SolveYourProblem eLearning Series: Self Confidence
How Do I Improve My Self Confidence?

Depression and Self-Confidence
   

Self-help cannot cure all ills. Many disorders take a medical doctor's help to cure. Depression can be a serious problem and one that you don't need to be suicidal to discover. If you feel frozen to act, or as if nothing you do has any results, you may be depressed.

Battling General Depression

Everyone faces depression from time to time. The Blues. Melancholy. That feeling that you're sad to day and, for whatever reason, it feels good.

The great outdoors is a cure-all for a host of problems, and general depression can be one of them. If you feel down and out, get outdoors. Even if you are just breathing deeply and walking around the block, the exposure to the air, the sun, and the people will be good for your soul.

Exercise plays an important role in keeping your spirits up. Not only does it get you off the couch (and away from those dour made for TV movies) but it increases circulation and gets more oxygen into your blood. Hormones are released that help you feel good, and provide your brain with a natural anti-depressant.

Drinking water and eating fresh fruits may not have an immediate impact, but doing something good for your health will improve your feelings about yourself. The same goes for your appearance. Shaving, styling your hair, wearing a clean shirt and brushing your teeth - forcing yourself to care just for you for a change - reminds you that you're worth putting a little time into.

Add to that, hanging out with friends or watching a good comedy can make you laugh and raise your spirits almost instantly. It's hard to focus on the negative when there's a smile plastered on your face ... then again, some people are really persistent. There's another good trait for your list of abilities!

All joking aside, sometimes nothing seems to help lift the fog surrounding you. Your nights get longer, or disappear all together, to be replaced by naps frequently throughout the day. You may feel sick and achy with no physical cause. You may become paranoid, or anxious in social situations.

If you suffer with depression for an extended time, or if you start thinking about hurting yourself or someone else, you owe yourself a call to a therapist.

Clinical Depression

Women suffer more from depression than men, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen. I know men who think this is true because men don't "give in" to their emotions. Hogwash. Many depressed people force themselves through each day, but the feelings of sadness will not dissipate.

Think of this like acne. If you had a pimple here and a pimple there every once in awhile, you could use concealer. Yes. Even if you were a guy. If, on the other hand, you had horrendous acne on every inch of your face all the time, you should see a doctor.

The mention of a doctor offers depressed people a perfect excuse for not getting treatment. "I can't afford it." They say, citing costs of $150 an hour and no insurance. Most cities have clinics that charge for services on a sliding scale. Call the local health department and ask. Perfect baby step. You succeed at that, you can succeed at calling the resources, and making appointments. If you can do that, you can show up, and take part in therapy or find a medicine to help balance your hormones. If you can do all of that, you will know that you can care for yourself, and one day you'll not only be better ... you'll be self-confident.

Alternatives to Medicine

The reluctance to put chemicals into your body is understandable, and there are herbal supplements that may help just as well. SAM-e and St. John's Wart, when purchased from quality distributors, have both shown a marked improvement in depression. The problem is that no one but a doctor can tell you if depression is all you have. People with underlying disorders, such as manic-depression, can increase their symptoms by medicating themselves on their own.

For any person, this is something that relies on taking on step at a time. People with depression can improve and enjoy their lives just like any other. Starting small, and following through, using whatever methods you need to, you will become a happier, healthier you.

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by SolveYourProblem.com : 2006

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