Depression is one of those mental illnesses that remain elusive for many people. Some still consider it a symptom of hysteria or chronic boredom. Some people banish it outright to the realm of the imagination. The reason that depression is still plagued by so many prejudices and misinterpretations is the social taboo that mental illness still represents.

The current state of research assumes that there is never just one single cause of depression. They are multifactorial. Our genes play a role, as do our diets and our trained problem-solving strategies. The good news is that there are several screws we can turn to prevent depression. We have put together 7 of these preventive tips for you in this article.

1. Face your problems, but most importantly, face your feelings

Hiding from your problems or trying to run away from them doesn't work. They find us always and everywhere and have probably even used the time to multiply. But also face your feelings, especially the negative ones. Write them down or talk to a professional about them. The root of depression always lies within us. It can be exacerbated or helped by external factors, but its origin is within ourselves.

If you make it an unhealthy habit to suppress your feelings and bury your head in the sand in the face of problems, you are literally inviting depression in. At some point, the negative feelings inside us explode and want to be felt with all their might. This overkill is then simply too much for us and problems unfortunately have the unfortunate tendency to increase in size while we close our eyes to them.

2. Hands off alcohol and drugs

Alcohol, interestingly enough, is still considered a mood enhancer. This effect may even occur in the short term, but in the medium to long term, alcohol has a very calming effect on us. Too much so. When we are prone to depression, we need every mood boost and every ray of hope on the horizon more urgently than anything else.

Reaching for a glass or a bottle then, of all things, has the exact opposite effect. Alcohol dampens our mood all the more and causes us to lapse into a hazy stupor. The same applies to most so-called party drugs. The short, euphoric high is followed by a deep fall. We are then left even more unhappy and discouraged than we were before popping the supposedly happiness-inducing pills.

3. Get out

If you want to know what depression fears most after a good mood and a burst of laughter, it's sunlight. This natural weapon in the fight against gloomy moods is the fastest way to prevent a long-term plunge into gloomy realms. To put it simply, sunlight promotes the production of serotonin. This hormone is well known as a natural, endogenous mood enhancer without a prescription, and for good reason.

A pleasant side effect of increased serotonin release is wonderful sleep. So the more you get out in the fresh air every day and soak up the sun in moderation, the better you'll sleep, and that in turn will have a positive effect on your state of mind in addition to the happy hormonal rush.

4. Change your lifestyle, especially your diet

One very practical aspect that many people still underestimate is the influence of our diet on our mood. Beware, chocolate and other sweets as well as a steaming plate of pasta or a delicious pizza may have the reputation of putting us in high spirits in a matter of seconds. But this effect is deceptive and ultimately has the exact opposite result.

As studies have impressively shown, it is above all a nourishment based on the Mediterranean or Crete diet that provides the best armament against depression. A handful of walnuts every day already has a positive effect on our mood within a very short time. By the way, the strongest accomplice of depression is fast food. If you succumb to this unhealthy trend, which is not called junk food for nothing, you are really making your best effort to become morbidly depressed.

5. Work on your self-confidence

Sounds easier than it is, doesn't it? In fact, everything that makes us happy or unhappy stands and falls with our self-image. If you don't have a high opinion of yourself, you can't expect to be adored by others. Negative self-talk, the constant lamentations of our inner critics, and clinging to absurd beliefs from childhood and adolescence are the door-openers to a lack of self-esteem.

We can work on this in many ways. Therapy with professional guidance would be a useful intervention. For those who need courage and encouragement, it is best to meet with loved ones as often as possible. Family and friends are happy to put our self-image in perspective.

6. Learn to cope better with stress

Be sure to find ways to cope with stressful situations without resorting to alcohol, chocolate, medication, or overeating. Unhealthy compensation strategies are at least as bad for us as slipping into psychological stress disorders. Instead, go for a brisk walk around the block. Exercise is one of the pillars of a positive attitude to life.

7. Pay attention to your thoughts

If you can turn your negative thoughts into positive ones, it will keep you from getting into a downward spiral from which you may not be able to escape. Too much brooding damages our psyche. We then picture abstruse scenes in our imagination that will never take place. Nevertheless, these horror scenarios do something to us. Blaspheming others and making bad jokes at your own expense are also pure poison for your soul.

Today's Conclusion: Simple self-help strategies against moodiness and melancholy

There is no cure for depression. Although there are now numerous tried-and-tested medications that most patients respond to very well, as is so often the case with illnesses, prevention would be the better doctor. If you have a family history of depression, or if you notice time and again, for example in the dark autumn and winter months, that your soul wants to drift off into dark chambers, try to help yourself.

The 7 behaviors mentioned are simple, cost-neutral and can be implemented at any time. The important first step, however, is to recognize that there is a problem that needs to be solved. That's it for today.

THESE Are Some Things You Can Do to Prevent Depression!