Reduce Depression - Tips

- Know the Signs of Depression and Improve Your Life Typical signs of depression actually show a change in the way a person has come to think about himself. "I just can't get myself to do any work around the house. My marriage is falling apart." "My hair is thinning. I'm losing my looks. No one will care about me anymore." These are typical thoughts of people who are depressed and show a change in thinking, feeling and acting. Here are other signs of depression:

ontinual feelings of sadness, emptiness and helplessness that seem to ha!e no cause.

"oss of interest or pleasure in ordinary acti!ities. #ecreased energy, fatigue.

 $leep and%or eating problems. #ifficulty concentrating and making decisions. &eelings of guilt, worthlessness and helplessness. Irritability, e'cessi!e crying.

hronic physical aches and pains that do not go away.

&eelings of hopelessness. Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts. If a person shows se!eral of the abo!e signs of depression for an e'tended period

() weeks or more* he should consult a physician. +lthough the change may come on gradually, the depressed person is different from the way he was before the onset of his illness perhaps e!en the opposite of his usual self. There are many signs of depression confirming this change, the successful businessman who belie!es he is on the brink of bankruptcy, the de!oted mother who wants to abandon her children, the gourmet who can't stand food and the playboy who becomes disgusted with se'. Instead of seeking pleasure, the depressed person a!oids it. Instead of caring for himself, he neglects himself and his appearance. -is instinct to sur!i!e may gi!e way to a desire to end his life. -is dri!e to succeed may be replaced by passi!ity and withdrawal. The most ob!ious and typical signs of depression relate to a sad mood, gloomy, lonely and apathetic. The depressed person may find himself crying e!en when there seems to be nothing to cry about or may find it impossible to cry when a truly sad e!ent occurs. -e may ha!e trouble sleeping or wake early in the morning, unable to return to sleep. .n the other hand, feeling constantly tired, he may sleep more than usual. -e may lose his appetite and lose weight, or eat more than he does normally and gain weight.

$igns of depression also relate to self/esteem. Typically, the depressed person sees himself in a !ery negati!e way. -e may belie!e that he is helpless and alone in the world and often blames himself for tri!ial faults or shortcomings. -e is pessimistic about himself, about the world, and about his future. -e loses interest in what is going on around him and doesn't get satisfaction out of acti!ities

Seven Things You Can Do Immediate ! To "ase Depression 0et out now and walk fifteen minutes. It will get your feet mo!ing and help you feel you are at least able to do something. 0o immediately and be with someone who lo!es you. It will gi!e you the feeling that you are wanted. 1eligious2 $ay a prayer. +sk 0od to help you get through this. Think of a situation, a place where you were !ery happy. 3isuali4e yourself in that situation once more. 5ower of suggestion can do wonders. $ay to yourself, "I think I can get better. I ha!e to take it step by step. I will work my way out of this." 0o out and buy a plant, or some flowers. -a!ing something li!ing in your house makes you feel more ali!e. If possible, get outside in the sunshine. If it's not possible, turn on some bright lights. $unshine and bright light are known to make people happier. # Tips to Reduce Depression 6hile war and poor economic conditions begin to affect people all o!er the world, more and more people suffer with depression. The more we focus on news e!ents and the business climate, the more we are depressed. 6hate!er the reason you feel is the cause of your depression, the following fi!e simple tips guarantee you reduce it significantly.

Do not read newspapers Newspapers publish negati!e stories most of the time. 7!en in peaceful periods, newspapers will find the worst in humanity and place negati!e stories on display in order to promote sales and subscribers. $tories focused on 6ar, rebellion, death, destruction, doom and despair abound in the newspapers.

8ou will not miss any news. &riends, family, and your local air raid siren will keep you

informed if your attention is needed. .nly pay attention to the things you can control in your life. $top reading the newspaper and reduce the negati!e input to your brain. Turn off !our te evision 6atching and listening about the horrible economy and the losses associated with 6ar will add to depression. In fact, you guarantee the feeling of helplessness. -elplessness allows depression to nurture. If you really need to watch or listen to these kinds of news stories, promise yourself you will bury yourself in the documentaries that are sure to follow in the ne't 9 or :; years. + way you can eliminate most of the negati!e input to your brain is by setting it aside for a date somewhere in the future. I guarantee in the future, you will not find it !ery interesting. 6hen !isitors come to your home, make sure you turn off your tele!ision and keep it off. News tele!ision broadcasters are fighting for your guests' attention as they promote despair, war, death, and destruction with many headline news interruptions. Those little banners that run across the bottom of the screen achie!e your attention and they take hold of your consciousness. Tele!ision will diminish your positi!e spirit. Sa! good things a$out others My Mother always says, "If you can't say anything nice about others, don't say anything at all." -owe!er, when you find yourself in a con!ersation and a relati!e says, "1emember <ncle 5hil2" "-e was an alcoholic" 1espond with "yes,

<ncle 5hil was an alcoholic and he was the most charitable person, I ha!e e!er met". onnect your friend's negati!e statement about 5hil with a positi!e one. $et yourself up to find the positi!e in anyone's statement and you will keep negati!e thoughts and depression from o!ertaking your life. .g Mandino, a great moti!ator once said, "Treat e!eryone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight." "8our life will ne!er be the same again." %et ph!sica e&ercise

+dults forget about e'ercise when suffering from depression. Make sure you are e'ercising daily and sending more o'ygen to your brain cells. The result of e'ercise will impro!e your health as well as your attitude. 'reathe deep and re a& 5ractice the following breathing e'ercise to rela' your body and mind. =reathe deeply and rela'. &or ) or > minutes each hour, take a short mental !acation. 8ou can engage in this e'ercise while you are standing in the checkout line at the supermarket or when listening to others while talking on a telephone. 8ou can complete the e'ercise at home or at work. Take three deep breathes and rela'. +s you inhale, concentrate on calm and peaceful thoughts. 8ou may think about rela'ing by a mountain, by the ocean or comfortably in your fa!orite room at home. +s you e'hale, concentrate on pushing any tension out of your lungs. &ocus on positi!e images in your life. &ocus on laughter, lo!e, e'citement, and hope. ?eep breathing in and out in this pattern until you feel better. If you practice the e'ercise often, you will notice wonderful changes in your outlook and in other aspects of your life. 1educe your depression now@ 7njoy your family, your friends, and your life.