One in five Americans 65 or older shows signs of depression, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And about 2 million experience "severe depression." The best approach is to avoid the onslaught of depression. The following suggestions are applicable not just to seniors but to all ages:
- Be connected: Loneliness and isolation are major causes of depression. It is important to have a network of trusted friends and family members. These are people that you can count on and receive support when the need arises.
- Appreciate yourself for what you are: Be proud of yourself. Like everyone else, you are the sum of your strengths and weaknesses. Capitalize on your strengths and develop your potential to see your worth in the world so that you value yourself more. One reason for depressions is a strong feeling of worthlessness.
- Exercise daily: Sitting in front of the TV all day long is another reason for lifeless. Do aerobic exercise every day to be energetic and alert. It is a great cure for feeling down and out.
- A balanced diet: Eat breakfast and enjoy your food. Stop reading newspapers or watching TV while eating. There is yummy food for health, lasting happiness and brainpower.
- Avoid negative thoughts: Thinking too many negative things will affect your mood and be pessimistic. Do not dwell on it too long but replace them quickly with positive thoughts to promote optimism and happiness.
- Hold your job: Your job is more than the pay you get every month. It is your self-respect and self-esteem. When you are unemployed you will lose your self-confidence and it is a major cause of depression. Do work that you are interested in and good at so that you can work happily.
- Peace of mind: Meditate often to promote calmness and concentration. Take prompt action and be creative to solve problems. Unsolved problems will disturb your peace of mind. Be with nature more often like taking a walk in the park. Plan and organize ahead to work smoothly and reduce unnecessary stress. Sleep well at night. Peace of mind is effective to avoid getting depressed.
- A direction in life: Aimlessness and a bleak outlook for the future is a sure way to attract depression. The way to go is to follow your dreams, set meaningful and challenging goals. Be resilient in the journey of life. Learn from failures and move on. This is one sure way to avoid emptiness
- Be debt-free: Money problems are another factor for depression. The best thing is to avoid getting into debt by living within your means. Aim for Financial freedom to avoid mental torture.
- Enjoy what you do: Be mindful and happy in what you do every day. Life will be interesting and full of hope. You don’t get depressed when you are not bored.
Live a positive and active lifestyle and be happy to avoid depression.
Hi Charles!
ReplyDeleteYou are absolutely right about that list, I especially like the "be connected" point. I would also add one thing:
Change something - at least once a week try something new, like new clothes, new dish, another exercise or new kind of music. Keep the changes going around you.
cheers!
Hello Charles. Your post is interesting. That's why i went here and checked this out after I saw your comment from Alley's website. I agree with everything you mentioned on how to be depress free. I have been practicing to avoid negative thoughts to be more optimistic in life. I don't want to have wrinkles at an early age. hehe. thanks for a very interesting post. More power to you! :)
ReplyDeleteHi, i stopped by in here. Ive seen that your post title is interesting and i wasnt wrong. I like the idea of including 'to be debt-free' on the list. One way or another its really nerve wracking to think about your debts. And the best of all, 'enjoy what you do', it does make sense. If you are not enjoying what you do you will always be depress. thanks for an interesting post Charles.
ReplyDeleteWonderful thoughts. I think loneliness is one of the major causes of depression and as suggested by you, being connected with people can help a lot. Else negative thoughts will become primary and eventually we begin to lose self esteem.
ReplyDeleteI will surely link to your article from my website since I wrote about a similar topic. You can link to my website if you wish to. Thank you.
Thank you to all of you, Andrzej,Las Vegas Weddings, Photo to Canvas and Ponx. Thank you for your wonderful comments and feedback. Have a happy day!
ReplyDelete