FEELING GLOOMY AND DEPRESSED? THIS CAN HELP

 

Depression is a common mental health condition that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and changes in how you think, sleep, eat and act. Most of us see depression as a phenomenon caused mainly by various negative events we have experienced and unfortunate circumstances that make us feel down and gloomy. However, there are a variety of everyday causes of depression that most people ignore and that actually affect the quality of our lives in a significant way. 

Everybody feels gloomy once in a while, and that is normal. But when a gloomy mood lasts for weeks and you feel like doing nothing and you lose pleasure in your normal daily activities, the gloom gradually turns into a depression. The difference between gloom and depression is sometimes difficult, but it is mainly determined by the duration and intensity of the sad feelings.

It can start with feeling down, worrying a lot, lots of negative thoughts, less pleasure and interest in day to day activities and monotony. Left unattended it can result in concentration or memory problems, irritability, disturbance in diet, sleep, easy fatigability and vague physical problems such as headache, stomach ache or muscle pain. A psychotherapist, who is both a patient and now a friend, recently visited me and I tried to probe why is this getting so common amongst the younger folks too, as I felt they are supposed to be the fountainhead of enthusiasm, zeal and zest! 

So, as my friend brought out, if you feel unexplained sadness, are overwhelmed with constant negative thoughts, and have a host of other symptoms that indicate that you may be depressed, it is time to check if you are getting into habits that have an adverse effect on the mind. These are avoidable and so will help you to come out of a depressed mood.

 

1. Excessive use of technology

Smartphones, tablets, televisions, and computers - all of them pass our time pleasantly and allow us to consume information whenever and wherever we wish. However, they may act as a double-edged sword and may encourage symptoms of depression. The emergence of these symptoms was explained by the fact that multitasking, such as watching TV and reading news on a smartphone simultaneously, overloads the brain with too much information to work properly, leading to exhaustion and ultimately depression.

 

2. Poor nutrition

Our dietary habits have a direct impact on our overall health. But while many choose to focus on negative effects such as being overweight, our food also has the power to change our mood completely. In a study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, participants that ate more processed foods had more symptoms of depression than their counterparts who avoided doing so. Another study found that participants whose diets were low in fish suffered more depression than their counterparts, probably due to lack of omega-3 fatty acids. These acids are commonly associated with regulating levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that affects our mood. 

 

3. Going to sleep late

Sometimes all we want to do at the end of a hard and busy day is to zone out and watch TV, spend time at a restaurant or engage in a favorite hobby. However, this may leave you sluggish and inattentive  next morning, although you spent that ‘me’ time at rest and relaxation. The reason for this is that a severe lack of sleep disrupts the functioning of the brain and significantly harms attention, concentration, and memory. Thus, apart from the sense of exhaustion that will accompany you throughout the day, the great effort to maintain normal functioning will only trigger stronger feelings of frustration and anxiety. 

 

4. Keeping pessimistic company

It is very possible that the negative criticism and comments from the circle of people closest to you come from their genuine desire to provide you with good advice. However, as in many other cases, even negative and pessimistic feelings should be taken at the right dosage. Spending many hours together with a negative person may change our worldview for the worse, make us identify with the negative thoughts of the other person and compare them to many events in our lives. This doesn’t mean you have to write off people who are close to you, just try to talk to them about the fact that negative conversations don’t benefit you, and perhaps you will make them see the world in a much more positive way.  I would always try to surround myself with ‘a circle of geniues’ who are smarter than me and inspire me by their words and deeds.

 

5. Spending too much time in a busy and overcrowded environment

Life in the center of the city has many advantages such as proximity to many restaurants, public transportation availability, various public facilities, vibrant nightlife, many employment opportunities and more. However, the speed and noise of life that characterizes large cities may also create a great deal of mental stress, manifested in symptoms of anxiety and depression. So, despite your great love for these areas, try to spend a little more time in public parks and gardens close to your home where you can connect to nature and enjoy some peace and quiet. Give your five senses a drill to complete

1.      See 5colours in nature for 5 seconds each

2.      Smell 4 fragrances in nature for 5 seconds each

3.      Hear 3 sounds in nature for 5 seconds each

4.      Touch 2 textures in nature for 5 seconds each

5.      Taste 1 object in nature for 5 seconds

This is my prescription for combating the fast pace city life induced depression.

 

6. Isolating yourself for a long time

After a busy day of chores, it is only natural that we feel the need to isolate ourselves and get the peace and quiet we craved throughout the day. There are many benefits of having a little quality time with ourselves because it allows us to solve problems more efficiently and process the vast amount of information we were exposed to throughout the day. Nevertheless, it is recommended that this habit not be overdone, and spending quality time with children, family and friends still remains the best relaxant and anti-depressant. As part of our coping with the challenges of everyday life, it is important that we strengthen our existing friendships and create new relationships that will enable us to share and express our feelings. Being alone is surely benefician but being lonely is not. To read my blog, please click: https://surajitbrainwaves.blogspot.com/2023/04/being-alone-and-being-lonly-are-two.html

 

7. Inaction is dangerous

Although we all like to be idle in front of the TV screen from time to time, we also want to know how to set some boundaries and challenge ourselves in a variety of tasks and hobbies. Doing different tasks, even those that don’t interest us, gives us a sense of meaning, distracts us from negative thoughts, and improves our mood significantly. Even having a strict and consistent exercise regimen is an excellent anti-depressant, due to the various chemicals, such as endorphins, released in our brains which promote a sense of calm and tranquility.

 

 8. Not enough daylight exposure

This is something I experienced while working in the U.K. Long stretch of cold, damp and cloudy days, with no trace of the sun, are most depressing. Our busy lives can often have us sitting in front of a screen for hours together, sometimes without even having a short outdoor break. Not experiencing bright daylight can bring the gloomy mood that overcomes you out of nowhere. Apart from our natural need to get some fresh air and clear our head, sun exposure accelerates the production of serotonin, a neurotransmitter in the brain that plays a central role in emotional regulation. In addition, daylight stimulates the production of vitamin D essential to brain health that allows us to stay sharp and logical.

 

9. Taking various medications

Just as physical side effects like nausea, vomiting and cramps, many drugs have psychological side effects too. Thus, drugs such as oral contraceptives, and anti-epileptic drugs may have associated symptoms of depression and anxiety. Corticosteroids may conversely give a sense of wellbeing, as do the mood elevators.

 

10. Poor posture

Our posture conveys what we feel, and shows whether we are self-confident, scared, sad and so on. Our posture has a direct effect on us emotionally; people who walked with their backs bent, shoulders slumped forward and a slightly bowed head, often look and feel depressed and, one walking straight looks happy and confident. Yes, looks can be deceptive, and the guy with slumped shoulder may turn out to be happier, but mostly that is not the case. Our bodies seldom fail to tell what the brain is feeling.

 

11. Monotony

This is exactly what precipitates middle age crisis. We end up executing the same daily routine days, week and months together and this monotony leads to depression. We start wondering whether this grind is truly worth it. And if this effort of our’s goes unappreciated, it further accentuates depression. So doing newer things, deviating from the routine, expanding our horizons and going out of comfort zone brings new thrill to life.

 

Depression is much more serious a problem than what we have tried to describe, and one must never hesitate to seek professional opinion regarding its management. Failing to do so may affect the health and wellbeing of not only the sufferer but also his / her loved ones.