Have you been in a situation where you are constantly being plagued by various thoughts that robs you of your peace? According to world health organization, over 300 million people are being plagued by this mental illness called depression. Could there be any chance that you are among them? I will encourage you to keep reading.
You could be going through one difficult situation or another, which is inclined to relationships, work, spirituality, academics and other facets of life occurrences. A divorce, job loss, death of loved one may have taken place. There are indeed things that can happen which could throw someone into a quagmire in life. This topic touches on various things that could lead to depression and controls to keep your mind in check.
Let’s face it, its not easy to be alive. Yes! it is not. No matter how people tend to show off, everyone does have one challenge or another they are facing. It could be health, financial, career or socially related. We as humans are just good at covering things up and appearing flawless. There are so many things that can cause unbalance in our mind and listed below are those things and steps to alienate from them.
Influence of Social Media.
The social media is the major channel people show off their best without revealing much of whatever they are passing through. When we start comparing our lives to those on social media channels, it seems life isn’t serving us well. These subtle things can easily lead to depression. In social media, there is more than meets the eyes. According to a BBC News reports, Instagram alone is rated as the worst social media platform when it comes to its impact on young people’s mental health, as a UK snapshot survey suggests. When having any form of mental unbalance, social media should be the last resort. It is better to find a tribe that does something about music, dancing, cooking, computer programming, cycling, swimming and many other activities. When you get involved, these plagues will have nothing to feed on. Alternatively, you could speak to someone, a mental health expert most preferably. On the other hand, God can take away your burden if you are a christian, His peace transcends all understanding Philippians 4:7.
Unhealthy Consumption
There is a common phrase that we are what we eat. It is very necessary to keep a close watch at when goes into the mouth. “Eating junk food raises risk of depression,” said The Daily Telegraph.
Chronic inflammation can affect mental health by transporting pro-inflammatory molecules into the brain, it can also affect the molecules — neurotransmitters — responsible for mood regulation, - Lassale, department of epidemiology and public health at University College London.
Food containing lots of sugar or fat can lead to inflammation. Smoking, porn, abusing drugs, lack of exercise are other unhealthy practices that could lead to depression. Stay clear from these things, although it is not entirely easy to eliminate. The best thing to do is to find a better substitute.
Doing Nothing or Doing So much.
It is quite easy to drift into depression when you have nothing doing or when overwhelmed with a lot of things to be done. Work to be done get pilled up when there have been a lot of procrastination or poor time management. There is need for a proper work life balance.
If you have nothing doing, don’t idle away time. Find something you love and invest your time in it. Computer programming, sports, musical instruments and various communities are some of the things that you could get involved in. On the other hand, if you are overwhelmed with a lot to do, properly manage the tasks well. Either by finding someone to help out or taking them chunk by chunk. For students, don’t wait for exams to be close before you start studying. Start early to digest the lectures that you take on daily basis and when the time for exam comes, there won’t be much stress.
Unforgiveness
I was done writing the conclusion before this particular point came to my mind. Do you know that “There is an enormous physical burden to being hurt and disappointed,” according to Karen Swartz, M.D? When we constantly ponder on the hurt, the risk of being depressed increases. Forgiveness is a way to get the burden off the shoulders. Sometimes people are not even conscious of the fact that they offended you, and you will keep on bearing grudges which invariably affects your overall well being and state of mind. Learn to talk things over with people that you feel have offended you, and even if they don’t own up and apologize, still move on. Parents, friends and loved ones all inclusive. According to an article by Johns Hopkins Medicine, “People who hang on to grudges, however, are more likely to experience severe depression.” Let go and move on, you will be better off.
There are still a lot of things that could lead to depression which I haven’t touched on. Toxic relationships, losing a job, death of a loved one, failure in an endeavor, health challenge, career instability and so many more are the things that can contribute to depression. But one thing you must know is that you are not in this alone, your life is not the worst. Many people are also facing similar challenges, the question is are you going to overcome or will you throw in the towel? Talking to someone, learning a skill or traveling are some of the ways to clear the mind. I hope you found this article useful and feel free to share with someone you love.
