How To Deal With Loneliness

January 26, 2023 Comments Off anxiety, blog, Depression

Loneliness can come uninvited and stay a while, regardless of your age, gender, social status, and cultural background. It can stem from past traumatic events or ongoing circumstances and can extend to different periods of one’s life.

Feeling lonely doesn’t necessarily mean being alone. On the contrary – this is a feeling that you grow inside, sometimes regardless of how socially active or fulfilled you are. It’s a draining state of mind that constantly feeds off our daily emotions and makes us feel tired, unhappy, and unmotivated to deal with life.

So, what’s the difference between general loneliness and loneliness caused because of a breakup? How to heal and come back from it? We gathered some tips and tricks on how to deal with loneliness in the paragraphs below.

Practical Ways of Dealing with Loneliness

The first step in the quest of how to deal with loneliness is to recognize, acknowledge, and respect your own feelings.

So – focus on how you feel and try to analyze where that sentiment stems from. If you can, talk to a therapist, and they can help you plan steps toward how to combat loneliness. Therapy can introduce coping skills that you can tailor to your case, so you’ll have a long-term well-being strategy instead of a fast and short-term solution.

Other things you can do to help yourself out of the situation include:

Talk to your family and friends and let them know about your struggles. If you’ve lost a loved one or your job, if you’re moving to a new place, or if you’re going through a lot of stress, let your close ones know. They can help you the right way as long as you don’t intentionally alienate yourself.
Monitor your online presence as much as possible. Unfortunately, as much as the online world connects us through social media and dating sites, they sometimes isolate us. Sometimes, social media portrays a fake life that some individuals are living, which can lead to depression and even more loneliness. If being online feels like a burden, it’s time to log off. Instead, go for some real-life communication – be it within your closest circle or with new people.
Look for ways to address loneliness before it evolves into isolation and depression. Many workplaces offer an EAP (Employee Assistance Program) which gives you access to therapy confidentially. You can also opt-in for a free trial of a science-based well-being app and give it a chance.
Attend thematic events related to the things you love. It can be a yoga class, a book club, or a quiz night out. Thus you’ll combine things that feel good with social interaction and connection based on interests and passions.

Finally – don’t deny or try to renounce how you feel. Loneliness is best battled not through an escape but through acceptance and gradual change.

Joining Clubs, Volunteering, and Self Care

As one of the most beautiful quotes for loneliness by Michel de Montaigne says, “The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself.”

The most beautiful and fulfilling answer to the question of how to cope with loneliness is being a part of something. Whether that something is volunteering in a soup kitchen, a nursing home, a children’s hospital, or an animal shelter, it’s all worth it.

There is not a single universal formula on how to deal with loneliness. So instead, think about your hobbies and join local clubs or groups that play instruments, read books, paint, have photography courses, or do anything else you can relate to. Being with like-minded people will make you feel better and happier because it gives you a sense of accomplishment and community.

Last but not least, practicing self-care is a must when dealing with feelings of loneliness and seclusion.

Exercise and daily walks trigger endorphins in your brain, which elevate your mood and make you feel better.
Good and healthy food gives your brain the required nutrients, and therefore it’s not recommended to consume lots of sugar, highly processed food, and preservatives.
Sleeping better can affect your emotional health, so poor sleeping habits can worsen feelings of isolation and loneliness. Additionally, consume less caffeine and sugar right before bedtime and drink more water.

Besides exercise, good food, good sleep, and going out, self-care is also about turning back to your most genuine passions. These might include cinema, art, gardening, or whatever else you feel drawn to.

At the end of the day, loneliness doesn’t mean surrounding yourself with lots of people. It means enjoying your own company and feeling fulfilled with no need for external endorsement.

Dealing with Loneliness After a Breakup

Breakups are one of the most common reasons for feeling profound and sometimes even devastating loneliness, regardless of whether the separation was mutually consensual or ended badly.

