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One in ten people in America struggles with depression, and their way of coping is mostly through antidepressant medication to treat or manage the illness. However, it is a known fact that tablets and pills are not the absolute solutions. Studies have shown that exercise is a very potent solution as well. Some people who have maintained a regular exercise regimen claim that exercise works as effectively as antidepressant medications. However, it is not sufficient enough for someone with intense depressive symptoms.

Initiating exercise stimulates a biological flow of events that leads to several health benefits, including improved sleep quality, protection against diabetes and heart diseases, and reduced blood pressure. High-level exercises release endorphins, feel-good chemicals, throughout the whole body, consequently leading to a ‘high’ that people usually feel when they run or ride the bike. For most people, though, prefer to do low-intensity exercises that are prolonged and sustained. This type of activity stimulates the surge of proteins known as growth or neurotrophic factors and causes the nerve cells to develop and create more synapses. Ultimately, brain function improves, further improving one’s overall well-being.

However, when a person is depressed, neuroscientists observed that some part of the brain, especially the part that aids in mood regulation, is relatively smaller.

Getting Started

Depression presents physically through sleep deprivation, decreased energy, body pains, increased perception of pain, and changes in appetite, all of which may lead to decreased motivation to exercise. It is difficult to begin, and depression is not easy to destroy, but moving a little bit will definitely help you start a better routine. You can start with walking or dancing five to ten minutes a day. Soon after, your five minutes of activity will progress to 20 and then 30.

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about depression and other things that can help alleviate it.

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What is the number 1 cause of depression?

There are actually many causes of depression. These include substances that the individual may be taking (drugs, medications, alcohol), other medical illnesses, severe stressful events, and genetic predisposition can definitely impact how brain regulation goes about.

How can I lift my mood?

Here are some simple ways to help improve your mood:

• Listen to your favorite music.
• Organize your home.
• Have a good laugh with friends.
• Walk around the neighborhood or the park.
• Think about the good things that have happened in your life.
• Permit yourself to vent.
• Give a hug to someone you care about.

What is the most serious form of depression?

PDD or persistent depressive disorder is a type of depression that exists for two years and over. It is also known as chronic depression or dysthymia. Persistent depression may not seem as severe as major depression, although it could still damage relationships and make everyday activities difficult.

What increases the risk of depression?

In a lot of cases, depression and substance abuse go hand in hand. Alcohol and drugs may cause chemical alterations in the brain that increase the risk for developing depression. Self-medicating with alcohol and drugs could also result in depression.

What are the 9 causes of depression?

The most commonly known causes of depression include:

• Family and other personal conflicts
• Loss or death of a loved one
• Physical, sexual, verbal, or emotional abuse
• Particularly medications that may cause depressive side effects
• Personal issues
• Serious medical conditions
• Genetic predisposition
• Major life events

What gender is more likely to be depressed?

Females have almost twice the likelihood of developing depression compared to males. On the other hand, depression can happen at any age.

How does depression affect synapse?

Clinical experiments reveal that depression is linked to decreased brain areas that control cognition and mood, including the hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex. A reduced neuronal synapse is also seen in these areas.

Does depression count as a disability?

Depression is recognized as a psychiatric disability according to the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is a particular mood disorder that has been known to disrupt one’s daily tasks, which may include one’s capacity to work. Depression often becomes too extreme that a person cannot go to work anymore.

What does a mental breakdown look like?

The phrase ‘nervous breakdown’ is occasionally used by people to refer to a stressful event by which a person is temporarily not capable of functioning normally in his daily life. It is typically believed to happen when life’s demands get emotionally and physically daunting.

Do you cry during a mental breakdown?

Yes, people who suffer from mental breakdown usually cry when they feel helpless. They also feel depressed and detached and may present with emotional outbursts of overwhelming anger.

Is it normal to cry for no reason?

Crying is completely normal, although you may want to control your crying, or it may be why you develop a health condition. If you can’t stop crying, you might need to talk to someone you trust or a mental health professional. You could have a medical issue that requires treatment.

What are 5 emotional signs of stress?

The five signs that you see in a person who is emotionally stressed are as follows:

• He presents with personality changes.
• He isolates or withdraws himself from other people.
• He seems overwhelmed and hopeless about his situation.
• He ceases to take care of himself and neglects personal hygiene. He may also engage in unsafe behavior.
• He is often anxious, moody, irritated, or angry.

How do I heal myself mentally?

