge, but will try to understand and help in this situation.

Visits to the doctor are very useful, because he honestly talks about those problems that the patient does not want to hear, but without discussing them, it is impossible to achieve a positive result.

You should not refuse the sincere help of your loved ones and relatives, despite the awkwardness of the situation. Realizing how many people understand a person in his problem will provide him with additional support.

It is useful to visit places that bring peace, which may include: temples, churches, etc.

It is necessary to reduce your loneliness to a minimum; on the contrary, you should meet with loved ones more often, and also find a sincere and good thing for yourself.

You should bring beautiful things that carry positivity closer to you, and those objects that irritate you should be isolated away from you. Sometimes it is advisable to restore order at home by rearranging the furniture.

Growing and caring for plants will also have a positive and calming effect.

The rooms in which a person prone to depression is located should be well lit. It is useful to go out into the sun at least for a short time, receiving its warmth and being saturated with vital energy.

The presence of beautiful and well-groomed flowers in the house will also add positivity to your mood.

Providing help to strangers, without any doubt, will root a person in faith in own strength and your need.

When seeking medical help from a specific specialist, you should first of all pay attention to his qualifications and work experience. If you do not accept the proposed treatment method, you need to ask him to change it or contact a different doctor.

You shouldn’t let depression take its course, naively believing that time will heal and everything will go away on its own. In reality, any disease tends to progress, so it is necessary to seek qualified help immediately.

Often, a depressed mental state leads to the possibility of causing physical harm to oneself, as well as to a suicidal act, so if you have the first signs, you should immediately seek qualified help.

Photo: photographee.eu/depositphotos.com

The symptoms of many diseases can be similar to those of depression. It is important not to waste time and do everything possible to identify the disease.

Symptoms of depression

If you are sure that everything is in order with your health, then determine what exactly you have - depression, and not neurosis or just Bad mood, can be based on the following criteria:

• Loss of performance.
• Drowsiness, fatigue, the feeling that even the simplest tasks take up too much energy.
• Constant sadness, bouts of tearfulness, unjustified anxiety or spiritual emptiness.
• Feelings of inferiority, which are becoming increasingly difficult to cope with, self-flagellation and lack of self-esteem.
• Sleep much more or less than usual, to the point of insomnia.
• Unusual weight gain or, conversely, weight loss; at the same time, constant overeating or complete loss of appetite.
• Difficulty concentrating, foggy thinking, forgetfulness, or lack of ability to make clear, informed decisions.
• Pessimism, the feeling that the meaning of life is hopelessly lost, all attempts to do something are simply useless.
• Increased irritability, causeless long-term anxiety.
• On physiological level- muscle pain, cramps, digestive problems, headaches and other pains that do not go away without the help of medications.
• Suicidal thoughts: about death or attempting suicide.

Even the most severe depression can be overcome. The sooner you start treating it, the better.

Types of Treatment for Depression

• "Talking" therapy. In the process of talking with a psychologist, the patient will be able to find the best ways out of depression, especially if it is not severe and not protracted.
• Cognitive (behavioral) therapy can help change negative thinking as well as behavior.
• Interpersonal therapy focuses on relationships with others and helps make them positive.
• Medication. Antidepressants can significantly improve the patient's well-being.

How to deal with depression on your own

Find a role model

Many famous people have suffered from depression. Do some research (on the Internet, for example) to find stories of famous people who overcame depression. Use their methods to overcome your own depression.

Love yourself

Life is not a race, not constant competition. Self-blame reduces one's self-worth, which leads to despair. Stop punishing yourself for mistakes and mistakes, try to create a personal space in which you can feel comfortable and safe.

Make a list of problems

It could be unpaid bills, missing vacations, or working too hard. In another column next to each item, write down what practical steps you can take to solve the problems. Take action! When you don't just think that you have problems, but start solving them, you will immediately feel enthusiastic.

Keep a diary

Write down the thoughts that come to your mind. The diary will be the place that will keep your most secret thoughts from prying eyes. You won't have to worry about anyone judging you for them. By returning to your notes and rereading them, you can better understand yourself.

Take care of your body

Your body can only stay healthy if you take care of yourself: eat well, get plenty of rest, and maintain muscle tone. If you neglect the needs of your body, this will very quickly lead to exhaustion and depressive thoughts.

Restful sleep

Lack of sleep can make the condition worse. Intermittent light sleep, constant feeling Fatigue is the most common complaint of people suffering from depression.

