1. ISOLATION Everyone feels lonely from time to time, but long periods of isolation can have a negative impact on your physical, mental and social health. Staying in contact with loved ones can prevent lonliness or isolation. If your family dont live locally, technology can help you easilly stay in contact.
A CONVERSATION COULD SAVE A LIFE # talk
2. INSOMNIA Those suffering from depression can suffer from a range of insomnia symptoms including but not limited to, difficulty falling asleep (sleep onset insomnia), difficulty staying asleep (sleep maintenance insomnia), unrefreshing sleep, and daytime sleepiness. Although just 15% of people with depression sleep too much, as many as 80% have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Patients with persistent insomnia are more than three times more likely to develop depression. Therapists often use “reconditioning” as part of a treatment plan for insomnia. With this method, people are “reconditioned” to associate the bed with sleep. If you find yourself unable to sleep at all, get out of bed and move to another room, so that you only associate the bed with sleep and not with wakefulness.
Z Z Z A CONVERSATION COULD SAVE A LIFE # talk
3. EMPTINESS The symptoms of depression can be complex and vary widely between people. But as a general rule, if you are depressed, you feel sad, hopeless and lose interest in things you used to enjoy. The symptoms can persist for weeks or months and can be bad enough to interfere with your work, social life and family life. When you’re depressed, you’re in a rut. Push yourself to do something different. Go to a museum. Pick up a used book and read it on a park bench. Volunteer at a soup kitchen. Take a language class. You could do this with friends, or even meet new people while doing these activities.
A CONVERSATION COULD SAVE A LIFE # talk
4. SUICIDAL The excessive negativity caused by depression can lead to repetitive, unhelpful dwelling on death. Depression also reduces problem-solving ability and causes increasing ‘tunnel vision’, falsely making suicide seem like a solution to problems. Repeatedly thinking about suicide can be very risky. It should be taken seriously and dealt with promptly. Many of us have found that the first step to coping with suicidal thoughts and feelings is to share them with someone we trust. It may be a friend, a therapist, a member of the clergy, a teacher, a family doctor, a coach, or an experienced counselor at the end of a helpline. Find someone you trust and let them know how bad things are. Don’t let fear, shame, or embarrassment prevent you from seeking help.
A CONVERSATION COULD SAVE A LIFE # talk