Mild depression affects about 15% of people at some point in their lives. If you have mild depression, you may feel sad, guilty, worthless, or disinterested in anything. Mild depression can affect a person's personal and professional life, but it can be treated by taking some steps. These steps include diagnosing depression, getting professional help, making lifestyle and health changes, and trying alternative medicine methods. If you have more severe symptoms, read the article How to Cope with Depression. Seek immediate help if you have suicidal thoughts.
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Method 1 of 6: Diagnosing Depression
Step 1. Understand the symptoms of depression
Symptoms of depression vary, from mild, moderate, to severe. In mild depression, you may feel sad most of the time, or lose interest in activities you used to enjoy. In addition, mild depression usually exhibits some (but usually not all) of the following symptoms:
- Loss of appetite or weight gain
- Too much or too little sleep
- Getting angry easily
- Decreased body movement
- Low energy level every day
- Feeling worthless
- Feeling guilty for no apparent reason
- Difficulty concentrating.
Step 2. Identify seasonal affective disorder
Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects a growing number of people during the autumn and winter months, and may be caused by a lack of exposure to sunlight for the body. This may result in reduced production of the hormone serotonin by the body, a chemical compound that affects human feelings. Recognize the symptoms of SAD:
- Increased need for sleep
- Fatigue or decreased energy levels
- Lack of concentration
- Increased feelings of solitude.
- These symptoms usually disappear in the spring and summer, but can still cause mild depression in the winter.
Step 3. Pay attention to the times when you feel down
If you are feeling down, it is very important to pay attention to your symptoms to determine if you are depressed. You may experience feelings or symptoms that are more frequent, or last longer than two weeks.
If you are unsure about the development of your symptoms, ask a trusted friend or family member for the opinion. While your own experience and point of view are most important, listening to other people's perspectives on your behavior is also beneficial
Step 4. Pay attention to how you feel after the traumatic event
A major traumatic event in your life, such as the sudden death of a family member, can produce symptoms similar to depression. However, it may not be a major depressive disorder. The context of the event and the duration of the symptoms will also help in determining whether a person is experiencing deep sadness or a major depressive disorder.
- Feelings of worthlessness and suicidal thoughts do not usually occur during times of grieving. Positive memories of the deceased may arise during the bereavement period, and the bereaved person may still enjoy certain activities (for example, activities performed in honor of the deceased).
- During mild depression, you may experience negative feelings, negative thoughts, failure to enjoy favorite activities or other symptoms. These symptoms may appear most of the time.
- When mood swings during grieving stress you out and/or begin to affect your life, it may mean that you are experiencing something more than the normal grieving process.
Step 5. Record your feelings and activities for two weeks
Record your feelings and activities for about two weeks. Write down how you feel each day. This list need not be too detailed; just write a short list so you can recognize the patterns that emerge.
- Take note of how often you experience an uncontrollable urge to cry. This may indicate something more than mild depression.
- If you're having trouble taking notes, ask a trusted friend or family member to help. This may be a sign that your depression is more severe than you initially thought.
Method 2 of 6: Getting Professional Help
Step 1. Visit your doctor
Visiting your regular doctor would be a great first step if you suspect that you have mild depression.
Several types of illness, especially those related to the thyroid hormone or other hormone systems in the body, cause symptoms of depression. Other medical conditions, especially chronic or terminal illnesses, can also carry a risk of developing depressive symptoms. In these cases, your doctor can help you understand the source of your symptoms and how to treat them
Step 2. Visit a counselor
Taking psychotherapy, or “talking therapy”, can be very helpful for treating mild depression. Depending on your specific needs, you can seek out a mental health professional, including a counselor psychologist, clinical psychologist, or psychiatrist. If you suffer from mild depression, you may choose to see a counselor first.
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Counselor psychologist:
Counseling psychologists focus on helping develop skills and helping people to cope with difficult times in their lives. This type of therapy can be short-term or long-term, and is often targeted specifically at the problem and its goals. The counselor will ask questions and listen to what you have to say. The counselor will be an objective observer in helping you identify important ideas and discuss them in more detail. This will help you deal with emotional and environmental issues that may be contributing to your depression.
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Clinical psychologist:
This type of psychologist is trained to perform tests to diagnose problems, and as such, tends to focus more on psychopathology. Clinical psychologists are also trained to use a wide variety of therapeutic techniques.
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Psychiatrist:
Psychiatrists may use psychotherapy and scales or tests in their practice. People usually visit a psychiatrist when medication is a desirable option to try. In most countries, only a psychiatrist can prescribe medication.
- You can also visit more than one type of therapist, according to your needs.
Step 3. Observe different types of therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy and behavioral psychotherapy (behavioral) have consistently shown benefits for patients.
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Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT):
The goal of CBT is to challenge and change the beliefs, attitudes, and understandings that underlie depressive symptoms and their changing effects on maladaptive behavior.
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Interpersonal therapy (IPT):
IPT focuses on life changes, social isolation, lack of social skills and other interpersonal problems that may contribute to depressive symptoms. IPT may be particularly effective if certain specific events, such as death, trigger a recent depressive episode.