To get rid of sleep disorders, strict adherence to a rest and wakefulness regime is necessary. You should avoid caffeine or alcohol at least three hours before bedtime. The bedroom needs to be ventilated, walks before bed are very useful.

Physical exercise

Scientific research has shown that physical exercise are as effective as taking medications that are used to treat depression. Sports load also provokes the production of joy hormones - endorphins.

Healthy eating

Reduce your intake of sugar, starch, fast food, and processed foods. Eat as many fruits and vegetables as possible. Drink enough purified water. Poor health and apathy are often associated with poor nutrition and lack of vitamins and minerals. Fiber is important for the body, polyunsaturated fats. Amino acids are beneficial for the nervous system.

Appearance

Many people in difficult psychological situations do not pay attention to their appearance and clothing. But any woman, even on a subconscious level, is worried about how she looks! If you neglect yourself, it will only add a new portion of sadness, dissatisfaction with your personality and body. This realization will not come immediately.

What else can you do to overcome depression?

Try to make your life brighter and richer in any way possible.

Beauty all around

Get rid of things that can upset or depress you. Do some cleaning or redecorating. Surround yourself with beautiful things. You can get into the habit of walking and admiring the beautiful landscape or sunset.

Create a sleep environment in your bedroom

Let it be as dark and quiet as possible - as much as possible. Even the slightest noise or dim light is often enough to wake up or prevent a depressed person from falling asleep.

Reduce your stress levels

Stress fuels a gloomy state, exacerbating the tendency to depression, providing constant “fuel” to maintain depressive thoughts. The ability to deal with stress constructively increases your chances of recovery and makes you more resilient to any pressure.

Avoid any comparison of yourself with other people

It’s better to compare yourself with yourself, in the past and present, and think about what is good now and will be in the future.

Change your life

Often depression is the result of dissatisfaction with something. If you don't like your city, move to another. If you don't like your job, try looking for a new one. Mental discomfort and situations that are unpleasant for you can drag your life into a quagmire of discontent and into a swamp of despair.

Cyclicality of emotions

Life is like a roller coaster. Sometimes there is a lot of energy and you don’t know where to put it. Other days everything seems hopeless. And most of the time, emotions are somewhere in the middle. Understanding the structure of positive and negative emotions will help you put your feelings into perspective.

Next time, if the world turns blue grey colour, you will not panic, realizing that after the black stripe there will come a white one. You realize that you are experiencing a completely natural emotion, which will inevitably pass and be replaced by a completely different mood. Knowing that feelings of depression are temporary will help you get through this period much easier.

The environment decides

Communicate mainly with positive people. Nothing influences what you think and feel more than your environment. Thoughts, both negative and positive, are transmitted from person to person like a virus. If the environment is negative, then you will also begin to think and feel the same way.

Remember your past successes

Once caught in the web of despondency, it is very easy to forget everything you have ever done well. Ask yourself a question: what helped me be successful then? What are my greatest strengths? How can I use them to solve today's problems? Such daily exercises will help restore self-confidence.

Focus on Gratitude

Don't focus your attention on troubles. It is much wiser to celebrate joyful moments, of which there are also many in every day you live. Learn to enjoy the little things: life is made up of little things.

Change the scenery

Changing your environment often helps. When you're in a slump, you start to associate your problems with what's around you. Try to go somewhere at least several times a year - to visit relatives or friends, to the sea, to the mountains, to a neighboring city, to a village, etc.

Break up your daily routine

Doing the same thing day after day can become too monotonous and overwhelming. Which will lead you safely straight to the gates of depression. To get rid of this, change something in your daily routine, at least sometimes. You can take a day off from work and devote this day to yourself. Let it be something very pleasant for you. For example, shopping, visiting a spa or bathhouse, meeting with friends. This break from your usual schedule will help shake you up and make you more productive in the near future.

Change negative attitudes to positive ones

Negative attitudes are the basis of low self-esteem. Namely, it can become a source of depression. Attitudes are laid in early childhood. If during this period an adult called you a “loser”, “stupid” or “incompetent”, there is a high probability that this will be very well deposited in your mind and will influence your subsequent life.

It is also important to find the one who instilled this attitude in you. Usually these are parents, grandparents, teachers, and other adults. Without noticing it themselves, they say something in a tone that does not tolerate objections. For some, this is the main regulator of the child’s behavior.

