Everyone gets down, but that doesn't mean you're out. With these helpful hints you can kick depression to the curb for a happier, healthier you.
By Virilitas
As men, we don't always realize when our emotions are out of order. We may only know that we feel unmotivated and unenthusiastic or can't seem to get out of bed in the morning.
Every guy feels depressed from time to time. Whether that depression is mild, brief, and linked to a particular negative event or severe, long-lasting, and general, it is always unpleasant and inconvenient. It gets in the way of work and relationships.
Since recognizing a problem is the first step in solving it, I recommend taking a brief depression self-test such as this one.
If you are considering suicide, then get professional help immediately; it is manly to get help when you need it. Otherwise, keep reading for tips that can help you with depression and “the blues.”
Take Care of Your Body
Eat regular, healthy meals to keep your body energized. You don't drive your car without gasoline, so don't drive your body without sufficient fuel, either!
Exercise at least several times per week. It boosts mood and self-esteem by increasing blood flow and triggering feel-good chemicals in the body. Even better, exercise with a friend.
Get enough sleep. If you are “depressed” but only lie down for four hours per night, you may just be physically tired.
Cut down on caffeine and alcohol.
Take Care of Your Mind
Take time for mental recreation. Don't just think about work and your “To Do” list all day long. Give yourself a break. Distract yourself.
Journal. Take time to write down your thoughts, and then restructure/rewrite the negative ones to be more realistic. Depressed people habitually think about things in negative terms yet often consider their thoughts to be realistic. If you need help identifying the unreasonable aspects of your thoughts or restructuring thoughts to be balanced and positive, then borrow Feeling Good from your library.
Do Something
Depression can be brought on or made worse by inactivity, so go out and get something done. Meet a personal goal, volunteer, play a sport, ask friends out to eat, sing along to your favorite songs, organize your desk, comment on an interesting blog. Don't just sit there alone, brooding about your troubles.
If you are already doing all of the things mentioned in this article (and I do mean ALL of them) but still feel depressed, then you may want to talk with a supportive family member, friend, mental health professional, or doctor. You're a man, and you don't have to be passive in the face of depression.
Read more by Virilitas on his blog that's dedicated to recovering masculinity and arming it with gentility.
