Your twenties can be one of the best times of your life. It is the time you can make mistakes, you can make your own decisions and learn how to be your very own person and be independent all on your own. You get to choose who you want to be and choose who you don’t want to be. In your twenty’s you can be young and wild, yet it can also be a time that major depression can fill a person’s life. It’s the filling of not belonging, complete utter heartbreak, tragedies in life, and a loss of knowing who you are or who you want to be.
Here are some signs to know if you are depressed:
- Lose of interest in things and people that were once important to you.
- Sleeplessness or unable to get enough sleep.
- Irritability.
- Change in appetite.
- Feeling hopeless and helpless.
- Consuming more alcohol and doing drugs.
- Constant negative thoughts.
- You feel as if life is not worth living at certain moments in time or all the time.
Depression is a very serious matter and something that people feel like they can never break through. It is a season in life that more people than not go through. Here are my top ten tips with living with depression or knowing someone with depression.
10. Even though it’s hard sometimes to get up, do it every day. Do the same things that you used to do and make a point to have a routine every day. The more you act normal, the easier it is to cope with whatever you are going through.
9. It doesn’t matter what you are going through, depression is depression and some people might not understand, but it’s a battle that you’re facing. Anything can cause depression and know that nothing is wrong with you just because you are depressed.
8. It is ok to be on depression medication. No, but really, it is one of the best things you can do for yourself. Forget about the rumors of depression medication, forget about what people might say, and know that depression medication is made because more and more people suffer from it, if only a few did they wouldn’t have so many types. Plus if people want to talk remember that you’re getting help for sadness, but there is no pill to help ignorance.
7. Eat right, exercise and get the proper amount of sleep. It is very important to make sure that your basic health is on point while helping with your mental health.
6. Do things that you love to do! Find a new hobby, watch movies or TV shows that you love. Cook, play sports, go outside and walk or go for a run. The more you make it a point to be happy, the less time you have to be sad. This will start to retrain your thought process.
5. Surround yourself with positive people that love you. Don’t surround yourself with anyone that treats you less than extraordinary. If someone in your life perpetuates your depression, do your very best to stay away from them. The better support system you have the more likely you will be able to recover.
4. Being in the culture of college may come with drinking, but know that alcohol is a depressant so participate with caution.
3. Talk to someone. It is good to get it out, whatever is on your mind, whatever you are going through, talking about it will do wonders in making the thoughts go away. Talking to a therapist is never a bad thing, they will be the ones that will know what to say and know how to bring the words out of you.
2. Know that you are not alone. A lot of people suffer from depression and you are not the only person that depressed or has ever been depressed.
1. You WILL get through this. It is just a season in life, and it may last a long time or a very short time, but know that it will and is going to go away.
XOXO – Jessica Farkas