January is Mental Wellness Month: Defeating Depression

January is Mental Wellness Month
January 9, 2017
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I found out while preparing for church service yesterday that January is Mental Wellness month. According to WebMd.com, depression affects roughly 19 million Americans each year. There are many myths concerning depression, but the truth is that it is a diagnosible condition according to the DSM-V, it can cripple your ability to live day to day and it can lead to suicide.

So here are a few ways you can achieve mental wellness by overcoming and combating depression.

1: Maintain appropriate self-care. This is hard for a person to do when they are depressed. But self-care is vital in managing, combating and overcoming depression. Self-care includes spiritual rituals, getting enough sleep, eating right and managing stress. It also includes proper grooming and hygiene.

2: Be mindful of the company you keep. The last thing you need is to be surrounded by people who tell you “You’re just having a pity party.” “You need to just let that go and move on”. Depression is not feeling sorry for yourself. It’s a diagnosible mental health condition that requires more than “just getting over it”. Many people who have struggled with depression have described the experience as one where they feel like they’re sinking (like you sink in water) and drowning. So, seek out people who will support you even if they don’t fully understand by experience what you are going through. Seek out support groups and systems where you can open up without being judged and get help.

3: Seek professional help. Sometimes in life you’re capable of bouncing back from unexpected, difficult and even devastating circumstances. But if you can’t and your depression is keeping you from functioning in day to day life, professional help is needed. At this point when you seek professional help, they will partner with you to determine what type of therapy will best suit you to include whether or not short-term or long-term use of medication will be best.