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Alternative treatments problem to help prevent depression from
Some people use natural products, worsening
including vitamin D and the herbal dietary Maintain ongoing treatment, if
supplement St. John’s wort, for depression recommended, even after symptoms let
Daily morning light therapy is a preferred up, to help prevent a relapse of depression
treatment choice for people with seasonal symptoms
affective disorder. Light therapy devices Join a support group.
are much brighter than ordinary indoor If you think you are in immediate danger
lighting and considered safe, except for of harming yourself, contact any available
people with certain eye diseases or taking emergency services or a crisis line.
medications that increase sensitivity to Managing a career and depression
sunlight. Living with depression can generally be
difficult; managing personal life and career
Self-care is almost an impossible task. It affects a
This can play an important role in career oriented person in different ways –
managing symptoms of depression and Disrupts cognitive functioning –
promoting overall well-being. communication, decision making, leading
teams and people- all are affected.
What you can do: Absenteeism – A person suffering from
Try to keep doing activities you used to MMD tends to have bad days, where
enjoy getting too work is difficult. These people
Stay connected to friends and family. Reach take more leaves than required.
out to them, especially in times of stress. Social norms – MMD forces a person to
Exercise regularly, even if it’s just a short regress from social life, avoiding people,
walk lack of empathy and cooperation.
Stick to regular eating and sleeping habits How do you manage?
as much as possible A few steps will help you manage your
Avoid or cut down on alcohol and don’t use career, while dealing with depression-
illicit drugs, which can make depression Communication with your team, with your
worse supervisors, is of key importance. Make
Talk to someone you trust about your sure they know what you’re going through,
feelings let them be your support.
Seek help from a healthcare provider. Set small tasks – it becomes difficult to
Remember you are not alone, and that concentrate on a project for a length of
many people have gone through what time, so set small goals. Achieving them
you’re experiencing and found help will go a long way to giving you incentive.
Take steps to control stress, increase Give yourself a break – Its ok to cut
resilience and boost self-esteem to help yourself some slack, to give yourself some
handle issues when they arise time off, from stress triggers and deadlines.
Practice self-care, for example by creating a It’s important to remember that depression
healthy sleep routine and using electronics is not a weakness or character flaw. It’s
responsibly and in moderation a chemical imbalance in your brain that
Get treatment at the earliest sign of a needs to be treated.
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #50 | AUGUST 2023 13
