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Exercise. Even 15-20 minutes a day can
make a difference in your mood. If you can't get yourself to take a simple
walk, find a class or a friend to motivate you to schedule weekly exercise.
- Maintain a Positive Outlook. If you tend toward negativity,
start paying attention to those things that you say to yourself. If you hear
yourself saying "I will never feel better" or "Nothing ever
goes my way" force yourself to make a switch mentally. Next time you
hear those negative statements change your thinking to be positive and supportive
of yourself.
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Talk. Seek out a family member, friend, counselor,
therapist, spiritual leader or mentor. Getting connected to others is key
to feeling better. That may mean using the phone or getting out, even once
a day, to have a social contact.
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Get busy and get out of the house. If you
tend to find it hard to get off the couch schedule things for yourself to
do. Make plans with a friend who will drag you out of the house if needed.
Plan a volunteer activity to get you out of the house.
Schedule a Routine Physical Exam with Your Doctor. Find out if there is something going on with your health that
could lead you to feel depressed. Many peoople are quick to say depression is the culprit for all their problems when it could be low Vitamin D levels or hypothyroid, for example..
There are biological, as well as psychological reasons people may feel depressed.
Do some writing or start a diary. Writing may help you gain some ideas or insight around
why you are feeling sad or depressed. Writing about how you feel, especially if you get into a daily habit,
can have noticeable effects on your mood.
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Get enough sleep. Find out how many hours
of sleep you need and stick to getting those hours. Most people need between
7-9 hours of sleep each night. For some, even one hour less of sleep can
increase irritability and impact your mood.
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Take care of your body. Reduce your use of
illegal drugs, caffeine and alcohol. Sometimes the very substance you think is helping you to relax can have an effect on your sleep cycle.
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Make an appointment to start psychotherapy or to see your doctor. Consider having an evaluation with a medication prescriber to see if anti-depressant
medication can improve your mood along with psychotherapy.
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Change what can be changed. Sit down with your therapist or friend and make a list of
all the things that are making you unhappy. Evaluate the cause of your sadness or depression
and take action to improve your circumstances. Focus on what you can do rather than where you are stuck. Get to know the "Serenity Prayer" and say it to yourself multiple times a day. If the word "god" bothers you, just eliminate that word and start the prayer with: "Grant me the serenity, to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference."
Lisette Lahana, LCSW has a private practice in Oakland, CA. She enjoys working with adults going through life transitions and having difficulty managing stress. Lisette has been licensed and an EMDR therapist for over 10 years.
445 Bellevue Ave. #104 Oakland, CA 94610
Phone: (510) 915-4795
Email: Therapy at LisetteLahana.com
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