Depression is a challenging silent battle. Sometimes, it creeps in slowly and stealthily like a panther. Sometimes, it’s upfront, aggressive, and terrifying like a lion. The only similarity is that people affected with depression suffer, and they suffer in many ways.

It’s a mental condition characterized by prolonged sadness. Patients often feel worthless, hopeless and carry a deep sense of guilt. On many days, they go apathetic. It causes individuals to lose interest in things they usually have joy doing. People would suddenly stop enjoying their hobbies and their passions. They withdraw from social interactions, whether it may be friends or family.

Sometimes, depression also presents with paranoia and anxiety. People with depression have difficulty establishing trust and often go through the day with severe mood swings. Sometimes they are gentle and amicable, and other times they are irritable.

Mental conditions like depression affect the quality of life of people and how they cope with everyday challenges. These people often perform poorly in school and work because they have difficulty concentrated, have low energies, and are not motivated to achieve goals.

The sad thing is that depression is so common that it has become the world’s leading cause of disability. Yet, there are no physical symptoms to tell you whether a person has it or not because they’re very good at pretending.

How do we help people with depression?

First, we educate ourselves. We have to acknowledge that depression is a type of mental illness. It is not a weak personality, poor behavior, or lack of proper upbringing. It is an actual medical concern that is treatable with therapy and medicine.

Next, we educate others. We let them know what depression is and why it doesn’t deserve the stigma that it still has over the world. We have to help people become more sensitive to this topic because so many of us are affected. So many are hurting, and so many more are without recluse or access to medical care.

Then, we help them cope. We do what we can for the people we love—for our friends and family—to help them carry on with life. We stay with them for a cup of coffee so that they can have company. We reassure them that life is worth living.

The Importance of Good Nutrition

Sticking to healthy food and regularly exercising is good not only for the body but also for the mind. Studies show that malnutrition worsens depression. Those who are predisposed to the disease are more likely to develop it when they are malnourished. DNA dictates predisposition to depression. If someone in the family has had major depressive disorder, the chances are that the next generation has inherited it. In other words, depression is hereditary.

It’s good to remember that if you want to have a healthy heart and reduce your chances of contracting cancer, you might want to stick to a healthy diet. The same is true when you have depression or are predisposed to mental health conditions. A healthy diet is good because having the right amount of nutrients in the body can help boost our memory and mood.

Consuming food that is rich in energy like bananas, fatty fish, and brown rice can elevate your spirits. These are rich in B vitamins, fatty acids, and protein. You can also have sweet potatoes, apples, and coffee. However, remember that coffee is not recommended for individuals who are taking antidepressants because coffee is considered a contraindication. So for those taking medicine for depression, you might want to choose apples instead.

Meditation and Other Forms of Therapy

Meditation is known to help reduce stress by lowering the levels of stress hormones in the body. This is the most appealing reason that people do meditation. Stress is also a significant factor that induces and worsens depression. It also controls anxiety and generally promotes emotional health. Overall, meditation is a great way to cope with depression to keep unhealthy thoughts at bay. It’s also good to do it with friends and family.

Another way to soothe the mind and calm the heart is massage therapy. This relieves the tension in the muscle. It’s relaxing, and it also reduces stress hormones. So if you’re having a rough time at work, school, or things are not going well in the family, you might want to get a message to let loose.

You can also try chiropractic therapy. This has been known to treat and manage bodily pains. It’s also relaxing and helps soothe the mind as massage therapy does. Studies show that those who get chiropractic care share high levels of satisfaction from the treatment.

Depression is a terrible silent killer. Approximately 800,000 individuals die because of suicide each year. Millions are living low-quality lives because of it. Help alleviate the suffering by spreading mental health awareness. Educate yourself and others, and support your loved ones. Nobody can tell when depression ends, but we can start making things better today.