EPISODE #138- Breaking the Stigma: Practical Solutions for Managing Depression and Anxiety

Do you know how to spot the signs of severe depression? Every 50 seconds, someone takes their own life, and we need to stop this. In this episode of Win Over Depression, your host Tamera Trotter addresses the pressing issue of depression and anxiety, which are often inseparable companions. Together, we confront the stigma surrounding mental health and underscore the need for regular mental health assessments to prevent tragic outcomes. By grasping the persistent emotions of sadness and hopelessness, we enable ourselves to extend a helping hand to those who need it most.

Beyond understanding the problem, we provide actionable solutions. Learn practical techniques like breathing exercises, meditation, and progressive muscle relaxation to manage anxiety effectively. Discover the essential role of regular physical activity, a balanced diet, and sufficient sleep in maintaining mental well-being. Whether through therapy, support groups, or medication, we emphasize the importance of finding the right combination of treatments tailored for you. Tune in for an enlightening discussion aimed at enhancing your overall well-being and helping you manage the everyday stresses of life more effectively.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:10

Hello and welcome to Win Over Depression. I am your host, tamara Trotter. This podcast is dedicated to those who suffer with a mental illness but try every single day to feel better. It's also dedicated to those who may have family members or friends who have a mental health condition and you want to learn more about how to manage and help your friend get through the toughest times. Today, on when Over Depression, we'll be talking about how depression and anxiety is something that those who suffer with depression face on a consistent basis, and what you can do to help them, but also what are ways that we can overcome anxiety and depression, reduce our symptoms of depression and get to a much better place. Stay tuned.

Speaker 1: 1:08

I'm sure that you're probably aware that depression is the most undertreated condition in the world. Most people don't want to get treated for depression because of the stigma that society places on mental health. That society places on mental health and that is why over 800,000 people commit suicide every single year, which means that every 50 seconds, someone is choosing to take their life. We really need to shine a light on mental illness so that people feel more comfortable talking about it. So that people feel more comfortable talking about it, it's important to conduct a mental health assessment of our loved ones at least once per week, so that we are not blindsided by the fact that someone may in fact be planning to kill themselves, because depression is characterized by persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness and a loss of interest in activities that were once enjoyed. But with life being so busy, would you really know whether or not someone that you love is considering or contemplating suicide? Is considering or contemplating suicide?

Speaker 1: 2:28

Anxiety and depression, generally speaking, go hand in hand, but anxiety involves excessive worry, fear and an apprehension about future events or situations. Both conditions can manifest physically, emotionally and behaviorally, leading to challenges in daily functioning and relationships. So how do you manage anxiety? What would you do in order to really handle what's going on? When an anxiety attack presents itself? The most important thing to remember is to practice such techniques as breathing, meditation and progressive muscle relaxation when you are feeling anxiety. It's so important to have regular physical activity. Maintain a healthy diet that consists of vegetables and fish and protein is also important.

Speaker 1: 3:33

We should prioritize getting adequate sleep, and I know that that can be difficult, especially if you are suffering from anxiety. If you are suffering from anxiety, so you may need to take a sleep aid in order to get that sleep that you need, especially if you are suffering from insomnia, which is another symptom of depression, as well as anxiety. It's also important to make sure that you are managing your stress, and that means how do you know when you are experiencing symptoms of stress? Well, usually you may have a short temper, you may feel as though the world is just caving in on you, you may have palpitations in your heart and you may also have high blood pressure. All of these conditions need medical treatment, and so I encourage you, if you are experiencing physical symptoms during your anxiety, that you definitely seek help from a medical professional. You can also participate in therapy or support groups and consider exploring medication options under the guidance of a healthcare provider, so that you can manage your anxiety effectively.

