Depression can feel like being trapped in a dark, heavy fog that dulls everything around you — like an overwhelming sense of sadness or emptiness, making even simple tasks like getting out of bed or eating feel utterly exhausting (if not fully impossible). And while your mind races with negative thoughts, you begin to wonder, “What’s the point?!,” and start to doubt whether things will ever improve. And though you still crave support from others, you also feel disconnected from the world and the people around you, as if a barrier separates you from happiness and normalcy.
This, in short, is what many people experience when they describe their depression. And although it’s questionable whether the term “depression” is even useful (because it can present itself in so many different ways), almost every fifth American adult is currently suffering from such symptoms; with numbers on the rise. And even if you never received an official diagnosis from a licensed professional, almost everyone will at some point in their life struggle with self-critical thoughts, feelings of emptiness, or a seeming inability to perform even the simplest of tasks.
We all need to learn how to deal effectively with difficult experiences, and there’s no better time than right now to learn the skills of mental resilience. With that being said, here are three fundamental lessons to help improve your mental........