Depression and Divorce – 3 Steps to Easing Depression During a Divorce, Part 2

Depression is a common occurrence for people who are facing the process of divorcing form a spouse. There are many changes and feelings of loss involved. Relationships with mutual family member and friends, living arrangements, access to children, finances, and a sense of lifestyle and the ideal of family life are impacted in significant ways. Lingering sadness, hopelessness, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, low energy, anxieties about the future, and changes in sleep or appetite can signal that depression is settling in. For severe cases, medical invention might be needed, but for many milder cases of depression, more natural approaches may manage the problem successfully. Here are the final 3 of 5 steps to easing the depression of divorce:

1. Implement a doctor approved exercise program. Exercise is one of the most important ways to elevate mood. If you choose cardiovascular exercise, you will receive great benefits. This is because the sustained, elevated heart rate that occurs with such exercise produces endorphins in the body that give us the “feel good” sensation. Biking, swimming, running, the treadmill, elliptical and basketball can all be good cardio activities.

2. Take the time to talk thing out with someone. A counselor who specializes in depression and in the particular issues you are dealing with can make a big difference, offering trained feedback and an unbiased approach to helping you work through your emotions. Spending time with loved ones is also important, as isolation is not helpful for depression. Be around positive energy as much as possible.

3. Try practicing other forms of self care, like doing small kindnesses for yourself, every day. Make a list of small activities or things you truly enjoy. Pick one item to do and cross off your list daily. When you exhaust the list, make a new one. You are sending yourself a message that you are worth these little pleasures, which is important to increasing your sense of self worth and reducing the depression symptoms.

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