What happens after a depressive episode ends?
At this time, friends who have just come out of the haze of depression should feel very good. But it's worth emphasizing that this is still a very critical period.
There are two main goals in this phase: to prevent relapse and to adjust to a new life.
1. What can we do to prevent recurrence?
01. Continue psychological healing
Depression is an outburst of long-term accumulation of negative emotions, and the cause of this accumulation of emotions is our unhealthy mental pattern. Psychotherapy is also necessary for the cure of depression during the recovery period with professional doctors. In the long run, when a person's heart changes and becomes stronger, depression will not be so easy to invade.
It is recommended that every friend with depression should not ignore psychological healing, and even if it seems that he has recovered, he should insist on the practice of psychological methods. (Recommended depression friends can take a look at the book "Depression Check-in Self-Help".) ）
02. Know when you need to ask for help again
Although this is a very good stage, we need to emphasize that we need to have an objective and comprehensive understanding of our physical and mental condition, and know when to seek help in time, rather than waiting until we meet all the symptoms of depression.
Think about how you first found out you had depression and how did you feel? Are there any changes in sleep and appetite? Be a little careful about the same changes, and don't need to be overly vigilant.
03. Maintain social support
In addition to paying attention to symptoms, you can also avoid falling into self-isolation by engaging in social relationships on a regular basis.
Meaningful and comfortable relationships are essential for everyone. If you're an introverted friend and don't like to open up to others, it makes sense to spend time with someone you like.
Some friends who are depressed will make their lives more meaningful even if they simply join a group or activity. If there are other activities that you like, as long as they can effectively prevent social withdrawal, they can effectively help friends who are recovering from depression to prevent depression from recurring.
It's worth noting that online events are an effective way to connect with the real world, but they don't meet our needs for real-world connections, so it's recommended that you don't spend too much time on them.
2. Daily self-care we can do to adapt to our new life
01. Get a good night's sleep
A good night's sleep can relieve our physical and mental fatigue and recuperate various body functions, so that we can maintain our physical and mental vitality.
Sleep is the mirror of emotions, and poor sleep for a long time can lead to the accumulation of emotional problems, and vice versa. After recovering from depression, it is also necessary to pay more attention to sleep problems.
Practising Anapana is a great way to help us get a good night's sleep.
Everyday practice of Anapana is to sit cross-legged, but before falling asleep at night, when we want to use Anapana to improve sleep, we can lie in bed normally, focus on the breathing of the nostrils, and maintain an equal mind. For details, please refer to P92 of the book "Emotional Self-Help" - using anapana to treat insomnia.
02. Eat regularly and healthily
A healthy diet is also very important to prevent recurrence of depression. Try to eat regularly in daily life, eat more light, and eat less spicy and stimulating.
03. Moderate exercise
Moderate exercise can also help us reduce depressive symptoms, and for those who have recovered, it can also help reduce the probability of relapse. If there are complicating factors that you are unsure about, please consult your doctor before starting exercise.