Speaker 1: 5:05

I know that many times that people who are recommended to take medication for mental health conditions may not be willing to do so, but let me just say that I do take medication antidepressants and I rely on them, but I also do other things to help along the way, such as exercising, getting enough sunlight and making sure that I am surrounding myself with people who are positive and are going to help me to be the best person that I can be and for me to manage situations and circumstances that come up. We all have measures of stress in our life just due to our family and friends and just certain things that happen in life. It's just a part of life, but when we're able to manage effectively how we're feeling, that makes all the difference in the world. So think for a moment about situations that cause you to feel stressed. What is it that you do in those situations? Do the actions that you take cause the anxiety to increase, or do you take measures that cause that anxiety to decrease? Because when we are able to learn how to better manage our anxiety and our depression, it is going to improve our overall wellbeing.

Speaker 1: 6:37

Another very effective technique that you can consider starting is simply sitting in the morning before you leave the house for 10 or 15 minutes and just meditating, just keeping calm, closing your eyes, maybe listening to some upbeat music or soft music, and just thinking about the day ahead and praying. If that's something that you do, I definitely believe that prayer changes things. So when we're able to try to set up our day in such a way that we expect it to go well, then nine out of 10 times. That is what will happen when we prepare in advance, when we take the time to breathe in and out and relax before we leave the house. Try it and let me know how that is working for you. I know that many of you enjoy your morning coffee, but it is so important to limit the caffeine and also any alcohol that you consume, because both caffeine and alcohol can exacerbate symptoms of anxiety. We've talked about eating a balanced diet, which would also include whole grains, lean proteins, fruit, vegetables and healthy fat.

Speaker 1: 8:10

We also should consider how important it is to think positively, because cognitive behavioral techniques help challenge and reframe negative thought patterns that contribute to anxiety. It is important for us to replace irrational beliefs with more balanced and realistic perspectives, holistic perspectives. It's also crucial that we establish healthy boundaries. Can we learn to say no to commitments that overwhelm us, which is going to help us prioritize self-care? But saying yes all the time and loading our plate with so much is going to cause us to feel anxious and overwhelmed. So when we can set positive boundaries, we can help reduce stress and prevent burnout. Also, how about staying connected with supportive relationships? Seek support from your friends, your family or a support group if necessary, because connecting with others can provide emotional validation and reduce the feelings of isolation. It's actually normal when you are feeling depressed or anxious for you to be withdrawn and want to stay inside, but when you do that, it really just worsens your condition. So, whatever you can do, reach out to your accountability partner, if you have one.

Speaker 1: 9:51

I've talked so much about the importance of having at least one person that you trust with your feelings, who is going to help you through the tough times and be there when you need them the most. The other point is are there any hobbies or activities that you enjoy that can also help to reduce anxiety? Make time for these activities that will bring you joy and fulfillment. It can be something as simple as gardening, painting, taking up some type of game that you enjoy, having friends over. Anything that can distract you from your anxious thoughts and promote relaxation is going to help reduce your symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Speaker 1: 10:42

I've always talked about the importance of being proactive and deciding if you are going to take the necessary steps to feel better, because nothing will work if you are not committed to putting in the work in order to make progress. Remember that managing anxiety is a journey and it's essential to find out what works best for you, experiment with different strategies and be patient with yourself as you navigate through the process of overcoming anxiety. But as long as you believe in your heart of hearts that you can reduce your symptoms, you can absolutely get there. But when we are not sure of ourselves or we feel as if it's not going to be any different than the last time I tried, then it is going to be an upward battle for you. But when you decide to erase what has happened in the past and put your best foot forward, then you are positioning yourself for the best outcome and for an improvement in your overall health and well-being, and I want to see you get there. So I hope that you will consider adopting some of these techniques in order for you to see progress in reducing your anxiety and symptoms of depression.

