How to live without depression. How to get out of depression on your own advice from a psychologist

There are many fashion diseases. Cellulite, frigidity, anorexia, chronic fatigue and computer addiction - until recently, doctors did not know about such diseases, and even more so they did not undertake to treat them.

But depression is another matter. It is also fashionable to suffer from depression, and this fashion does not go away - let us recall, for example, the famous Onegin melancholy and young ladies languishing in an obscure melancholy. Today this problem is discussed in numerous talk shows, personal blogs, on the pages of newspapers and magazines. And sometimes looking at beauties dressed to the nines, languidly rolling their eyes, I want to give them a broom and a rag instead of medicines and advice so that the girls do at least something useful.

At the same time, doctors warn: if you notice symptoms of depression in yourself or your loved ones, do not delay, seek help.

Let's try to figure out what causes depression and when you can't do without the help of specialists, and when you just need to pull yourself together to cope with the whim on your own.

What do doctors think

What determines a person's mood? From hormones and neurotransmitters - substances similar to hormones. There was a surge of endorphins or dopamine, there is enough serotonin in the blood - and the person is cheerful. Joy, positive emotions increase the production of “happiness hormones”. And misfortune, mental trauma and some diseases reduce the amount or, worse, spoil the mechanism for the production of neurotransmitters. If they are not enough for a long time, a person falls into depression. And not only humans - depression occurs in rats, minks, monkeys and even elephants.

What causes depression? Diseases, injuries, and conditions that disrupt the metabolism or blood circulation in the brain, from strokes and poisoning to severe flu. Hormonal changes - adolescence, postpartum, menopause. Lack of sunlight (reduces serotonin production), fresh air (oxygen affects brain activity) and movement. Severe experiences (death of loved ones, job loss, disaster, stress), constant fatigue, anxiety, lack of sleep and malnutrition. Therefore, once again intending to lose weight, think about how this can be done without harm to health.

What does depression look like? A person loses the ability to enjoy - from food, from sex, from interesting activities and pleasant things. His appetite disappears or grows immeasurably, sleep is disturbed. He stops washing, combing his hair, dressing somehow, does not communicate with family and friends, snaps, gets angry at everyone, sits down or lies down at the first opportunity, he does not have enough strength for anything. The main difference between true depression and depressive states is that the patient is unable to become active, even when it comes to the life of himself or his relatives.

How is depression treated? Antidepressants, stimulants like ginseng, St. John's wort or Eleutherococcus, phototherapy (a solarium is also suitable), hirudotherapy, acupuncture. In severe cases, electric shock is used. In cases of moderate severity, it is enough to work with a psychologist, especially in combination with animal therapy. Cats, dogs, horses and, especially, dolphins relieve depressive states well. Art therapy and spiritual practices will be of great help.

When you can manage on your own

Depressive states are when a person is sad and ill, but there is nothing serious yet. Something like a mental cold: it runs from the nose, itches in the throat, but the temperature is normal and it’s too early to go to the doctor.

There are many reasons for this. Often this is an internal conflict, psychological trauma or difficult memories that, like a splinter, stick out in the soul. And the spleen acts as an anesthetic, dulling all feelings - it does not heal, but allows you to dull suffering.

The second most common reason is fatigue. A person takes on too many obligations at work, household chores and at the same time strives to do everything perfectly - and so on until he falls.

The third reason is the subconscious avoidance of unpleasant things. Instead of finding a new job or doing a spring cleaning, a person will lie on the couch and whine about how bad he is and how he doesn’t have enough strength for anything.

The fourth and perhaps the most unpleasant reason is manipulation. Suffering, complaining and melting before our eyes, the manipulator thus solves his problems at the expense of sympathizers - they will feed, warm and pity the "orphan".

And finally, a person can be a melancholic by temperament and a pessimist by nature - a low mood is just as normal for him as a temperature of 35.6 is for hypotensive patients.