To nullify the influence of the past, remember where and from whom you first heard these words. Then mentally sit him on the empty chair in front of you and establish a dialogue: find out why he thinks so, explain why you can no longer and do not want to meet these strict standards, and tell him about what you would like. After such a conversation, the strength of the attitude weakens.

Reduce your demands on yourself

Sometimes the cause of depression is increased demands on oneself and on people. People who don’t fit into your mold cause irritation, and if for some reason you yourself cannot meet your standards, then you become depressed. Solution: lower your demands, let yourself go.

Take action to help yourself

The best thing you can do to help yourself overcome depression is to take action. Once you make the decision to stop moping and start moving forward, you will have no time left to give in to your worries.

How to help someone else cope with depression

It is imperative to help a loved one who is in difficult times. psychological situation. However, excessive pretense will immediately catch the eye, because depression does not deprive a person of the ability to think. And attempts to support can lead to completely the opposite result. Pretending to be cheerful, cheerful in the presence of a “sick person,” or retelling gossip won’t help either. It must be remembered that the patient’s sense of humor disappears.

When dealing with a depressed person, it is very helpful to encourage and encourage creative expression in any form. Physical activity also helps.

Sport improves your mood and gives you additional energy. Scientists have noticed that people who do aerobics recover from depression faster than those who do not exercise. Invite him to play sports together or just go for a walk in the evenings.

Even in the most severe cases, you should not let a person lie in bed or go to bed early, or leave him alone for a long time. Although this desire is most often voiced by patients: “I want to hide in a corner somewhere and be left alone.”

There is no point in appealing to the will of the patient, uttering platitudes such as “pull yourself together”, “get yourself together, you can do it”. This is something he cannot do, and with these words you will simply add to his feeling of guilt and inadequacy. Reproaches and comments can only make the problem worse.

If depression is caused by loss

A loss can be the death of a relative, divorce, separation. In this case, other methods will help cope with depression.

Awareness of the reality of loss

Many people delay this moment, for example, by continuing to communicate with the past, but this is not constructive: you are simply postponing unpleasant emotions rather than solving the problem. The loss must be acknowledged and felt. This is the only way to begin to “experience” it.

Expressing all negative emotions associated with the loss

Cry, scream - you can loudly and even swear. There is no need to hold back in expressing emotions, it will immediately become easier.

Completion of "Gestalts"

This term refers to all the situations in your communication with the departed person that prevent you from letting him go. For example, something is not said or done. The best way to deal with this is to write a letter to this person or express all this to him, imagining him sitting in an empty chair (see the article “Change negative attitudes to positive ones”).

Satisfying the needs of the deceased person

Surely he gave you a lot of things: love, care, communication, finances, help, support - you will miss all these things besides him. To make it easier to cope with the loss, you need to find ways in which you will meet your needs without that same person.

Search for meaning

You can try to find meaning some time after the loss, and this can be done even in a situation of death. For example, a woman who has lost a child may reduce her pain by thinking that her child will never again be hurt, sick, or abused.

Be helpful

Many people who have experienced loss engage in charity work and volunteering. And this is natural: having experienced a loss, a person wants to fill his life with something important, useful and correct. And what will help better than helping sick children, for example?

Other methods for getting rid of depression

Light therapy

One of the simplest and natural ways treatment of depression - when a person simply goes outside to the sunlight or looks at the sunrise. This is especially important for people living in the northern regions.

Music therapy

This is a pleasant sound treatment. The sick person may take a passive position as a mere listener or more active position. You can sing along or play an instrument, dance or even draw music.

Meditations

Techniques that allow a person to control their emotions and develop control over their thoughts. Meditation is recommended to combat stress and relieve tension.

Aromatherapy

Helps relieve mental fatigue and restore sleep. It is recommended to use rose, chamomile, basil and jasmine oils.

How to consolidate the result

To avoid similar problems in the future, you need to consolidate the result.

Work on your self-esteem

This is often the main reason for self-flagellation and depressive thoughts. A self-confident person does not feel sad so often; basically, he tries to solve his problems and overcome obstacles.

Dream more

Accept the opportunity to experience negativity

There are black, white and even gray stripes in life, but many people think that real life is continuous moments of happiness and pleasure. And if they are not there, then life is not a success. But real life lies in truly experiencing the entire spectrum of emotions and feelings: both positive and negative.

Set goals

If you just think about how nice it would be to become the president of an oil company, that's one thing. And if you make a plan, get the necessary education and experience, and go for an interview, this is already moving towards the goal.

