Depression and My Life

About five years ago, I began to exhibit some signs of depression. My symptoms included both physical and mental factors. Physically, I became an emotional eater and gained weight. I suffered from constant headaches and developed insomnia. Mentally, I began to withdraw from the outside world. I was no longer interested in my hobbies or talking with friends. I also began to feel like my life was hopeless and I felt worthless. In addition, I became extremely irritable and moody. During the first year and a half, I did not realize that I was suffering from depression. It was not until I sought out counseling, which was offered through my job, that I began to understand what was happening to me. As a result, I began to look into different methods of controlling the depression.

The first thing that I would recommend to anybody suffering from depression is to seek help from a trained professional. It made me feel better just to be able to tell someone what I was feeling without thinking that they would judge me in a negative way. Furthermore, it made me realize that what I was not the only one going though this problem. I was told that there were various treatment options available. However, I did not want to take medications for personal reasons. Therefore I decided to seek out alternative treatments.

I did some research on the internet and gathered as much information as possible on self help topics. I researched and experimented exercise, meditation, aromatherapy and nutrition. First I changed my diet and became active. I decided to make a lifestyle change and decided to cut out processed food. I also invested in a juicer and make my own fruit and vegetable juices.

I also have led a very sedentary lifestyle and had a hard time becoming active. First I just started walking around the neighborhood with my children as they rode their bikes. Then I began to walk around the park. Next, I tried yoga. I felt like it helped somewhat but I had a difficult time sticking to the routine. So, now I just walk. I thought about joining a gym but never made the commitment. I think that whatever form of exercise you choose make sure that it is something that you will enjoy because it will be easier to continue.

The final and what I feel is the most important therapy, after counseling is meditation. It has become a daily ritual in my life and helps relieve stress and keeps me sane. There are many articles, books and classes on meditation. Mostly, I mediate alone at home when, but I have also learned how to do mini meditation sessions away from home when I feel as though I am getting overwhelmed. In addition, I attend group meditation classes twice a month. However, I can not say that these were easy changes to make. It has been a long process and took me a while to incorporate all of these into my lifestyle. However, I must say that I am well pleased with the results.