Tag: low energy

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7 tips to cope with depression

Depression is a common mental health issue that is becoming increasingly common amongst the Britons. According to the independent newspaper, Britain was seventh place amongst countries with the highest rate of depression in 2017, with 10% of 25 to 64 year old been diagnosed with depression. Studies have found that women are more likely to be diagnosed with depression than men, at a rate of 29%, compared to 17% of men. As a result of this, one in four women will require treatment for depression, compared to one in ten men.

Many factors may contribute to these findings, such as gender differences, i.e. women’s triggers are more likely linked to hormone-related prognoses such as pregnancy, periods, childbirth and menopause and many more. In addition, women have different roles, whether this is in the home, motherhood, having a work balance while raising children and building a career. They generally invest more in relationships than men. 

Myths about depression 

Some people have a perception that depression is a track matter, which is indeed not the case. Depression is an illness that needs serious medical attention, and an individual shouldn’t be treated as though they need ‘to get over it’ or ‘pull themselves together’. This illness is not a sign of weakness, nor something to be ashamed of. It’s important that you get support and treatment. 

Some people believe that the symptoms of depression are the same for every case. This is a myth; it’s not accurate as everyone is different and although there is a general prognosis in diagnosing patients, which responses to depression in different ways based on many factors such as, medical history, substance abuse, etc.

Signs of depression

  • Having little interests in doing things such as going to work, getting out of bed, isolation, having a bath, social anxiety, being overly pessimistic or inabilities to enjoy hobbies and interest.
  • Suicidal thoughts. Thoughts about dying, being better off dead or attempting suicide.
  • Sleeping problems. Having problems sleeping or sleeping too much, as well as feeling extreme tiredness or having little energy. 
  • Feeling very low, hopeless down and depressed.
  • Feeling very tearful.
  • Finding that you can’t cope with everyday things or using drugs/alcohol to cope with feelings.
  • Trouble concentrating on things such as reading or watching television.
  • Feeling extremely negative about yourself or that you’re a failure or let yourself or your family down.

7 tips to cope with depression

1. Seek help
Don’t feel ashamed or alone; speak to your GP so that they can support you with the right treatment and support (such as therapy or medical treatment).

2. Avoid isolation
Try and keep in touch with loved ones/friends that you trust. Talking to someone that you trust can very helpful as it prevents over thinking and so you don’t have to face your issues alone.

3. Don’t be hard on your self
Avoid trying to be hard on you, if you have a difficult or bad day. Postpone important decisions until you are feeling better.

4. Keep active
Having fresh air and being physically active helps you to feel better.

5. Peer/support group
There are many support groups within the borough; you could join a group that could help you with advice and experiences with those going similar experiences.

6. Set realistic goals
Having small and realistic goals can help you feel good and boost your self-confidence. This may include getting dressed or having healthy meals each day and having a routine. 

7. Avoid too much alcohol
Drinking too much alcohol only masks the problems and it could make you more depressed, try cutting down on your alcohol consumption when feeling depressed.

DEPRESSION
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Is procrastination affecting your life?

The dictionary describes procrastination as “the action of delaying or postponing something”.

Often procrastination is the cause of fear; there could be many factors associated with this including:

Fear of failure – starting things and often not completing them because you believe you will fail, so you do not complete the task to avoid defeat.

Fear of success – you want to be successful, but you are afraid of your inability to handle fame or fortune, perhaps you are scared of hard work or even become someone else.

Excessive perfectionism – is another common cause of procrastination. This excessive perfectionism causes procrastination by always putting off tasks until you think you can do it perfectly. In many ways, this is similar to the “fear of failure” concept outlined above, except that instead of believing you cannot succeed at all, you worry that you cannot meet your high standards.

Low energy levels – when you are always feeling tired due to lack of sleep or rest, unhealthy lifestyle or diet, it can also contribute to you putting things off or feeling like you can’t do much.

Lack of focus – you may lack vision and purpose in your life. Unfortunately, when you don’t have a purpose, there is no motivation to set goals or even pursue them.

Regardless of which fear you mostly relate to, both of these are associated with low self-esteem. Fear is an emotion that prevents us from fulfilling our destiny and often paralyses you so you feel stuck and unable to move forward.

There are also countless negative coping responses such as:

  • Avoidance
  • Denial or trivialisation
  • Distractions.

Procrastination has been linked to some emotional issues such as depression, anxiety, low and self-esteem.

They are so many people who are not living their life to the fullest, as a result of procrastination due to fear.

How to overcome procrastination:

Self-awareness and acceptance

The only way you can change any problem in life is to accept that you have the problem. This is the first step to recovery. We all wear a mask at times and present a false impression to others. We can surely not fool ourselves; if we do this, we are living in denial. This is a very negative emotional prison, as others can see your problem but you refuse to look at it and convince yourself that you don’t have a problem. Self-acceptance empowers you and gives you the freedom to change.

Understanding the root cause

When it comes to breaking any negative habit, it’s essential to understand the cause. Often, most learnt behaviour stems from early childhood experiences. Thinking as far back as possible to your life experience of when you started procrastinating will help you tremendously. Once you know the root cause you can change it.

Facing the fear

Unfortunately we all experience fear from time to time but living your life in constant fear is equal to an emotional prison. There is only one way to deal with fear – feel the fear and do it anyway. There are many types of fears, so it’s crucial to identify the fear and begin to embrace it by doing your research and developing a strategic plan to overcome it. If you are feeling stuck, then you can get help from various professionals including a therapist or coach who will be able to help you.

Discover your purpose in life

Life without direction is empty and can be very unfulfilling. Take time to find out your purpose by asking yourself the following questions:

  • Who am I?
  • What do I enjoy doing with my time?
  • What would be a fulfilling career or business?
  • What are my key strengths?
  • What do I want to be remembered for in my life?
  • What hobbies or interests could I begin to implement?
  • What lifestyle can I create?
  • How do I see my best self?
  • Am I creating a life that allows me to have financial freedom?
  • How much do I want to earn and how am I going to make that?
  • What do I want from life?
  • Am I living my life to the fullest, if not why and what can I begin to do now?

Set goals

Goal setting gives you direction in life. Begin by setting clear and measurable goals known as “SMART” goals which mean:

  • Specific
  • Measurable
  • Attainable
  • Relevant
  • Timely

When setting goals, it’s vital to ensure that you write goals somewhere that is visible so you can see it on a daily basis and set a reminder to do one thing each day towards your goals.

Don’t ever give up

You can acquire all the knowledge in the world, but knowledge without action is useless. Avoid things that may distract you so you can be more disciplined. The only way you will achieve the results you desire is by action, action and more action. You must keep trying no matter what. Life is about trying and trying again until you succeed, so never give up.