If you ask yourself how to deal with loneliness after a breakup, well, it’s not easy. When you used to spend a lot of time with just one person, and now you don’t get to do this anymore, you might feel stuck and almost lost.

Overcoming that feeling of emptiness and learning to once again rely on your inner resources is the first step of how to combat loneliness when single.

The best remedies are going for a walk, spending time in nature, reading good books, or spending time with friends. You can add praying (if you are religious), painting or doing a puzzle, picking up a sport, or just focusing on a hobby you’ve been ignoring until now.

There is no easy trick that will immediately lift the weight from your shoulders, but you can gradually make things better by empowering yourself to be self-sufficient and ultimately free.

Being The Third Wheel in a Relationship

When it comes to relationships, there aren’t only two people in a couple but three. The third one is the relationship itself.

It would be best if you nurtured not only your partner’s needs but also yours and the relationship’s. A relationship is an entity on its own, and it needs care.

Prioritize your needs without being too self-centered, and then move on to those of your partner. If you don’t know how to take care of yourself, then it’s likely that the relationship might deteriorate.

Such advice is good to be given, especially when you are fresh out of a relationship and relearning how to be your best self again. Loneliness is not only a terrible feeling but also something that teaches and opens up a new chapter of our lives.

It’s a way to check in with ourselves and learn how to be on our own in order to heal and move on. The answer to the question of how to deal with loneliness is sometimes right in front of us, and sometimes we need professional help to find it.

Remember that loneliness is not here to stay, and it will pass. Good times are around the corner, and all you need to do is keep the journey going.

How To Improve Mental Health In The Workplace?

January 25, 2023 Comments Off blog, Workplace

Improving mental health in the workplace is essential for the overall well-being, and the reason why is pretty simple – a regular 8-hour workday makes up exactly one-third of the day in general.

However, suppose you get the recommended eight hours of sleep at night. That means your workplace is the stage of at least half of your waking time, as that’s if you manage to maintain a good work-life balance.

According to the World Mental Health Report by WHO from 2022, almost 1 billion people worldwide have a mental health condition. In the first year of the pandemic, disorders like anxiety and depression increased by 25%. And guess what? The home office didn’t make things much better.

So, this is where the question of what managers should do when their employees struggle with their mental health stays. And – of course – what employees themselves can do to make things easier in the workplace.

Below, we will go down the path of why you should improve mental health in the office and how you can do it.

Talk Openly About Mental Health and Get To Know Health Benefits And Resources

Neglecting the topic of mental health issues can impact people in your company in a significant way. So, instead of ignoring the elephant in the room, you better revise your company’s culture and be open to discussion when it comes to the emotional well-being of everyone.

It doesn’t matter if you’re a business owner, a C-level manager, or a regular employee; you should shine the light on yourself first. Ask yourself how you feel and what feelings are going through you right now. Recognizing anxiety about deadlines, uneasiness about events, interpersonal issues, or worsened working environment will be the first step toward addressing those issues.

Mental health and the workplace go hand in hand for the success and contentment of the entire team. So, addressing the problems themselves should be open, transparent, and emotionally intelligent. You can consider creating a meeting that’s focused on mental health, speaking out, and canceling the stigma on the subject. Educate yourself and understand how each mental health issue impacts a person.

Once you do that, you should understand your company’s benefits and time off for such situations. Many people won’t talk to HR about what they are experiencing, so it’s good for you to present them with the options.

A good model is to ask your employees once a week how they are feeling on a scale from 1 to 10 and what drives that number. If some give a low score, you should check in with them and offer support. Stress can be caused by work and non-work factors, so keep the conversation going.

Create a Sense of Belonging and Know the Challenges for People of Color

Creating a sense of belonging is crucial for mental health in the workplace. A study conducted by Qualtrics found that people who have a good sense of belonging in a workplace have better well-being than those who don’t.

To achieve this, you must foster open communication, accessible technology, and inclusive language, empower employees to make decisions, and voice them.

