Tips to Manage Anxiety and Depression

Depression is often considered as a regret of past and anxiety as a fear of future but sometimes it is just genetic and we can't help it. Medication helps in dealing with chemical imbalance and reflexes but in long run, we need to learn to handle our emotions. Anxiety and Depression can be maintained, here are some tips :-

1. Consult a psychiatrist/psychologist/family doctor. 

2. Anything apart from medication that may help you out is pranayama or other breathing exercises. 

3. Never google your symptoms/disease, you may start exhibiting them. 

4. Talk to your family members/close friends about your feelings and ask them to keep a check on you. 

5. Open up to your mentor/manager/a senior trusted colleague at your workplace.

 6. Ask for a change in set of responsibilities at work place or ask for a sabbatical if you need so. No one can help you out unless you ask for it.

7. People with depression and anxiety struggle with their thoughts at night or in solitude. If you don't live with your family, ask your flatmate to sleep in the same room. Try to spend some time with your family and friends even if you don't like. 

8. Engage yourself in recreational activities like cooking/gardening/singing to get rid of thoughts. 

9. You become very vulnerable in this phase, although you need to vent out your feelings but trust a very few people. Your parents, siblings, childhood/college friends, family doctor/therapist or a reputed trusted mentor at workplace can guide you well.

10. Take a social media break.

11. Do not over spend your money on unwanted therapy or spiritual pursuits. Consult with your well wishers before making this kind of investment.

12. If you are facing any trouble personally or professionally, talk to the concerned person, beating around the bushes is not going to help you out in long run.

13. Travel, give time to your hobbies, make new memories.

14. Pray, practice gratitude. The thoughts that you have while going to bed and the thoughts you wake up with impact your mindset a lot.

15. Try to limit your consumption of alcohol, caffeine and nicotine.

16. Make a list of your achievements and things you love about yourself, read it often.

17. Visit your family friends and relatives, break your routine, someday go for a walk, someday go for shopping.

18. Read some good self help books like "power of now" by Eckhart Tolle and "How to stop worrying and start living" by Dale Carnegie.

19. Be a watcher of your thoughts, if you cannot think positive, try avoiding negative thoughts. Observe your thoughts but do not get engaged in thought process. Give attention to the people and things around yourself.

20. Focus on breathing, this is the key. To control your emotions (anger, fear etc.), just shift your focus to your breathing. This will help you with your sleep as well.

21. People may consider you lazy, unproductive, rude, procastinator for a while. Do not take anything personally. They may not understand you and it is okay.

22. Walk away from everything that breaks your heart. Make yourself your priority for a while.

23. Clean your room and spend more time outdoors. Visit parks, waterfalls or places with good scenic beauty.

24. Pamper yourself. Cook your favourite food, get a new hair cut and buy some gifts for yourself.

25. Avoid negativity in every manner. Hangout with people who uplift your soul. Watch Light stuff like "Friends" or stand-up comedy.

26. Volunteer for a cause and help others.

27. Replace every negative thought with a positive thought or try to take CBT.

28. Spend more time with kids and pets.

29. Work on your will power and never lose hope.

30. When you complain, you make yourself into a victim. When you speak out, you are in your power. So change the situation by taking action or by speaking out if necessary or possible; leave the situation or accept it. All else is madness. - Eckhart Tolle

The negativity of years will not get vanished overnight, healing is a long process. You may feel good for months and one day suddenly you may encounter that emptiness again. Take baby steps, trust your journey. You may not overcome it completely but you can learn to handle it gracefully. Wishing more power to everyone!