Diet & Lifestyle Tips On Managing Depression and Making The Blues Fade Away

Vasuda better known to her classmates as Bubbly had always been the life of a party. Vivacious and witty, she had a laughter that warmed the belly of her friends. She had lived each moment of her 23 years with positive abandon. She was a friend to turn to in times of need, a pillar of strength for her close circle of friends and engaged to Karan, a hunk of a guy who had charmed each and every one of her friends and family members.

Lately, her friends had noticed a clear shift in her demeanor and way of dressing; they had both taken on an uncomfortable tone. She had stopped wearing makeup, didn't return their calls or text messages. Her eyes had bags under them, and she admitted to Chitra, her best friend that she wasn't sleeping well at night. Chitra also smelled smoke on her breath and upon questioning Bubbly admitted she had started smoking 10-12 cigarettes daily.

Upon further probing, Chitra found out that Bubbly's fiancé Karan had been verbally abusive. Chitra also found out that Bubbly's company was relocating to Pune, a move Bubbly wouldn't be able to make due to her fiancé, and Bubbly was feeling she had no where to turn -
She felt so alone! Who could she confide in about Karan? All of her family loved him. Her job was on the line, she was in an abusive relationship with a man soon to become her husband. Bubbly felt ominous clouds hovering over her and trying to engulf her in their darkness. She was petrified, desperate and lonely.

Yes, Bubbly has clinical depression -  a medical illness that involves her mind and body affecting how she feels, thinks and behaves. This form of depression may over time lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. Bubbly may increasingly have trouble conducting normal day-to-day activities, even feeling as if her life isn't worth living.

Clinical depression is more than just a simple encounter with the blues, or something that you can simply "snap out" of, but it also isn't a sign of weakness. Depression, like diabetes is a chronic illness that often requires long-term treatment and counseling. But Bubbly's friends shouldn't get discouraged. Like most people with depression, bubbly too can feel better with medication or psychological counseling.

Before we begin with how to tackle the `feelings of low', understand that depression is nothing but a warning signal from your mind telling you that something is amiss, out of balance in your life. There may be several reasons for this imbalance. Some most common ones include:

• Loss of a loved one or some other form of personal tragedy
• Being abused/ insulted/ neglected during childhood/adolescence/ or in the present.
• Witnessing an unpleasant incident
• Unemployment
• Staying alone, away from the family
• Lack of close friends or someone to talk to and confide in

Now, the good part..how to feel good and drive away these blues?
Seek the help of trusted friends/ family members: You may feel embarrassed to talk to your family about your pain, or feel guilty to open up to them but by doing so, you will lift a burden off your shoulders. Your loved ones care about you and will definitely want to help.

Avoid the triggers: Depression can be the result of many things, and it is necessary that you avoid those circumstances/ activities that upset you or make you feel depressed. For example, watching/ reading stories about destruction, war, crime, doom and despair will only make you feel helpless and pull you down further. Make a conscious effort to stay clear of these.

Simplify your schedule: Do not keep too many goals and targets that may add to your stress. Try and work with one goal at a time. If you try and concentrate on too many things, you will feel overwhelmed and unable to coat.

Positive thinking: It always gets your brain going. Hang out with friends who accept you for yourself. Make the effort to be around people who are content and secure and care for you.

Move it: Physical activity reduces depression symptoms. Consider walking, jogging, swimming, gardening or taking up another activity you enjoy. You don't have to run a marathon - how about a daily walk for 30 minutes to begin with? While you exercise, your body produces `feel-good' chemicals called endorphins. Once you experience the `high', you will get hooked on to working out.

Keep your brain cells active: Try to engage yourself in as many physical activities as possible. A healthy routine must be followed to keep your body and mind healthy. Better yet, do something new! Join a dance class or learn to play a new instrument or develop a new hobby. Your brain needs exercise, too

You are the boss of your mind: If you are young, bright and capable, then you have the ability to convince yourself that you can pull yourself up by your bootstraps and resolve the stressful problems facing you. To begin with, how about removing the words `depression' and `feeling low' from your dictionary?

Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping well is especially important when you're depressed. If you're having trouble sleeping, talk to your doctor about what you can do.

Avoid alcohol and smoking. It may seem like alcohol or smoking can alleviate feelings of depression, but in the long run they generally worsen symptoms and make depression tougher to manage.

As Little Annie always said, "The sun will come out tomorrow."

By. Dietitian NutritionVista.com

Disclaimer: If your depression is life threatening, or lasts a couple of weeks, have a thorough physical check up by a psychiatrist who knows what to look for. Never self-prescribe antidepressant drugs for yourself, or recommend them to anyone else. Depression is a serious condition, and must be treated by a trained physician.