How To Get Rid Of Depression And Anxiety

Depression and anxiety are the top causes of mental disability worldwide. Despite the worldwide awareness for mental health, many people suffer through these conditions without even knowing about it.

Although we all get mild episodes of depression and anxiety daily, it hits some people way too different. If you’ve been having depression and anxiety symptoms for over five weeks, it may be a good time to seek therapy.

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Symptoms Of Depression And Anxiety

Although these are two very different conditions, they do have a lot in common when it comes to symptoms. Some of the joint symptoms of both conditions are:

Irritability In Mood
Harsh Mood Swings
Abnormal Eating Habits
Suicidal Thoughts
Low Self Esteem
Sleeping Disorders (Sleeping too much or too little)
Difficulty Concentrating
Panic Attacks
Severe Guilt

According to recent studies, it is very common for a person to suffer from two or more mental health conditions. Especially when it comes to depression and anxiety. Over 50% of people suffering from either condition tend to be suffering from the other as well.

Self-Help Depression And Anxiety Treatments

Although the best way to improve your mental health is by going to a therapist, not all of us can do that. The expensive bills and endless hours are a little too much for a minimum wage earner to manage. And for that reason, we have accumulated a list of lifestyle changes that help you fight depression and anxiety more effectively.

So, let’s get started!

Identify The Problems

Whenever going through severe depression and anxiety phases, there’s always an underlying emotion causing it all. It may be a physical health symptom like weight, digestion, or an injury. It can also be something emotional as a breakup, trauma, or loss of a loved one.

And as important it is to deal with these underlying emotions, we normally give it the back seat. As a result, these undealt emotions cause turmoil in your day-to-day lives.

You have to understand that depression and anxiety are medical conditions and not a means of grief. It is not something that you will magically snap out of until you put some effort into it. So, get to the bottom of the problem and see what’s bothering you.

And if it is a little too much to deal with on your own, you should always ask for help. Preferably a therapist, but any friendly ear from your friends or family will do as well.

Socialize More Often

Socializing, too, has its effects on your mental health. We, humans, are social beings, and we need the support of others to stand tall. But if you do not make time for the people around you, you wouldn’t have anyone to rely on during the rainy days.

So, you should always be more accepting of invitations and be outgoing. Even if you’re an introvert and don’t have a thing for large crowd gatherings. You can still call up a loved one or spend the evening with your family.

We often overlook the healing power of a face-to-face conversation. The laxity of calling someone up and unwinding your day is much more valuable than you know. And it doesn’t hurt to take the first step either. Because chances are the other person is as reluctant as you and for the same reasons to start a conversation.

Things like asking a colleague for lunch together or partnering up for the gym are excellent places to start socializing.

Practice Mindfulness

The only effective way to control or watch your thoughts is through mindfulness and meditation.

It has been around for thousands of years and is thoroughly practiced worldwide. Thanks to the recent awareness due to the yogis, mindfulness is receiving a lot of attention. Health experts worldwide recommend at least 15 minutes of daily mindfulness for a healthier mind.

If you’re new to mindfulness and meditation, this is how it works. You relax by either sitting or lying comfortably. And then, you focus your thoughts around your breathing or a guided sound. It requires quite an effort, but with time, like muscles, it too develops.

Mindfulness and meditation recreate the neural pathways in your brain. It changes the way you think about things and equips you to prevent certain thoughts. And that proves to be specifically helpful when it comes to treating depression and anxiety.

But if starting out mindfulness on your own is a little too much, you can always start with guided-meditations. These are audio/video tracks with voiceovers that guide you through your meditation course. It builds up your stamina and also makes you learn how to engage and observe certain thoughts.

Get Enough Rest

You’ve probably heard it more than you need to, but here it goes again. Get the right amount of sleep to function correctly!

Being one of the most important aspects of your daily living, sleep’s importance is often ignored. Either by staying late at the office or binge-watching a catchy show on Netflix, you always find a way to stretch your bedtime even further. And you always get to see the results the next day when you’re depleted of energy.

After a hard day’s work, it only makes sense to give rest to your mind and body. You can make your bedtime earlier every day or remove the distractions from your room to improve your sleep. But if you have trouble falling asleep, then brewing a pinch of kratom with tea might help.

It is an entirely herbal product that comes with zero side-effects. It relaxes your body and calms your mind, making sleeping a much easier thing to do. However, how long does kratom stay in your system should also be given attention.

If you have work that requires a lot of focus, then you might want to hold on to that tea for a while. Because being dizzy at the workplace is the last thing you’ll want to do.

Improve Your Diet

You may have never thought about it, but yes, your diet affects your mental health. Your diet is the basis of your entire lifestyle. It determines whether or not you’re going to be fit and healthy.

Diet is arguably one of the hardest lifestyle choices to make. Especially when you have to give up all the sweet affairs everyone else is indulging into. And to make it even harder, we start with something much harsh like the Atkins and Keto diet.

Although such strict diets are a great way to lose weight quickly, they are rarely lifestyle options. You cannot live your entire life by eliminating a whole food group from your diet. Your body needs a vast nutritional intake daily to function properly. And that can only be ensured through a balanced diet.

A fantastic way to keep your tastebuds happy and your health in check are by choosing your own diet. Including a bunch of leafy greens and lean meat to your table will solve most of your problems. But to take it a step higher, replacing your snacks with a few nuts and almonds will drive insane benefits.

However, you must keep your diet fulfilling and flavorful. Make changes to your diet on tokens of self-improvement instead of punishment, and it will be much easier to follow.