How do decrease depressing thoughts or being depressed ?

Hello

I am an 17 year old male from Norway with very low self esteam (or how you write it) . Latly I have managed to lose 17 kg of fat (alias 37.48 lbs) and my weight is now 87 kg (alias 191.8 lbs) I am very strong psychology , but sometimes I tend to have depressing thoughts about how I look and being depressed .

Im very pretty but I have some "small" amount of fat left on my back and tummy. I know teenagers easily get depressed or have depressing thoughts because our mind has not fully growth yet .

When I exercise sometimes I feel better about myself and I have a greater mind than if I leave not to do it.


I take vitamins every day and I eat healthy .....


Is it any method to decrease depressing thoughts or being depressed ?


Iv would like to add if I sleep less than 4 hours I also tend to get depressed .......

[edit on 8-9-2005 by gamerman]

Spending a little time out in the sunlight sometimes helps me.
If I spend too much time indoors it can really affect my mood.

Congrats on the weight loss. I was heavy through high school and still am and I understand how hard it can be to take off weight!

If you do feel like you are depressed, my best advice is to seek out medical help from a professional.
1) In the US such help would be confidential
2) Many schools have programs like this already in place.
3) If you are religious, talking to your minister or priest can help.
4) It may not seem like it right now, but parents also can help as well and can be talked to as well.

Depression is and can be a pretty common affliction for people of all ages. Being 17 can be a very hard time for anybody. High School was extreemly difficult for me. I had a new school to go too, I did not know anybody, adn I was never good at making friends fast so it was tough.

One thing to also look at is what triggers it. You have already identified sleep and maybe you can aviod the things that are causing it.

Fred

Originally posted by AceOfBase
Spending a little time out in the sunlight sometimes helps me.
If I spend too much time indoors it can really affect my mood.

Ace brings up a good point. There is a connection between sunlight and depression called Seasonal Affective Disorder. If your depression seems to occur in the winter and fall, but not in the summer, these are signs that it may be the above.

But you always need to get a professional to check and make sure

It is a well known fact that doing exercise releases endorphins which is the bodys natural happiness chemical.

It is better the more often you do it. But beware if you suddenly stop doing exercise for any length of time you will find that the depression is worse.

I find that doing something new or tackling a problem makes me feel better too.

There is a school of thought that says negative emotions are absolutely useless.

As far as body image goes, you have a choice between:

* accepting that a stupid cultural stereotype of a "good looking body" is correct, and you must aspire to it

OR

* feeling good about yourself.

The worst case scenario is you distort your body image, and no matter how close you get to approximating a stupid cultural stereotype, you never look good enough to yourself. You develop anorexia, bulimia, or other diseases related to distorted body image.

I happen to believe that on a daily basis, if you can seek out and get positive and fulfilling (small) "uplifts" that are greater than the hassles you go through on a daily basis, then you have a recipe for feeling good about yourself.

If you're healthy, then it seems you are off to a great start!

Learn how to play the guitar or become profecient on any instrument. From my personal experience, my depression leaves the munite I start playing. Playing with others makes the bouts of depression get further and further apart. Find a passion, art, music, helping people, pets, fishing almost anything as long as it's not EATING or drinking alcohol. Peace!

don't tell no one

but I'm feeling a bit down and out, I make sure no one is home, then I put on my favorite playlist to the maximum volume and I dance around my house singing loudly to my favorite songs. I really get into the dancing too, guess that's the exercise connection and I always feel better afterwards.

Gamerman! congratulations! I've lost almost 50 pounds myself a couple of years back and kept it off.

Excercise and sunlight make a world of difference, but don't forget diet.

I lost the weight cutting out all sugars from my diet and felt really depressed. That is a factor as are other metabolic imbalances caused by dieting. So check your diet.

Another thing that improves mood are the essential fatty acids. Omega 3-6-9 supplements (or fish oil capsules) will improve your mood in a couple of days and they are good for your heart among other benefits (like clear skin). Try some and let me know.
.

Game,

I have to agree with two of the posts.
Go out into the light-sun- and go somewhere u like to hangout.
This can be a mall, electronics stores...whatever, as long as u enjoy spending time there.
The post from WW, is also some great advise.
If conditions allow-crank up your fav. high enery songs.
For me this is rock and roll-but it does not matter what so long as it tends to make u want to sing and dance.
If u can not do this at home may I suggest a nice drive-if u are of age-with the radio turned up. These have helpped me when I fell down and can;t seem to break out of it.


The worest thing u can do is stay in a dark room by yourself and your negitive thoughts.

I also find talking to someone-chatroom if you must, but live is better really helps. You get absorbed into other conversations and feel much better.


Last and most imp[ortant, you have m,any friends here at ats and we all care about U.

I have a great mother that I can speak with about everything so thats no problem. I try to look at positiv things as the Tibetian Art Of Learing (the book im readingnow) says.

I was an vegetarian for about 6 months and now I eat meat and healthy food.


But my depressions come randomly and I can control them sometimes


Right now I will go and take a 30 min sleep and when I wake up its boxing for about 30 min and then shower . Shower often helps me be clearer in my mind



Thanks for the answers ....

We all go through periods of depression, my husband calls it the "Chatter box" that is when you mind starts rolling with all kind of thoughts and they seem to take over.

I have been in the emergency room 3 times already with anxiety attacks, but I refuse to take any medications and rather do the fixing by myself.

Your are young your body is still developing and your weight is doing fine, I recommend to keep busy and like Ace of Base say take sun bath early in the morning.

Listen to relaxation music, and learn to breath to control the moments when the depression seems to be at worst.

I imagine that at your age you are still having some chemical adjustments, as your body mature, it will go away eventually.

Never keep to yourself any feelings that are not good, rather express them and if you have to scream to do it, find a places where you can do it without alarming others.

Drugs and alcohol are not the best way to go so stay away from that.

And at the end remember we all have problems and we just learn to get over and live life to the fullest.

Or. . .learn to deal with them.

Good luck.