It’s documented that employees of color face issues when it comes to accessing mental health care because of racism. Also, cultural and language barriers for people of color can be problematic.

There are also stigmas around the Asian American community because of the stereotype that Asian Americans are hard-working and strive for perfection. Therefore, this burdens the community to perfect the image the world has painted for them.

Black adults also report a lot of emotional distress and feel like everything they have to achieve is with extra effort. Reports state that 1 in 3 black adults receive mental health care, whatever their needs are.

As a manager, you should listen to and respect cultural differences when someone from a different background shares their experience. Then, show up for your employees and participate in ERGs (Employee Resource Groups) to continue learning. You won’t understand what everyone is going through completely, and that’s okay. Just be there for them.

Make Sure that People Take Vacations and Have a Workplace Mental Health Day

So, how to improve mental health in the workplace? First and foremost, by chasing away burnout.

Burnout is a modern-day disease. It consumes people of all ages, and it spreads out like wildfire. To manage that, managers have to catch the signs in employees, like alienation from tasks, reduced performance, and exhaustion.

Sometimes depression and burnout can have similar physical symptoms, but they are not the same by all means. People with depression experience fatigue, hopelessness, disinterest in activities, and suicidal thoughts.

If it’s burnout, it usually gets better if you take days off or step away from your current job. Depression doesn’t go away when circumstances change.

To prevent burnout, you should encourage time off, check the workload of your employees, set realistic goals, and provide good resources for the work tasks.

Focusing on mental health is not only good for the employees’ work-life balance but also for the business. Focus not only on the delivery and performance results but also on their quality which stems from the good well-being of the employees.

Workplaces can organize a workplace mental health day where mental health is discussed, and sources are handed out.

Prevent Loneliness and Alienation

Loneliness is a normal emotional state that everyone goes through, especially in new settings. However, if these feelings persist, a concern arises. Loneliness is not a mental health issue, but it is linked to such. It can contribute to conditions like addictions, anxiety, and depression.

In fact, research shows that loneliness impacts mortality just like smoking 15 cigarettes a day.

The consequences of loneliness include a shorter lifespan, a risk of depression, reduced immunity, and risks of cardiovascular diseases.

People who are more prone to loneliness are employees that work virtually, extroverts, and introverts who can feel bad in solitary environments.

Loneliness also comes from personality differences, especially when misunderstandings appear in the workplace. When such misunderstandings are not resolved, they can grow into more significant issues.

Sometimes the lack of social support might cause employees to stifle their creativity, productivity, and decision-making. Such issues can lead to weak team performance, emotional and physical stress, low productivity, and withdrawal from the team.

This is why mental health in the workplace should be put on a pedestal for all parties to consider. You can start with a simple well-being survey strategy and advance further with emotional well-being sessions, team building, and monitoring the best practices for an intelligent work-life balance.

Because a good professional is always first a happy and content human being.

Why Do I Wake Up Tired?

January 24, 2023 Comments Off anxiety, blog

Statistically, people nowadays tend to get less and less sleep compared to past centuries. Experts identify various reasons that go back and forth between spending lots of time on electronic devices, worsened eating habits, and the lack of physical activity in our everyday lives.

After all, our ancestors had nothing better to do than go to bed after sunset, right? But that doesn’t apply to us.

This shift in sleeping patterns itself is a good enough reason for waking up tired sometimes. Still, many other factors can contribute to sleep inertia and drowsiness immediately after waking up.

What Is Sleep Inertia?

One of the restorative processes happening in your brain as you sleep is flushing the adenosine out. Adenosine is a chemical that builds up during your waking hours and makes you want to stay in bed. During the night, this chemical is thrown out of your system.

Usually, it takes around one to two hours for the adenosine to disappear when you wake up. Unfortunately, this happens even after a good night’s sleep.

However, the real test of the quality of your sleep is not whether you are feeling drowsy when you wake up but how much energy you have during the day. And if you lack it, it might be that your inertia is not going away as fast. Again, this results from different factors such as mental conditions, burning out, a bad sleeping environment, etc.

