Understanding and Managing Depression: Living Life Abundantly

Prout mentioned that in order to overcome this, we must be able to manage our mood. ?Managing mood or living life abundantly like Jesus said is possible,? she explained. To beat the ?blues,? she suggested adding some ?SPICE.? That is the abbreviation of spiritual, physical, interpersonal, cognitive, and emotional.

Spiritual means walking in step with the spirit of God. That includes worshiping, community, mission, and accountability. To manage the mood, as a part of community, we must not separate ourselves. ?If we become a lone wolf, we?re at risk,? told her. Realizing our mission in life is also another way. To realize this, we have to find out what God wants us to do in life. Accountability refers to the people that encourage us to the finish line.

In physical aspect, we have to be healthy. Exercising, diet, and resting are some of the ways. Interpersonal aspect lets us know that we belong together. People seek connectedness and it maintains the mood. In cognitive aspect, people need to evaluate thoughts. Negative thoughts must be avoided as it is often untrue and trap us into feeling low. ?The way we think leads to the way we feel,? Prout reminded. Emotional aspect lets us to allow and acknowledge feelings.

Depression, although it is often not recognized or treated, is a serious illness. It?s not just feeling down or ?blue.? People with depression find it hard to do their daily life. In fact, the World Health Organization ranks it as the lading cause of disability. Depression is caused by two aspects; stress and genetics aspects. Some of the risks that may lead to depression include family factors, situational factors, physical factors, and brand and chemical factors.

To help someone with depression, one must understand that recovery needs assistance. Furthermore, help is needed from family, friends, or even health and mental health professional. (dee)

UPH Media Relations