5 Life Hacks To Help You Stay Positive During Depression

Life hacks are something that you do to get something done, a trick or shortcut to make your life easier. There are so many out there that it tells us a lot about human nature - we always look for shortcuts and tricks because people just don't want to put in the effort. The internet is full of life hacks and one show up on Facebook every few minutes, but as a psychiatrist in Bhopal, I thought I'd share 5 that will help you stay positive during the depression:

1. Write things down on a "things to be happy about" list

When you're feeling low, staring at a blank piece of paper can seem like an impossible task. But when you're feeling good it can take seconds to write a reminder down. The reason why this works is that when you write something down, your brain thinks you're putting effort into trying to remember that thing. So it makes an association between working hard and remembering the things that made you happy in the first place. Now whenever you feel low, just flick through your list and remind yourself how good life is!

2. Take a hot shower

One of the symptoms of depression is physical pain - mainly because of all those negative self-thoughts bouncing around your head. When you get into a hot shower, however, it's like taking a break from reality - there's water on top of you, not much light...and if it's cold outside then that hot shower can be really invigorating! You also feel better when you look good getting into a nice outfit and shaving can help you feel better too.

3. Keep moving

When you're feeling down, the last thing you want to do is anything that will make you look more depressed than you are already - like going out or meeting friends. But that's because depression makes it easier to stay in the same place for longer periods of time. However, as a psychiatrist in Bhopal, I would like to state that as soon as you start doing things, however, your brain gets used to being active again...and then when work/school comes around and pushes you even harder, all those positive feelings come back! It's not easy at first but if you just keep up the good work then it'll pay off in the end.

4. Change your environment

I guess this is a bit of a variation on the previous idea - but sometimes just changing your environment can be enough to make things feel different. Not necessarily good or bad, just different than what you're used to. If you normally do work from home every day, for example, then try going out, and working somewhere else for once. It could be the park...it could be at someone's house...just get away from that place you usually go to.

5. Watch something funny

When I'm down I tend to watch sad movies because it makes me cry my eyes out. So, after watching something depressing I feel better for about 5 minutes until depression takes over again! Do you know why? Because we're brainwashed into thinking that negative emotions are stronger than positive ones. That's one of the reasons why people with depression watch sad movies - they're looking for an emotional high. So, next time you want to feel better, try watching something funny instead! And make sure you laugh out loud because that gets the adrenaline pumping...and when your brain thinks there's danger, it releases dopamine which in turn makes you happy again!

About the Author:

Dr. Vaibhav Dubey is the best psychiatrist in Bhopal. In his over-a-decade-long career, he has helped thousands of patients suffering from various kinds of mental illnesses. If you want to know more about Dr. Vaibhav or the treatment options for depression, call him today!