In the paragraphs below, we will go through some of the answers to the most frequently asked question of our times: Why do I wake up tired?

Anxiety and Depression

Anxiety and depression can be emotionally draining but also physically exhausting. In addition, such conditions (especially if prolonged) can influence the time we usually go to sleep and the number of times we tend to wake up during the night.

Some medications even have side effects, such as blocking the deepest stages of sleep and causing insomnia.

Poor Physical Activity Levels

Leading a sedentary and lethargic lifestyle with no physical activity can cause the body to spend very low levels of energy daily. As a result, you can develop sleep problems and many contributory health consequences, such as low muscle tone, weight gain, and poor mood.

The WHO recommends that adults get two and a half hours of physical activity each week. Even pregnant people should get 2 hours and a half of strengthening and aerobic exercises each week.

Inconsistent Sleep

Inconsistent sleep comes with irregular schedules, especially with people that work shift-based jobs. Anyway, it’s also easy to slip out of your healthy routine without having to work at night. Sometimes, binge-watching TV shows and chatting with your crush until late at night is just enough.

Although your sleeping schedule shall not become an obsession, it’s wise to mind the clock and give your body the proper rest it needs to run correctly the day after.

One of the most common mistakes people make is staying up late on Friday and Saturday nights. If you get up every morning from Monday to Friday at 8:00 am and suddenly change that for two nights, your sleep schedule gets messed up. It feels like jet lag, and such rapid resets can do more harm than good.

Dehydration

If you ask yourself Why do I feel tired when I wake up?, your second question should be: Did I drink any water today?

Dehydration is another common issue with lots of people nowadays. Companies try to market various products to remind you to stay hydrated, but the trend persists. Coffee, tea, and soft drinks are widely preferred before water, and that only worsens the situation.

However, your body consists of between 50% and 60% water, remember? Water is responsible for digestion, hormones, creating neurotransmitters, and delivering oxygen to the cells. When you don’t have enough water in your body, your alertness increases alongside your fatigue.

Experts recommend that women drink around 2.7 liters of water and men drink 3.7 liters daily. This recommendation includes water-rich foods and other fluids, so it all comes down to 9 cups for women and 12 and a half cups for men each day.

Sleep Disorders

Sleep disorders can dramatically influence the sleep quality of a person. People with sleep apnea can wake up to 100 times each night. As a result, you struggle to get some deep sleep, and once you are out of it, it’s challenging to get back.

Restless legs syndrome and narcolepsy can also affect energy levels each day. If unsure whether you have a sleep disorder, you can have polysomnography in a sleep clinic.

Smartwatches and apps can measure your sleep, but they are not as accurate as clinic tests. Still, when it comes to healthy adults, such gadgets are a fine way to track sleep quality and notice when something’s not exactly right.

Poor Sleep Environment or Sleep Partner Issues

Why do I wake up tired every morning? Is it because of my dog licking his paws at 2:00 am or my partner snoring? Or probably both?

Surely, poor sleep environments and issues with your sleep partner can affect your sleep quality.

If your partner tosses and snores every night or has a different schedule from yours, this can be an issue. If you have a partner with sleeping issues or snoring, they should probably go to a specialist to check their condition.

Also, it would be wise to keep your pets out of the room during the night. They can nudge you or walk around, drink water, play with their toys and not leave a moment of silence.

A good sleep environment includes a quiet and dark bedroom with a cool temperature that you use only for sleep. Any electronics inside increase the chances of poor sleep and prolong the following period of sleep inertia in the morning.

You mustn’t drink any coffee 6 hours before bed and limit any heavy and spicy food plus alcohol 2 hours before bedtime.

Fatigue

Why do I wake up tired and sore? Fatigue could be the answer.

Fatigue is a condition where you actually get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night and still feel tired the day after. It can be caused by lots of conditions, including metabolic issues, chronic pulmonary diseases, anemia, chronic pain, and more.