The mechanism of connecting a depressive state is the same as that of depression. Stress or life drama depresses the release of “happiness hormones”, a person becomes less strong and his mood deteriorates. He begins to nag himself for having less time and “behaving badly”, sleeps worse, moves less, often tries to raise his tone with alcohol, and alcohol also affects the brain, and not in the best way. It turns out a vicious circle: the worse a person is and the less strength he has to cope with the problem, the more he is “covered” with hopelessness and longing. If you do not stop in time, a depressive state with extraordinary ease can develop into clinical depression.

Remember: depression is not a disease, but a harbinger of a disease. Just as one speck of caries can eventually lose a tooth, a couple of hopeless weeks can lead a person to the most serious consequences. Therefore, it is very important to monitor such conditions and deal with them.

Die, sadness!

To cope with the eternally bad mood, despondency and loss of strength, you need to debug the production of “happiness hormones”.

The first point in the fight against depression: a day of bed rest. We don't do anything - we don't work, we don't talk on the phone, we don't cook, we don't surf the Internet, we don't watch TV (maximum a light movie or a comedy show). You can knit, sew, read magazines, draw in a notebook and stroke a cat. This will confuse the body and give strength for a new start.
The second point: we get out of bed, take a notebook and start thinking why we have depression and why we need it. What are we avoiding because we have no strength? Where do these forces go? And can we cope with the problem ourselves or do we need the help of a psychologist? This is an important point. If you do not remove the root of the problem, then, no matter how you debug the production of hormones, the depressive state will return again and again.
Third: remember how we can please ourselves, what activities and entertainment add strength to us? Dancing, swimming, cream cake, shopping, hand-feeding squirrels, horseback riding? Every day in our schedule should be at least one joyful activity.
Fourth: we lift ourselves by the scruff of the neck and begin to move. As much as possible. Be sure to walk in the fresh air - at least an hour or two a day. We do housework and cleaning. If there is no strength at all, then wash a plate, lie down to rest, then wash the next one. It is vitally important to do simple physical work, overcoming yourself.
Fifth: the gym. Fitness center, swimming pool, dancing, jogging, exercise equipment, at worst, morning exercises - exercises and workouts stimulate the production of endorphins. By the way, sex is also a wonderful exercise.
Sixth: shock therapy. The principle is the same as that of the stun gun: whip up the brain, cause a powerful release of “happiness hormones”. We jump with a parachute, dive into the Red Sea, go down into caves, ride a gallop on a camel, tell the CEO everything we think about him - and rejoice at the same time.
Seventh: we eat deliciously. Natural antidepressants are chocolate, sweets, fatty meat and fish, red pepper and honey. In autumn and winter, we include in the diet as many bright foods as possible - red tomatoes and apples, orange oranges, purple plums.
Eighth: take care of yourself. Doctors in the 19th century advised patients to take daily baths for a reason - we follow their example. We add sea salt, aromatic oils, herbal infusions - chamomile, lemon balm, mint, valerian to the water. Be sure to rub with a scrub or a hard washcloth. However, the duration of such a bath should be no more than 15 minutes. Ideally, it is very good if a loved one gives you a massage.
Ninth: stop scolding and blaming yourself. The fight against depression is a long process, relapses happen, from a lack of strength we can be late and make mistakes, break dishes and yell at children. We take into service the phrase of Carlson: "It's nothing, it's a matter of life" - and we promise ourselves next time to do everything better.
Tenth: smile and laugh. Comedies, romance novels, joke books, circus, vaudeville and musicals work better than pills.

Depression is not as terrible as it is painted: getting yourself out of bed in the morning, forcing you to do useful things and daily exercises, you can cope with despondency in a matter of weeks. If it doesn't get better, yes, you need to see a doctor. But, most likely, you will solve the problem yourself.

