If depression has been part of your experience, obviously you’re not alone. Many people deal with this on a daily basis and there is even a website that has a slide show of more than a hundred famous writers, photographers and actors whose depression affected their lives. It is reassuring to know that others have had the same problem you may have and especially since these people dealt with the problem while in the public eye. Just knowing a person with a recognizable name had depression lifts the load just a little. The struggle, though, is learning how to overcome depression, combat the low moods and tendency to hide from the people and activities you normally love. The following tips may be of help: 

*See a doctor. Sometimes disease may be causing the problem. Hormonal or chemical imbalances could be the culprit, or your thyroid may not be working properly, leading to hyperthyroidism. Even a long-term flu or a debilitating episode of mononucleosis can drain your energy, and leave you depressed. A thorough physical and testing can point out possible organic reasons for your low moods.

*Get some sleep. “We have in our society this idea that you can just get by without sleep or manipulate when you sleep without any consequences,” said Lawrence Epstein, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “What we’re finding is that’s just not true.” (“Scientists Finding Out What Losing Sleep Does To A Body,” Washington Post, 10/9/2005) Low lights, cooler temps, a light snack or book just before bed — all these help with a good night’s rest. Short naps during the day can also contribute to your well-being.

*Exercise. A multi-mile run may chase away the cobwebs and give you time to work through problems and stress — but so can a neighborhood walk or some time spent gardening. Give yourself an opportunity to exercise, and not only your body, but your mind, will thank you for it.

*Consider homeopathic or prescription medicine help. Some natural herbs and foods, like St. John’s Wort, basil, gingko or even licorice have a reputation for helping ease symptoms, when ingested or used in tea. There are also many medications that may be of help, when used responsibly. Ask your doctor (remember your doctor, from the first tip?) for advice and guidance.

Going through depression is enormously difficult, but not insurmountable. Help is out there. And eventually, there comes a day when you realize it’s past — and the sun is shining. Learning how to overcome depression often starts with just recognizing you may have a problem and seeking out help to surmount the issues that lead to it.

Depression is more than just feeling sad. In fact, many people with depression do not feel sad at all, but simply lifeless or apathetic. You may feel tired all the time and are unable to sleep or sleep too much. You may have a constant flood of negative thoughts racing through your head. You may have a lack of interest in doing the things you once enjoyed or seeing your friends. A loss of appetite and problems concentrating are also common symptoms. There are many factors in what makes a person vulnerable to depression. A major stress creator such as a divorce or job loss could trigger a depressive episode. Even a genetic history of depression in your family could put you at a higher risk of depression. 

Dealing with depression in your life is not easy. One of the most important thing you can do is rely on the support you already have in your life. Talk to friends and family about your feelings and what you are going through. Even though you may feel like staying at home, try to stay social. Make sure to take care of yourself. Try to spend time with the hobbies you enjoy even if you don’t feel like doing anything. Try to keep a healthy lifestyle. Stay active, exercise, eat healthy, and try to get 8 hours of sleep. Keep a positive attitude and try not dwell on negative thoughts. Think objectively about the negative thoughts you have and try to realize that they are not realistic. Try to manage the stress in your daily life with relaxation or breathing techniques.

For many with depression, learning how to overcome depression on your own can be done by just keeping active and staying positive. However, if you feel overwhelmed by your depression, it may be helpful to seek out a support group for others who are dealing with the same problems.

Stress happens in life when the expectations for a person appear to exceed the person’s own feelings of ability. For example when a boss expects a task to be completed in a day and the worker believes that it will take two days to get the job done adequately then the worker feels stressed. Stress often leads to a feeling of inadequacy, which is part of the definition of depression. Thus it follows that one of the ways to overcome depression is to deal first with the stressors that are causing it. If the task cannot be modified so as to be less stressful, it might be possible to modify the worker’s expectations for the task. Expecting less of the outcome for a task makes it a much less stressful activity. A sports analogy would be to go to the plate just looking to make contact instead of expecting to hit a home run at each at bat would lessen the stresses of batting. 

Overcoming depression requires that the depressed person first recognize that he or she is depressed and not just blue or sad. Being blue or sad happens for a short duration while being depressed extends over much longer periods of time. The goal in dealing with depression is to make small inroads into the affect over time so that the person begins to feel better about him-or herself gradually. The old maxim of quick fix-quick break is one to take to heart when working to overcome depression.

The one surety in how to overcome depression and stress is that the person’s expectations of him- or herself have to be modified to some extent. The person needs to accept his or her limitations and appreciate their abilities in order to be able to see their own potential as adequate and right. Once the feelings of inadequacy have been dealt with the depressed affect can begin to lighten. Depression can be dealt with but it take effort from the sufferer to take the first step.