More than 264 million people worldwide suffer from depression. Depression does not discriminate against age, race, or gender. Everyone is susceptible. In these ever-changing times with the coronavirus, changing mask and distancing standards, and work-from-home mandates, depression is on the rise.
Read on to discover how you can cope with depression amid COVID-19 and when to seek professional help.
What does depression look like?
As a common, yet serious mental illness, depression affects your thoughts, feelings, and actions. Patients dealing with depression often have negative thoughts, feelings of sadness, emotional and physical problems, and decreased functioning.
Depression symptoms
Although depressive disorder may be mild to severe, the most common symptoms of depression include the following:
- Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, or emptiness
- Angry outbursts
- Decreased interest in activities you used to enjoy
- Disrupted sleep patterns or sleeping during the day
- Tiredness
- Weight changes
- Agitation or restlessness
- Trouble concentrating
- Unexplained physical problems such as headaches
- Frequent thoughts of death or suicide
If you want to learn more about how having these symptoms of depression can affect your health, consider scheduling an appointment with a provider at Salveo to discuss your needs.
What are the main causes of depression?
Depression is a complex disease without a known cause. However, there are links between this mental illness and potential risk factors.
Common causes
The most common causes, risk factors, or triggers for depression include:
- Abuse
- Advanced age
- Death or loss
- Gender
- Genetics
- Illnesses
- Major life events
- Medications
- Personal conflicts or disputes
- Personal problems
- Substance abuse
Depression during COVID
COVID-19 has been a major worldwide life-changing event. The added stress has triggered an upturn in depression.
Mental health during COVID-19 has taken a hit. The stress of the disease, quarantining, and work-at-home orders have brought about an increase in anxiety and depression. According to the CDC’s research, depressive disorder was nearly four times higher in the second quarter of 2020 than in the same time frame in 2019.
How to cope with depression
If you suffer from depression, there are tips to help you overcome your condition rather than feeling overwhelmed by it.
1. Do things that make you happy
Depression is often linked to not wanting to participate in activities that often bring you joy. Instead of giving in to fatigue, push back and do something that makes you happy. Go for a walk, plant flowers, do yoga, or ride your bike. These simple activities are a way to lift your mood and energy levels to help you cope with depression.
2. Exercise to boost your mood
Physical activity is a great way to keep your body healthy. It helps you battle conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Exercise allows you to sleep better.
Exercise also helps people feel better. Physical activity releases endorphins which improve your mood. With continuous physical activity, your body releases growth factors which help new nerve cells grow and make new connections. When this happens in the brain, it improves your mood.
3. Eat a healthy diet
Your diet affects you physically and mentally. While there isn’t a specific “depression diet,” there are foods that may ease your symptoms or put you in a better mood. Consider the following good food choices:
- Foods rich in antioxidants
- Complex carbohydrates
- Healthy proteins
- Vitamins B and D
- Selenium-rich foods
- Omega-3 fatty acids
4. Go outside
While excess sun exposure can damage your skin, spending time in the sunlight can improve your mood. Exposure to sunlight may help release serotonin which boosts your mood and helps you feel calm and focused. Alternatively, decreased sun exposure can cause a drop in serotonin levels and trigger depression.
5. Reach out to your support system
Too often people with depression are embarrassed or choose to suffer in silence. If you are overwhelmed by depression, reach out to your friends and family for emotional support, find a support group, or seek professional help.
At Salveo Integrative Health, we strive to provide a tranquil and comforting environment for our community. You are not alone in your battle against depression. Take back the control in your life.
Get depression treatment with Salveo Integrative Health
Depression impacts your everyday functioning. It keeps you from functioning and thriving at your fullest potential. The experienced professionals at Salveo Integrative Health are ready to help.
Our team specializes in behavioral and mental health treatments. Our treatments for depression include therapy and our flagship non-medicated Neurostar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) therapy. TMS therapy is designed for patients with major depressive disorder who have tried medications and other therapies without success.
For depression treatment in Lawrenceville or Flowery Branch, GA, contact us today. Book an appointment with Salveo Integrative Health for help coping with depression.
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