And yet - you should not lie to yourself and rush after fashion. Watch yourself. If thoughts about work or housework drive you into depression, but at the same time you enjoy running sales and chatting with your girlfriends on the phone for hours, then your diagnoses are: chronic idleness and acute laziness. It heals, and pretty quickly.

depression test

You have your favorite treat on your plate. Do you feel like eating it?
(Yes, and a double portion - 0 points; yes, but without pleasure - 1 point; no appetite - 0 points).
A friend complains of insomnia. You:
(do not understand what the problem is - 0; complain in response - 1; share an arsenal of sleeping pills - 2).
Hot water turned off. You:
(twice a day you run to your mother to wash - 0; with disgust you pour water from the ladle in the morning - 1; stop washing at all - 2).
You read on the news that a bankrupt banker shot himself. You think:
(“What a fool” - 0; “They brought the poor fellow” - 1; “Good exit” - 2).
Do you happen to cry over a movie or a novel?
(Never - 0; rarely - 1; there is always something to cry about - 2).
Do you find it hard to get out of bed in the morning?
(No - 0; yes - 1; I don't get up until the evening - 2).
Are you surrounded by bad, envious and unpleasant people?
(No way - 0; meet - 1; yes, of course - 2)
A colleague says you're dressed like a scarecrow. You:
(advise him to look at himself - 0; upset or angry - 1; sincerely agree - 2).
As a remedy for depression, you were given a ticket to a concert of your favorite band. You will go?
(Yes, of course - 0; depends on the mood - 1; why? - 2).
Has anything good happened to you in the past week?
(Yes, and more than once - 0; yes, but I don’t remember what - 1; no, of course - 2).
You have an unscheduled day off. What do you prefer to do?
(I'll go to have fun - 0; I'll sit at the computer or watch TV - 1; I'll go to bed - 2).
Who says you are depressed?
(You yourself - 0; your friends and relatives - 1; let them talk - 2).

0 points. - Congratulations! You do not have depression and cannot be.
Less than 10 points. - Most likely, you fell apart and allowed your soul to be lazy. Your Medications: Occupational Therapy and Gym.
10–16 points. - Perhaps you are a pessimist, have experienced a divorce, dismissal, or are too tired. We recommend rest, walks in the fresh air, vitamins and entertainment.
More than 16 points. - It's serious. If at the same time you have no appetite, strength and mood, all Christmas toys seem fake, and your loved ones are annoying - it’s better to go to the doctor.

Talk about it. This should be one of the most important steps to follow because you can take a load off your shoulders by sharing your emotions with another person. This can be done through consultation, one-on-one conversation with a trusted friend, and keeping a diary or blog on the Internet. For those who are depressed, this can seem like a daunting task because they will feel embarrassed or ashamed, so the best way to accomplish this is to force yourself to connect with someone. The result can only be good. Not to mention, if you tell someone you love, such as a family member or a good friend, and that they will miss you so much, it should give you strength. You can talk to them to do some activity together as a way to distract you from any bad thoughts.

Find yourself a hobby. Going to the gym and traveling are great hobby ideas, but instead of a hobby, it can also be an activity or event that regularly forces you to leave the house. Most people who are depressed often mope somewhere in their home and block all contact with the outside world. You have to get out of the house and make your life more interesting. It will give you purpose in life and make you feel like you are a part of something. Play tennis, make new friends, keep fit and be healthy.

Achievements. Achieving your goal in life or doing something you have always wanted to do will bring you great joy. It could be something important to you, like learning a new language, learning to drive, or bungee jumping from an airplane. When you're depressed, you get a whole bunch of feelings, and feeling worthless is one of them, so the best way to counter that is to achieve something that's important to you. But don't try to fulfill all the goals you set in life if you know it's impossible or you don't have the money/courage to do it. It will get you nowhere, but it will contribute to your sadness.

Practice positive thinking. Think better of yourself, more concerned about your well-being, you will gradually gain self-confidence, so continue to believe in yourself when you go to your next interview, and this confidence will show itself and shine. Positive thinking comes naturally as you follow the other steps because you are getting closer to rediscovering happiness. When you are depressed, do something out of the ordinary to keep your thoughts away from this issue and eventually you will forget about it, it is best to listen to music and exercise.

Love. This is something worth mentioning, being with the one you love is like a mask that temporarily removes a lot of sadness in your life. But as soon as love leaves depression comes back even worse than before. Make sure you're ready to start a relationship and don't rush into what looks like the best idea in the world right now, just don't forget to think about the future. Be happy on your own and then focus on being happy with someone, but only when you feel ready for it. If that doesn't work, then don't fret. This happens all the time. Just think that somewhere near you there is a person who will really love you and will go around the whole earth just for you while you fight depression.

