Depression, this word, modern society considers it to have a significant relationship with people’s mental health, being a manifestation of individuals feeling low. Many people think it is far away from themselves, but in reality, it is always intertwined with us, especially more prominent after the arrival of winter, which is a peak period for depression.
When it comes to depression, the population suffering from depression, especially in autumn and winter, tends to increase. With the surrounding environment transitioning into winter as leaves fall, everything around becoming dormant, individuals may feel lifeless due to these external factors, leading to feelings of low mood and gloom. Coupled with the body’s metabolism and physiology being in a reduced and inhibited state, depression is more likely to occur.
Winter is a peak period for depression, and there are three categories of people most susceptible to it
â‘ People under significant stress
In today’s society, many individuals are striving for their futures. While some achieve certain successes, most often aren’t rewarded for their efforts. Consequently, many people face immense mental stress and tend to experience anxiety.
Stress, stress, stress. Regardless of the industry, individuals facing excessive stress are more prone to depression. As life’s pace accelerates, the number of people suffering from depression continues to rise, with the primary reason being overwhelming stress.
â‘¡ Individuals with poor sleep
Friends with prolonged sleep disorders are highly likely to experience mental anxiety and emotional instability, significantly increasing the risk of developing depression.
Within the population affected by depression, a large number of patients with depression face insomnia issues in the early stages. They might find it extremely difficult to fall asleep, get entangled in nightmares even when they do fall asleep, or wake up at the slightest noise, struggling to enter a deep sleep state.
â‘¢ Introverted individuals
Introverted individuals significantly reduce their voluntary activities, leading a passive life, unwilling to participate in external activities they are usually interested in, frequently choosing solitude. They do not like to disclose their true feelings to others and tend to keep their emotions hidden deep within. Even to their closest companions, they refrain from expressing true emotions. Over time, this behavior pattern can lead to developing depression. Reduced communication with others decreases the likelihood of experiencing depression.
If you feel depressed, it is essential to adjust promptly to prevent the harm caused by depression.
Depression poses significant risks. Firstly, it can spread like an infectious disease, affecting the surrounding individuals, making relatives and friends anxious. Secondly, if not timely addressed, depression can seriously harm society. Individuals enduring a prolonged state of depression and mental distress due to significant pressure are likely to develop a sense of disillusionment towards life, lose hope in the world, and perceive death as a means of escape. This can easily lead to suicidal incidents, causing adverse effects on society.
To stay away from depression, adhere to the following five measures
In modern times, depression might seem like a newly emerged term, but in ancient China, it already existed, and there were effective methods for managing depression. Since depression is primarily caused by mental issues, adjustments must also be made from a mental standpoint.
In traditional Chinese medicine, humans and nature are viewed as an entity, emphasizing the importance of harmony between nature and mankind, which is the healthiest state for individuals. Apart from physical health, mental well-being is also crucial. In the ancient Chinese medical text “Huangdi Neijing,” in the section “Shang Gu Tian Zhen Lun,” a passage reads, “Calm and empty, true energy follows. When the spirit is kept internally, will diseases dare to approach?”
Essentially, it suggests that the “essence, energy, and spirit” within the body should be preserved and not dissipated externally, making the body less susceptible to diseases. This principle also offers an effective way to address mental illnesses.
In today’s lifestyle, excessive mental exertion, high stress levels, and exhaustion of mental energy can lead to imbalances in essence and spirit. When essence and spirit are not nurtured, mental issues are more likely to arise. Hence, there is a certain relationship between depression and the lack of spiritual nourishment.
To prevent depression and keep it at bay, the most critical step is to nurture the spirit, allowing the individual’s essence, energy, and spirit to restore balance, consequently alleviating depression.
â‘ Learn to be tranquil
Tranquility is one of the best ways to nurture the spirit. As the saying goes, “Action nourishes the body, tranquility nourishes the spirit.” Tranquility nourishing the spirit primarily involves mental regulation. By adjusting our mental processes, we can achieve spiritual nourishment. It is akin to our body being a city; our “spirit” is the general within the city: the body needs direction from the “spirit”. If this city becomes desolated, it will lose vitality. According to traditional Chinese medicine, the impact of emotions and desires on the body is significant, with emotions such as anger affecting the liver, joy affecting the heart, fretfulness affecting the spleen, sorrow affecting the lungs, and fear affecting the kidneys. Tranquility can effectively regulate emotions and nourish the “spirit.”
â‘¡ Maintain warmth to prevent catching a cold
In nature, spring rises, summer thrives, autumn harvests, and winter stores. During winter, nature is in a period of conservation, and similarly, human bodies are also conserving energy. Failure to maintain warmth during this period and catching a cold will lead the body to expend its internal resources to combat the external cold, depleting energy reserves and disturbing the mind. When the spirit is not nurtured, mental agitation, anxiety, and susceptibility to depression increase.
â‘¢ Soak up the sun frequently
The act of sun exposure, often overlooked by many, is one of the best methods to prevent depression. Many individuals suffering from depression tend to lack adequate exposure to sunlight. Depression can be likened to a cloud overshadowing the mind, and frequent sun exposure can disperse the clouds in the mind. In conditions of abundant sunlight, individuals are more likely to nurture their spirits. Similar to how grass needs sunlight and rain, humans also require the bath of sunlight. Sun exposure not only prevents depression but also slows down the aging process.
â‘£ Pursue a personal hobby of interest
A lack of goals or direction contributes significantly to the population affected by depression. Absence of personal interests often leads to unhappiness, further exacerbating depression. Preventing boredom is essential to avoid falling into depression. Cultivating interests that evoke strong emotions is beneficial, as it allows individuals to focus their energies on acquiring knowledge and creatively completing activities at hand. Engaging in concentrated mental hobbies can disperse attention from depressive emotions and reduce the likelihood of experiencing depression.
⑤ Maintain a healthy daily routine
A good daily routine is crucial in preventing depression. Poor sleep quality increases the risk of depression. By maintaining a proper daily routine, individuals should sleep when needed, avoiding excessive rumination or overthinking. Nurturing the mind in this manner helps keep depression at bay.
