Are you Depressed?

It’s difficult to capture the full scope of depression and address all its causes. One can get depressed from unconscious sources; like vitamin deficiencies, hormone fluctuations (affecting both genders), the weather, etc. As well as conscious sources, such as breakups, health issues, ageing, family tension, loneliness, and loss.

For some people, depression lurks regardless of how well things are going. It almost becomes a baseline mood. Others experience “acute” depression in response to legitimately depressing events in life.

Regardless of which kind it is, I like to think of depression as a pit of quicksand. You can do nothing and sink deeper in, or use the right maneuvers to gradually lift yourself out.

Anyway, here are my tips from observations and experiences of depression:

Do More of What Matters

If you feel like your depression is coming from nowhere, then you may not be doing enough of what matters. Track all the time you spend consuming media, reading opinions online, or swiping on your phone and see how many hours it is per day and week. Consuming too much media creates a lot of mental “noise” that depletes focus and energy. It also kills creativity and increases time spent being sedentary. Basically – it is trading time for something draining instead of replenishing and uplifting.

Because depression makes nothing feel like it matters, sometimes it calls for forcing yourself to do something different. Depression is like a fog; a person can not simply say “hey, time to not be depressed!” But, with willpower, you can force yourself to engage in activities that may lead to more laughter, more opportunities, more feel-good chemicals that eventually get you a little more unstuck. Sometimes it is about going through the motions until the feelings catch up with those changes.

This can include:

• Any activity that helps move your life forward or increases your quality of life
• Cleaning and organizing, because it will make you feel better
• Projects that allow you to use your creativity
• Doing something kind for others – strengthening relationships
• Quality time with your kids and loved ones instead of wondering why you’re growing apart
• Working on your resume, portfolio, continued education, etc.
• Plant a garden or spend time in nature, and then more time in nature, and then some more.
• Nourishing yourself with healthy food/cooking something nice for yourself or others

There must be something, that after you do it, you think “wow, that felt good!”. Whatever that is, it needs to be done consistently!

Have a vision for your future

The truth is, being inundated with challenges isn’t so bad as long as you’re working towards a goal. The real challenge is when you have no vision or feel stuck and aimless.

Having something to work towards is a potent remedy for depression. This is why some people never stop moving – it keeps them from dwelling on their negative thoughts. I’ve had my life unravel a few times in ways that would be described as depressing. I was never depressed as long as there was still a battle to win.

If you have no clarity or vision, then thinking in broad terms is still valuable. What are the things you do know you want? To be healthy? To have money saved? To learn more about a topic?

Not knowing the specifics, details, or exactly what you want is a poor excuse to do nothing. You don’t need to have everything figured out in order to start taking foundational steps towards what you want.

Don’t make life about yourself

I find that joy is synonymous with generosity. The very first chapter of the Book “The Courage to be Happy” begins with the balloon anecdote that demonstrates how much happier we would all be if we focused on bringing joy to others. So basically, life tends to feel empty if we’re only serving ourselves. No one wants to live that way – that’s why pets are popular.

So, do some random acts of kindness. Pick up trash if you see any while on a walk. Volunteer for the welfare of people, animals. Or, shift your focus on your clients, coworkers, students, friends, partner and do something nice to make them feel appreciated.

Do Make Life About Yourself

Then there are those who aren’t living for themselves, but rather living for other people. If you feel suffocated under the needs of others, or you feel like you’re a “failure” based on the expectations of family or society, then you need to block out that noise and do what is best for your mental health.

Additionally, make yourself a priority and work to change the things in your life that are not working. This could be a job, relationship, physical health, or something else. Sometimes the cause of depression is huge and glaring, and requires some courage and focused action. Making life about yourself means taking responsibility for yourself and your feelings and making appropriate changes.

Love more, Laugh More

Growing up with a lack of love and laughter in the home is like being raised behind that rainy window at the top of this post. It is a hard thing to overcome, and people can spend a good chunk of their life trying to find ways of letting the light in. Replace judgment with love (for yourself and others), and replace seriousness with a sense of humor. If life feels like a twisted joke, you may as well laugh at it.

Closing Thoughts

From the vedic perspective, depression is an imbalance of tamas. So, another way to help depression is to break up lethargy and inertia with movement. Physical movement certainly helps, but I also mean movement of emotions, creativity, and trying new things. Do something different.

And if it all feels pointless, just remember: life IS pointless unless you make the points. It’s a big chunk of clay that you can either let turn to mush in your hands or create a beautiful piece of art. It all depends on how dirty you’re willing to get, and how much time and effort you want to put into it.

Lastly – happiness follows gratitude – plain and simple. You can’t be happy without being grateful.

Hope there was something helpful here, wishing you the best.