Author Stephen Ilardi says in his book, The Depression Cure, “The rate of depression among Americans is roughly ten times higher today than it was just two generations ago.”
So what can those of us who live in the today’s world do to beat the blues?
Ilardi believes there are six steps to fight depression, and though we like his ideas, we believe he left out an important step which we’ll include at the end of our article.
7 Steps to Help Fight Depression:
1. Take Omega-3 Fatty Acids – to help the brain function properly. People low in omega-3’s are more subject to mental illness and depression.
2. Engage in Activity – Or in other words, stay busy. Working on projects will help people from ‘ruminating’ over their troubles, which can contribute to depression.
3. Participate in Physical Exercise – Ilardi states in his book, “Researchers have compared aerobic exercise and Zoloft head to head in the treatment of depression. Even at a low “dose” of exercise–thirty minutes of brisk walking three times a week–patients who worked out did just as well as those who took the medication. Strikingly, though, the patients on Zoloft were about three times more likely than exercisers to become depressed again over a ten-month follow-up period.”
4. Get Sunlight Exposure – Without sunlight exposure, your body can get out of sync, which can cause your circadian rhythms, energy, sleep, appetite and hormone levels to be disrupted, which can trigger clinical depression.
5. Develop Social Support – When it comes to depression, Ilardi says, “relationships matter.”
He goes on to say, “People who lack a supportive social network face an increased risk of becoming depressed, and of remaining depressed once an episode strikes. Fortunately, we can do a great deal to improve the quality and depth of our connections with other and this can have a huge payoff in terms of fighting depression and reducing the risk of recurrence.”
6. Sleep – Disrupted sleep is one of the most potent triggers of depression so be sure to try to catch your daily z’s.
Now for the suggestion to fight depression that Ilardi missed:
7. Reach out to God – Studies have shown that developing a relationship with God can help relieve depression.
Perhaps you’re angry, even disgusted with what you believe God has allowed into your life. If this is the case, you will feel better if you make amends with God, consider asking him to help you through your difficulty instead of trying to handle it alone.
Also, if you’ve never known God, click HERE to take our God test.
If you’ve never given your troubles to God, try praying…
Dear God,
These troubles are too much for me, so I give them to you. Now they are your problems. Give me your supernatural power to let go and to trust that you will not only get me through this, but that you will give me and my loved ones a future and a hope.
In Jesus name,
Amen.
Watch Dr. David Thomas’s suggestions about how to control depression below:
[...] 7 Ways To Battle Depression [...]