Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders of the modern world. According to the World Health Organization, depression now affects one in twenty adults on the planet.
In the past, I've been in states where I can't see a way out at all and life seems to have come to a standstill. In this article, I will share my personal experience of treating depression and my experiences with my clients. I hope these tips will help you, you can learn valuable lessons from this difficult time in your life and get to the next level. Yes, I believe that for many people depression is a kind of springboard to a new life and a whole new perception of themselves.
However, due to the lack of support and the negative perception of this illness by society, many people do not seek help. Personally, during the treatment of depression, actively working on myself, visiting a therapist, I experienced a tremendous sense of guilt, shame and awareness of my own inferiority. I wish you didn't have these feelings, but courageously moved forward to a new version of yourself.
So what do you do if you've lost interest in life and you don't want to wake up in the morning at all??
1. Acknowledge your condition. That you're feeling unwell and need help. Honestly admit to yourself that you don't want to live at all; sometimes it can be scary. I know. But the more you run away from yourself, the more you will be overwhelmed by negative emotions, and it can happen at the most inopportune times. I remember once getting a little reprimand in response to which I got the most hysterical, crying in three streams and just couldn't stop. Improving your condition will be connected to reflection and living through negative emotions. For several years I didn't even allow myself to think that I felt bad, it would pass on its own, I thought. This does not mean that you have to share your condition with everyone, not all people can understand it, the most important thing to be honest with ourselves.
2. Talk to a person close to you. This can be difficult. Depression is often accompanied by a feeling of total loneliness, a state of feeling that no one will be able to accept and share your inner pain. Not all of your friends and relatives might understand this state, some might even call it cowardice, but if you feel that there is a person in your circle whom you can trust, talk to him or her about your feelings. This conversation could be the first step toward treatment and recovery. One day I told my close friend that it was hard for me and I did not really want to live, she was very surprised, but she listened carefully and tried to understand and support. This conversation was very important for me; I understood that others hear me and are willing to help.
3. Get help from a professional. Psychotherapy is an essential component of improving your condition. In an acute and difficult situation, you may need the help of a psychiatrist who will prescribe medication, but this usually does not cancel out the need for psychotherapeutic work, since your condition can be connected with unresolved inner conflicts that pills cannot solve for you. My personal experience and experience with clients shows that difficult relationships with parents or one parent can have something to do with depression; it can also be caused by trauma in a child's early development.
4. Get in touch with your own body. In this you can help body practice (such as qigong) or body-oriented therapy, the main thing that this activity likes and suits you. During sessions, it is important to be gentle and attentive to oneself, as work with the body promotes release from tension and an outlet of negative emotional charge. One of the undeniable pluses is that the practice distributes energy throughout the body, letting you "get out of your head" and stop the flow of negative thoughts.
5. Spend more time in nature. Take regular walks, get some fresh air, and tune in to the natural rhythms of nature. Nature is a wise healer, by observing the changes of its states, we can better understand ourselves.
6. Find an activity or hobby that gives your life meaning. Taking care of your pets, growing plants, helping your family and friends, and doing creative work can all help you to feel like a more important person.
I personally was saved by tutoring. I did not want to wake up in the morning, it was hard to get out of bed, but I knew that today my student Masha, who had an exam in English in two months, would come to me, she needed my help and expertise, so I got up, no matter what. Working with my students and their successes gave my life meaning.
I often ask my clients to draw or do something with their hands, these simple actions helps to raise self-esteem and confidence, because it often seems to a depressed person that he/she is not very capable of anything.
7. Get into spiritual practices. That is, of course, in case you feel the inner necessity to do so. Prayers helped me find answers to many questions, opened the door to a new world, and with their help, I reached another level of understanding about myself and the world. I used to be very self-centered, a kind of "achiever," unable and unwilling to hear my soul's voice and its needs. I had to learn a lot, and now I have my own project, which helps others to find new meanings.
8. Praise yourself for every step you take, every day you live, and learn to thank other people. I kept a gratitude journal, writing down one to three thank-yous every day. Nowadays I can easily write 15 to 30, and back then it was a real ordeal to write even one, but with regular practice it is possible, the main thing is the desire.
9. If nothing helps, then just give up, admit that nothing will change, but keep moving. I mean, don't expect instantaneous changes in your condition. Treatment of depression is not always a short-term process, it requires patience and strength. Sometimes you will feel like you have taken a step forward and then you are thrown back three steps, just keep moving forward. If all else fails, accept that it will always be so. This is one of the most important moments, often the turning point, which means that a little more and your things will get better, just keep psychotherapy and work on yourself.
10. Evaluate and integrate the experience. Turn around and look back, note the important life lessons that depression has taught you, thank your friends, loved ones and all those who have been there for you and supported you during this difficult time. I have become more open and trusting of the world, wiser and more responsible, closer to understanding my true nature and essence.
And you too can, as long as you believe and work on your condition. Do not be afraid to start a journey to your inner depths, yes, it is a difficult journey, but the treasure of your soul is worth it.