Find your place in life

People who do what interests them are 60% happier than others. Doing something you love helps you forget and gradually get out of a difficult state.

Get inspired

Compile your own collection of inspirational thoughts, quotes, poems and affirmations. Write uplifting, positive affirmations (“power words”) for yourself and then repeat them throughout the day for self-improvement or emotional well-being. For example, you might write: “I will strive to be an example of friendliness and love towards my colleagues,” or “Calmness and serenity fill my heart.”

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By September 2014, my previously healthy body began to crumble, deep sleep was gone, my soul was covered in cracks. Further more. Even waking up became painful. And it’s almost impossible to breathe. And by November I no longer thought about “tomorrow”, because there was no “tomorrow”. Only those close to me understood: behind my “present” smile there was an abyss, and I was rushing towards it at the speed of light. For the rest, everything looked like “something sad eyes.”

Now I'm walking in the opposite direction from the cliff. Not without losses, not too fast, but I’m going. Just like seven years ago, I did not treat depression with medications or psychotherapy. And I did it again. Today, already a seasoned fighter, I can tell you how I got out of my "never". I don't pretend to be true. It's just an experience. Perhaps it will be useful to someone.

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Don't hold your face when it's cracking inside

It's hard as hell. It was hard for me to admit that I was broken. My image " strong woman“I was against it - I ALWAYS kept my face up and smiled. And everyone around got used to it. Image had to shut up. When it covers, immediately (!) go to the one who will be nearby. And honestly say: “That’s it! It’s over, I have no strength, it hurts a lot.” This may be a doctor, and sometimes this is the only option. It could be a long-forgotten friend or a devoted masseuse who feels your pain with her hands. Yes, anyone. The main thing is to tell. This means taking the first step back into life.

Don't push people away

I pulled myself out with the help of PEOPLE, may their days be blessed. They were all nearby. Sometimes against my wishes. They talked to me. They depended on me. They loaded us with work. Study. They tried to make me write. They provoked. They were arguing. They sent life-saving SMS messages at night. Breathe with me. The food was delicious. They were just silent next to each other. They stroked my back. They drove away the pre-dawn demons. We waited. They loved, often in spite of. And I turned around at the edge. This is my successful strategy, obviously - many, many people :) I don’t think I’m special, which means there’s a good chance that people will help everyone else too.

Run, press, breathe

Anything but a blanket and a sofa. The banal treadmill and yoga, not at all trivial, helped my body get back together, and I relatively easily survived (already in December 2014) surgery for a disease that I had invented for myself and created in that melancholy and unwillingness to live. And after two months I took up dumbbells. Kilometers of texts have been written about the psychological benefits of fizuha; there is no point in repeating it. In my case it was like this: stupidity, fog and melancholy came out along with pain and sweat. At the very least, they lost weight. Good too.

Plow like never before

Plowing in a professional field is quite a way to stay on this side of life. I'm lucky. The employer, whether by chance or not at all, dumped on me during this terrible time not one or two, as usual, election campaigns, but almost four, and a little more, “just to supervise.” And I was in control. I fell asleep late at night still on the way to the sofa in a government apartment, clutching a tablet, phone, and draft propaganda with edits to my heart.

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Learn. Again

For me it was coaching. The start of school, on the one hand, was distracting, on the other... How can I put it mildly? The first ADULT acquaintance with myself shook me and my cockroaches to the full twelve according to Mercalli and radically slowed down our escape into nowhere. Because it became easier to accept both my own and other people’s characteristics, I began to believe that experience is only experience and nothing more, that the Universe is friendly and full of resources. It doesn't matter what type of granite your teeth bite into. The main thing is to grab hold of it! My homework and training modules forced me to communicate with people in the “for life - as long as there is left” mode. There was little left (nobody removed other functionality from me either), and it was great. Because I simply didn’t have time to “drown in sorrows.”

Hot iron

Just kidding, of course. But getting out of my comfort zone (relative, of course) helped me personally. With a gentle back on the nails - that’s how I did it. It turned out to be lively: with swearing and pleas to bring me back. It seemed as if my entire back was in a sieve, with pools of blood. I did it. Didn't jump off. She whined and lay there. I won’t talk about the bliss and discoveries that came, as my guide to the world of the unknown promised. That's not what we're talking about. Important: I did something I couldn’t even imagine before. And the abyss moved another couple of kilometers.

