How My Friends and Family Battle The Blues

Happy People

We all feel down sometimes. Whether your issue is a symptom of chronic depression or just a short-term bad mood, finding ways to lift your spirits is key to feeling better and living healthier. There are a variety of options that can help improve your mood, no matter what’s causing it. I compiled a list of things that my friends and family do when they are feeling low, and here are they.

1. “Exercise has been the number one ‘non-medical alternative’ to turning around my depression. I started with just walks around the neighborhood, and then I joined some fitness classes. I’m taking a Zumba dance class and yoga, as well as a group strength training program. And now, three months later, I’m even running outside.” – Sara

work out

2. “There are two items I’ve found to be pretty powerful allies in my struggle against the big, bad ‘D’: humor and creativity. They can be hard to summon sometimes, but I’ve found it so worthwhile to spend time cultivating them.” – Mary

3. “I find that it helps my mood when I don’t skip meals.” -Rachael

4. “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) worked really well for my PTSD.” – Usman

5. “Salmon, tuna and other fatty fish rich in omega 3s have made a difference in my mood and are healthy meat alternatives. I always feel better after having fish.” – Joe

6. “I decided to help myself by setting several rules. I get out of bed by 9 a.m., take a St. John’s Wort supplement, and get outside for at least 30 minutes every day.” – Yanelis

7. “Several things that help my mood are getting away from a situation that is causing the depression, having loving support and focusing on helping others.” – Jerry

8. “I relieved my depression with a so-called ‘non-traditional’ therapy but it wasn’t a supplement or anything. It was a process or treatment called EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). It sounds really weird, but it works for a lot of people. Its benefit may depend on what is causing your depression. Mine was due to things that had happened in the past that I was stuck on, and this helped me completely reprocess those things and move on!” – Trina

9. “Journaling can be good therapy for those who are depressed, suffering from a chronic illness or are going through some rough times in their lives. I like to write about all the good things that have happened in my day as well as the bad. I often look back on the bad days to see how far I have progressed. The time spent is very therapeutic and relaxing for me!” – Charity

10. “The Mediterranean lifestyle are wonderful for me. Combining it with the “Mind Over Mood” workbook by Paderewski and Greenberger, continued psych appointments, and a strong support system has allowed me to be better than ever.” -Marilyn

woman

11. “Five years ago, my therapist suggested that I purchase a Seasonal Affective Disorder lamp and I did. It is a good one and it has done wonders for me. I usually sit under it for about 20 minutes in the morning and can actually feel myself getting stimulated for the day.” – Barbara

12. “This is going to sound so simple, but what works for me is getting the right amount of sleep and exercise as well as petting my dogs.” Jeremiah

13. “I’ve had a lot of luck with aromatherapy. A friend suggested I use lavender in an oil diffuser, dropping about 10-15 drops into the water. Lavender can help with bipolar issues and depression.” -Marietta

14. “Getting enough magnesium helped my depression. I take either magnesium citrate or magnesium sulfate if I’m not getting enough in my diet.” –

15. “I recently was given this fantastic cream by my homeopathic specialist that contains essential oils of menthol, eucalyptus, lavender and vitamin E. As a bonus, it has been fantastic for my sinus headaches, too, in addition to my mood.”

16. “I prefer non-medical treatments when they are effective. I can’t afford counsel, but several other things have helped me make progress. SAM-e definitely takes the edge off! My husband noticed a difference and now he makes sure that I don’t run out! I have been taking a multivitamin with calcium, magnesium and vitamin D for my bone health, but I think it has also improved my mood. Exercise has helped a lot except for when I am really bad. When I am despondent or really upset, I seem to just get upset at my workout and quit. As long as I am just ‘down’ or feeling well overall, then working out usually helps, especially in the long run.” – Sammy

17. “I found some all natural, organic, apple cider vinegar capsules. In the couple of years that I’ve been taking them, my depression is gradually getting better. I no longer have bad episodes that last days or weeks at a time. Now my bad episodes last a few hours at the most!” – Deborah

18. “One thing I’m grateful for is the love of our pets. One cat is VERY snuggly and I always feel calmer when he gives ‘hugs’ and snuggles. The other one is a bit of a troublemaker and the two together always makes me laugh.” -David

19. “I take an aqua class for people with fibromyalgia. It eases my pain and my depression. We have guided imagery in the class for five to 10 minutes. It felt stupid the first couple of times, but now I look forward to it. It seems to help what ails me physically and mentally.”- Frama

20. “I found I had sleep apnea, and sleeping with a CPAP machine has done wonders to improve my depression.” -Ada

21. “The best ‘medicine’ that helps my depression is talking. I’m fortunate to have wonderful friends who are more than willing to sit down with me and listen. They don’t judge, they don’t go off on tangents. They just listen.” -Sesuur

22. “I take a daily vitamin B12 supplement. I can really tell the difference when I miss a dose. It does help my mood.”- Cynthia

23. Some healthy foods I try to include in my diet that I think have helped with energy and depression are hazelnuts, salmon, sardines, and spinach.” -Hope

24. “When I start to feel my depression returning, I double-check my diet to make sure I’m not overly restricting calories and that I’m getting enough healthy carbs.” -Karla

25. “Mindful meditation, body scanning, breathing exercises and guided meditation can all help relieve stress, which is often associated with anxiety and depression.”- Richard

26. “I have a wonderful group of three yoga friends who meet once a month for meditation, book discussion, and support.”-Fafa

27. “I try to get outside and enjoy the sun, spend time hiking and just get away from all the people and the chaos of the city. I also like to listen to music to put me in a positive mood, especially The Beatles (I Wanna Hold Your Hand, Please Please Me, and Love Me Do).”- Mrumun

28. “The psychiatrist encouraged me to straighten out my eating habits because they were leading to major mood fluctuations. I was advised to cut out all stimulating and calming foods, drinks, and herbs that were manipulating my energy level (stimulants like chocolate and calming foods like chamomile tea). Chocolate was the hardest, but I finally did it, and was happier for it.” -Chris

tea

29. “I have developed many coping techniques such as meditation and yoga”- Ralph

30. “Nutri-Calm by Natures Sunshine, which is a B-vitamin supplement with a stress formula in it, works really well for me in helping me stay calm and helping with mood swings, anxiety, and keeping depression blues down to a minimum.” –Chioma

31. “I continue to take Bach’s Flower Remedies as needed. In the UK they are widely used and well respected. Basically, they have trusted homeopathy for emotional well-being. Rescue Remedy is the most well-known, and I always carry it with me. Should I feel a panic attack coming on, a few drops will calm it right down. Besides the Bach’s Remedies, I’ve started a weekly massage treatment. Not only is a message a lovely treat, but it’s incredibly good for the mind and body! I store all of my stress and tension in my back so it really is beneficial to unlock it and clear it away.” – Anulika

32. “I read my Bible, walk outside (or on my treadmill) and open my blinds to let the sun in.” – Emmanuella

33. “I went to my doc about depression and she suggests I do an elimination diet because apparently there was a study done and over 70% of people with depression have an underlying food allergy or intolerance.” – Senater

34. “I edit my environment. I try to avoid negative or critical people when possible or shut them down fast. I don’t dwell on tabloid stories that won’t affect me. I read the newspaper and news blogs and not watching TV news that seems to focus on the grotesque at times. I play upbeat music, watch upbeat movies, and play with my cats and the neighbor’s dogs. All of these approaches have helped me.” – Peace

35. “I’ve gone sugar-free and dairy-free. Both have helped very much with my mood and concentration.” – Chima

There you have it, these are some tips used by some people. What changes and tricks have you used to bust bad moods or relieve depression?