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Behavioral therapy (behavioral):
These types of therapy aim to schedule pleasurable activities while minimizing unpleasant experiences, through techniques such as activity scheduling, self-control therapy, social skills training, and problem solving.
Step 4. Ask the counselor for recommendations
Consider recommendations from friends or family, a religious leader in your community, a mental health center in your community, an Employee Assistance Program (if your employer has one), or contact your doctor for help in finding a counselor.
The Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards in the US provides basic information on how to choose a therapist, licensing requirements for your location, and how to find out if a therapist is licensed. Other professional associations, such as the American Psychological Association in the US, may also have a search function for you to find a therapy practitioner in your location
Step 5. Check your health insurance
Your visit to a counselor must be covered by your health insurance coverage. Although mental disorders must legally be included in the financing, just like physical illnesses, the type of insurance you have may still affect the type and value of the therapy costs you can undergo. Be sure to double check the details with your insurance company, so that you get the necessary guidance before undergoing treatment and make sure that you visit a therapist who accepts your insurance and will be paid for by your insurance company.
Step 6. Ask your counselor about anti-depressant medication
Antidepressant drugs affect the nerve transmitters (neurotransmitters) in the brain to try to deal with the problem through the way the brain is made and how these transmitters work.
- Some professional therapists think that antidepressant medications are over-prescribed and not very effective at treating mild depression. Some studies have also shown that anti-depressant medications are most effective when used in major depression or chronic depression.
- Medication can be a good method of improving your mood and helping you to receive more of the benefits of psychotherapy.
- For many people, short-term antidepressant medication can help with mild depression.
Method 3 of 6: Changing Your Diet
Step 1. Eat nutrient-rich foods
Sometimes, it's hard to see that nutrition is affecting your mood, because the effects of food don't happen instantly. However, it's important to pay attention to what you eat and how you feel afterwards, to track down your depression.
- Eat foods that are associated with reduced symptoms of depression, including fruits, vegetables, and fish.
- Avoid foods that have been linked to increased symptoms of depression, including processed foods, such as processed meats, chocolate, sweet desserts, fried foods, processed cereals, and high-fat dairy products.
Step 2. Drink lots of water
Dehydration can affect physical and emotional changes. Even mild dehydration can affect your mood. Drink lots of water throughout the day, not just when you feel thirsty or while you are exercising.
Men need to drink 13 glasses of water (227 ml each) per day, and women need to drink 9 glasses of water (227 ml each) per day
Step 3. Take supplements containing fish oil
People who are depressed may have low levels of certain chemicals in the brain, namely eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Fish oil capsules contain omega-3 fatty acids, EPA and DHA. These substances can help relieve some of the mild symptoms of depression.
Take no more than 3 grams of supplements per day. Fish oil in doses that exceed this can prevent blood clots, thereby increasing the risk of bleeding
Step 4. Increase folate intake
Many people with depression also have folate deficiency, which is a type of B vitamin. Increase your folate levels by eating lots of spinach, beans, legumes, asparagus, and cabbage.
Method 4 of 6: Changing Your Lifestyle
Step 1. Improve your sleep pattern
When you don't sleep well, your defense mechanism will decrease. This will make it more difficult for you to fight off the symptoms of mild depression. Try to go to bed earlier than usual to ensure that you get 7-8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep is a restorative activity that allows the body to heal itself. If you are unable to get enough sleep, consult your doctor. Your doctor can prescribe certain medications to help you sleep. You can also try changing your sleeping hours.
The inability to get enough sleep can be a symptom of depression. If you find it difficult to fall asleep, try listening to calming music before bed. Turn off your computer and cell phone at least 30 minutes before bedtime, to give your eyes and brain a break from the screen
Step 2. Exercise vigorously
Exercise may still be an underused method for improving mood. Research shows that exercise helps improve mood and prevent depression from recurring. Aim to exercise most days for 30 minutes at a time.
- Set a target that you can achieve. However light a goal may seem to you, achieving it will give you an immediate experience of success as well as the confidence needed to set your next goal. Start by aiming for a 10-minute walk per day twice per week, then push yourself to do more, such as walking for 10 minutes every day for a week, then every day for a month, then every day for a year. Observe how long you can maintain the achievement of the target.
- The best part about exercising as a depression treatment method is that activities like walking and running don't cost a lot of money.
- Before starting to exercise regularly, consult with your doctor and/or your personal fitness trainer, to determine the type of exercise that is most appropriate for your fitness level.
- Think of each exercise session as a therapy session to improve your mood as well as a positive sign that you are really determined to recover.
Step 3. Try light therapy
Light therapy, or exposing your body to sunlight or similar light, can have a positive effect on your mood. Several studies have shown that increasing sun exposure will increase vitamin D levels in the body as well.
- Try using the sunrise simulator. This is a timing system that can be attached to the lights in your bedroom. The light will turn on gradually (getting brighter) 30-45 minutes before your wake-up time. Your brain will assume that the morning light is coming in through the window and that you can "trick" your own body into feeling better.
