How to deal with depression: what worked for 16 real-life people

Not all depression is the same, and there are many mental health diagnoses that are often lumped together under the umbrella of depression. Getting an accurate diagnosis was the key to finding effective treatment for Rachel Larson. For nearly a decade, she’s gone through periods of being really down, but it got very bad during her first pregnancy – and it was then that she finally got an answer to her extreme mood swings. “It turns out I suffer from bipolar depression, which has aspects of both depression and bipolar disorder, and using medications for bipolar disorder, rather than regular antidepressants, has made all the difference,” she says. “Now I go to counselling and take medication and I am so much happier!”

As a mum of four kids under six – including a one-month-old infant – Janette Kudin knows all about sleep deprivation. Thanks to postpartum depression, she also understands the mental fog and dark mood of the mental illness and the toll it takes. It was only recently, however, that she discovered the connection between sleep and depression. “I get postpartum anxiety and depression and have found one of the best things I can do is to get enough sleep,” she says. “I force myself to sleep whenever I can, even if that means putting off household chores or other duties. Right now, having a newborn means I have to let my bigger kids watch a show so I can nap while the baby does. Those are things I don’t necessarily love to do, but if I get over-tired, I’m a mess and it’s worse for everyone.”

Here are some relaxation techniques to help you wind down for sleep.

Monica Haines has been on medication for depression for 14 years; while the meds definitely help, she found greater relief when she started yoga, she says. “What is so helpful is how it teaches you to just be present wherever you are and to be gentle with yourself,” she says. “Depression feels so intolerable that just having someone coach self-acceptance, one moment at a time is extremely helpful for me.” Another benefit is that her yoga classes get her out of the house and with her friends, two other things that help her depression.

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Cannabidiol oil is all the rage these days, with people using it for everything from pain relief to dealing with their dog’s anxiety. April Olshavsky, decided to give it a try: at first, she was using it for chronic pain, but she soon discovered it helped her chronic depression as well, eventually replacing her antidepressant medication. “I take a low dose of 125 mg tincture by mouth as a daily preventive measure,” she explains. “I gave up my pharmaceutical prescription because I didn’t like that it numbed my mind, dulled all emotions, and killed my sex drive. With CBD, I noticed I was still able to feel my emotions and process them appropriately through tears, joy, and clearer thinking.”

Katie Meier has learned that her depression needs a multi-pronged approach to keep it under control. She uses medication, exercise, and therapy but says the thing that has made the biggest difference is having the loving support of her family. “They listen and I can tell them anything,” she says. “I never feel like I have to hide anything. I can tell them if I’m having an anxiety attack, am on or off my meds, need help, or just need them to listen. Having them provides so much relief and comfort for me.”

Mindfulness is the practice of being intentionally aware and present in your life – an especially important antidote to the chronic distraction of our tech-driven society. It can also help with depression, by helping you see connections between how you’re feeling and what you’re doing, along with recognising negative moods sooner, says Kevin Lynch. “For me, living mindfully has taught me that my depression is not something I can just sweep under the rug. It’s important to acknowledge it,” he says. “Counselling, journaling, meds, sleep, daily walks to the local coffee stand, playing drums and guitar, listening to music, sketching, sitting with our cats, hanging with my family, building stuff, brewing beer, my faith – they all sound like small things but all of them together, working in unison have helped combat my depression.”

Find out how to teach yourself to meditate and beat stress.

“For me, the most powerful treatment for my depression is praying,” says Tasha Kaye. “I do so much praying! Being spiritually grounded and close to God allows me to take a much-needed breath.” It’s not just Kaye; people who are spiritual and focus that outward into religion and caring for others (versus inward) are less likely to have depression and have fewer symptoms when they do get depressed, according to a report published in The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease.

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Source: RD.com