Written by Sheree Simpson, Psychologist
Depression is a debilitating condition that impacts all areas of life and is growing in prevalence in Australia.
The good news is that there are many strategies that can be incorporated into your life that can help.
The happiest people in the world scored higher on the PERMA scale which is associated with Positive Engagement, Relationships, Finding Meaning and Achievements.
Here are 13 actions you can take to get a clearer picture of what could be causing your symptoms and strategies.
1. Have a full thyroid check which measures TSH, free thyroxine FT4 and triiodothyronine FT3 levels. Low thyroxine levels can make a person feel depressed, fatigued and lacking motivation.
2. High histamine levels in the body – can cause inflammation in the body which can impair the release of serotonin (the feel good hormone) and can also reduce the effectiveness of SSRI. Look at the foods which are high in histamine and try to reduce these foods and reduce stress. Eating a high sugar diet can trigger an increase in histamine production because of their effect on blood sugar and insulin levels.
3. Check to make sure you do not have Helicobacter pylori with your GP, Naturopath. Helicobacter pylori can reduce the production of amino acids which can impact many systems in the body. You may experience symptoms of depression as there is not enough amino acid production to make neurotransmitters, which then impacts your mood.
4. The health of your gut biome can directly impact mood states like depression as a huge number of the neurotransmitters like serotonin are made in the digestive tract. Start having prebiotics and probiotics to help improve your gut biome.
5. Focus on the times in your life when you were the happiest. This gives you clues about what you value. Complete a values based sheet. Values are intrinsic qualities people live by. Even if you have had big things happen in your life that have rocked your boat you would still have your values present. See if you can start to live by your values more rather than what the depression is saying.
6. Get treatment to address the core issues leading to the depression. EMDR and EFT are effective treatments for treating core issues.
7. Externalize yourself from your depression, you are not your depression. We often fuse our identity with certain thoughts like “ I am hopeless” “ I always fail” or our connection to certain roles. When we learn to use different language, such as speaking to ourselves like you would a friend and externalising the depression part, you start to create space to change and follow your values.
8. Change your posture. Changing your posture standing tall instead of stooping increases the air flow into your body and can change your mood state.
9. Get a diary and structure your day with activities that are both enjoyable and give you a sense of achievement. Focus on what you have achieved at the end of the day.
10. Practising mindful strategies and living in the present can untangle you from past regrets and unhealthy comparisons between then and now.
11. Any kind of exercise – walking along the beach at sunset.
12. Set realistic expectations as strong perfectionistic standards and a strong self-critic can exacerbate depression.
13. Get support by reaching out to a Psychologist, GP or support groups. There are also a lot of online apps for depression. Tell someone whom you know well and trust how you feel.
Mindful Synergi is a holistic practice and offers EMDR and other treatment modalities for depression.
Get in touch now to book an appointment to speak to someone who understands how you feel.