Emma McAdam, a licensed marriage and family therapist, appeared on the Psych2Go channel to share her insights on depression and offer some coping strategies.
Psych2Go released a video specifically on this topic. The video content is summarized as follows:
The history of depression
Depression runs in my family and personally affects me. Just like physical health, you need to maintain it by taking care of your body through exercise, proper nutrition, and seeing a doctor when injured or sick. Similarly, mental health requires daily actions to maintain well-being.
When faced with stress, I have to be more mindful of managing my mental health. For instance, when I was pursuing my master’s degree, during pregnancy, postpartum, and now as we are facing a global pandemic, we all need to pay extra attention to our mental health.
Today, I want to talk about maintaining mental health rather than just overcoming deep depressive episodes. When you’re in a depressive state, it’s hard to see the light. It’s like being at the bottom of a deep hole, unable to imagine getting out. During this time, sometimes all you can do is take small steps and hope for help to climb out.
Daily habits to combat depression
Morning routine: The first thing I do every day is kneel down and pray.
I express gratitude for the new day, for my life, and the opportunity to do good in this world. My connection with God helps me feel loved and purposeful throughout the day.
If you’re not religious, you could try meditation or breathing exercises. I try not to look at my phone as soon as I wake up because I want to start my day intentionally.
I read a little and write down my goals and priorities for the day. Especially in the current time with so much concerning news, I only listen to the news at lunchtime, once a day, so I don’t feel stressed all the time and have time to process it.
Sleep is also an important factor. I wake up around 5 a.m., without an alarm, and go to bed around 9 p.m. This helps me maintain my natural circadian rhythm and get enough rest to support my mental health.
Personal hygiene after waking up and having quiet time, I shower and change clothes.
This helps me feel more energized and gives me no excuse to procrastinate on the day’s tasks. Even though when depressed, this can be very hard, I’ve noticed that when I do this, I feel more comfortable, ready to meet friends, and accomplish tasks.
I also take vitamins and omega-3, and I try to eat more plant-based foods and less processed food.
Exercise
This is an essential part of maintaining my mental health. Many studies have shown that exercise is very beneficial for mental health. It helps reduce stress and release pent-up emotions in the body. I find it easier to handle anger and frustration after exercising.
Currently, since I am a full-time mom, I usually exercise in the yard or go for walks with my kids.
Time spent enjoying nature
I need time outdoors to see the sky and soak up sunlight. Research has shown that sunlight and nature can reduce heart rate and relieve stress. If you can’t go outside, you could open a window or watch nature documentaries to experience the tranquility.
Evening routine
In the evening, after putting the kids to bed, I take some quiet time for myself. I usually take a warm bath, read a book, and write in my journal. Writing about the good things that happened during the day helps me remember the successes and push away the anxiety about the failures.
Practicing gratitude is an important habit for maintaining mental health and has been proven to be an effective method for treating depression.
Other benefits of self-care
In addition to these habits, I also make time for personal hobbies, such as searching for antiques. I also set aside one day a week to rest, without work or house chores.
Finally, I try to maintain social relationships. Communicating with friends is essential for mental health. Even during quarantine, I keep in touch with friends via phone and Zoom.
In summary, to maintain mental health, I practice habits like maintaining a morning schedule, ensuring adequate sleep, eating healthy, exercising, and making time to relax. These habits are very helpful in preventing depression, especially during stressful times like a pandemic.
Depression can be treated, and there are many things you can do every day to maintain good mental health. Try implementing a few of these habits to help maintain your mental health during this challenging time. Remember, you are stronger than you think and braver than you know.
Watch the full video HERE.
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