5 Ways to Cope With Mild Depression for Women – JK Rowling
“We were as skint as you can be without being homeless, and at that point I was definitely clinically depressed,” said Rowling. “That was characterized by a numbness, a coldness and an inability to believe I would feel happy again. All the color drained out of life.”
Whether you’re severely or mildly depressed, you may feel the same numbness Rowling did. Don’t suffer in silence; click Self-Coaching: The Powerful Program to Beat Anxiety and Depression for help overcoming feelings of sadness or anxiety. And, try these specific ways to overcome mild depression…
5 Ways to Cope With Mild Depression for Women – JK Rowling
Research shows that creative activities, such as digging in the dirt and singing your heart out, can relieve stress, increase self-esteem, and improve your immune system. Even better, these activities can help you overcome symptoms of mild depression and improve your mood.
Get dirt under your fingernails. Gardening (weeding, even!) enhances emotional and physical well-being for many people, and University of Bristol researchers may have discovered why. Soil contains the friendly bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae, which increases the metabolism of serotonin in the brain. A lack of serotonin is connected to depression, and scientists hypothesize that this bacterium may improve mood, ease stress, and maintain a strong immune system. Landscaping, sowing seeds, and nurturing flowers or home-grown veggies may help women cope with mild depression.
“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.” ~ JK Rowling.
Pretend you’re a diva! “Even people who can’t sing can benefit hugely from doing so,” writes Don Campbell in The Mozart Effect. In one experiment, boys who couldn’t sing in tune participated in a weekly choir. After 11 weeks they still couldn’t sing – but their self-esteem and self-image improved. Singing can have the same effect on women who are mildly depressed; Campbell encourages people to sing loud and free, like we did when we were young. “Think how wonderful it felt to use your voice freely – to relax your jaw, express what has not been expressed, overcome your fears, and release frustrations that may have been building up for hours, weeks, or years.”
“Ah, music. A magic beyond all we do here!” ~ JK Rowling.
Give your partner a massage. When it comes to massage, it may be better to give than to receive! Researchers discovered that when elderly subjects gave a massage they had fewer medical complaints, less anxiety and stress, and fewer trips to the doctor than when they received one. Whether given or received, massage reduces pain and anxiety, increases well-being, and satisfies the need for caring and nurturing. Get creative with scented massage oils, various massage techniques, and different locations. If you’re single, you might find How to Find a Good Boyfriend Who Will Be a Loving Husband helpful!
“The best of us must sometimes eat our words.” ~ JK Rowling.
Sniff your way out of mild depression. Not only do natural scents directly affect your mind and mood, says naturopath Michelle Schoffro Cook, they also increase oxygen flow to the brain. Extra oxygen increases energy, immune function, and positive emotions. For instance, 35 year old Samantha uses aromatherapy every day to lift her spirits. “I’d seen it work for other health issues, but I had a hard time accepting that it could ease depression,” she says. “After using grapefruit and ylang ylang essential oils, I found I didn’t need antidepressants.” Dab your favorite essential oil in a handkerchief and sniff regularly throughout the day.
“It is our choices… that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~ JK Rowling.
Force a laugh! The benefits of laughter – lower blood pressure, decreased stress hormones, and stronger immune function – occur even if you’re not laughing at something funny. “We can now laugh at will, for absolutely no reason, and we get all the health benefits,” says laughter yoga teacher Jeffrey Briar. “Plus, when done in a group, any ‘forced’ laughter quickly becomes real due to the social factor.” Laughter yoga combines breathing movements with “hee-hee-hee’s” to increase energy, lift moods, and relieve tension. If you’re struggling with mild depression, try forcing laughter with funny movies, comedy shows, or quotations from funny women…it could be the start of a whole new mood!
“Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve.” ~ JK Rowling.
If you have experience with or questions about mild depression, I’d love to hear from you! Please comment below…
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Hi Friends,
At one time I was very depressed with my job. My boss was very upset with me. My coworkers were not good. They always say against me to My Boss. For that he always upset with me, after all he is a good human being. Slowly he knows me and happy with me. In that time I could not sleep and I totally depended on Antidepressants because the Depression symptoms were just killing me.
The common signs and symptoms of depression that many people know are fatigue, mood swings or a feeling of emptiness and insomnia.
Anti-depressants works well with anxiety attacks, but the only problem is there are side-effects.
Anxiety and depression is one hell of a nasty disease. even if you have everything but if you have clinical depression, you are still nothing.,.-
I had a mild bout of depression that lasted several months, and I found that keeping my routine really helped. I really wanted to stay in bed all day and watch movies, but I forced myself to shower, get dressed, and go to work. I think succumbing to depression makes it worse, and coping with it by getting back to real life is the best thing to do.
And, talk to a counselor if your depression is really bad!
Jerilee
Samantha,
I wrote an article on the symptoms of depression. Here’s the link:
Recognizing the Signs of Depression
I hope it helps — and please let me know if you need any help coping with depression!
Gini, thanks for the St John’s Wort tip…I’d read that it can help with mild depression, but it shouldn’t be taken with antidepressants. And yes, I’ve also heard that depression is anger turned inward…and I think women have alot of unexpressed anger! Anger isn’t feminine, and defintely not encouraged for women.
Laurie
.-= Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen´s last blog post..How to Make Conversation for Introverts – Tips for Small Talk =-.
Interesting new look to your site, Laurie. Great tips for mild depression – I didn’t know why gardening felt good and now I do! Singing is a great idea – even just toning or chanting some high octaves helps me to feel better.
Giving a massage is an interesting one too – what about stroking your pet – that always makes me feel better.
For me, when I feel mildly depressed (which is a feeling of being down, slightly sad, and lethargic for me, but when I worked in the mental health field there were tests you could take to see what level of depression you have – a doctor can help with this) I find it helpful to journal about my feelings. Sometimes depression is repressed anger or old wounds coming to the surface that need to be acknowledged, felt and released.
If I’m also feeling a bit anxious (which is another symptom of depression for some people) I will sometimes take a herbal remedy like St John’s Wort or other herbs that help to increase serotonin.
.-= Gini Grey´s last blog post..Easy Meditation – 3 Quick Meditation Techniques for a Busy Life =-.
How do you know if you’re depressed? Are there specific signs of depression or do you have to get diagnosed by a doctor?
I didn’t know JK Rowling was depressed, either! I knew she started the Harry Potter series because she had no money and needed an income…but didn’t realize she was clinically depressed.
I hope you find the energy to try these ways to cope with mild depression. They’ll give you energy and laughter!
.-= Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen´s last blog post..How to Make Conversation for Introverts – Tips for Small Talk =-.
Interesting — I didn’t know JK Rowling was depressed at one time in her life. I’ve suffered with depression since I was 14 years old, and am slowing weaning myself off antidepressants. Thanks for these suggestions for women, they sound fun. Now I just need to get enough energy to go singing which is harder than you think.
Shelly