Dream and plan

That autumn, and in winter too, attempts to take me anywhere, to the most starry stars, to the most heavenly places, to the most powerful “places of power”, were dashed by my green face and the same attitude towards the joys of life. I have big plans for the fall of 2015 (and there is still almost six months to go). Including - going to where the most beautiful view from the cliff is. Sit on the edge of the abyss. Look into the void. Be silent, breathe, dangle your legs. And then move back. To live, love, create, and think about tomorrow. Because tomorrow is a continuation. And I will definitely have it.

PS: I would be lying if I said that all the bad things are over and everything will continue like in a fairy tale. With all my strength of intention to live and live happily, and the first successes along this path, life suddenly built another goat's face. Another personal end of the world was coming. And I could easily return to my last springboard. But I continued to walk in the chosen direction. I have no doubt that life will give me many more occasions to test myself. But today everything is not so scary. In the end, the treadmill has not gone away, there is still a lot to learn, and I have a successful strategy.

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Thank you, your kind word is the first today

Very cleverly written. Yes, and the topic is so necessary. Do you have a FB page? I would love to subscribe to new articles. Thank you very much!

Thank you for good words, there is a link to FB directly under the text about the author. Come in, I'll be glad.

Well written, but why write about getting out of depression without having it? I’m glad for the author that she didn’t have to face real clinical depression, when she doesn’t have the strength to get up and brush her teeth.

Masha, good afternoon. I was waiting for comments like this. I don’t think it’s appropriate to tell here academic postulates about the stages of the disease (they are different), and argue with you on the subject - I had depression or a mild “greenback”. Moreover, I always brush my teeth, and even when the doctors told me about my tumor markers and randomly appearing neoplasms, I brushed my teeth and ran. For me, my depression led to very specific threats to my health and life. Everyone's illness progresses differently. I wish you health and good mood.

I completely agree with Masha’s comment.

Exactly. Run? Are you plowing? DREAM? What is your dream?! Just laughter. You would also advise a person without legs to jump, from the same series. Luckily for you, depression (precisely depression, real depression) didn’t even touch you, since you write such nonsense. Yes, mopey. Good luck, good health, and don’t speculate on such terrible things.

Strange article... The author, apparently, is a strong person, and gave recommendations for the same strong people. Plow, do push-ups, etc. Not everyone can handle such methods. Moreover, they are too tough for just a few. These units do not need advice - they pull themselves out of the swamp. For those who do not know how to do it themselves, the author’s advice is not suitable. I don’t want to diminish the importance of the article at all: thanks to the author for sharing his experience and opening the doors to his world. Reading articles in this magazine, I often think: all the materials on self-development are written for people who are already interested in it. And one feels sorry for people who cannot come out of the darkness because they do not know that they are in the darkness. And none of them are from there

Sorry, I accidentally clicked on “Send”. So, no one is trying to bring lost people to light. We, self-developing comrades, share our work with each other, rejoice, receive positive feedback and think that we are changing the world. We are not changing anything. Let's tweak things a little that are already working fine.

Elena, I understand your comment perfectly, I myself for a long time was the same, but later I came to the conclusion that until a person himself wants to change, nothing and no one will help him, but when the awareness of readiness for change is just beginning, then such articles are very necessary so as not to go back.

Elena, good afternoon. Thanks for your response. There was one important phrase in the text - “I don’t pretend to be the truth. It's just an experience." And I really just told how it was for me. As for what might be useful and to whom, each reader decides for himself. Thanks again for reading.

I already understood about the “poke” on “send”. I’m not going to change the world. I didn't create it. It seems to me that this resource is for sharing experiences. And it’s great if at least one person, after each article (and there are hundreds of them here, and I’ve been reading them for months with pleasure and with a pencil in hand), takes something for himself. I do this every day. And my personal WORLD is changing. It’s everyone’s choice to grunt in bewilderment at someone’s revelation (this is not for you

It also went the wrong way. Elena, I’ll continue the thought: either chuckle or take something for yourself.

What makes you think that depression led you to other diseases?

Thank you, Polina, for your detailed story about getting out of a difficult life situation! I really liked it! I read it in one sitting. Health to you and your loved ones, all the best and positive things!

Thank you, Anna, to you and your family - long and happy years

Polina, great article! But still, I probably didn’t read carefully - what led you to depression?

Yulia, good afternoon, I didn’t even intend to write here about the reasons, but still a very personal thank you for reading and for the “excellent” one. It's nice, really.

Somewhere, one dash and commas got lost in my answer to you, Julia, don’t think anything bad.

