In the United States alone, more than 16 million adults are diagnosed with depression each year. Needless to say, it’s one of the most common forms of mental illness.
Contrary to popular belief, depression is something that can cause so many other symptoms than just feeling overwhelmingly sad. Someone who is battling depression also tends to have reduced interest in everyday activities, fatigue, sleep changes, weight gain or weight loss, and reckless behavior. Mental health experts say that it can also aggravate existing medical conditions or increase risk of encountering them. If left unmanaged, it can be serious enough to end up in suicide.
Before depression becomes part of your everyday living, it’s a good idea for you to spring into action and avoid certain things that are known to make it come into being.
Read on to learn about some everyday habits that can cause depression. After reading this article, do your best to quit committing them. Also, feel free to share this on your various social media sites later on so that everyone you care deeply about may also avoid the following depression-causing habits:
Consuming Lots of Alcohol
Do you count on excessive amounts of alcohol each time something’s bugging you? Don’t, say the experts. That’s because your problem will simply show up once more as soon as the effects of alcohol wears off. It may even feel worse because of the depressing effects of alcohol to your system. If you cannot steer clear of drinking alcohol for fun, make sure that you take it in moderation only — a glass per day if you’re a woman and up to 2 glasses per day if you’re a man.
Smoking Cigarettes
Here’s another habit that’s as bad for your mood as excessive alcohol intake: cigarette smoking. Scientists do not really know exactly why smoking can cause depression, but what they do know is that the rate of depression among smokers is relatively high. If you’re a smoker, quit — it’s not just your mood that will greatly benefit from it, but also your lungs and entire cardiovascular system.
Being on Social Media Always
It’s not unlikely for you feel inadequate each time you check out your social media feed — status updates and photos may trick you into thinking that everybody is living a grand life except you. If after accessing your social media accounts you feel down, it’s a good idea to unfollow or unfriend people you don’t know — stick to individuals you feel genuinely happy for each time they’re feeling happy.
Staying Wide Awake All Night Long
Make sure that you get 7 to 9 hours of restful and uninterrupted sleep every single night. Otherwise, your mood will surely suffer — it’s not unlikely for you to feel irritated, cranky or depressed the following day. If you believe you have a serious case of insomnia that no home remedy can get rid of, it’s a good idea for you to seek professional help because in some instances insomnia can be due to an underlying medical condition that needs to be identified and treated.
Constantly Sitting
Did you know that exercising on a regular basis not only makes your waistline smaller, but also your mood better? That’s because it’s helps increase your happy hormones. Besides, failure to exercise on a regular basis can lead to weight gain, and it can considerably decrease your self-esteem. When that happens, it’s not unlikely for depression to strike.
Remaining Indoors All the Time
From time to time, it’s a wonderful idea for you to let your skin come into contact with the sun. This allows your body to get sufficient amounts of vitamin D, a nutrient that can help lift the mood. Just steer clear of the sun after 10 in the morning and also before 4 in the afternoon to keep at bay skin cancer and premature skin aging signs — they can definitely leave you depressed especially if you’re a beauty-conscious person.
Eating Processed Foods
If you’re fond of stuffing your face with all kinds of processed food products, don’t be surprised why it seems like you’re depressed all the time. According to health authorities, chemicals found abundantly in processed foods can cause hormonal imbalance, and it’s something that can definitely leave you with all kinds of mood-related issues such as depression.