If you feel fatigued for a while, go to your family doctor, who should conduct various tests to determine the problem and recommend a suitable solution.

At the end of the day, a balanced lifestyle, a nutritious diet, and practicing sports can do miracles for your levels of energy after waking up. Still, suppose sleep inertia feels more like all-day-long inertia. In that case, it’s advisable to dig deeper, uncover the problem, and resolve it to improve your overall quality of life.

Are Free Mental Health Apps Useful for Anxiety Relief?

January 19, 2023 Comments Off anxiety, blog, Depression

Emotional well-being is an increasingly relevant topic for societies worldwide as organizations and authorities continuously try to analyze, measure, and address the importance of mental health for the overall quality of life.

Thanks to technology, we now have a shortcut to managing the stress and anxiety pandemic, and this shortcut is called mental health apps.

These mobile applications have been gaining popularity in recent years with the development of both science and technology in the field of mental healthcare. They provide users with a convenient and discreet way to access personalized programs, science-based techniques, and exercises to manage their daily levels of stress. Additionally, mental health apps offer a wide range of features and functions that can be tailored to meet individual needs.

This being said, many users are still wondering about the actual purpose, efficiency, and quality markers when choosing the best app for their needs.

Below, you will find our expert guide in the world of well-being tech – from basic concepts and approaches to innovations and valuable tips for making the most out of your mobile self-care routine.

What Is a Mental Health App?

Put shortly, a mental health app is a software application designed to help people manage their daily cognitive and emotional well-being levels. Interactive by design, it aims to provide users with various features, tools, and services to help manage their mental health in an easy and accessible manner by only using their smart device.

As of today, you can choose between tens of apps that implement different techniques for improving mental health. Their approaches can vary from games and quizzes to mindfulness and relaxation techniques, mood-monitoring tools, well-being surveys, and science-based methods from cognitive and behavioral therapy.

This wide variety of mental health strategies allows users to compare, choose, and pick what best suits their needs and preferences. And most importantly – to choose what delivers actual results.

What Types of Mental Health Apps Are There?

Mental health applications come in a variety of formats and are used to help people manage a wide range of mental health issues. Some of the most common types of mental health apps include.

When doing your research for the best mental health apps, you will stumble upon a massive abundance of alternatives on the market. First and foremost, you will need to choose the fundamental approach to rely on, and some of the main options will include the following:

Science-based apps for emotional, social, cognitive, and physical well-being. These apps are designed to help people recognize and manage their thoughts and emotions by mainly using the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy. For example, they will offer cognitive exercises, emotional recognition games, negative thoughts exclusion. etc.
Relaxation apps for effective stress, anxiety, and daily emotional tension management. They are designed to help people self-manage their response to challenging situations and learn to respond in a healthy and self-caring manner. The features of these apps may include guided relaxation exercises, breathing exercises, and mindfulness education.
Mood-tracking apps help users identify, track, and better understand the roller-coaster of their mood dynamics. They typically allow users to log their thoughts and feelings over time in order to gain better insight into their patterns and triggers.
Wellness apps combine good practices for mental and physical well-being and help people build better lifestyle habits. Some of their features may include health-tracking modules, lifestyle tips, and even personalized programs for nutrition and workouts.
Yoga and meditation apps use techniques from Eastern culture in philosophy to help people lead more resilient and fulfilling lives. They usually include audio or video guides for deep relaxation, yoga workouts, meditation, and stress relief.
Therapy support apps provide users with direct, live access to licensed therapists via the internet. Their essential features may include one-on-one video calls, group video calls, and instant text messaging with a matching therapist.

This list can surely go on for a while, as forms of mental health care and management are literally multiplying by the minute. So, except for the ones listed above, you can also find apps related to mental health education, community support groups, and exposure therapy techniques for people with phobias and irrational fears.

