Depression causes disconnection from ourselves and our loved ones. It often leaves the one diagnosed with depression feeling emotionally detached, while in the process leaving his/her loved ones feeling hurt and confused (Effects of Depression on Family and Friends). There are some warning signs of disconnection in depression that we, as the ones who battle depression, can look for in ourselves; we can also ask our friends and family to help us notice when they appear, too. Once we've learned to recognize the signs of disconnection in depression, we can take steps to start connecting again.

Although the self-care guidelines for depression can seem simple, when we are dealing with depression, self-care can be difficult. Self-care is “the practice of taking action to preserve or improve one's own health.”1 At a time when we feel like focusing on it the least is actually the time we need to focus on self-care the most since engaging in self-care can help with depression. Look at the following self-care guidelines for depression management. You may discover they're not so demanding after all.

Managing stress and depression on a day-to-day basis can be overwhelming. Depression is stressful enough without considering the everyday life stress everyone experiences. So, how do we cope? How do we deal with both our depression and stress that life brings us?

Why should you try exercises for depression treatment? Exercise has been widely known to help treat depression. Not only does it release feel-good endorphins, it gives structure to our days as well as distracts us from our depressed thoughts. In this post, you'll find the best exercises for depression treatment.

Choosing exercise to help treat depression is a great idea. Not only does it release feel-good endorphins, it allows for social interaction as well as gives structure to our days. In this post, I share how to exercise to help treat depression as well as three things to consider when you exercise to help treat depression.

Many of us face the loss of identity in depression. It feels as if there is a stranger living inside of us. We don't recognize the person we see in the mirror. It's as if depression has stripped us as bare as a tree in the midst of a long, cold winter. It's difficult, but I deal with a loss of identity in depression and so can you.

Exercise helps depression. Unfortunately, when we are dealing with depression, exercise can feel like the last thing we want to do. While we understand there are benefits of exercise such as it helps to reduce the risk for lifestyle-related diseases, counteracts the daily effects of stress, and shapes our bodies by building muscle, we often forget that it also helps alleviate depression. Needing to get motivated to exercise again, I’ve spent time thinking about how exercise helps with depression.

Comparing ourselves to others worsens depression. When I do it, it adds fuel to my negative thoughts and the descent starts there. I have discovered some ways to keep the comparison beast from taking over my mind and my life and therefore worsening my depression.

Feeling self-conscious when I am depressed is common for me. I worry about every single thing I do and say. I have found hope in the fact that there are ways to lessen this self-conscious feeling when I’m depressed.

We should celebrate achievements when we're depressed because it's a wonderful way to bring positivity into our lives. When we are depressed, just getting through a day without falling part can be difficult. Many times, getting out of bed and showering requires great effort. Then, add in all of the other items on our to-do lists, and achieving anything feels nearly impossible. At times like these, it’s important to be gentle with ourselves and celebrate our achievements. I've thought about why this is important and how we can celebrate achievements when we're depressed.