Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 6: Diagnosing depression
• Method 2 of 6: Seek professional help
• Method 3 of 6: Change your eating habits
• Method 4 of 6: Make lifestyle changes
• Method 5 of 6: Keep a journal
• Method 6 of 6: Try alternative remedies
• Warnings

About 15 percent of people will experience mild depression at some point in their lives. If you are suffering from mild depression, you may feel sadness, or guilt, worthlessness, or disinterest. Mild depression can affect a person's personal and professional life, but mild depression can be controlled by taking certain steps. These steps include diagnosing depression, seeking professional help, making health and lifestyle changes, and trying alternative remedies. If you experience more severe symptoms, read other articles about depression on WikiHow. Seek help right away if you have thoughts of suicide.

To step

Method 1 of 6: Diagnosing depression

1. Understand the symptoms of depression. Depression symptoms can range from mild through moderate to severe. With mild depression, you may feel sad a lot of the time, or you may not be interested in activities you once enjoyed. In addition, mild depression will include some (but usually not all) of the following symptoms:
   • Loss of appetite or weight loss.
   • Sleeping too much or too little.
   • Increased anxiety.
   • Less movement.
   • Little energy every day.
   • Feeling worthless.
   • Unjust guilt feelings.
   • Difficulty with concentration.
2. Recognize a winter depression. Many people are affected by winter depression in the autumn and winter months, this can be caused by the body getting less sunlight. This could mean that the body produces less serotonin, a substance that affects mood. Recognize the symptoms of SAD:
   • Increased need for sleep.
   • Fatigue or less energy.
   • Lack of concentration.
   • Increased feeling of wanting to be alone.
   • These symptoms usually lessen in the spring and summer, but they can cause mild depression in the winter.
3. Pay attention if you feel melancholy. If you are feeling melancholy, it is important that you pay attention to your symptoms to determine if you are starting to become depressed. You may have these feelings or symptoms more often, or your symptoms may last for more than 2 weeks.
   • If you are unsure about the progress of your symptoms, ask a trusted friend or family member for their opinion. While your own experience and perspective is most important, it can help to get someone else's perspective on how you behave.
4. After a traumatic experience, pay attention to how you feel. A major traumatic life event, such as an unexpected death of a family member, can cause symptoms similar to depression. But it doesn't have to be depression. The context of the event and the duration of the symptoms can, in part, help determine whether a person is experiencing grief or depression.
   • Feelings of worthlessness and thoughts of suicide are usually not present when someone is grieving. During the grieving period, you can have positive memories of the deceased and you can still enjoy certain activities (for example, activities in memory of the deceased).
   • During mild depression, you may experience negative moods and negative thoughts, be unable to enjoy your favorite activities, or other symptoms. These symptoms can be present a lot of the time.
   • When the changes in moods during grieving start to upset you and / or start to affect your life, you may be experiencing more than a normal grieving process.
5. Track your feelings and activities for about two weeks. Track your feelings and activities over a period of about two weeks. Write down how you feel every day. List all your possible options. This list does not need to be detailed; just write a short list so you can see what patterns come up.
   • Keep track of how often you cry for no reason. This may indicate that there is more than a mild depression.
   • If you are having trouble keeping track of things, ask a trusted friend or family member to help you. This could be a sign that you are more depressed than you initially thought.

