how to deal with anxiety and depression during home quarantine and in general
Anxiety and depression can be difficult to overcome. There is a stigma attached to it that prevents people from speaking about it. You need to make a beginning and continue on your path to making a positive difference. The following tips can help you to cope effectively and come out sooner from anxiety and depression:
Reach Out to Social Connections
Most people don’t speak out when dealing with anxiety and depression. It is important to reach out to your social contacts-family and friends-to overcome this situation. Reach out to people who care for you and make you feel secure. You must maintain your social interactions even if you don’t feel like doing so. If needed, you can join a peer group for support in dealing with anxiety and depression. You must remember that there is nothing to be ashamed of when discussing anxiety and depression. Reaching out to social contacts can help you overcome this situation gradually.
Follow Your Passion
Following your passion is a good way of staying energized and happy. You can pursue hobbies and passions that excite you to cope with anxiety and depression. You will gradually experience greater happiness and calm within you as you follow your passion. Anxiety and depression are also triggered by erratic sleeping patterns.
Lack and excess of sleep are both not good for dealing with anxiety and depression. You must follow a fixed sleeping routine to deal with your situation. You can also do something unplanned and spontaneous that gives you happiness. Try to do at least one daily activity that aligns with your passion.
Exercise and Be Physically Active
Being physically active and exercising can help greatly to overcome anxiety and depression. Exercise helps to improve your body metabolism and keeps you energized throughout the day. It also releases endorphins that keep you in a good mood. You can also consider adding mindfulness and yoga sessions to your exercise.
Also Read:
- 6 Things You Should Be Doing in Quarantine Right Now
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- The Best Home Workout Plan for Men and Women
This helps to keep you calm and control wild mood swings. If you can’t find the motivation to exercise daily on your own, then find a partner to stay disciplined. If you have a pet, then taking them out for a walk is a great way of staying active.
Eat a Healthy Diet
Your eating habits have a direct impact on how you feel. Some foods like caffeine, alcohol, trans fats, food with chemical preservatives, etc. negatively impact your brain and mood. You should minimize your intake of such food items. Sugary snacks, baked food, packaged food, etc. should be minimized as they are not healthy and can cause a sudden crash of energy and mood. It is important to not skip meals. Doing so will make you hungry and more irritable. You should eat something every 3-4 hours.
Try to increase your intake of vitamin-B food as its deficiency can lead to depression. Food rich in omega-3 fatty acids can also improve your mood and reduce anxiety and depression.
Challenge Negative Thinking
When you suffer from depression and anxiety, negative thinking becomes very prominent. The way you perceive yourself, your situation, and the world has a negative perspective on it. It is important to challenge your negative thinking to arrest your slide further into anxiety and depression. When you get negative thoughts, try to replace it with the positive ones.
Think of people, memories, and things that trigger positivity in you to overcome this negative thought process. It is important to question each negative thought that arises. You will find that doing so helps to get rid of them quickly. Over time, you will develop more balanced and positive thoughts. It will also ensure that you overcome negative thoughts and anxiety gradually.