Depression is one of the most common psychological disorders of the modern world. According to the World Health Organization, depression now affects one in twenty adults on the planet.
In the past, I've been in states where I can't see a way out at all and life seems to have come to a standstill. In this article, I will share my personal experience of treating depression and my experiences with my clients. I hope these tips will help you, you can learn valuable lessons from this difficult time in your life and get to the next level. Yes, I believe that for many people depression is a kind of springboard to a new life and a whole new perception of themselves.
However, due to the lack of support and the negative perception of this illness by society, many people do not seek help. Personally, during the treatment of depression, actively working on myself, visiting a therapist, I experienced a tremendous sense of guilt, shame and awareness of my own inferiority. I wish you didn't have these feelings, but courageously moved forward to a new version of yourself.
So what do you do if you've lost interest in life and you don't want to wake up in the morning at all??
1. Acknowledge your condition. That you're feeling unwell and need help. Honestly admit to yourself that you don't want to live at all; sometimes it can be scary. I know. But the more you run away from yourself, the more you will be overwhelmed by negative emotions, and it can happen at the most inopportune times. I remember once getting a little reprimand in response to which I got the most hysterical, crying in three streams and just couldn't stop. Improving your condition will be connected to reflection and living through negative emotions. For several years I didn't even allow myself to think that I felt bad, it would pass on its own, I thought. This does not mean that you have to share your condition with everyone, not all people can understand it, the most important thing to be honest with ourselves.
2. Talk to a person close to you. This can be difficult. Depression is often accompanied by a feeling of total loneliness, a state of feeling that no one will be able to accept and share your inner pain. Not all of your friends and relatives might understand this state, some might even call it cowardice, but if you feel that there is a person in your circle whom you can trust, talk to him or her about your feelings. This conversation could be the first step toward treatment and recovery. One day I told my close friend that it was hard for me and I did not really want to live, she was very surprised, but she listened carefully and tried to understand and support. This conversation was very important for me; I understood that others hear me and are willing to help.
3. Get help from a professional. Psychotherapy is an essential component of improving your condition. In an acute and difficult situation, you may need the help of a psychiatrist who will prescribe medication, but this usually does not cancel out the need for psychotherapeutic work, since your condition can be connected with unresolved inner conflicts that pills cannot solve for you. My personal experience and experience with clients shows that difficult relationships with parents or one parent can have something to do with depression; it can also be caused by trauma in a child's early development.
4. Get in touch with your own body. In this you can help body practice (such as qigong) or body-oriented therapy, the main thing that this activity likes and suits you. During sessions, it is important to be gentle and attentive to oneself, as work with the body promotes release from tension and an outlet of negative emotional charge. One of the undeniable pluses is that the practice distributes energy throughout the body, letting you "get out of your head" and stop the flow of negative thoughts.
5. Spend more time in nature. Take regular walks, get some fresh air, and tune in to the natural rhythms of nature. Nature is a wise healer, by observing the changes of its states, we can better understand ourselves.
6. Find an activity or hobby that gives your life meaning. Taking care of your pets, growing plants, helping your family and friends, and doing creative work can all help you to feel like a more important person.
I personally was saved by tutoring. I did not want to wake up in the morning, it was hard to get out of bed, but I knew that today my student Masha, who had an exam in English in two months, would come to me, she needed my help and expertise, so I got up, no matter what. Working with my students and their successes gave my life meaning.
I often ask my clients to draw or do something with their hands, these simple actions helps to raise self-esteem and confidence, because it often seems to a depressed person that he/she is not very capable of anything.
7. Get into spiritual practices. That is, of course, in case you feel the inner necessity to do so. Prayers helped me find answers to many questions, opened the door to a new world, and with their help, I reached another level of understanding about myself and the world. I used to be very self-centered, a kind of "achiever," unable and unwilling to hear my soul's voice and its needs. I had to learn a lot, and now I have my own project, which helps others to find new meanings.
8. Praise yourself for every step you take, every day you live, and learn to thank other people. I kept a gratitude journal, writing down one to three thank-yous every day. Nowadays I can easily write 15 to 30, and back then it was a real ordeal to write even one, but with regular practice it is possible, the main thing is the desire.
9. If nothing helps, then just give up, admit that nothing will change, but keep moving. I mean, don't expect instantaneous changes in your condition. Treatment of depression is not always a short-term process, it requires patience and strength. Sometimes you will feel like you have taken a step forward and then you are thrown back three steps, just keep moving forward. If all else fails, accept that it will always be so. This is one of the most important moments, often the turning point, which means that a little more and your things will get better, just keep psychotherapy and work on yourself.
10. Evaluate and integrate the experience. Turn around and look back, note the important life lessons that depression has taught you, thank your friends, loved ones and all those who have been there for you and supported you during this difficult time. I have become more open and trusting of the world, wiser and more responsible, closer to understanding my true nature and essence.
And you too can, as long as you believe and work on your condition. Do not be afraid to start a journey to your inner depths, yes, it is a difficult journey, but the treasure of your soul is worth it.