Polina, thanks for the text. I am now in the same position as you. I'm gradually going to reverse side from the abyss... Just like you, I started with what I can influence here and now - with own food, vitamins, skin care. The rest is still frustrating - my health is not good, and I understand perfectly well that this is psychosomatics. Family relationships are also coming apart at the seams (thanks to the state for raising divorce fees; for lack of extra money, the family is holding on for now). In all this state, I decided to go to my place. I suddenly realized that I wanted to be selfish, it’s not about not caring about others, but about honestly admitting to myself that my interests are important to me, my goals are important to me and my health is important to me. For me, this means finally turning to face my problems and my unsettled life, instead of giving advice and helping everyone cope except myself. Thank you for the text, your revelation is like a warm, friendly conversation. This is very valuable. Thank you, Polina. I would be glad to talk with you as a guinea pig for coaching

Good afternoon, Evgeniya. You are well done! I support you with all my heart. The main thing is to walk. Just go. Over time, the steps will become easier. Give yourself time. Write, of course, I will be happy to support you in personal communication. And don't give up: the darkest night is before the dawn

Thank you. I also actively write about my discoveries on Live. I am very happy that you can meet such wonderful people on this platform.

I left exactly the same way. Even now I was... how to say... sad to read this. Because I even remember the state of my soul and body at that time.

Parachute, yoga, running, friends whom you don’t call, but they are themselves.

You are well done. When you choose to “child”, you must firmly follow the choice.

I don’t even know how else to support. It seems to me that I am pleased that someone came out the same way, and at the same time sad that someone else had to go through such a path.

God bless you.

You choose to “live.” Sorry for the mistake.

Gulnaz, thank you. All the best to you!

Great article!! I join the grateful reviews. It's a breeze to read and very well written. Inspiring, perfectly illustrates the famous “the road appears under the feet of the walker.” In response to the skeptical “nothing new,” I will say that such “reminders” force one to remember and return to what seems to be known, but is actually forgotten. We are often looking for some complex new recipes, but the good old “plow, do push-ups” (quote from the comment above) remains behind the scenes. While nothing more effective has yet been invented. Polina, thank you, I myself have now begun to live in this mode, and the question of the presence or absence of depression, and especially its clinical stages, is not the main thing for me here. All the best to you and all the best!

Thank you, Christina! Good luck to you on your path too.

Polina, thank you very much, wonderful life-affirming article! You are a very strong person. I was amused by the comments whose authors tried to measure whose depression was “more depressing.” In my opinion, everyone has a bad streak in life. And your principles of overcoming are universal, everyone can choose what they will “pull” into this moment, based on your spiritual and physical condition. Good luck to you, thanks again for the article!

Thank you for your response!

A year ago I went through this...

You know how gray and dusty it is and nothing. There's emptiness there.

When I asked a question to one amazing person“Why is this happening to me?” he replied:

Now you can see those who feel just as bad and help them.

Help. They themselves appear in life, people you can help. The strength, the words, and the gift of persuasion come naturally.

Write about it. Speak. Look around, someone really needs your attention and support.

“Grey, dusty and in no way” - your words give me chills, Ekaterina. They are very much about what I crawled out of. And about helping others - this is also where I need words. Thank you. Thanks for sharing.

Polina, good day to you. Link to my materials in Live! Thank you for your support. The thought above that we need trials in order to be able to help others who have lost their way after going through them gave me goosebumps. thank you very much

http://site/evgeniya-artemyeva

Comment for Svetlana. I’ve always been surprised by people who, without knowing anything about another person, without knowing any context or details, make superficial conclusions. Accusations of speculation do no one any favors, just like making a diagnosis at a distance - I’m talking about the blues. Good luck to you and sometimes don’t draw conclusions about what you just read about

Depression is when you wake up at three in the morning or 4 in the morning and spit at the ceiling. You simply cannot “plow, pump, study” because you are mentally and physically exhausted from insomnia. It seems the author had something else in mind.

I don’t want to offend the author, but the very manner of writing the text really suggests that there was no depression. And then, there was a lot of help. Just incredibly much, over the edge. And rescue SMS, and friends offering help. Such negative period happens to many people when the meaning of life is lost, I’ll call it that. And working, keeping yourself busy helps you not to think about the bad. The author is right that there is no need to give up and it is very important to be among people. And it will be very useful to keep a diary.

I’ll add about the diary - you can dump all the negativity there, it clears your head. Clarification is coming. This thought helps me in my life now - it could be even worse for someone than me.

