It happens to the best of us. It doesn’t matter where you have been brought up, where you live, or what kind of job you do. You can wake up one morning only to find out that things have turned out differently than you expected. And before you realize it, your joy and zest for life are gone. That’s when depression sets in — a mental health disorder, and those affected are either in denial or fighting it.
The point of denying it is hoping it will eventually go away. Although this can help in the early stages, it accentuates the problem over time. Fighting to overcome depression is an effective way of dealing with it. For instance, you can engage in the Book of Ra game or any other titles, which have been shown to have a positive impact on mental health care. Without further ado, let’s find out what is better: fighting or denying depression.
Fighting Depression
Depression affects your mental health. The mental health definition refers to your emotional and psychological well-being. Battling depression is a long-term process — it may take weeks, months, or even years, depending on your will power, situation, and circumstances. There is no right way of fighting depression; some of them include:
Acceptance
In order to overcome mental health issues, you have to accept that you have one. So, embrace your depression to be able to understand where it stemmed from. If you cannot get to the truth, it will be impossible to find a solution, and that will lead to a mental health crisis.
Vent
Bottling everything up can be overwhelming and exhausting. It’s important to vent out your struggles and what you’re going through with someone you can trust. Whether it’s a close friend, family member, or therapist, letting it out will help you overcome depression. Besides, depression is called ‘a disease of loneliness.’ So, having a support system is crucial in fighting mental health disorders.
Healthy Sleep
Most individuals with depression also suffer from sleep deprivation. Whether the latter is an effect or cause, you must ensure you deal with it to overcome depression. According to studies, unhealthy sleeping patterns can negatively impact your mental and physical health.
Exercising
Did you know that when you exercise every day for over half an hour, your body releases feel-good hormones, known as endorphins, that uplift your mood? In fact, exercising regularly has been shown to be more effective in overcoming depression compared to drug therapy.
Gaming for Mental Health
Contrary to popular belief, playing video or online games can improve your overall mood. The fun side of the games provides a welcome distraction to get you out of your rut. Usually, people feel more energetic, emotionally positive, and confident when they play; the opposite is true for depression — those who suffer from it have a negative outlook on life and lack energy and enthusiasm to carry out routine tasks.
When you play video games, two parts of your brain are consistently stimulated: the hippocampus and reward pathways. The hippocampus is responsible for learning and memory, while the reward pathways give you motivation and process goals. As you play, you typically focus on a particular goal and are motivated to attain it. The closer you get to the finish line, the more your brain’s reward pathways are stimulated. If you’re depressed, those two parts of the brain shrink. However, gaming helps to activate the hippocampus and reward pathways, keeping them healthy and active.
Balanced Diet
Have you heard of the mental health quote, ‘you are what you eat?’ Indulging in junk foods will not have a beneficial effect on your body and mind in the long run. On the other hand, making sure you have healthy, delicious meals will keep your mind and body sound and go a long way in helping you fight depression.
Understanding Denial
Refusing to accept you have depression is a wrong way of coping with the mental health disorder. Denial comes from wanting to avoid anything that makes you feel threatened or vulnerable. Thus, you don’t face the facts of your depression and downplay the possible consequences.
If you’re in denial for a short period, this can work to your advantage. For instance, your mind will have the chance to unconsciously absorb distressing or shocking information at a rate that will not lead to psychological turmoil. That way, you will be able to confront the challenges that lie ahead. But when denial persists, it can prevent you from taking the appropriate action, and this can cause the situation to spiral out of control.
So, how do you move past denial to avoid possibly devastating and long-term consequences, such as losing your mind or having suicidal thoughts? If suddenly you’re depressed, it’s okay to say, “I cannot think about this right now.” You may want time to figure out what happened and find new ways to cope with your present predicament. It’s critical to realize that denial is only a temporary measure — you cannot ignore or wish the problem away.
Final Words
Denying you have depression will prevent you from getting the help you need. If you are going to battle and overcome it, you must acknowledge it, even if it’s after a short period of denial, and admit that you can’t cope on your own. When you’re able to do that, you can find a combination of ways that work for you to fight depression. Mental health matters are important to your overall well-being. At the end of the day, turn a blind eye to society’s perception and focus on overcoming depression for a better, healthier life.
If you’re concerned that someone close to you is exhibiting signs of depression, you can consider taking a mental health first aid program to learn more about mind mental health. Do you have any mental health help tips you’d like to share with us? We would love to hear from you.
Thomas Glare (Author’s Bio)
Having worked as a consultant for six and seven-figure businesses, such as Novoline, in the last couple of years, Thomas boasts expertise in start-ups and medium-sized companies which aim to solve bottlenecks. He often writes about challenges entrepreneurs struggle with.