Speaker 1: 12:23

I always want to mention the importance of getting out of your house and soaking up sunlight. Spend time outdoors and expose yourself to natural sunlight, which can help regulate mood and improve symptoms of depression, because when we stay in a dark place where there are no blinds that are open, then we do not have the opportunity to feel the sunlight. Also remember how important it is to take a shower every single day so that you can feel the warm water on your face and feel renewed. When we fail to take a shower, we forget about the importance of washing off the depression from the previous day. When we take that shower, it not only gives us a burst of energy, but it also affords us the opportunity to start a new day and to feel not only renewed but feel like the opportunity to start over is a fresh time in our lives, to begin anew and to see something differently when we look in the mirror.

Speaker 1: 13:49

Before I end this episode, I just want to talk to you about my personal journey overcoming symptoms of depression. And so I have been suffering from depression since about the age of 25. And I am 57 at this point in time, and so I just remember feeling helpless and hopeless and thinking that my life would always look this way and that all that I would be able to do is muster up enough energy to go to work and come home. But one day I decided that I was going to do something different. I started to research techniques for overcoming symptoms of depression and specifically applied what I thought would work for me in my life, and one of the things that I enjoy the most is listening to upbeat music in the morning. I particularly enjoy gospel music, and so that really helps to set up my day and put me in that better place.

Speaker 1: 14:54

Establishing a prayer life and a routine that reminds you of the importance of nature and creation and what all God has done for us is also important, because we have so much to be thankful for, even though sometimes we feel as if our life is a burden. But the reality is that if we are still here and we have our faculties and our brain is working, we're able to get up on our own unassisted, be able to cook for ourselves and clean and perform other daily tasks. We should be thankful and grateful, because, even though we may not feel as though we are living our life to our fullest capacity, we have to be thankful for where we are and do the work to get to where we feel we should be, where we feel we should be. So I encourage you to think about what you can do on a consistent basis in order to reduce your anxiety and to keep your depression at bay. I encourage you to go back and listen to several of my other episodes that are going to help you to get there. So whatever it is that you might need in terms of being able to manage your mental health is contained in the other 115 episodes that are available to you. I never want to end my podcast without thanking you so very much for listening.

Speaker 1: 16:28

I want to remind you that Win Over Depression is now on TikTok. You can find us on TikTok under when Over Depression W-I-N-O-V-E-R and depression D-E-P-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. I spoke to you several months ago about a journal that is now available. It is called the All About Me Mental Health Planner. It is a digital product that you can download today. You can find it by clicking the link in my profile on TikTok, but you can also go directly to the website, which I will repeat two times. The website is Penn site wwwpennsightcom. So once again, penn site P-E-N-S-I-G-H-Tcom.

Speaker 1: 17:26

You're going to have a backslash and an X, another backslash and when over depression. So the address is pensightcom backslash X, backslash when over depression. This journal is going to help you to get your mental health condition back on track. Your mental health condition back on track. It's going to help you by tracking your mood and giving you the opportunity to look back on where you stand in terms of your mental health. Also, every single month, I will produce a webinar to show you exactly how to use the All About Me Mental Health Planner, so please consider getting it today. It is the low cost of $19.99, but it will go up to $29.99 in the next month, so please consider getting it today. It will definitely help you. Remember, you can find Win Over Depression on Pinterest at TT Mental Health Expert. You can also find us on Twitter, instagram and LinkedIn at Tamara Trotter. That's T-A-M-E-R-A last name Trotter T-R-O-T-T-E-R. Remember you are the best part of when Over Depression.

Speaker 1: 18:48

I encourage you to keep pushing, keep moving forward, keep attacking your symptoms of depression and anxiety so that you can get to the life that you desire and deserve. If you are contemplating suicide, please do not take your life. There is more life to live. Go to sleep, sleep it off, try again the next day. Live. Go to sleep, sleep it off, try again the next day. You can also listen to all of my podcast episodes to get you to that better place. But please remember, when you commit suicide, you are transferring your pain onto your family and those friends who will not understand because they will be left behind. So please stay in the game of life, because your life is worth living. I will see you next week on Friday, on win over depression. Have a great week.