In this world there will hardly be a person who can claim that he/she is free from any kind of depression. Depression is part of our life but it depends on an individual as how to get rid of it. Depression is a mental state characterized by a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity. It is an emotional disorder, and nothing to be ashamed of. But often, people who are in depression are suffering from pessimistic thoughts about themselves. These pessimistic thoughts lead to even further depression making a cycle that gets hard to stop. In depression a person loses his energy to cope with a challenge.

The following tips will come in handy in one place or another. I would suggest you to get a print out and display it in your room, office, and give it to your friends, or anywhere you spend much of your time.

Understand your liking. This can be done efficiently by trying the following exercise:

Write down 5 things you like about someone you commend (you can choose a friend, relative, colleague or celebrity), then one thing you do not like about them.

After that, pick someone you don’t like. Write down 5 things you dislike about them and one thing you like about them. Then turn your views to yourself. Write down one thing you don’t like about yourself. After that, write down 5 things you really like about yourself. The exercise will help train the mind to focus on what is good about you, not what is bad.

Burn a piece of paper. Write down on a piece of paper what you don’t like about yourself, then burn that piece of paper and watch it disappear. It is an effective and symbolic gesture.

Flowers which smell good. Scent followers, colorful lights and sunshine are good in reducing depression. Getting some fresh air can also help.

Change your eating habits. An occasional treat does not hurt you, but make sure that your diet is based on fresh vegetables and fruits. A balanced diet keeps the nutrients in your body normal, which ultimately helps in getting rid of depression.

Talk to someone trustworthy. It’s been observed in depression that talking to someone whom you trust, such as your close friend, a family member; even a counselor can help minimizing pressure on your mind. Talking or sharing with someone can release your tension to somehow. Try to avoid isolation.

Go outside. Even a little sunshine can help improve your mood. Try to go outside and have some fresh air, reminding yourself that there’s a world out there and you can participate in it as much as you can handle.

Practice Yoga and Meditation. Meditation is a kind of awareness of your mind, and yoga strengthens your body and spirit, which can bring happiness and health and helps getting rid of depression at the same time.

Dance keeps depression away. Find some time and place to dance alone for a few minutes each day on a melodious music or take some dancing classes. It will release your tension and will leave you feeling better about yourself.

Change the Way of Thinking. When you’re in tension you always think that you are all alone, no one cares about you, and your world is coming to an end. Maybe you are going through a horrible situation that is causing such feelings. It will change your mood if you change the way you think. Apparently it seems not so easy to do and it is certainly a long process. Start slowly, for example whenever you get pessimistic thoughts go out for a long walk and think something good about yourself or watch a funny movie. Remember it’s a long process so you won’t see results very soon. After awhile you will feel that you are no longer depressed and you have no depressing thoughts!

Exercise regularly.  Half an hour to one hour exercise depending upon the capacity of the body is very essential. Any physical exercise can keep your mind and body strong and active. Doing exercise in an open and fresh air gives you extra benefit as we intake more oxygen. It helps you in reducing depression by maintaining the level of mood and emotional instincts. Physical exercise helps you in dealing with any stressful situation.

Get sufficient Sleep. Get a sufficient amount of sleep everyday and try to follow a regular schedule for your eating as mentioned above. Imbalance or disorder of sleep can further deteriorate the depression.

Avail small pleasures. It is important to avail small happiness in life. Don’t expect happinesses to come all the time. Try to set small and achievable goals in life and make efforts as much as you can to achieve the same. When you achieve these goals it will give u happiness thus reducing depression.

Play with children. Playing with children is a great activity which helps in reducing depression. Children are a source of happiness and playing with them can bring happiness in your life too.

Avoid alcohol and drugs. Using alcohol or drugs and smoking may give temporary relief but when a person gets addicted, it gives a life time trouble to get rid of such habits. So keep yourself away from such bad habits and make your life healthy and productive.

By following the above points you would be able to see positive change, making your life depression-free.