RelaxifyApp is an entirely science-based mental health app that combines the principles of cognitive-behavioral therapy with deep relaxation techniques, continuous mental state assessment, and gamification for a more engaging process.

Or else said – we are trying to bring together the best of all worlds in an easy-to-use practical tool based on classic science and modern technologies.

How To Choose the Best Mental Health App for Your Needs?

Finding the app that meets your specific requirements can become challenging with so many options available on the market.

Here are some essential step-by-step tips to help you overcome the paradox of choice and make the right decision:

Consider and evaluate your needs. Before you begin your search for the best mental health app, take some time to think about your precise expectations. Are you dealing with a type of mental health issues such as depression or panic attacks? Are you just experiencing prolonged stress in the workplace? Or are you dealing with past trauma you’re looking to overcome? Analyzing these details will be the first step towards choosing what’s best for you.
Compare features. Once you clearly understand your needs, it is time to focus on the characteristics and features of different mental health apps. Make sure to look for features that align with your requirements, such as personalized programs, progress monitoring, or secure messaging with a mental health professional.
Fix a budget. You can find many free mental health apps and products within different price ranges. The good news is that most apps offer a free trial period, so you can track the price-quality ratio along with the mere price itself before making a final decision.
Read reviews. After narrowing down your options, start researching the list of apps you are considering. Read reviews from other users, look for industry certifications, and ensure that the app is secure enough in the long term.

Finally – give it a try. Whether you’re using a free trial demo or a fully functional software product, interacting with the program will provide you with all the answers about its quality and efficiency.

In the best-case scenario, you will find yourself gradually improving – with just a device in your hand and the proper guide, be it virtual and tech-based.

Who Can Benefit From the Regular Use of a Mental Health App?

Mental health apps can prove beneficial to anyone looking to improve their mental health and well-being. They can be particularly handy for those unable to access traditional therapy services due to cost, stigma, or other barriers.

Additionally, those who have difficulty managing their self-care time may find it easier to use a mental health app to stay on the right track, access helpful resources, and monitor their wellness stats visually and transparently.

Mental health apps can also benefit people looking to learn more about mental health principles and become more aware of their emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. In addition, these applications can help users better comprehend their mental status and build healthier habits by offering science-approved resources, tools, and activities.

With the increasing availability of mental health apps, though, it is important to note that they should not be employed as a replacement for professional mental health care in cases of severe mental illness. Instead, mental health apps should be used to supplement existing mental health care and as a prevention method before your discomfort evolves into a condition.

Innovations in Stress and Anxiety Relief Apps

When scientific progress and tech innovations meet, you get a world of unexplored possibilities. And mental health apps truly do utilize these opportunities in the best ways possible.

Some of the cutting-edge innovations used in anxiety and stress relief apps include gamification, virtual reality, progress-tracking modules, and full personalization of activities based on professional well-being surveys.

Needless to say, these apps are designed to be easy to use and accessible to anyone, giving them a well-deserved and ever-growing popularity all over the globe.

So, are you ready to feel how innovations can make an actual impact on your quality of life? Then, give the future a try today – download RelaxifyApp for free and start your journey towards the most authentic version of yourself!

How Do I Help Someone Who’s Depressed?

January 3, 2023 Comments Off blog, Depression

When it comes to depression, dealing with the situation can be very challenging – whether it comes to you dealing with it or a friend.

Helping someone else through a depressive episode begins with understanding, empathy, and a well-structured plan, based on best practices and expert recommendations. The reason is simple – when addressing someone else’s depression, you must be very careful with your words and try not to say the wrong thing, as it can have a massive impact on the person.

In the guide below, we will go over some of the basics of reaching out a helping hand to a person with depression. What to say to someone who is depressed, how to say it, and how to stay present no matter how difficult the situation is? Let’s dig deeper into the art of being there for people with depression.

Is Depression Just a Prolonged State of Sadness?

Depression is not about being sad for some time and then recovering like it never happened. Instead, we usually talk about a mental health condition called clinical depression, which has many different symptoms.

