Hopelessness a state of depression is a condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Depression and or hopelessness may occur once in a person’s life. There are some people who experience several episodes of depression. While having depression, symptoms may occur every day and they may persist for several weeks or months. The signs and symptoms of depression are complex and they vary from one individual to the other. However, most people who suffer from depression will generally feel sad. They also experience hopelessness hence lose interest in things they used to enjoy.
Some of the psychological symptoms of depression include:
- Difficulties in making decisions
- Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness
- Low self-esteem
- Feeling guilty
- Irritability and intolerance of others
- Constant sadness or low mood
- Losing motivation and drive
- Felling worried or anxious
- Experiencing suicidal thoughts or thoughts of hurting yourself
The physical symptoms include:
- Unusual slow movement or speech
- Change in weight and appetite
- Inadequate sleep or poor sleeping patterns
- Constipation
- Unexplained headaches, stomach aches and muscle pains
- Loss of interest in sex
- Changes in the menstrual cycle (for ladies)
People suffering from depression also exhibit social symptoms such as low performance at the workplace, decreased social contact with family or friends, loss of interest in hobbies and difficulties in relationships.
Depression comes in gradually and it will be difficult for you to notice something is going amiss. Numerous individuals attempt to manage the symptoms yet they don’t realize they are suffering from depression. In most instances, it’s your colleague, friend or family member who will realize something is wrong.
Medical practitioners describe depression in terms of severity. Mild depression has some effects on your daily life while moderate depression has significant effects on your daily activities. On the other hand, severe depression makes it almost impossible for you to continue with your daily life. Severe depression can be accompanied by hallucinations or delusions, which revolve around negative themes and personal inadequacy.
Treating Depression and the feeling of Hopelessness
Get a routine: If you are in a state of hopelessness, experts recommend that you develop a routine. Depression normally takes away the organization element from your life. You need to create a daily routine or schedule to enable you get on track.
Set goals: Depression makes you feel like a failure who can never accomplish his/her dreams in life. As a result, you will feel worse about yourself. You should set daily goals for yourself so that you can start feeling better about yourself. With time you will start seeing changes and accomplishments and you will set more challenging but realistic goals.
Exercise: Physical exercises trigger the production of a feel-good chemical known as endorphin. Regular exercise has long-term benefits to people suffering from depression and it makes their brain rewire in a positive way. You can do simple exercises like jogging, walking or swimming to reduce depression.
Eat Healthy: Although there is no single diet that fixes depression it is recommended that you eat healthy foods. If you are the type that overeats when depressed, then you should control how much food you consume. Research indicates that foods rich in folic acid (e.g avocado, spinach) and omega-3 fatty acids (like tuna and salmon) can ease depression.
Get ample quality sleep: Depression can lead to loss of sleep or irregular sleeping patterns. Lack of enough sleep accelerates depression. You can improve your sleep by making lifestyle changes, sleeping at the same time and removing all distractions (such as TVs and computers) from your bedroom.
Be responsible: Hopelessness can make you desert your responsibilities at home and at the workplace. Taking on responsibilities is an effective natural treatment for depression. When you take on your responsibilities, you will feel a sense of accomplishment.
Eliminate negative thoughts and attitude: The fight against depression is mental. It revolves around your thoughts. Try to avoid negative thoughts because they lead you to bad conclusions and choices.
Have fun: If you are suffering from hopelessness, you should avoid activities that make you unhappy. You can tackle depression by having fun, going to the museum, reading a book, meeting new friends, going to the movies or volunteering at the local hospital. These activities will keep you busy and you will get a sense of achievement.
Look out for symptoms of hopelessness/depression and follow the tips above to treat or reduce depression.
