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List of Coping Skills for Depression
Clinical depression is a medical illness that affects your thoughts, emotions and behavior 2. A person with depression may experience symptoms such as fatigue, hopelessness, inability to feel pleasure or thoughts of suicide 2. In addition to traditional treatments such as antidepressant medication and therapy, coping skills can be useful in managing depression 2.
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately.
Dietary Supplements
Dietary supplements such as St. John's Wort and SAMe have not been approved for the treatment of depression by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration 2. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, they are often used to help cope with depression 2. Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and there is no guarantee about their safety or ingredients. Helpguide.org indicates that research has not yet supported the effectiveness of dietary supplements for treating depression 12.
Healthy Habits
Signs Your Getting Better From Depression
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Although medication and therapy are the most effective treatments for depression, healthy lifestyle habits can be effective depression coping skills 2. Positive health habits may include regular exercise such as yoga, a balanced diet rich in omega-3s, adequate sleep, avoidance of alcohol and drugs and stress reduction.
Mind-Body Techniques
Mind-body techniques help to alleviate stress and increase mood. Yoga, Tai Chi, meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, deep breathing and acupuncture may all help you to cope with depression 2.cause:
- Yoga
- Tai Chi
- meditation
- progressive muscle relaxation
- deep breathing
- acupuncture may all help you to cope with depression 2
Mind-body techniques are best used as complements to traditional treatment such as medication or psychotherapy.
Social Support Systems
Natural Supplements for Anxiety & Depression
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Social isolation can make symptoms of depression worse 2. Although it may be difficult, it is important to maintain strong social support systems to help cope with depression 2. This may include getting together with family and friends, taking a class, or even joining a support group either locally or online.
Organizational Strategies
People who are depressed sometimes have problems with memory, concentration and planning. Depression coping skills may include organizational strategies that make daily functioning easier 2. Staying organized, making to-do lists and planning your day are good strategies to prevent depression from interfering with daily functioning 2.
Related Articles
References
- Helpguide.org: Understanding Depression
- Mayo Clinic: Depression
- Harvard Health Publishing. What causes depression? Harvard Health. Published June 2009. Updated June 24, 2019.
- Mental Health America. Co-Occurring Disorders And Depression. Published November 18, 2013.
- ADAA. Co-Occurring Disorders. Anxiety and Depression Association of America website. Published 2019.
- DeRubeis RJ, Hollon SD, Amsterdam JD, et al. Cognitive therapy vs medications in the treatment of moderate to severe depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2005;62(4):409–416. doi:10.1001/archpsyc.62.4.409
- Arnow BA, Constantino MJ. Effectiveness of psychotherapy and combination treatment for chronic depression. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2003;59(8):893-905. doi:10.1002/jclp.10181
- Ng QX, Venkatanarayanan N, Ho CYX. Clinical use of Hypericum perforatum (St John’s wort) in depression: A meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders. 2017;210:211-221. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2016.12.048
- Harvard Health Publishing. Exercise is an all-natural treatment to fight depression. Harvard Health. Published April 2013. Updated April 30, 2018.
- American Psychological Association. Depression. APA website. Published 2019.
- National Alliance on Mental Illness. Depression overview. NAMI website. Reviewed August 2017.
- National Institute of Mental Health. Depression. The National Institute of Mental Health Information Resource Center. Revised February 2018.
Resources
Writer Bio
Arlin Cuncic has been writing about mental health since 2007, specializing in social anxiety disorder and depression topics. She served as the managing editor of the "Journal of Attention Disorders" and has worked in a variety of research settings. Cuncic holds an M.A. in clinical psychology.