Life is like a roller coaster ride. The more you think about it, the more you will realise just how accurate that comparison is. Since the day we are born till the day we die, life gives us countless moments and experiences that range from happy, ecstatic and joyous to sad, miserable and disappointment.

Life throws both cake and lemons at you. In fact this reminds me of a riddle. Think of a statement that when read by a happy person will make him sad and when read by a sad person will make him happy. The statement is, “This too shall pass.” I don’t know the origin of this riddle as I had just read it somewhere but I do understand that it best describes what happens in life. 

Life is an ever changing, roller coaster like ride. When we are happy, and times are good, we don’t really need to be told what to do as the path ahead seems to be clearly illuminated. But it is in those dark times that we need guidance as the whole world around us seem to be shrouded in darkness causing many to get depressed.

It happens to a lot of people. Sometimes life can be too tough and unfair or at least seemingly so. But remember, times will change as they always have. So, how exactly do you deal with the depression? Let me try to show you some ways.

1. Identify Problems But Don’t Dwell on Them

This might seem counter intuitive to think about your problems as they are literally the reason you are depressed. But trust me, it is exactly what you need to do to gain some clarity. 

Sometimes the problems are not even that big as we make them out to be and once we take a reality check, we realise that we were being worried for absolutely no reason at all. At other times, they give us a sense of exactly what it is that is troubling us.

Only after proper identification can be begin the process of finding the solutions. You simply can’t sit around waiting for the problems to solve themselves. It just doesn’t work that way. When you are depressed you literally have zero motivation to do anything. That is why you need to start by looking at the source of it all i.e. whatever it is that is troubling you.

2. Ask For Help

One misconception that we have about the world today is that everyone is out there to fend for themselves only. This misconception only gets worse when you’re depressed as you start thinking that no one will come to aid you in your time of need.

Well, that is completely wrong. There are many people in life that are ready to help you at a moment’s notice. Your family, relatives, friends will be there for you in a heartbeat. Reach out to them and tell them exactly what is bothering you. Ask for their help and support.

The best thing about is that just the presence of these people will make you feel better. All that pressure or stress that you were feeling before will feel much lighter. It will be like a heavy weight lifted off your shoulder. 

Suddenly you are not alone in the darkness with nowhere to go. Suddenly you have people holding your hands ready to guide you to your way. Take their hands and don’t let go. 

3. Make Decisions and Stick to Them

So, you are now ready to get back on track and that means making changes. This entails making decisions. Sometimes we have to take tough decisions to make changes because life demands us of bigger changes which might be for your own benefit which you can’t immediately see but in hindsight, may prove to be a blessing in disguise.

Identify the solutions, make plans and stick to them. I know it is much easier said than done but you got to start somewhere, right? It might take from a few days to a few weeks to come up with something, but keep going. If you spend long enough looking for answers, chances are you will find some!

Throughout this process, make the most of people that are ready to support you. Be grateful for their help and be patient. Once you identify the solutions and make plans to achieve them, make sure that you do exactly as planned. Depression can sometimes make you want to throw it all away, but quitting is never an option. 

4. Exercise

Now comes the turn of some lifestyle changes. It has been shown time and again that regular exercise can help ease depression. When you exercise daily, it makes you fitter and healthier and that alone can increase self confidence and ease some of the depression.

Another reason why exercise works is that during exercise, the feel-good hormones are released into the body like certain neurotransmitters and endorphins. Due to this reason, you end up feeling way better than before. Hence incorporating exercise in your daily routine is a must. 

Needless to mention that initially, you will find it very difficult to start exercising. You will feel that it is pointless and won’t solve any of the real issues. But let me tell you that everything is a state of mind. Happiness, sadness, anxiety, everything, is just a state of mind. If you can alter your state of mind, you can alter reality as well.

5. Meditate

Recently meditation has risen to mainstream popularity. It seems like everyone is doing it or at least talking about it. Not long ago, many used to think that it is only for people who are into alternative therapies but now they are more aware of the benefits of meditation.

There are a lot of health benefits of meditation like increased immunity, lowering of blood pressure, reduced risk of heart diseases, relief from asthma and many more. But there are benefits on the level of the psyche. It helps you clear your thoughts, helps you remain calm and makes you mindful.

As you incorporate meditation in your life, depression will automatically reduce day by day. You will be more in tune with yourself and with your surrounding and you will be better equipped to face the challenges that life presents. It is a really powerful technique that if adopted, can really go a long way in helping you to overcome depression.

Note: All images used, have been taken from Pixabay.