Sad & Sick? Your Mental Health Toolkit for Chronic Illness
We all have days when we’re feeling sad and empty, wishing we could curl up in our beds instead of going through the motions again. It’s completely normal to go through periods of unhappiness, especially after upsetting events.
But what if you keep finding yourself bursting into tears for no apparent reason or feeling numb more often than not? What should you do when you no longer enjoy things you used to consider fun and you’re struggling to ‘fake’ a normal conversation?
‘Fifty shades of blue’: Mild depressive symptoms
Depression is one of the most common mental health problems, with approximately 5 – 17% of people worldwide suffering from a major depressive disorder during their lifetime.
But an even larger number of us are dealing with mild depressive symptoms that are not severe enough to meet the diagnostic criteria for a clinical depression. For example, maybe you’re feeling down, restless and tired often, without much interest in doing something fun, but never for two weeks straight or never more than four symptoms to be able to call it a depressive disorder.
And yet, struggling with the blues can still cause a lot of grief and make it difficult to function normally at work or socially. What’s more, experiencing mild depressive symptoms is an important risk factor for developing a full-blown depression.
Unfortunately, when you’re living with chronic health problems, you’re even more likely to experience symptoms of depression. Having a serious disease doesn’t just throw your whole life upside down and makes it harder to do the activities that used to make you happy, but the physical effects of chronic illness can also lead to neurochemical imbalances related to a depressed mood.
Luckily, there are things you can do to lift your spirit and slowly start feeling better. Research shows that following self-help strategies can be an effective way to beat the blues.
So let’s have a look at 6 science-based self-help tips to overcome feelings of depression.
6 Self-Help Tips to Overcome Feelings of Depression
Disclaimer: Always contact your doctor, therapist or other medical professionals if you’re experiencing symptoms of a clinical depression and/or you have suicidal thoughts. The advice below is aimed at mild depressive feelings and meant for informational purposes only.
Self-Help Tip #1: Keep your stress levels in check
Did you know that many clinical depressive episodes are preceded by stressful life events? Even small daily hassles like work deadlines or arguments with loved ones play an important role in feeling blue.
Being chronically stressed isn’t just a leading cause of depression, but studies also show that people who have been through a depression unintentionally end up in significantly more stressful situations than people who never struggled with depressed.
Break this vicious circle of stress and depression by searching for better ways to deal with daily stressors:
- Strengthen your problem-solving skills by making a list of everyday things that stress you out and come up with ways to handle these overwhelming situations differently.
- Experiment with emotion-focused ways to cope with stress you cannot avoid or control, like getting sick or losing your job.
- Find healthy ways to relax your body and calm your mind, like breathing exercises, meditation or going for a short walk.
Self-Help Tip #2: Feed your brain
Your overall diet can have a strong impact on your mood and mental wellbeing.
Recent research found interesting relationships between the bacteria in your gut and your brain health, as well as links between inflammation in your body and depressive disorders. Eating foods high in sugar and refined carbs may raise your chances of depressed feelings, while consuming plenty of omega 3 fatty acids found in fatty fish, krill oil, walnuts or chia seeds plays an essential role in stabilising your mood.
Have a look at dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory diet for more information on brain-boosting nutrition and see for yourself how these simple lifestyle changes make you feel over time.
Self-Help Tip #3: Don’t worry, be happy
Do you overthink every detail of a situation? Does your mind sound like a record that keeps playing the same lyrics over and over again?
Rumination, or constantly being preoccupied with the negative emotions and thoughts you had after a stressful event, can start an unhealthy cycle of even more worrying, which leads to a depressed, anxious and helpless mood.
When you find yourself replaying arguments in your mind, get out of your head and focus on positive activities instead. You could engage in your favorite hobby, but working with your hands like gardening, drawing or kneading dough seems to be an especially effective way to quiet your mind and reduce rumination.
Further more, build your problem-solving skills to overcome life’s challenges instead of worrying about it. When you’re replaying situations in your head, try to come up with at least one concrete thing you can do to deal with the problem you’re ruminating about.
Self-Help Tip #4: Keep moving
Exercise can be a powerful tool for coping with mild depressive symptoms. Some studies suggest regular exercising can be as useful as antidepressant medications in helping you overcome feelings of depression.
That’s because being physically active increases the amount of ‘feel good hormones’ called endorphins in your body. It also boosts your energy levels and self esteem, reduces stress and improves your sleep – all important elements of your emotional wellbeing.
So try to fit some movement into your day, even when you don’t feel like it at first. Walking regularly is a gentle but effective way to reduce depression, especially in natural surroundings. But you could also add quick exercise snacks to your schedule, practice slow movement or do some yoga in bed on bad pain days.
Self-Help Tip #5: Always seek out the bright side of life
Have you ever noticed how spending time outdoors on a sunny day can really brighten your mood?
Safely exposing yourself to sunlight for 15 to 20 minutes a day allows your body to produce vitamin D, which is essential for a healthy brain. Aim to go for a short walk each day or eat your lunch al fresco to boost your mood. Bonus points for spending your time outdoors in green surroundings, because being in nature is known to support your mental health.
If you feel happy throughout most the year but experience depressive symptoms in winter, you might benefit from using a light therapy box or taking a high-quality vitamin D3 supplement to combat seasonal affective disorder.
Self-Help Tip #6: Train your mind for a happier way of thinking
During our lives, we all develop certain beliefs about ourselves and the world, to help you make sense of what’s happening around you. But these core beliefs or ‘unspoken life rules’ can sometimes take on a more extreme form in people who are feeling depressed.
You may think that you’re a total failure if you mess up that work assignment or you jump to negative conclusions like “She must think I’m pathetic” without any actual evidence to support that thought. We all make cognitive ‘errors’ that sabotage our own happiness.
Try to become aware of your own beliefs and how they influence your mood and your perspective on life. See if you can slowly replace the happiness-nixing thoughts with a more neutral or positive way of thinking with the tips in this beginner’s guide for changing negative thinking.
How to overcome feelings of depression, by yourself or with professional help
Although these 6 science-backed self-help tips to overcome feelings of depression can definitely help you feel better, it’s important to note that making changes can be tough. You should not feel like a failure when you don’t manage to stick to your new habits.
Start with one strategy and make it doable, like going for a 10-minute walk every day instead of working out at the gym for half an hour. Gradually build from there, just try to make small, positive choices for yourself.
Also know when to get additional help. It’s perfectly ok if you can’t deal with the overwhelming sadness and despair on your own. If you find your depressive symptoms are getting worse and worse, seek professional help from your doctor or psychologist.
Please always contact a loved one, medical professional or call a help line if you’re contemplating suicide. The demons in your mind can make you feel like there’s no hope and that nothing can be done, but depression can be treated and you can feel better, I promise.
How do you cope with feelings of depression?
If you enjoyed reading this article, you might also like Feeling Negative? How to Let Go of Unhelpful Thoughts and 7 Coping Strategies for Health-Related Anxiety. Plus take a look at 8 Science-Backed Ways to Boost Your Mood.
