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Make Every Day Brighter
Even after you've learned that you have depression and sought treatment for it, you won't feel better right away. Depression can be frustrating, because recovering from it takes time. While you do have to be patient, there are still some steps you can take now to help yourself feel better:
Every day can feel like a struggle when you're depressed.
Medical care and therapy are the most important steps to recovery.
But there are things you can do to help yourself feel better: · Recognize early signs. It's important to recognize and treat depression as early as possible, which decreases your risk of becoming depressed again. If you pretend the problem isn't there, it's probably going to get worse. You need to watch for the types of events that contributed to depression in the past, and be alert for early symptoms. · Set realistic goals. You may feel overwhelmed by everything you "should" be doing at home or at work. Try not to be hard on yourself. Remember that depression is an illness and that you can't force yourself out of it. Focus on small, realistic goals to ease yourself back into your work and family routine. · Do what you enjoy. Even if you don't really feel like it, set aside time to do things that you like. Get together with friends. Take a walk. Go to the movies. Take up a hobby that you set aside years ago. · Hold off on big decisions. Since depression can color your outlook on everything, it's best to avoid making any big decisions—quitting a job or moving, for instance—until you feel better. · Avoid alcohol. Although you might think it will help you feel better, alcohol can make your depression worse. Depressed people are at special risk of developing substance abuse problems, and alcohol interacts with many antidepressants. · Exercise. There's more and more evidence that exercise helps with mild to moderate depression. When you're considering an exercise plan, don't be too ambitious. Find an activity that you like, start slowly, and work up to exercising three times a week or more for 20 to 30 minutes. Join the “Make Every Day Brighter” support group meeting at Claude Pepper Senior Center on the 3rd Monday of the month at 1:00PM.
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