In this article, I will give you 8 fail-safe ways to help you get out of depression.

The most effective way to get out of depression is not to get into it. Joke!

I will say right away that there is no point in fighting depression. Depression will still prevail. Whatever you put your energy into becomes even more powerful. You spend your strength, which you already have almost none at the moment, and the depressive state intensifies. Therefore, forget about the fight against depression forever. It won't help you.

Now I will tell you about some very powerful ways to get out of depression.

How to get out of depression?

The most important thing you need to realize is that the less time you think about your depression, the faster it will pass. Everything happens according to the same principle, where your attention is concentrated, the energy itself flows there. If you don't put your energy into your depression, it will change very quickly. Following from this conclusion, you need to occupy yourself with something. When you're in the process, you don't have time to think about anything else. This is the easiest and best way out of depression.

And now I will give you some hints, how to get out of depression.

Method One: Switch Your Attention

If your depression is related to one area of your life: for example, only work, or only personal life, or only, in order to get out of depression, you just need to switch your attention from one area of \u200b\u200blife to another and plunge headlong into this area .

For example, if you're in trouble in a personal relationship, you can immerse yourself in work (of course, if your work brings you joy). If you have a trouble at work, you can immerse yourself in your personal life.

Method two: How to get out of depression: Creativity

Many people think that creativity is writing, drawing, singing, dancing and more. These are partly erroneous associations. Creativity is any kind of activity in which you manifest yourself in this world. Creativity is a unique (your individual) approach to accomplishing any tasks.

If you and, you can show your creativity in education. If you are an entrepreneur, you can be creative in promoting your own products and services. You can look for new unusual ways of marketing and advertising. If your work is related to, you can also show your creativity here.

When you live and very often show your creativity everywhere and in everything, you cannot be depressed. Creativity is a manifestation of the real you. This is your gift. And when you manifest it, you connect with your own higher being.

You can find ways to do simple everyday things creatively. For example, washing dishes. You can turn on your favorite music and dance along the way. Personally, I always do this when I wash dishes or do any cleaning around the house.

You can sing in the shower. And there are countless ways. The main thing is to get together and find them.

Method three: Hobbies help get out of depression

What's your hobby? What are you doing for the soul?

Of course, ideally, if your hobby is your work, but, unfortunately, few people do this.

Perhaps you love to sing, listen to music, sew.

Method four: Sports and physical activity

How can sport help you get out of depression?

Depression can last for a long time only when a person lives a passive life. Depression cannot be in a mobile and active body.

Depression and activity are two incompatible concepts. Either activity wins and you get out of depression, or depression wins and you enter a passive state.

Like water and fire, they cannot exist at the same point.

Consciously force yourself to move actively. Start exercising, go to the gym. Running is the best cure for depression. Running puts your whole body in motion. You gain energy and strength.

Method five: Personal growth

Start reading books on personal growth and self-development. Now there are a lot of them. Most of the authors are prominent personalities, and rich. When you read their works, you yourself are filled with these feelings, and the depressive state leaves you for a while.

Download the same books from the site only in . They will divert your attention.

Look or visit some. Live trainings will switch your attention for at least a week. Such trainings are very useful and positive. They are visited by people who strive for self-development. Being in such an atmosphere, your condition will change dramatically for the better.

Remember: the main thing - during depression, do not be left alone with your brain. And then he will eat you.

Method six: Millionaire's rubber band

The millionaire's rubber band is one of the most well-known ways that helps get rid of negative thoughts. What is its essence? Surely you know the rubber bands that are wrapped around a stack of money. You take one such elastic band and put it on your hand.

Every time you think negatively, pull back on that rubber band and it hits your arm painfully. Fortunately or unfortunately, they hit you pretty hard on the arm. There is pain - and you switch your thoughts from negative to this very pain.