Method 2 of 6: Seek professional help

1. Visit your doctor. Your regular doctor is a good first step if you think you have mild depression.
   • Some illnesses, especially those involving the thyroid or other parts of your endocrine system, cause depressive symptoms. Other medical conditions, especially terminal or chronic conditions, also carry a risk of depressive symptoms. In these cases, your doctor can help you understand the source of your symptoms and how to relieve them.
2. Visit a therapist. Participating in psychotherapy or “talk therapy” can be very helpful in the treatment of mild depression. Depending on your specific needs, you can try looking for a particular type of mental health professional, such as therapists, psychologists, clinical psychologists, or psychiatrists. If you have mild depression, you will likely make an appointment with a therapist first.
   • Psychologists: Psychologists aim to help people overcome difficult times in their lives. This type of therapy can be short or long term and is often problem-oriented and goal-oriented. Psychologists ask questions and listen to what you have to say. The psychologist will be an objective observer and help you recognize valuable insights and discuss them further. This will help you process emotional and environmental issues that can contribute to your depression.
   • Clinical Psychologists: These psychologists are trained to run tests to confirm a diagnosis and thus focus more on psychopathology. Clinical psychologists are also trained to use a wide variety of therapeutic techniques.
   • Psychiatrists: Psychiatrists can use psychotherapy and scales or tests in their practice. They are especially visited when medication is an option that the patient wants to investigate. In the Netherlands, only psychiatrists can prescribe medication.
   • You can visit more than one type of therapist depending on your needs.
3. Immerse yourself in different types of therapy. Cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy, and behavioral psychotherapy consistently show benefits for patients.
   • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): The goal of CBT is to challenge and change beliefs, attitudes, and prejudices that are thought to underlie depressive symptoms, and to influence misused behaviors
   • Interpersonal Therapy (IPT): IPT focuses on life changes, social isolation, lack of social skills, and other interpersonal problems that can contribute to depressive symptoms. IPT can be especially effective when a specific event, such as a death, triggered a recent depressive episode.
   • Behavioral Therapy: These types of therapies aim to plan pleasurable activities while minimizing unpleasant experiences using techniques such as activity planning, self-control training, social skills training, and problem solving.
4. Ask for recommendations for therapists. Consider recommendations from friends or family, leaders in your faith community, the health center, your health and safety physician (if present at your company), or ask your doctor for help finding a therapist.
   • On this website you will find information about how to choose a therapist, what the legal requirements are and how you can find out whether a therapist is recognized. On the internet you will find many other search pages for finding various types of therapists in your area.
5. Contact your health insurance. Your visits to a therapist can in certain cases be reimbursed by your insurance. The content of the basic package changes every year and the additional packages can have major differences. Make sure you check with your health insurance if referrals are needed before starting treatment, and that the therapist of your choice will be reimbursed by your insurance.
6. Ask your therapist about antidepressants. Antidepressants act on your brain's neurotransmitter system to try to counteract problems in predisposition or use by the brain.
   • Some professionals find that antidepressants are too easily prescribed and ineffective for treating mild depression. Some research shows that antidepressants are especially effective against severe or chronic depression.
   • Medication can be a great way to improve your mood and help you get more benefit from psychotherapy.
   • In many people, a short treatment with antidepressants can help treat mild depression.

Method 3 of 6: Change your eating habits

1. Eat foods with a lot of nutritional value. Sometimes it can be difficult to see how your nutritional value affects your mood because the effect of nutrition is not immediate. But it's important to pay attention to what you eat and how it makes you feel to monitor your depression.
   • Eat foods related to fewer symptoms of depression, including fruits, vegetables, and fish.
   • Avoid foods related to more symptoms of depression, including processed foods such as processed meats, chocolate, sweet desserts, fried foods, processed grains, and fatty dairy products.
2. Drink lots of water. Dehydration can contribute to emotional and physical changes. Even with mild dehydration, your mood can be negatively affected. Drink plenty of water throughout the day, not just when you're thirsty or while exercising.
   • Men should aim to drink about 13 glasses of water a day and women about 9 glasses a day.
3. Take fish oil supplements. People with depression can have low levels of certain brain chemicals, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Fish oil capsules have omega-3 fatty acids and contain EPA and DHA. These can help relieve some minor symptoms of depression.
   • Do not exceed three grams per day. Higher doses of fish oil can keep your blood from clotting, which can increase the risk of bleeding.
4. Increase your folate intake. Many people who experience depression are deficient in folate, which is a B vitamin. Increase your folate levels by eating plenty of spinach, nuts, beans, asparagus and Brussels sprouts.

Method 4 of 6: Make lifestyle changes

1. Improve your sleeping patterns. If you don't sleep well, your defense mechanisms can diminish. This can make it more difficult to deal with the symptoms of mild depression. Try to go to bed earlier than usual to ensure 7-8 hours of sleep per night. Sleep is a restorative activity that allows your body to heal itself. If you're not getting enough sleep, see your doctor. She can prescribe sleep medication. You can also try to change your sleep times.
   • The inability to get enough sleep can be an indication of depressive symptoms. If you have trouble falling asleep, try listening to quiet music before going to bed. Turn off your computer and mobile at least 30 minutes before going to bed to give your eyes and brain a rest from the screen.
2. Focus on movement. Exercise can be an underused method of improving your mood. Studies indicate that exercise helps improve moods and prevent relapses. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.
   • Set achievable goals for yourself. No matter how easy you think it is to achieve a goal, achieving it will give you the experience of success and the confidence needed to set your next goal more quickly. Start with a goal of walking 10 minutes a day for a few days a week, then push yourself to do more, such as walking 10 minutes every day; then every day for a month; than all year round. See how long you can keep that line.
   • The best thing about exercise as a treatment for depression is that activities like walking and running don't cost a lot of money.
   • Before starting a new exercise routine, talk to your doctor and / or a personal trainer to determine the best exercises for your fitness.
   • Think of each training session as a treatment for your mood and a positive reflection of your desire to improve.
3. Try light therapy. Light therapy, or exposing yourself to sunlight or light that mimics sunlight, can positively affect your mood. Some studies indicate that an increased amount of sunlight will increase the amount of vitamin D in your body.
   • Try a light alarm. This is a timer mechanism that you connect to a lamp in your bedroom. The lamp will gradually start to shine from 30-45 minutes before your set wake-up time. Your brain will think morning light is coming through the window and you can make your body feel better with this trick.
   • Get a light therapy lamp. This device simulates sunlight. Sit in front of a light therapy tray for 30 minutes a day to get more light exposure.
4. Manage your stress. When you are stressed, your body responds by releasing cortisol, a stress hormone. When you experience chronic stress, your body can overdo it and cannot stop releasing the stress hormone. Try to control and reduce your stress so that your body has a chance to renew.
   • Try meditation as a means of reducing stress.
   • List all the things that stress you out. Try to reduce the number of stressors in your life.
5. Go outside. Gardening, hiking, and other outdoor activities can provide beneficial effects. Getting out and about in green areas and nature can improve your mood and help you if you feel the effects of mild depression.
   • Gardening and digging in the soil can also have positive effects, thanks to anti-depressant microbes in the soil that increase the amount of serotonin.
6. Give yourself a creative outlet. Some people feel the effects of depression through suppressed creativity. The link between depression and creativity has proven to be of great importance because it is believed to be "the price" of a creative mind, rather than a "necessary evil" of creativity. Depression can arise when a creative person has a hard time finding an expressive outlet.