Such depression symptoms can be:

Mood changes like low energy and sadness;
Less appetite;
Not being able to enjoy your favorite activities;
Fatigue;
Having insomnia or sleeping constantly;
Losing or gaining weight rapidly;
Having brain fog and doing lots of pacing;
Feeling hopeless and having low self-esteem;
Suicidal thoughts, etc.

Depression affects 1 in 15 adults annually and can last around two weeks at a time. It’s usually triggered by a traumatic, painful, or emotionally distressing event. However, sometimes depressive episodes can come and go without any specific reason.

The good news is that both mild and severe depression is treatable. The first option is to use psychotherapy, like cognitive-behavioral therapy. Also, long-term lifestyle changes and medications are usually prescribed alongside therapy.

But how do you handle such a delicate situation? What to say to a depressed person? Can you help ease their everyday life in a way?

Helping and Finding the Right Words for Someone with Depression

Lots of people ask themselves what to say to someone who is depressed and what to do to help them.

So, we have accumulated a small guide on finding the right words and knowing how to help a friend with depression.

Affirmations to Say to Help a Depressed Friend

When you are wondering what to say to someone who is depressed, you have to be as positive and loving as possible. So pick your words very carefully and sound as compassionate as possible.

You can tell them how loved they are, that it’s okay to feel such a way and that they are not alone. Tell them how important they are to you and that they can be sure that you will be right there by their side.

Encourage them that hope is still there, and even in the darkest days, it’s good for them to remember that they can give you a call – no matter the time. Sometimes a good old phone call or FaceTime could be the thing that will get them through the day.

Always repeat that they are still the same person before their depression episode and that they will get back to normal very soon. Remember to check up on them regularly, so they don’t sink into their melancholy feelings deeper and deeper as suicidal thoughts might surface.

Note: NEVER relate your own sad situations and times to their current situation. Sometimes linking your own experience to theirs might not help the problem but rather make the conversation about you. Instead, it would be best to let them help you understand what’s going on in their mind and where it’s coming from.

Recommend the Right Tools to Help

Right after giving your loved ones affirmations and having a conversation, it’s good to offer help and recommend the right tools.

You can suggest going to yoga or practicing meditation at home or in a class. However, these tools for help are simply additions to therapy and medication.

If you know good therapists, you can recommend some and reassure your friend or relative that seeking help is not shameful. On the contrary, it’s the right path toward feeling better and being more mindful of your emotions and feelings. This is the proper form of self-care and the most valuable one.

You can also suggest online therapy as a good way for the depressed person to rip the benefits of treatment in the comfort of their own home. It’s a great way to feel connected to a specialist and not have the excuse of having to leave the house.

Help Out with Daily Tasks

When asking yourself how to help someone with depression, the last option is to help with the everyday stuff. Sometimes just saying to someone that they can give you a call is not enough. The depressed person needs some help with their errands as depression can suck the energy from them in ways you probably couldn’t quite imagine.

Before assuming what they need, ask them directly. For example, ask what chores they must do today, clean their house, and get groceries. You can help with their kids if they have any or with their pets. You can simply be a listening ear and be there for a hug if that’s what they need.

Note that depressed people struggle with asking for help, so you can offer it instead. You can even be their exercise partner and go to the gym or run in the park. Going for a nice walk and grabbing a cup of coffee is also another form of exercise.

Conclusion

Generally, when dealing with mental health conditions such as depression, it’s essential to put the well-being of the depressed person first. Therefore, provide as much support and guidance to them as possible.

Depressive episodes can happen often or seldom, but their grasp on the person could be rather strong when they do. Sometimes such episodes come in with a reason and sometimes without one.

It can happen to anyone, so taking care of your friends and family and watching for any of the symptoms mentioned above can save someone’s life.

When taking care of others, you should be taking care of your mental health, too. Seek help, stay mindful, and be gentle because the light at the end of the road is a light we shine together.

Month: January 2023