How to deal with depression

Depression is a mental illness which should not be taken lightly. It differs from sadness or bouts of gloom in the sense that depression follows a pattern and can wreck havoc on one’s emotional, mental and physical well being.

More often than not, lack of awareness acts as a detrimental force between the sufferer and prevention and cure. Here are listed five steps by which you can eliminate depression.

Remove yourself from the source of depression :
If there is something or someone that is causing you to feel depressed, go as far away as possible from it. Be it your job, love life, family, money issues, or simply low serotonin levels, anything can cause us to enter depression.

Get professional help :

There is absolutely nothing wrong in seeking professional mental help for yourself or your loved ones suffering from depression. This is a mental illness and should not be taken lightly. If allowed to continue, it can become severe to the extent of the person developing suicidal tendencies. So, one must take care.

Talk it out :
The more you suppress and bottle up feelings inside you, the more they will hurt. It is imperative that you share whatever’s bothering you with someone who you trust and is matured and understanding.

Go out, meet people :

The more you surround yourself with positive people, the better you will feel about life. Our environment tends to have an effect on us. If you hang out with people who are sad themselves, you will sink deeper into depression. Make sure you meet friends who make you laugh at least once a week. They’ll help you raise those serotonin levels in your body.

Lifestyle: eat right, work out :
Diet also plays a very important part in dealing with depression. Consumption of bananas or banana peels boiled in water helps treat depression. Also, eating fresh fruits and a protein diet will help you balance out your hormone levels. Junk food or excessive intake of carbohydrates and a sluggish lifestyle can make your hormonal levels go haywire.