You interrupt the flow of negative thoughts. Then again, when thoughts go in a negative direction, you pull back the elastic band and let go. Again pain and thoughts switch again. You create an anchor in your mind: negative thoughts equal pain.

Thus, you unlearn to think negatively. At first it will hurt, you will tear a bunch of such rubber bands (get a few dozen at once). But gradually, negative thoughts will become less and less.

Method seven: Tears are the best cure for depression

When you want - cry. You don't have to restrain yourself. There is a phrase - "tears won't help". But be that as it may, you will definitely help yourself. Through tears you are cleansed. That negativity and pain that has settled inside you disappear through tears.

You can even watch specials to bring tears to your eyes. Cry well. And when you start crying over the movie, remember your problems and switch your crying from the movie to your pain. Thus, you will pay out all the accumulated negativity.

It is much more difficult for men to apply this method. From childhood they were taught not to cry, because it is not like a man. But to abuse alcohol because of the constant is very masculine. Men - cry boldly!

Tears are a very powerful way to get out of depression quickly. Pay off your depression and move forward.

Method eight: Swear and shout

Here I am not in any way saying that you need to swear at someone or yell at someone. In order to get out of depression, you need to swear and shout out on your own.

It is best to do this in a forest or in a park where there is definitely no one. You can turn on the music loudly at home and express everything ... You just need to be alone at home. Loud music will drown out your roar and scream.

Now you know . So don't delay it. The sooner you get out of depression, the sooner you will return to life.

how to get out of depression


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How to get out of depression on your own?

Fighting depression, how to get out of depression on your own, advice from a psychologist. Possible mistakes and what to do

I will not describe everything that can be said about depression, otherwise I will not have enough site. There is a huge amount of information and methods of treatment, here, of course, psychologists, psychotherapists, gestalt therapists and others will help; lots of honey. drugs: antidepressants, MAO inhibitors and many other methods of specific and general.

In this article I will write only about some, but important points in the fight against this disease.

Painful and difficult topic. But, friends, I will immediately please you - depression, even long-term, is curable, and a person is able to cope with this condition and return to a full life.

Just do not want to reassure you - does not exist one medicine for all people experiencing depression, there are no magic words that will immediately make you a healthy, full-fledged, happy person. Everyone needs their own words, their own approach and methods of influence. I will only tell you something general that can help in undertakings, actions, help to avoid some situations when you think that you are acting and doing the right thing, but it turns out that this is not entirely true.

The consequences of the experience of depression remind me of myself even now. Most often, I myself am to blame for this when I overload myself too much, continue to work intensively and do not allow myself to relax, in short, I don’t really regret it and take care of myself. During such a period, some sensations and thoughts from the past return, but I think you will be smarter.

A little about depression for a general concept - this is a mental disorder, in which the mood is lowered, the ability to experience pleasant emotions and sensations, a pessimistic outlook on life, apathy for everyday affairs and fatigue is lost.
Here is what Wikipedia says about this condition.
Depression occurs for various reasons: the loss of a loved one, work, due to internal problems and many other reasons, in general, when there is a loss of the meaning of life or a person simply cannot accept what is happening to him. There are several types of depression. Reactive depression - developing as a reaction to some external situation, event and due to excessive stress as a result of stress. Endogenous - arising without any external causes. Seasonal - manifests itself when the weather changes, bipolar (in particular, manic psychosis), and so on.

So, how to get out of depression on your own, some mistakes.

A terrible state in which everything is bad for a person, low self-esteem, feelings of uselessness, irritation over trifles, everything is seen as gray, and if you stay in this state for a long time, neurasthenia (chronic fatigue) and apathy occur in addition to everything else. If the cause of depression is not addressed, it can lead to (of which depression is often a consequence), physical illness and even schizophrenia. I'm not talking about other serious diseases like cancer, impotence, women's diseases, etc.

With depression, not only perception is disturbed, but physiological and chemical processes in the brain and throughout the human body. For example, in the nervous system, impulses between neurons (cells) fail, serotonin, which is responsible for our mood, ceases to be released. a substance formed as a result of the exchange of amino acids. Why am I doing this, and to the fact that from some time on, not only you are already the culprit of your bad mood. There is something that, in addition to your thoughts and problems, affects the state, attitude to life and everything else.

