HOW TO STOP BEING LAZY AND DEPRESSED?

People always ask me, “Am I Depressed or just Lazy?” or they say, “Oh! Stop being lazy and depressed!”.

Let’s watch this 2-minutes video to understand the difference between Laziness and Depression:

Lazy people do not want to get out of their comfort zone. They do not want to do the things they once loved. They want to stay at home all day and night. They do not want to see anyone or do anything anymore so how to stop being lazy and depressed?

On the surface, laziness and depression do share some similarities.

Let us look at the differences between the two and determine whether you are depressed or just lazy.

  • Depression is a serious mental illness that impacts millions of people around the world each year.
  • People who are depressed do not want to be depressed or feel the way they do. Their depression and how they feel are completely out of their control.
  • Most of the time depression hits a person out of the blue, for no reason at all.
  • Laziness or being lazy on the other hand is a simple choice. If people admit it or not, the truth is we choose to be lazy. But we do not choose depression.
  • When we are lazy, we choose not to do something. Being lazy is not a crime. However, being lazy should not be confused with being depressed.
  • Just because you are not very motivated to get out of bed one day, does not mean you are depressed.
  • Depression does not last for a short period.
  • Many people who are depressed feel lonely, horrible, empty, and unmotivated for months or sometimes for years.

HOW TO GET RID OF DEPRESSION ALONE? 

Almost half of us suffer or will suffer from depression at some point in our lives, but the condition remains badly misunderstood and therefore often poorly treated.

Just like physical health, you have to maintain it by taking care of your body with exercise and eating the right food, and going to the doctor when you are injured or ill. With mental health, you also need to take daily action to be healthy. Also, when things are stressful, you need to take extra care to manage your mental health.
When you are deep in a depressive episode, it can be hard to see any light. It feels like you are at the bottom of the pit and cannot imagine how to get out of it.

At that time, you can take tiny steps and hopefully get some help out there. Do not allow yourself to get overwhelmed by the routine. Just choose one little step to start with and then take the next.

Morning Routine
  • Start your morning by praying.
  • Express gratitude for the day and for your life and for the opportunity you can use to do well in this world.
  • This builds a strong connection with God.
  • If you are not religious, you can do meditation or breathing exercises.
  • Try not to look at your phone first thing in the morning. Start your day intentionally, the way you want it to be. Do not let it get ruined by scrolling on social media.
  • Read
  • List down your goals and priorities for the day.
  • Do not watch too much news.
  • Also, sleep is super important in managing depression. Lack of sleep can cause depression and getting good sleep heals your brain from depression.
Get dressed and showered
  • This can be hard when you are depressed but being clean and dressed will enable you to feel more energetic.
  • You will get rid of your excuses.
  • Take your multivitamins.
  • Have green veggies and fruits.
  • No sugar or processed foods.
Exercise
  • There is so much research that proves that exercise is great for mental health.
  • It helps in clearing brain fog, and also reduces stress chemicals in your brain.
  • It helps in dealing with anger and frustration.
Nature time
  • Watch the skies and soak in some sun.
  • There is research that states both sunshine and nature and outside changing our physiology.
  • It slows our heart rate and decreases the stress chemicals.
  • If you cannot go outside, open your windows.
Evening Routine
  • Take some quiet time for yourself.
  • Soothe yourself with a hot bath or read a book.
  • Try to avoid heavy load work in the evenings which will only result in a high amount of stress.
  • Write and maintain a journal consisting of your wins and accomplishments of the day.
  • Practice gratitude as it is an essential habit of mental health. It is also an effective treatment for depression.
Other Self Care
  • Schedule some time for your hobbies.
  • Make time to have social interactions as well. It is essential for mental health.
  • Our brains are inherently social. We are social creatures.

If the individual is coping with depression and is not able to resolve it on its own, then how to help someone with depression and anxiety?

People would normally pour their hearts out or vent their mental agony to their friends or family before seeking medical treatment. But we are not professionals and if somebody is suffering from clinical anxiety and depression, then our job should be to take them to a psychologist or online therapist in India, or a counselor. 

To conclude, to find the answers to how to stop being lazy and depressed we need to reach out to a therapist at a clinic near you or an online therapist in India.

Feel free to reach out to us for counseling and psychotherapy sessions from our trained psychologists, and psychotherapists.