Managing low mood and depression
When you are feeling down or depressed, it can be hard to find the motivation to do anything, and the temptation may be to retreat inwards and shun company. But these things will only make us feel worse. Looking after ourselves when we are down is very important, but what do we mean by that?
Well a few things known to help with low mood and depression are:
Finding your social network and staying connected
Despite the urge to hide away, having people around who you can talk to is very important. Even if you can’t face seeing someone face to face, just a text message or email will do. Anything to maintain connectedness to others and to know that people are there as and when we are ready.
Be mindful of your diet
Loading up on sugar and caffeine could make you feel worse. As your body goes through spikes in blood sugar level this can negatively affect how you feel throughout the day and generally lead to an eventual crash. Even if our appetite is poor, it’s important to try and eat healthy foods, even if it’s just little and often.
Keep active
It is now very well researched and documented that exercise (even low intensity exercise) can boost mood. Exercising regularly can help with our sleep cycles and quality, give us more energy and help to bolster confidence
Incorporate structure into every day
Not having routine and structure in your life can lead to feelings of helplessness and a loss of control. Try to make your day as structured and routine as possible – getting up in the morning at the same time, going to bed at the same time, and filling the day with activities. Even if these activities are small, it’s the ritual and routine of doing them that is important. If you can, try and leave the house every day and try to see others.
Be careful of social media
What we feed our brains is very important. It has now been proven that social media can increase low mood, anxiety and feelings of loneliness. For some it can even impact self-esteem. Try not to let habitual phone checking and scrolling become an addictive pattern of behaviour, and be careful not to consume too many things online that leave us feeling negative, not good enough, or anxious. Remember that too much blue light emission from screens will also interfere with sleep, so set phones to Do Not Disturb overnight, and try to limit use an hour before bedtime.
Get Help
If your low mood and depression is becoming a real problem, it’s important to reach out and ask for help. Visit a GP, contact an organisation like Mind or the Samaritans and most importantly, tell someone in your life whom you trust. Don’t bottle it up. And don’t bear it alone.
Unfortunately there is no one singular magic bullet for depression. Generally we have to try a mix of things and see what helps, as we are all unique and individual. In general though, the points above help manage mood and can provide a good structure to anchor ourselves to, even when we feel adrift in life.