Life consists of phases beyond our comprehension. We might not understand everything that has happened to us or that may happen to us. We might not be able to make sense of everything that causes us pain or shuts us down. We may not feel prepared to involve ourselves in the future. We can feel anxious about things that we fail to make sense of. And, this is what life brings forth – this hope to deal with depression and anxiety. For, there is always hope. Always the hope to change what doesn’t bring us peace and what robs us of everything we demand of life. Let’s explore depression and anxiety and find out how we can choose to deal with them:

Depression has a cause. So does anxiety. Sometimes we are familiar with the cause. Sometimes the cause remains suppressed. Sometimes the cause is new. Other times it’s way too old, almost erased from our memories. What is depression, you may ask? It’s definitely not something we can generalize.

Both the reasons and causes, even the definition of depression hold different meanings for different individuals. For some, it could be a consequence of heavy losses. For some, it could be a consequence of failure. For some, betrayal, for some, the cause remains unexposed. And, anxiety, that goes way beyond words. However, we can attempt to do something while depression and anxiety creep in:

1) Give your mind time to process everything:

While you’re depressed, you could feel overwhelmed. You could feel everything was too much. You should try to give your mind to prepare for a task even before you start doing it. That could help. You may speak to yourself as to why that task must be done. Don’t be hard on yourself if you become slow. It’s okay.

2) Be gentle on yourself:

be-gentle

While you’re depressed or feeling anxious, choose to experiment less and do things that feel gentle. It could be painting to express or words to write. It could be eating something that makes you happy. It could be avoiding what you don’t like. Familiarity might help you ease down. Stepping out could feel weird in this phase.

3) Join a community, if you can:

Sometimes, in this phase, you feel a lack of understanding. It’s like everyone else is happy except you. Speaking to people who think like you could help. They will be able to understand you better than others can, probably so. You could feel better speaking to people who don’t judge you or question your choices. A community is the best place to be with people sometimes.

4) Cut-off people and things that don’t serve you:

Yes, people or activities that drain you or add to your hazy state of mind should be at a distance. They can worsen how you feel and need not be there if all they can add is negative vibes.

5) Choose preparation:

Depression and anxiety elevate due to lack of preparation. Aim to get prepared, if not anything else. Prepare yourself. Take small steps, but please do. Don’t surprise your mind and body at the last hour. Be easy on yourself.

By now, you might have found something that would stay with you. We at VA Talks might explore more. Drop a text. We’re one word away.