4 Self Love Tips to Help Manage Depression
4 SELF LOVE TIPS TO MANAGE DEPRESSION // In today's video we talk about the recovery process for major depression. How do we overcome symptoms like:
Depressed mood, sadness, hopelessness
No energy or interest in activities
Appetite changes (over or under eating)
Sleeping all the time or not sleeping at all
Poor concentration and the inability to make decisions
Guilt and feelings of worthlessness
Suicidal thoughts and urges
If you are having suicidal urges please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
If you want to understand suicidal thoughts a bit better you can watch my video:
Cause of Suicidal Thoughts • Causes of Suicidal Thoughts
If you want a deeper dive into depressive symptoms and recovery strategies watch my video:
How To Fight Depression • HOW TO FIGHT DEPRESSION
When we feel depressed it's hard to find the energy to cope. Self-love is usually as low as self-esteem (maybe non existent?...) and we're often extremely frustrated for feeling the way we are.
Why is this happening? What's wrong with me? Am I crazy? Will I ever recover? What's the point?...it is VERY normal for these kind of thoughts to creep into our mind and for us to engage in the harsh self-criticisms that only add an extra layer of judgement on top of the depressive symptoms.
This is why the practice of self-love is a necessity. Self-love removes that layer of judgement. When we give ourselves love and compassion, we let go of the extra effort it takes to fight ourselves and we can more fully focus on healing.
Depression is a mental illness that should be treated with the same level of seriousness and respect as a physical illness that stops you in your tracks. It is crucial that we take care of ourselves. Offer patience and understanding as we move toward recovery.
The self-love tips in this video are meant to offer daily support. All the tips are rooted in the evidence-based behavioral psychology of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The aim of ACT is to help lesson the impact and influence of emotional pain so we can take practical steps toward greater wellbeing. These are tips that I highly recommend to clients and quite frankly use in my own life. They include things like;
Kind self-talk (I’ll give you a phrase that is really helpful to commit to memory)
Compassionate imagery (including body-based work and inner child practice…don’t worry, I’ll explain)
Kind touch (I’ll explain the physical effects that touch has on the body)
Kind actions (these are the practical steps we take to move through depression with love)
Though we may not fully control the thoughts and feelings that arise in the darkness of depression, we can notice when it happens and use the self-love tips to help us face these emotional storms. With self-kindness, we influence the state of depression in a useful way by know longer playing a role in perpetuating the symptoms.
Because depression can feel so all consuming, it is sometimes difficult to apply the self-love tips I recommend in this video. Our mind tells us “later.” It suggests we procrastinate or starts judging the tips as being silly.
There are 5 fundamental skill-sets we must learn to apply in order to get out of our heads and use the self-love tips in the first place. I cover these skills in the video:
What Is Self Love in 2019? • WHAT IS SELF LOVE IN 2019? - Importance of...
The combination of the self-love tips outlined in this video + the underlying strategies that help us apply them, are a powerful starting point for managing depression. Like all mental health conditions, recovery is fastest when we surround ourselves with the proper support, including professional help. There is no shame in the diagnosis of depression. In fact it is incredibly common! I highly recommend that anyone experiencing the above symptoms, reach out to a psychiatrist and counselor as well as a medical doctor. Doing these things IS an act of self-love. They ensure we have the time and resources to begin the process of healing. Take care of yourself.
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I'm Ashley Waknine, a registered mental health counselor intern and life coach making weekly videos about mental health and self-management.
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Website: https://www.ashleywaknine.com/
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If you or someone you know is in imminent danger, please go to the closest emergency room or call a local emergency number.