How to relieve depression

The most important prerequisite for alleviating depression is to first find a regular psychiatrist for evaluation and diagnosis, and follow the doctor's instructions to carry out standard medication or physical therapy. Don't force yourself to do it, and don't place your hope that "going out to relax" or "thinking about it" will get better.

I worked as a voluntary escort in the city's mental health center for two years. I met a young programmer who had just graduated. At first, he had insomnia and didn't want to talk for three months. He couldn't even get excited about his favorite modeling competition. He thought he was under a lot of pressure when he just joined the job. He couldn't even get out of bed to brush his teeth. That's why his roommate took him to the hospital. He was found to be moderately depressed with somatization. The doctor prescribed medicine. At first, he was afraid that he would become stupid and dependent after taking it, so he hesitated to take it. Later, he couldn't bear to try it anymore. Within two months, he said that his brain, which had been soaked in muddy water, finally cleared up and he could sit down and write code for half an hour. By the way, a reminder, don’t cut down or stop taking medicine casually. Even if you feel that you are completely healed, you should consult a doctor for evaluation before adjusting the dosage, otherwise it will be easy to relapse.

Of course, there are also many people who feel that taking medicine alone is not enough and have to seek psychological counseling to dig out their "heart problems". In fact, there is no standard answer to this, and you don't need to be kidnapped by the opinions on the Internet. I also met a retired aunt. After being diagnosed, she only took medicine regularly. She said that she had everything in her life clearly and did not need to talk to outsiders. It has been three years now, and her regular check-up indicators are very stable. She can still go to the park to dance square dance. On the contrary, some patients rush to see a counselor as soon as they are diagnosed. When their condition is too bad, they cannot listen to any guidance at all, which is a waste of money and a loss of self-confidence. It is better to wait for the medication to stabilize the emotional baseline, and then consider whether to seek consultation. And be sure to find someone with formal qualifications, and don't look for the kind of wild way that just pours chicken soup and says, "You have to be optimistic."

As for the small things that you can do in daily life, you really don’t have to force yourself to do a full "rehabilitation plan", including fitness, reading and social expansion. Think about it, when you just get a bad cold, you know to lie down and recover. The essence of depression is a problem with the regulation of neurotransmitters in the brain. Where do you find the strength to do so many "positive" things? When you're in a bad state, it's great if you can get up, drink a cup of warm honey water, and throw the empty beverage bottles piled on the bedside into the trash can. Don't make yourself feel guilty because you haven't accomplished your so-called "goal." If someone around you says, "You're just too busy" or "It would be nice to go out for a walk more often," just ignore it. When you really can't walk, it doesn't matter if you just sit on the sofa and watch unnutritious cartoons all afternoon.

By the way, if you have a friend who is suffering from depression, don’t force him to “come on” and “hold on”. Just stay with him silently. If he wants to talk, just listen quietly. If he doesn’t want to talk, just sit there and play together. It’s much more useful than saying “You have to be strong” ten thousand times.