It’s not uncommon for doctors to prescribe antidepressants these days at the slightest mention of feeling blue or dissatisfied.
However, the ups and downs of day to day life are part of the human experience. If we were in a constant state of bliss we wouldn’t be experiencing life.
Before risking medicating yourself unnecessarily, make an assessment of your feelings by asking yourself a few things about your symptoms.
Are You Getting Enough Exercise?
Staying in a static position can lower our endorphins and result in low energy. When our bodies aren’t moving, our blood flow slows and our cells don’t regenerate as quickly, leaving us lifeless and lethargic.
Additionally, not moving enough can lead to obesity. 7 out of 10 obese people battle with feelings of self-loathing, hopelessness, and despair.
Doctors recommend getting at least 30 minutes of exercise a day. It doesn’t even have to mean running until you’re blue in the face on the treadmill. Even something as simple as going for a stroll during your lunch break can make enormous improvements on your well-being.
Try incorporating an exercise routine into your life for at least 2 weeks, and keep a journal of how your mood is affected each day. You might be shocked at the results!
Are You Drinking Too Much?
Experts recommend drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. This amount averages out to the equivalent of about 1 glass of wine with dinner 6 nights a week.
If you find yourself finishing a bottle by yourself more than once a week, or going out with friends until you can’t remember how you got home, you are definitely drinking more than 14 units. In some cases, you may need to seek professional alcohol treatment.
Alcohol is by definition a “depressant.” It disrupts sleep, lowers energy, creates poor food choices which can lead to other depression triggers, such as obesity, and can ruin relationships.
Lower your alcohol consumption and watch your life drastically simplify and improve.
Are You Surrounding Yourself With Positive People?
What if someone were to tell you that sometimes the problem isn’t just you? Sometimes you are quite simply surrounded by awful people, and awful people tend to be contagious.
The saying goes the same as your mother used to preach: “You are who you hang out with.”
Surround yourself with people that are positive and make healthy choices and you will likely do the same. When you spend time with people whose reality revolves around negativity, your reality starts to shift and match itself to theirs.
Are You Going Through a Loss?
It’s perfectly normal to go through a stage of mourning after the loss of something. Whether it’s a person, a pet, a project, or even a material item like a home.
Assess whether you are within the parameters of a normal grieving period, or if the problem lies in an actual chemical imbalance.