“Suppose, dear friends,” I said, addressing the critical commentators, “you have a certain personal experience of being in a state with the letter “d.” And perhaps your personal experiences are not very similar to how the author describes this state . It may very well be. Again, it is possible that some of you are psychologists. Perhaps even clinical psychiatrists, who knows? Perhaps what the author describes does not exactly coincide with the description in the book. ICD (or you, taking this text as the only basis for making an instant, highly authoritative diagnosis, are sure of it.) All this is possible.

But I would like to clarify two points with each of you who are critically commenting. First: what is the purpose of your appeal to the author, with her life situation and experiences you intend to achieve with your critical comment, right here and now? And second: what do you think will be the real result that you will achieve? Thank you."

Exchange of opinions is normal. That's actually good.

2 Alexander: dear namesake, exchange of opinions, he can be so qualitatively different, can’t he? Swearing in line for vodka with assault, trolling on the Internet is also an “exchange of opinions.” Therefore, as far as “good” is concerned, it depends on whom and what, doesn’t it?..

If there is swearing, then this is no longer an exchange of opinions. If you just disagree with the author and express your position - why not? This is even a plus for the author, he sees reactions, can study moods, etc.

2 Alexander: why is swearing not an exchange of opinions? :) Quite an exchange, it’s just that these opinions are negative and expressed in a rude, offensive form, with a substitution of the subject of the dispute: from discussing a controversial issue, there is usually a transition to a discussion of the personal qualities of the disputants themselves.

Expressing your position is probably a neutral thing in itself. The issue is usually the form in which it is provided and the appropriateness (that is, taking into account the situation in which it occurs).

Swearing is more of an exchange of emotions. The opinion there is secondary, or even tertiary. The main thing is not what we say, but how and with what we accompany it.

If people expressed their views on the situation and did it in a correct form, what’s wrong with that? So, you know, you can also call on the author - like, is it appropriate? But in my personal opinion, there is nothing wrong with the author sharing her personal experience.

2 Alexander:

> The main thing is not what we say, but how and with what we accompany it.

Perhaps the most important thing is the result that we (and those to whom we turn) receive as a result of our actions. In this sense, everything is important: both “what” and “how”. What do you think about it?

> If people expressed their views on the situation and did it in the correct form, what’s wrong with that?

If it’s in the CORRECT form, it’s already good. But the point is also that ideas about correctness different people are often very, very different. That is, the form is probably hardly the only significant criterion in interpersonal interaction.

> But in my personal opinion, there is nothing wrong with the author sharing her personal experience.

What then, should you read and remain silent? Otherwise, if everyone has their own concepts and ideas, then another author may be offended, unlike another.

I repeat, if someone does not agree with a smartphone that has expressed their experience and view, and expresses their experience and view without swearing, why not? The author spoke out, did not remain silent, why shouldn’t others speak out? This is also a kind of creativity. Otherwise, keep quiet, keep quiet, keep quiet. Incl. and the authors.

> Well then, read and remain silent?

It is unlikely that there is a universal “correct” action on this matter. Sometimes it is desirable (and even necessary) to speak up. Sometimes it is possible (and even necessary) to remain silent. I believe that the choice of the “right” action will depend on the context of the situation and on the depth of understanding of the consequences of one’s own actions for the interlocutor.

“Creativity in some way” is an incredibly eloquent definition, honestly)

I would like to draw the attention of the respected namesake that the degree of self-disclosure of the author and the gentlemen of the critics is incomparably different. To truly experience this difference, there is hardly a better way than to switch roles: instead of comments, dare to publish an article about YOUR personal experiences - with your photo, first and last name. I wonder how many critical commentators will be ready for this?

On the Internet, any author must be ready to interact. Unfortunately, there will be negative opinions, this is inevitable. But negativity is different from negativity. Healthy criticism is also somewhat negative. And commentary can also be creativity: some people are embarrassed to speak, others are afraid, others don’t know how to write, but then they go and speak out. Let it be in the comments. What's wrong, especially if they spoke to the point and quite correctly?

Others also scold Pushkin for this and that. But they could sit down and cataract themselves! But I can imagine what they will write. But at the same time, you will not deprive them of the opportunity to speak out about Pushkin’s work. And it is inevitable that they will speak out, since Pushkin’s creations are exhibited.

2 Alexander:

> Many people won’t write an article, not because of courage, laziness or anything else, simply because they won’t write it. And, perhaps, there is no need to condemn such people for this.