- Purchase a light therapy box or lamp. This tool emits light based on simulated natural sunlight. Sit in front of a light therapy box for 30 minutes per day to get more light exposure.
Step 4. Manage your stress
When you are stressed, your body responds by releasing cortisol, the stress hormone. If you are chronically stressed, your body may overreact and not stop releasing these stress hormones. Try to manage and reduce stress, so that your body has time to recover.
- Try meditating to reduce stress.
- Write down the things that make you feel stressed. Try to reduce the number of stressors in your life.
Step 5. Get out of the house
Gardening, walking, and other outdoor activities can create a beneficial effect. Being in nature and a green environment can improve your mood and is beneficial if you are experiencing the effects of mild depression.
Gardening and digging the soil also have a positive effect, because of the antidepressant microbes in the soil that increase your serotonin hormone levels
Step 6. Find a creative outlet for yourself
Some people feel the effects of depression due to stifled creativity. The link between depression and creativity has long been the subject of study, because some people think that this is a "burden" that someone who is creative must automatically bear, or also the "dark side" of creativity. Depression can arise when creative people have difficulty finding outlets for their creative expression.
Method 5 of 6: Writing a Diary
Step 1. Write regularly in a diary
Keeping a diary can be useful for understanding how your environment affects your feelings, energy, health, sleep patterns, and other things. These activities can also help you process your emotions and learn about why certain things make you feel certain things.
Step 2. Try to write every day
Even if you're only writing for a few minutes, it's still helpful to write down your feelings and thoughts.
Step 3. Always carry a pen and paper with you
Make it easy for yourself to write when you're in a bad mood. Also consider using a simple note-taking program on your phone or tablet computer.
Step 4. Write anything down any way, however you want
Don't feel compelled to write complete sentences if you prefer to write in chunks or bulleted lists. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, or writing style. Just write it down so that your thoughts are on paper.
If you need a better writing structure, you can look for people who teach journalism, read journalism books, or use specialized websites to keep diaries online
Step 5. Tell or share the content as you wish
Use the diary in any way you like. You can keep it to yourself, share some of its content with your friends, family, family therapist or therapist, or even publish it in the form of a public blog.
Method 6 of 6: Trying Alternative Medicine Methods
Step 1. Try acupuncture therapy
Acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine method that involves inserting needles at specific points on the body, to correct any blockages or energy imbalances. Look for an acupuncture specialist in your area and try this procedure to see if acupuncture can help reduce symptoms of depression. what you experienced.
A study showed a link between acupuncture and normalization of a neuroprotective protein called neurotrophic factor derived from the glial cell line, and was as effective as fluoxetine (the generic name for the drug "Prozac"). Other studies have shown similar effectiveness to psychotherapy. These studies give credibility to acupuncture as a method of treating depression, but further research is needed to support the effectiveness of acupuncture
Step 2. Consider taking St
John's Wort.
"St. John's Wort" is an alternative medicine that has been shown to be effective from small-scale studies, especially in milder cases of depression. If you're not taking an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRI (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) medication, consider trying "St. John's Wort."
- In large-scale studies commensurate with those required for FDA approval, "St. John's Wort" was not shown to be more effective than a placebo. In addition, "St. John's Wort" has not been shown to be more effective than other existing therapies (though it may reduce side effects).
- The US Psychiatric Association does not recommend "St. John's Wort" for general use.
- Be careful when taking "St. John's Wort". You should not take it together with the consumption of SSRIs or SNRIs, because of the risk of serotonin symptoms. "St. John's Wort" can also make other medicines less effective when taken together. Drugs that can experience this effect include oral contraceptives, antiretroviral drugs for HIV control, anticoagulants such as "Warfarin", hormone replacement therapy, and immunosuppressants. Consult your doctor if you are on any other medication.
- Follow the instructions for use when taking "St. John's Wort".
- The US National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine advises caution when choosing homeopathic remedies and encourages open discussion with health care providers so that homeopathic remedies can be more coordinated and provide safe results.
Step 3. Try taking a SAMe (S-adenosyl methionine) supplement
This is a type of alternative medicine. SAMe is a naturally occurring molecule, and low levels of SAMe are associated with depression.
- SAMe can be taken by mouth, by injection into a vein, or by injection into a muscle. Follow the instructions for use and dosage on the supplement packaging.
- The manufacture of SAMe has not been regulated by law and the working power and content varies between products from each manufacturer. SAMe has no known superiority over other existing depression treatment methods.
- The National Center for Alternative and Complementary Medicine in the US advises choosing homeopathic remedies with caution, and encourages open discussion with health care providers so that homeopathic remedies can be more coordinated and provide safe results.
Warning
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If you are in Indonesia and you are experiencing suicidal feelings or are starting to think about suicide, call the emergency telephone number 112 immediately or go to the emergency services of the nearest hospital. You can also call the special numbers for suicide prevention assistance, namely 021-500454, 021-7256526, 021-7257826, and 021-7221810.
Treat Mild Depression Step 2