Many of us are familiar with the feeling of constant fatigue and longing, eternal dissatisfaction with ourselves, the state of inner emptiness, problems in relationships with others and loved ones. When a person is faced with similar problems, I really want to find ways to overcome the blues on my own and move on with a positive attitude.

There are such ways, and below you will learn about them. But first, a few words about who and how it manifests itself.

There are a number of key features that define . Here they are:

hereditary predisposition;
temperamental features: a tendency to psychological stuck, excessive demands on oneself, inadequate assessment of one's achievements, constant dissatisfaction with oneself;
constant stress, problems in family relationships, severe psychotraumatic situation.

Symptoms of depression

Can a person for some reason suspect that he has depression, understand what exactly he is suffering from before contacting specialists?
Yes, and these signs are known:

If you are faced with similar symptoms and they are quite persistent, do not go away for a long time, be sure, and also start independent work with your depression in parallel.

How to cope with depression: steps

So if there is depression - what to do? This question plagues many. Most are also interested in how to get out of depression on their own.

Step 1: Start keeping a personal diary

To fight depression on your own, you need to understand the causes and consequences of your negative thoughts, to see and be aware of what actions entail thought flows that cause characteristic blues. This is where a personal diary comes in handy.

Such a diary and entries in it will be a good help, in the process of analyzing your thoughts and emotions, you can learn a lot about personal stereotypes, cognitive attitudes that drive you into a depressive state, take a step towards recovery.

The main thing in keeping such a diary is constancy: set aside 20 minutes of your personal time for this step, fill out the table every day; let it be, for example, in the evening - your important business before going to bed. If you do not know how to get rid of depression on your own, read carefully below.

Step 2: Be aware of your emotions

We are all living people and have the right to any emotions. Do not forbid yourself to be angry or sad, to rejoice and admire. Be alone with your emotions, do not stop them, but observe. And gradually your anger will subside, turn into a calm mood, and joy will “infect” everyone around you or bear fruit.

You don’t know how to express, experience your emotions - try to draw or paint, not necessarily with paints and on canvas, draw with the medium that “falls on the eye”, where you want. You can simply tweet with a pen in a notebook, “paint” with paints or paint a finished picture.

Such an activity helps to create inner balance, helps to understand and realize your emotions. If you later want a more detailed analysis of your creations, talk to the therapist, bring the drawings to the consultation, they can tell a lot about your inner state, help the doctor when working with you. Gradually, you will learn to independently analyze your mood and understand emotions - this is an important step in.

Step 3: Diversify Your Physical Activity

Often under the patient's question whether it is possible to get rid of depression on their own, there is a desire to prove to oneself one's omnipotence. Man is a very prudent being, his capabilities are inexplicable even to science, but diseases, in particular, psychological ones, cannot be subject even to our human perfection, for their treatment tools are needed that are owned by specially trained people.

However, this fact does not mean that it is not necessary to make any efforts to change your state - it is very necessary. It is impossible to remake yourself in a short period of time, but it is important to start, start changing your lifestyle, help your body and spirit cope with the disease.

It's no secret that even elementary physical exercises, long walks, playing sports, increase the overall vitality, improve mood, and distract from sad thoughts.

Do not play sports - start with walking or morning exercises. Love to swim - find time to exercise in the pool, in the arms of a small child - do exercises with him. It is important to start doing something, a week, two, three will pass, and you will no longer be able to do without a load, playing sports will become a good habit, there will be time for free thoughts and a new way of coping with negative emotions in your arsenal of independent ways.

With an increase in physical activity, good sleep will come. Healthy sleep is an integral part of the treatment of all diseases. Start getting enough sleep - there will be clarity of thought, such an important component of the treatment of depression.

Step 4: Eliminate Information Overload

Social depression is another factor that provokes human blues. Nowadays, the media broadcasts more longing than positive and joy. Constant information overload with negativity does not make a person happier, so at least for the period of treatment, try to move away from such an information flow.

