How to Prevent Depression Relapse written by Guest; Abby Nelson

How to Prevent Depression Relapse

Those who have never seen it or experienced it don’t really accept it as a disease, but if you’re been around anyone with depression or gone through it yourself, you’ll know that it’s a deadly illness, one that affects you physically and mentally. It’s bad enough being affected by it once and having to fight your way back to good health; what’s worse is suffering a relapse and sinking back into the same black hole you just escaped. The possibility of a depression relapse is very real, and unless you’re aware of this fact and take the necessary precautions to avoid it, much more than your mental wellbeing is at stake.

• Surround yourself with people who genuinely care for you and spend more time in their company. They will help uplift your mood and prevent blue moods from taking over.

• Stay busy, but don’t take on too much because this leads to stress when you’re overwhelmed at your responsibilities and your inability to take care of all them as you promised.

• Exercise regularly – it helps you look and feel great in the short and long run and prevents physical and mental diseases.

• Watch your diet – while comfort foods help soothe you temporarily, they hurt your cause in the long run. Don’t succumb to binge eating; it only makes you feel worse once you’re done.

• Follow your doctor’s orders and take your medication as prescribed even though you think you’re feeling better and would benefit from a reduced dosage – don’t change your medication without consulting your medical practitioner.

• Do things that make you feel good about yourself, as long as they’re not destructive or illegal.

• Don’t spend your days in isolation – solitude may be bliss for a while, but getting over a depression requires the company of loved ones.

• Get out of any abusive and otherwise unhealthy relationships that damage your emotional health and wellbeing.

• If you’re undergoing therapy, don’t discontinue it even though you’re feeling better until your therapist says you don’t need any further sessions.

• Don’t resort to alcohol and drugs when you feel down – they affect your nervous system and also react badly with antidepressant drugs.

• Avoid stressful situations as much as you can.

• Don’t obsess over people or events that you have no control over – it only makes your emotions more tumultuous and torments your mind.

• And finally, don’t expect miraculous results overnight or in a few days – it takes time to get over a depression, and if you stress out that you’re not getting better sooner, you could slip further back into the disease. Take each day as it comes, and focus on getting better slowly and steadily.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Abby Nelson, she writes on the topic of Masters in Counseling . She welcomes your comments at her email id: abby.85nelson<@>gmail<.>com.


Thanks to Abby for writing this post and please feel free to provide feedback on the topic and Abby's written work.

Wishing everyone a fatigue and pain free day! Viv