If you want to heal yourself mentally, try these:

• Care for your body and mind. This definitely helps maintain or improve your physical and mental health.
• Value yourself. Be kind to yourself and practice self-respect. Do not criticize yourself too much.
• Go with those who can influence you positively.
• Learn strategies that would help you manage your everyday stresses.
• Create realistic goals for yourself.
• Quiet your heart and mind by learning how to meditate.
• Do something inspiring today.

What’s good for mental health?

There are simple ways to maintain or improve your mental health. These include:

• Eating a well-balanced diet
• Talking about your feelings to someone you trust
• Drinking moderately
• Seeking help when you need one
• Taking a break from the workplace and other stressful situations
• Keeping in touch with family and friends
• Doing something that you’re great at

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When depression or anxiety strikes, exercise, along with the other activities mentioned above, might be the last option for you. But when you have enough confidence and determination, all these can indeed make a lot of difference.

Exercise aids in improving and preventing several health issues, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and arthritis. Studies on anxiety, depression, and exercise have revealed that exercise’s physical and psychological benefits also help enhance mood and decrease anxiety levels.

The connections between anxiety, depression, and exercise are not completely clear, but engaging in training and other vigorous physical activity can most certainly alleviate depression and anxiety symptoms and enhance one’s perception of himself. Exercise also helps prevent anxiety and depression from relapsing once you are feeling better.

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Children love to go biking. It’s fun to do, and it gives them the freedom to move about. As parents, you don’t need to wait for your kids to grow up before you buy them a bike. Decide with your spouse that you can enjoy the benefits of cycling not only for your children but also for you and the rest of the family as well.

It has been a known fact that there are many, many benefits of going biking, both mentally and physically. Many families go biking for fun but little did they know that it is an excellent way to bond, be active, and stay healthy with the whole family. You’ll just need to invest in a durable bicycle.

Benefits Of Cycling For The Family

Riding the bike with the family comes with a lot of benefits. It improves adults’ and children’s health. Medical professionals recommend cycling as much as every day if possible, as making it a hobby will prevent you from having diabetes, mental disorder, obesity, heart disease, and other life-threatening conditions. Cycling increases the body’s metabolism and aids in keeping a significant amount of weight off. It also improves muscle tone, particularly in the thigh, bottom, and core muscles. You can attain the fit and healthy look that you had when you used to hit the gym. Cycling must not only be for the immediate family, but you can always bring your grandma and grandpa as well.

Parent-Child Connection

Instead of spending hours in the living watching television or using your smartphones, it would be much more fulfilling if the entire family goes outdoors and takes a leisurely ride around the neighborhood. Go biking together or join cycling competitions. Or better yet, sponsor a biking competition in your community. This would offer your community members the chance to be healthy and happy. You will also get to create wonderful memories together with all members of the family. For the kids, this is beneficial for their mental, physical, and emotional health, decreasing their anxiety and stress levels and keeping depression at bay.

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Kids Interact With Their Environment

Most kids always love to stay outdoors, which is good for them. They get fresh air and vitamins from the natural sun. This also helps their sleep, which in turn aids in their growth. Biking enables your kids to spend time outdoors, especially when the weather is sunny or cloudy.

Cycling Helps Reduce Stress

The connections that you have with your kids when you bike together decreases the pressure that could be increasing among the members of the family, particularly between the parents and the teenagers. Going biking around the neighborhood with the children is a great way to ease the increasing tension in each of the family members. While you’re at it, you might as well drop by the houses of your kids’ friends and get to know them. The more you bond with them, the more you learn who your kids are. This also helps improve communication.

Sufficient Play Time Is Recommended

According to pediatricians and other medical professionals, kids should be encouraged to have physical activity for at least one hour daily. Doing this helps them increase their energy and improve their performance in school. It is also beneficial for them to be introduced to physical and healthy activities when they are younger.

It Can Save You Money

Biking with the family is one of the most convenient ways to get some exercise incorporated into your everyday routine. Why? Because riding a bike can be a form of transportation. Deciding to bike to your destination rather than taking the bus or taxi saves you a lot of money. You can let your children bike two or three days a week, and you can do the same when you go to work. You’re hitting two birds on one stone – you get to save, and you get to do some low-impact exercise. It’s cheaper than enrolling in a monthly gym or dance class. Just invest in a good quality bike, and you’re good to go after that – no need to pay monthly fees.

