Anger is the greatest of emotions and depression or melancholia is the weakest. One can suffer depression even without knowing it. The symptoms start with lethargy followed by a feeling of having a blank mind. According to our family physician, depression is mostly a state of mind but there are instances where the physical state of condition is the culprit. He adds further, depression normally sets in when negative emotions are high.
Losing something of value like a job, a loved one or failing ot win in a serious contest, and perhaps even lost opportunities can be a cause for manic depression. The patient develops a fixation on the saddest part of his life that recently happened eventually causing his entire system to cooperate. He then loses his bearings and yearnings for progress, seeming to want stagnation. In other words, depression is an exhibition of extreme frustration.
For starters, it would be advisable to let the depression set in, say a day or two and sometimes even a week depending on the gravity of the situation. Focus on the solution-less problem once and for all and admit to yourself that there really is no solution in sight.
After the setting in period, the person should have reached the acceptance stage and the pain should start going away. For acute depression, it tends to linger and the suffering gets more intense. If aware of the problem, the patient should apply self-psychology by forcing himself to accept the situation. More often than not, this method proves effective.
Upon reaching the acceptance stage, the sufferer should start rebuilding his life by changing his lifestyle even a little bit. Going to bed would surely remind one of a lost spouse so don’t go to bed in the usual time. When the cause is a lost opportunity, avoid anything that would remind you of the situation. A lost job can be overcome by simply applying for a new job. Plastering the negative with something constructive is the order of the day. These remedies may not be that too effective but it surely helps. Consolation is really a small bit of help but in the long run it is the consolation that turns the table.
Indulge in a new hobby or leisure. A widower friend turned to alcohol until he was advised to bet on horses. Gone was the depression but he had turned into a horse racing addict, losing money by the thousands. But, at least, his therapist was quite happy with the development. The most recommended hobby is sports where one can focus on the game and at the same time indulging in a social affair. Golf, for one, is a good therapy for depression. It diverts the patient from the problem and leaves him with a tired body and refreshed mind. A few game of billiards can do the same thing.
Gain friends by joining clubs of interest. Writing is also a good therapy for the tired mind. When I lost my job way back in 1994, I started writing seriously and even joined workshops and writing seminars eventually gaining friends in the process. I was even voted in as president of a writing group which made me forget the pain of losing my job. Sad to say that MS was still in oblivion at that time. Social affairs like dances and musical concerts or plays can be counted as good therapy too. I know some people who take bus or train rides to ease their tension by talking with strangers.
And if the above won’t work for you, try prayer. Think of what you have recently lost then think of what you still have. Remind yourself that you came into this world with nothing, not even clothes. And now you have many things. In other words, count your blessings and thank God for all the blessings you get. Cheer up!
PS. Even if there are plenty of medications to combat depression, I go for the natural way unless otherwise the sufferer is mentally ill or I should say the situation has gone out of hand.