That is, for some reason these brave people are not ready to write an article and make a self-disclosure... but is it okay to make a sharp negative comment? However, what incomprehensible, mysterious people these critics are :)

>Others also scold Pushkin for this and that.

Of course of course. Yes, yes to him! Let us note that for some time now, Alexander Sergeevich probably doesn’t care whether he is scolded or praised, because he has been in the other world for a long time. In this case, they scold a living person, and not in the easiest circumstances for her (God bless the author of the article with health and long life).

Well, and if we’re talking about Pushkin. Scolding Pushkin is a simple matter and beneficial for raising own self-esteem. Moreover, he will not respond to this criticism. Is it true that, in order not to look like Krylov’s “Pug barking at an elephant,” it’s probably advisable to be a personality of a comparable scale to him? Don't you think so?

Anyone can criticize and express their opinion, especially on the Internet. The question is whether it is to the point or not, to spew streams of abuse or is essentially correct.

Otherwise, we close comments or... People themselves close. We are not Pushkins, in small ranks, we are silent in a rag, where are we, wretched ones!

Well, with regards to the first thesis, I see no sin in expressing an opinion if it is a normal statement and not rudeness. Including those who will never write, but will read. Moreover, the masses who will read will be those who do not write. And express your opinion too. And there's nothing wrong with that. People who listen to music, too, are far from Mozarts and Handels - and, scary to say, they even say something about music, performance, etc. But sometimes they themselves cannot distinguish a violin from a viola!

Should they also sit and be silent? Or should music be banned then, in order to avoid such conversations from non-Mozarts?

Tell me, please, what do you think, this is the place where we are now virtually located, this is the “Internet”, where, like in a dirty public restroom, everyone who comes in should (should, wow!) be obviously prepared for the negative?

You know, in my opinion, this is not true at all. (Moreover, there is no such word in the literary Russian language - “Internets”, and there is no such genre.) In my opinion, this site is quite special, a specific site, with a certain theme and problems. Both quality and level of materials. Including the level of discussion.

> The question is whether it is to the point or not, to spew streams of abuse or is essentially correct.

I completely agree with you. All I'm trying to point out is that there are doubts about the correctness of certain comments. Keeping in mind the context (i.e., the topic of the article). If you don't have them, I may have nothing substantive to add.

> Otherwise, close comments or...

Or, alternatively, we learn to be a little more thoughtful by expressing ourselves in the comments on sites like this.

>We are not Pushkins, in small ranks, we are silent in a rag, where are we, wretches!

Well, why such self-deprecation? By the way, Pushkin’s rank was also small for his talent: just a chamber cadet.

>It’s not Mozarts and Handels who listen to music either - and, scary to say, they even say something about the music, performance, etc. But sometimes they themselves cannot distinguish a violin from a viola! Should they also sit and be silent?

No, why? Let them go to the conservatory without turning off their cell phone, and in the middle of the concert they yell at the conductor: “Eh, commander, what the hell, “Come on Murka!”

People cannot get up in the morning; a banal trip to the store turns into a feat.

You weren't depressed. And thank God! Your article drove me crazy, because there is only one piece of advice - go to a psychiatrist or psychotherapist and get treatment, this is no joke!

What if some person drives himself to suicide because of your heresy? Will you be responsible for this? Think about the consequences of your advice.

I subscribe to every word! A very similar story! I read it and it brought me to tears! The angry comments are completely incomprehensible: after all, this is not a medical site, and there is no purpose here to distinguish depression from hypothyroidism or to argue that the intestinal flu is not the flu at all. The word depression here means the end of the world, the world within. And yes, sometimes completely sinful thoughts come to mind. But depending on something internal, you choose your path: pills and psychotherapists, like Munchausen, pulling yourself by the hair, leaning on the hands of friends, or something else. Everyone has their own right to choose, waiting for someone to decide for you is stupid... and the darkest time is before the dawn.

Of course, the desire to develop your ability to determine how it is desirable to act in a given particular case is a very personal matter, and it requires some effort (time, willpower, and sometimes money, if we are talking about education). Not everyone needs it, not everyone wants to strain. But for someone who wants to, what could help along the way? Alternatively, study disciplines such as ethics, social psychology and, without a doubt, the development of emotional intelligence.

Polina, what small steps in the form of specific daily 3-5 actions could you recommend to get out of this state? Usually you know approximately what to do (even if you don’t do it), but... what helped you besides sports?