Method 5 of 6: Keep a journal

1. Write in a journal regularly. Keeping a journal can be beneficial for understanding how your environment affects your moods, energy, health, sleep, and so on. Keeping a journal can also help you process your emotions and provide insight into why certain things make you feel a certain way.
2. Try to write every day. Even writing for a few minutes can help you jot down your feelings and thoughts.
3. Always keep a pen and paper handy. Make it easy for yourself to write if you're in the mood for it. Consider installing a simple notepad on your phone or tablet.
4. Write whatever and however you want. Don't feel forced to write complete sentences if it is easier for you to write statements or lists. Don't worry about spelling, grammar, or style. Just write your thoughts on paper.
   • If you need more structure, you can find people who teach diary writing; you can read books about writing diaries or you can use websites to keep an online diary.
5. Share as much as you want to share. Use your diary the way you want. You can keep everything private, share some things with your friends, family or your therapist, or start a public blog.

Method 6 of 6: Try alternative remedies

1. Try acupuncture. Acupuncture is part of traditional Chinese medicine in which needles are punctured at specific points on your body to correct energy blockages or imbalances. Find an acupuncturist in your area and try this procedure to determine if it helps reduce symptoms of depression.
   • A study shows that there is a link between acupuncture and normalization of glial-derived neurotrophic factors and an effectiveness comparable to fluoxetine (the common name for Prozac). Another study shows an effectiveness comparable to psychotherapy. These studies lend credence to acupuncture as a treatment for depression, but more research is needed to support acupuncture's effectiveness.
2. Consider St. John's wort to take. St. John's wort is an alternative medicine that has been shown in small studies to be effective, especially for milder forms of depression. If you are not taking SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) or SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors) you may want to consider trying St. John's wort.
   • In large-scale studies similar to those required for FDA approval, St. John's wort was not found to be more effective than a placebo. In addition, St. John's wort has not been shown to be more effective than available therapies (although it has fewer side effects).
   • The American Psychiatric Association does not recommend St. John's wort for general use.
   • Be careful when using St. John's wort. Do not use it with SSRIs or SNRIs due to the risk of serotonin syndrome. St. John's wort can also make other medicines less effective when taken at the same time. Drugs that can be affected include birth control pills, antiretrovirals, anticoagulants such as Warfarin, hormone replacement therapies, and immunosuppressants. Consult with your doctor if you are taking other medications.
   • Follow the dosage instructions when using St. John's wort.
   • St. John's wort is a herbal medicine and is increasingly used in regular psychiatry, in addition to phytotherapy.
3. Try SAMe supplements. An alternative drug is S-adenosyl methionine (SAMe). SAMe is a naturally occurring molecule, and low levels of SAMe have been linked to depression.
   • SAMe can be taken by mouth, intravenously and intramuscularly. Follow the dosage on the supplement packaging.
   • SAMe production is not regulated and ingredients may vary between different manufacturers. Whether SAMe is superior to other available treatments has not been established.
   • The National Association of Natural Medicine (LVNG) encourages open discussions with healthcare providers so that treatment can be properly coordinated and deliver safe results.

Warnings

• If you experience feelings of suicidal ideation or if you are attempting suicide, call 113 immediately or go to the nearest emergency room. You can also contact online suicide prevention.