Depression looks different for everyone. Maybe you’ve been feeling down lately or finding it hard to deal with things that normally wouldn’t get to you. You might wish you could find more motivation. Maybe you’re having more bad days than good days or you’re bored and lonely, things just lack colour. On MOST, we’ve got tools to help young people who are dealing with depression and the troubling thoughts and emotions that can come with it.
Am I depressed or just a bit sad?
No one likes feeling sad.
When difficult things happen, we can be left feeling miserable.
Sometimes nothing bad has to happen for us to feel rotten – we just do.
It can be helpful to understand the signs that may indicate you’re feeling a bit more than just sadness.
Exercise
Paying deliberate attention to the world around us can help calm the troubling thoughts and emotions that come with depression. One of the ways you can do this is by focusing on your breathing. Your breathing is always with you, making it the perfect anchor when you need to break a chain of negative thinking. Next time you find yourself in a spiral of negative thoughts, try this three-minute breathing exercise.
After you’ve read the instructions set a timer for three minutes and close your eyes.
- Sit up straight or stand comfortably.
- Now, bring your awareness to your body: what thoughts are going through your mind? What feelings are here? What about body sensations?
- Next, redirect your attention to your breathing: feel your belly move in and out, feel your breath move through your nose.
- Last, expand your attention to your breathing and your body: notice the pressure of your feet on the floor, look out for tension in your muscles, and breathe in and out deeply.
Your attention will wander as you try this. When you notice it has, gently bring it back to your breathing.
Final thought
The more you use this technique, the more you’ll notice its positive effects.One way to integrate it into your daily life is to practice it after an everyday activity.For instance, you could do three mindful breaths every time you write a text, boil the kettle or check the time.
Am I depressed or just a bit sad?
No one likes feeling sad.
When difficult things happen, we can be left feeling miserable.
Sometimes nothing bad has to happen for us to feel rotten – we just do.
It can be helpful to understand the signs that may indicate you’re feeling a bit more than just sadness.
Exercise
Paying deliberate attention to the world around us can help calm the troubling thoughts and emotions that come with depression. One of the ways you can do this is by focusing on your breathing. Your breathing is always with you, making it the perfect anchor when you need to break a chain of negative thinking. Next time you find yourself in a spiral of negative thoughts, try this three-minute breathing exercise.
After you’ve read the instructions set a timer for three minutes and close your eyes.
- Sit up straight or stand comfortably.
- Now, bring your awareness to your body: what thoughts are going through your mind? What feelings are here? What about body sensations?
- Next, redirect your attention to your breathing: feel your belly move in and out, feel your breath move through your nose.
- Last, expand your attention to your breathing and your body: notice the pressure of your feet on the floor, look out for tension in your muscles, and breathe in and out deeply.
Your attention will wander as you try this. When you notice it has, gently bring it back to your breathing.
Final thought
The more you use this technique, the more you’ll notice its positive effects.One way to integrate it into your daily life is to practice it after an everyday activity.For instance, you could do three mindful breaths every time you write a text, boil the kettle or check the time.
