Mental Health, Depression And Positive Mental Health Habits (Part II)

In the first part of this article: Mental Health, Depression And Positive Mental Health Habits I discussed some general facts about what mental health is, why it is important and provided a short, simplified description of depression. In this part I would like to focus more on the healthy habits that could eliminate the possibility of a depression episode.

Healthy Mental Health Habits

Depression can be avoided even in the worst of all situations like deep grief and loss, just as long as you deal with it positively. Similarly there are other habits that can help you eliminate the chances of depression episodes.

1. Don’t give in to negative feelings and emotions, by reinforcing them with depressive music. I know you are not going to be up for a Beyonce or a Shakira track, but don’t touch Within Temptation albums if you know that they make you want to cut your wrists. Instead, listen to calm, relaxing music, nature sounds, or something more positive. No one expects you to dance in your underwear, but don’t start digging your own grave.

2. Eat healthy. Don’t eat food with too much carbohydrates. They are known to be related to depression, and this is one reason why depression levels are so high in the United States. People there eat a lot of fast food which is high on carbohydrates. This causes them to feel down and they don’t even know it. Eat fruit and more vegetable based meals. Good food will give more energy to your body.

3. The last one is important as here, I will advise you to take part in activities that will engage both your body and your mind. Start participating in sports. You will learn something new, that will make you feel better, or you will be practising something you are good at. Whichever it is, it will make you feel great. Your body will also be tired which means that you will find it easier to sleep and won’t wander around at night thinking about your feelings. Other ideas to keep yourself busy are to engage in gardening, carpentry, fixing stuff or cleaning. According to professional cleaners Sydenham cleaning is a great way to clean your head too.

4. Go out with friends and family and talk about the things you are going through. Do not close yourself in your shell and try to take it all in. You may not be able to deal it, not because you are weak, but because we are created to need each other and having someone to count on is a good thing. Many people wake up each day wondering why they live, with an ache in their chest. They feel normal, but they don’t realize that they suffer depression and this is far from normal condition. Sharing with others might help identify the problem, not to mention that it will help eliminate the stigma around depression.

Hopefully all this helped you get an idea what depression is all about and how you might prevent it. Of course, if you have tried those, but nothing helps you can always go for a psychotherapy or counselling. It is really helpful and there is no shame in seeking help in order to start feeling better.