The World Health Organization (WHO) defines depression as a common mental disorder. It further states that 300 million people globally are affected by depression.
Let’s pick the word common from WHO. This explains that no one is immune to depression.
All individuals are more likely to face challenges or issues in life. They may trigger the feeling of sadness, low mood and loss of interest in anything. This could lead to depression.
Below are the five best ways you can handle depression.
1. Acceptance
It’s paramount that you accept the fact that anyone call fall victim to depression. But nobody wants to be associated with a mental illness. Think of a computer, after a certain duration of time you have to make use of functions like, restart, uninstall, reinstall and reboot. This means that at some point the operating system needs to renew. This is the same for you and me.
As you live, the mind and the heart are prone to get hurt, discouraged and disappointed by various factors.
You were created in a way that you need to often reboot the mind and your heart system.
Our creator is the first to acknowledge that our system can’t remain the same as we continue to live. Apostle Paul encourages that we renew our mind for us to realize the perfect will of God towards our purpose of creation.
Romans 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good , and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
Once you accept that depression is a common thing, you are on the path to perfection.
2. Listening
To fix a computer, you need a person to diagnose the problem. After diagnosis, the computer by itself can’t reinstall the necessary programs. The technician does it. You need an external source to tell you of the problem and fix it.
You should learn the skill of listening to others and accepting their advice. You should listen, to the speaker’s point of view with an open mind. Put aside your judgement, perception, knowledge and experience.
Proverbs 19:20 “Listen to advice and accept instruction, that you may gain wisdom in the future.”
3. Open Your Heart
When you can’t listen and accept other people’s opinion means you have a fixed mentality.
In this competitive world, no one is willing to trust anyone. They’ve become rigid in accepting anything different or that which can’t match with their own.
Be open-minded for this will build you a foundation where you can receive ideas, views and corrections from others. This later forms a channel of trust and your heart can flow with others.
4. Be Active
When you listen and interact with different people you can feel their love. You should often converse and intermingle with others in reality.
Currently in this generation the social media has deprived us true socialization. People have become kings of kingdoms created on social platforms but can’t approach anyone in the actual real world.
Share a smile on the bus, on your way to work and at home. Enjoy having true conversations. As you listen and open your heart to others, you will soon discover true love, true hope, true wisdom and true joy.
No one is born with social skills; you gain and develop social skills as you interact with others. Create time for fun activities beside work. Play with your kids or friends don’t isolate yourself.
5. Speak Positively
In a minute you can speak 100 to 150 words. How many people do you speak to in a day?
The important question is what is it you speak about; positive or negative?
Research has it that people get bothered by two major occurrences; the past and the future. You are seized by fear as you think about the awful past experiences. Despair sets in when you can’t figure out what the future holds for you.
Learn to speak of the happy moments in life and see the future as a better tomorrow.
Be Active,Speak Positive,Transform Your Life.
Though depression seems complex it’s a state that you can overcome. Some cases require treatment but you are the ultimate solution.
No situation causes anxiety or depression it’s your psychological response to the situation.
Being active stimulates the production of the happy hormone and in return boost the immune system. Whereas isolation and inactivity produces the stress hormone that weakness the immune system.
So being active,positive speaking will tranform your life.
Check out our GBS TV blog post for more information on mind education.