By Dishi Solanki:
If suddenly or with each passing day any of your family members start feeling low about them, likes to remain aloof rather than mingling in the group, talks negatively either about themselves or people around, then it’s high time to realize that the D word ‘DEPRESSION’ might be lynching on them. Such people are jolly, intelligent and gifted but this dark affliction hovers sporadically, leaving them trampled.
One person in every 10 suffers from depression & due to our frenzied lifestyle this disease is increasing at an extremely alarming pace. Work has caged our minds too badly inviting stress & loneliness. Prescriptions for anti-depressants have shot up immensely over the year with people popping pills without second thought. But people are hardly aware of the fact that these pills don’t show work the same magic on every individual. Some savor benefits while the rest are gifted with side effects like “insomnia & anxiety”. Drug-free treatment in depression can be extremely helpful & also a preventive step to ward off mental illness.
- Exercise can be a great mind and mood boosting session. Due to exercise a feel good chemical called Endorphins are released which help in feeling about our achievements thereby leading to regain one’s self esteem.
- Breathing exercises like “Sudarshan Kriya” alleviates anxiety, depression & stress. Dancing again is a good method to decrease depression. In fact SALSA is considered to be an effective dance form for this. Singing also helps its way out in releasing stress and anxiety. A survey revealed that chorus singing had a positive impact on psychological health. So “sing your heart out” and let the world turn deaf!!
- One of the best things is that looking at trees, flowers and nature around won’t cost us a bean & so outdoor exercises are thumbs up. Ecotherapy or just a walk in a garden can do a trick for such people. Today as we are extremely detached from your environment, fetching some fresh air and amalgamating with nature shall curb such diseases.
- The most important task of our lives is our eating habits. Eating fresh green vegetables and fruits shall boost the mood. A research describes that people laying their hands on fatty and unhealthy diet are more at a risk of depression as compared to healthy munchers.
- Finally “Books are a man’s best friends”. So why not spare some time bonding with them. Literatures are extremely supportive. They are related to individuals, their sufferings and their methods to cope up situations. So the reader in some or the other find a string connecting them to that literature.
I had seen my mother go through the traumatic phase of depression. She had a Spartans spirit in her which helped her conquer over this disease. She inspired me to write this article. For all those whose loved ones have been suffering through this have a very small task to perform. LOVE them; that is all the support needed.
Image courtesy: http://www.methodsofhealing.com/herbal-remedies-for-depression/