Spend less time watching TV, watching TV series: regulate the time spent on the Internet. Your psychotherapist can help you with this work by giving you the task of recording the time spent on the media every day, tracking thoughts and moods with him.

After "communication" with information resources, you will be able to figure out how information garbage affects your mood, time and effort. With such work, you will surely have more free time for yourself and your family, as a result, there will be new resources to deal with the blues.

Step 5: Work on personal relationships

People suffering from depression very often cannot build relationships on a stable basis.

Our life is a process of constant change, it is important to learn in the conditions of transforming situations, to change our relationships. In order for a relationship to have mutual value, it is important that people share the fear of losing each other. It is important to be able to build communication in such a way that dependent relationships, relationships with a pair of obsessive attachment, turn into relationships. A person must learn to build reciprocity. To restore high-quality communication, independent work is also necessary.

The ability to properly build relationships with loved ones does not come immediately, most likely, your psychotherapist will give you tasks, sometimes not very simple and written, but practical and time-consuming. Your task is to try to follow the recommendations of the therapist, track mistakes and not be afraid to voice them.

Try to follow the existing rules of constructive interpersonal communication, openly discuss the emerging difficulties with the therapist, and gradually you will learn to independently monitor the mechanisms that prevent you from building relationships and personal boundaries.

If your psychotherapist offers you to undergo a socio-psychological communicative training, do not refuse, do not be afraid of anything, this lesson will do you good, diversify your day and fill your piggy bank of independent methods of working with your condition, a new arsenal of techniques for constructive, correct interpersonal communication.

Step 6: Learn to Accept Praise and Get Rid of Destructive Perfectionism

It is important for a person to be able to experience pleasure from current activities, and a perfectionist is constantly dissatisfied with what he does, what he creates. Such dissatisfaction with oneself, unrealistically high standards, striving for impossible goals is very exhausting for a person and is a transitional link between chronic psychological and physiological stress.

When we focus only on the negative, we can say that we are dealing with an inverted microscope, where problems are seen in very volume and detail, and advantages and gains are seen as a matter of course. Accordingly, a person is in a situation where his amount of pleasure does not compensate for the amount of displeasure, and this predisposes to the development of a depressive experience.

Learn to track these mechanisms in your mind on your own. Have completed a difficult or highly paid job - do not convince yourself of its low value, but mentally praise; accept the fact that you adequately coped with the task, try to believe the positive assessment of others. It doesn’t work right away - listen to your psychotherapist, sort out the situation with him. Go back to your diary, keep track of your thoughts. With constant work and acceptance of grades, an adequate assessment of your abilities will come to you. With an adequate assessment of your abilities, pleasant changes will enter your life!

Step 7: Allow yourself small joys and pleasures

Also, how do you deal with depression? To get out of a depressive state during treatment, during periods of rest or work, fulfill your little desires and whims. Set a rule for yourself at least once a day to please yourself with something pleasant, whether it's a little candy or shopping, going to the theater or an after-hours nap. Learn to be happy not only in the pursuit and achievement of generally accepted “happiness”, but also to enjoy just an ordinary, but pleasant little thing for you.

If there is such an opportunity, change the environment for a while, the weekend has appeared - plan a trip to another city, a short trip to another country, relax in the country or just go to the forest, breathe fresh air, watch wildlife.

There is one very effective method that allows you to distract yourself from all the thoughts walking in your head in nature: just keep track of everything that happens around you, naming the objects around you, without judgments and emotions. Five to ten minutes will pass, and thoughts will go into the background, and you will rest, gain strength and enjoy the surrounding beauties.

Finally, in order to better understand how to deal with depression, we will describe the most necessary step in eliminating the disease.

Step 0, the most important: the help of a good specialist

By the way, this is the most important step. Despite the fact that in this article we mainly talked about self-help for depression, it is important to remember that depression is an insidious disease, therefore, without an integrated approach, where the psychotherapist does difficult work, but no less time-consuming - the patient himself, will cope quite difficult, and treatment may be ineffective.