One of the byproducts of our sedentary & isolated contemporary life is the growing epidemic of depression.
Over 120 million people worldwide are affected by the black dog of depression, as Sir Winston Churchill described it. Depression is one of the leading causes of disability, missed work, broken relationships and more.
Chances are you or someone you know will suffer from it in your lifetime.
It is truly one of the most devastating of dis-eases (not at ease!) in that it robs you of the ability to simply enjoy life. Activities that you used to enjoy leave you feeling empty. Interacting with friends, family and coworkers can be overwhelming.

Here Are 7 Powerful Ways To Overcome Depression

Cultivate supportive relationships
Getting the support you need plays a big role in lifting the fog of gloominess and keeping it away. On your own, it can be difficult to maintain perspective and sustain the effort required to beat depression, but the very nature of depression makes it difficult to reach out for help. While isolation and loneliness can trigger or worsen depression, maintaining emotionally close relationships can be instrumental in overcoming it.
The thought of reaching out to even close family members and friends can seem overwhelming. You may feel ashamed, too exhausted to talk, or guilty for neglecting the relationship. Remind yourself that this is the depression talking. Reaching out is not a sign of weakness and it won’t mean you’re a burden to others. Your loved ones care about you and want to help. And remember, it’s never too late to build new friendships and improve your support network and always try and maintain a nice relationship, so you gerrit.

Do things that make you feel good
In order to overcome depression, you have to do things that relax and energize you. This includes following a healthy lifestyle, learning how to better manage stress, setting limits on what you’re able to do, adopting healthy habits, and scheduling fun activities into your day. Aim for eight hours of sleep. Depression typically involves sleep problems. Whether you’re sleeping too little or too much, your mood suffers. Get on a better sleep schedule by learning healthy sleep habits.
Expose yourself to a little sunlight every day. Lack of sunlight can make depression worse. Make sure you’re getting enough. Take a short walk outdoors, have your coffee outside, enjoy an al fresco meal, people-watch on a park bench, or sit out in the garden. Aim for at least 15 minutes of sunlight a day to boost your mood. If you live somewhere with little winter sunshine, try using a light therapy box.

Have a good diet
This would also be included because what you eat has a direct impact on the way you feel. Aim for a balanced diet of low-fat protein, complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. Reduce your intake of foods that can adversely affect your brain and mood, such as caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, saturated fats, and foods with high levels of chemical preservatives or hormones (such as certain meats)
Additional tips:
Don’t skip meals.
Minimize sugar and refined carbs.
Focus on complex carbohydrates.
Boost your B vitamins.
Try super-foods
Consider taking a chromium supplement..

Get outside.
Our friends saw lots of daylight; getting up at sunrise and going to sleep at sunset. Exposure to bright sunlight for 30 minutes a day either through sunlight or a light made for this helps keep your internal clock set. This act helps to regulate our sleep/wake cycle and insures a good night’s sleep which in turn, helps our physical and mental health. Don’t wear sunglasses though; the exposure must come through your eyes!

Aerobic Exercise.
The truth is that morning walkout and street exercise is not so common in our society here in Nigeria. But 30 minutes at least 3 times a week means those ‘runner’s high’ endorphins get released regularly. It’s also a good way to work through and release stress. You don’t have to run a marathon, just get your heart rate up to your target range – around 120 to 160 beats per minute depending on your age and condition. Walking works wonders. Abeg get your doctor’s approval first oo!

Start a journal.
Yes you heard me right, starting a journal can help you reflect on your depression and feelings and monitor your sensations throughout the day. Make a goal of writing in your journal at least once a day, preferably in the evenings, when you can wrap up whatever the day brought you. Writing in a journal can make you feel more in touch with your thoughts, less alone, and more aware of the things that make you happy or unhappy.
Writing in a journal will also help you focus and shut off your mind from all the stressful tasks around you.

Watch your thinking!
The last but certainly not the least is to be mindful of whatever you think, the fact is that, Anti-rumination strategy is vital to breaking out of depression and other emotional ruts. Become aware of those times you dwell on the negatives in your life – both real and imagined – and stop them. It takes work and persistence but if you constantly tell yourself to ‘stop it’ when you start to go over and over the negatives, then you are building a positive habit that will change your life for the better. Whether it’s the guy who cut you off in traffic or something a little closer to home, don’t give yourself the luxury of a negative thought.

conclusion
Always try not to get yourself depressed because it works hand in hand with low self esteem thereby leading to self destruction. So here you have it fresh and juicy, put this to action and save yourself from personal destruction and societal irrelevance. Well in case you still need help then p.m me.

cc: Lalasticlala , mynd44,

woow such a well written tip. there , I couldn't have agreed more just on point to the core

errm BTW where is lalasticlala sef
mynd44 come and see oo you guys should let Nigerians learn oooo

@ bayulll01 thanks for your comment, don't mind if you share

We all sometimes need this information.

well said @chriskosherbal we all surely need this information especially when we consider the state of most Nigerian youth
that is the reason the MODs just have to do the needful