1. Not Taking Care of Your Body
“One of the most crucial mistakes is not taking care of yourself or practicing proper self-care,” says Zishan Khan, MD, a psychiatrist with Mindpath Health in Frisco, Texas, who treats people with depression. “If you are not sensitive to what your body needs and push it past its limits, it can very well worsen your depressive symptoms.”
Several self-care strategies could help, he adds:
- Try to eat more fruits, lean proteins, vegetables, and whole grains. One study found that people with depression who ate a diet rich in these foods experienced significantly lower depressive symptoms than those who did not follow the diet. The benefits of the dietary changes were still present 3 months later.
- Aim to exercise most days of the week. Staying active for at least 30 minutes a day, three to five days a week, could substantially improve symptoms. Anything from jogging or biking to gardening counts. Find something that you enjoy and brings you pleasure, so it’s easier to be consistent.
- Plan to practice good sleep hygiene. Research shows that poor sleep hygiene and quality can have a negative impact on mental health. To promote a good night’s sleep, be sure to go to bed and wake up around the same times each day; keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet; and avoid alcohol and nicotine close to bedtime.
If you’re having trouble making self-care a regular part of your routine, be sure to reach out to your mental health provider, who can help you make a plan that’s manageable for you.
2. Judging Yourself for How You’re Feeling
It’s not uncommon for people with MDD to be hard on themselves for how depression affects them and their ability to function. But judging yourself for having depression or struggling with symptoms can make life with the condition even harder.
“Because having depression still carries a cultural stigma, it’s not surprising that someone with depression might judge themselves for having thoughts or feelings related to being depressed,” says Alice Hua, PhD , a licensed psychologist with Deeper Than Color, a private practice in Oakland, California.
It might help to reflect on any self-critical thoughts you’re having and reframe them in a more helpful way, Dr. Hua suggests.
For instance, she adds, try to limit any thoughts beginning with I must, I have to, or I should — such as I should be feeling better or I have to start exercising — because those thoughts reinforce self-judgment of depressive symptoms. Instead, try replacing those thoughts with more empowering ones that start with I want to or I plan to — such as I want to feel better or I plan to start exercising.
3. Isolating Yourself From Loved Ones
Social interaction with loved ones has beneficial effects on the brain. “When we spend time with loved ones and friends, our posterior pituitary gland releases stored oxytocin,” says Dr. Khan. “This oxytocin, in turn, supports the secretion of serotonin, which is a neurotransmitter primarily responsible for regulating behavior and mood.”
4. Trying to Avoid Your Feelings
She suggests spending some time reflecting on these feelings, as long as they don’t totally consume you, or unpacking them with your mental health provider, who can suggest strategies for coping with them.
5. Turning to Alcohol or Drugs for Relief
While using alcohol or drugs may feel good in the moment, this often backfires over time. “It’s very easy to reach for that alcoholic drink to soothe the pain one feels inside, or to try and experience quick relief from a recreational drug, but this will likely only worsen your situation,” says Khan.
- Having intense urges to use drugs or alcohol every day or multiple times a day, to the point where it’s hard to think about anything else
- Needing more drugs or alcohol over time to achieve the same effect or using more drugs or alcohol over a longer amount of time than intended
- Always making sure to have enough drugs or alcohol
- Spending money you don’t have on drugs or alcohol
- Prioritizing drugs or alcohol over work, school, relationships, or other responsibilities
- Continuing to use drugs or alcohol even though you’re aware of the negative effects they’ve had on your life
- Doing things to get drugs or alcohol that are usually out of character for you
- Spending much of your time accessing the substance, using it, and recovering from its effects
- Driving under the influence
- Not being able to stop using drugs or alcohol
- Having withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using drugs or alcohol
Source link