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Feeling Of Freedom

A bike is the first form of transport that your child will likely own. This will somehow give him a sense of newfound freedom that will test your authority as parents. Going biking introduces your kids to something new, but it must come with supervision, particularly regarding how they deal with this freedom. Soon, they will establish a unique connection with their bikes. Remember to keep track of their whereabouts, as these bikes will be their way of going outside and meeting new friends.

Conclusion

So when is the best time for your children to start biking? Start them young. And be with them in their cycling journey. You’re making wonderful memories with your children while staying fit and healthy as a whole family as well.

Are you one of those adults who discourage children from being on the web far too young?

It’s okay if that’s how you honestly feel. Kids tend to play online games and watch so many YouTube videos these days. In the process, studying, doing homework, and even eating come last in their priority list.

Despite that, you should not barricade them entirely from the internet as well. Doing so can crush their interest in creating social media accounts in the future, thinking that only folks who have nothing better to do in life have them. This idea is not merely far from the truth, you know, but it also deprives youngsters of gaining its mental health benefits.

“The prevalence of social media has created many new and daunting challenges, and parents have a  key role in educating and supporting their children as they navigate them,” according to Janet Rosenzweig.

Find out below why therapists agree with the use of social networking sites to some extent.

1. It’s Effortless To Seek Support Online

When you have anxiety or depression, whether it’s diagnosed or not, your relationships with your loved ones are possibly suffering. You refuse to let them see you in that state; thus, it has become your goal to avoid them all the time. If someone invites you for lunch or dinner, you say no. Even when you’re at home, and family members are calling you out, you only leave your room when they’re gone, or you can no longer quench your hunger.

Considering you’re still not ready to receive support from people within your inner circle, then social media can get you closer than ever to strangers who can do that. They are usually the folks who battled a similar illness or whose beloved is dealing with the same problems that you have. Hence, they’ll be able to offer guidance until you can move past the disorder. “Because social media has become such an integrated component of human interaction, it is important for clinicians interacting with young adults to recognize the balance to be struck in encouraging potential positive use while redirecting from problematic use,” said senior author Brian A. Primack, M.D., Ph.D.

2. You’ll Have An Outlet For Your Thoughts, Dark Or Not

One thing that’s difficult to do in the real world when you are full of emotions is to go on the street and shout there until your voice becomes hoarse. That will undeniably cause passersby to call the police and ask them to take you away from the scene. Worse, they may even sensationalize it and have you admitted to a mental hospital for a specified period.

It’s best to keep in mind that freedom of speech has its limitations too. The only platform where you can speak up about your feelings, no matter how dark they are, is a social networking site. You have control over your account there, so you may post texts, photos, or video clips there as much as you please. The type of content that the administrators will allow isn’t restrictive either – another plus that’s hard to achieve elsewhere.

3. Reaching People With The Same Issues Seems Easy

Finally, when you want to talk to others regarding the symptoms you’re noticing on yourself, you won’t have to visit counseling clinics or community centers now. There are survivors of certain illnesses who generate a public page on Facebook that anyone can visit anytime. Others commune in websites, which you can also go to for advice and recommendations.

Just like any invention on the planet, social media channels are highly useful to humanity. The developers created them, after all, as a way for individuals to connect with each other. It isn’t the websites’ fault if some folks go overboard and stay online 24/7. Hence, no one should claim that they only bring harm to users. According to Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., “Social media is a space where we can connect socially and engage in kind and helpful behavior—activities that have been shown to boost health and well-being.”

Consequently, in case your need for mental health support exceeds the virtual realm, then feel free to know here if you should go to a therapist or psychologist: https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/psychologists/what-is-the-difference-between-a-therapist-and-a-psychologist/.

Ultimately, you can benefit from social media and other online platforms if you need to talk to a therapist for your mental health concerns. You just need to subscribe to the BetterHelp app and then you are given the opportunity to get connected to a qualified and experienced counselor that can provide you with credible information about a specific issue that you are bothered or worried about. They offer various types of therapy, each carefully discussed and dealt with to help you reduce the stresses that you face during these times. Learn more about what their clients say about BetterHelp by clicking here. Good luck on your way towards a stress-free life!

Understandably, with all the negative things you are facing due to the pandemic nowadays, you are well aware of the stress levels you have. Despite your effort in managing your physical, emotional, and mental health, you still can’t seem to work on it entirely. With that, instead of changing for the better, you get stuck on purposely making some habits that you know damages your health. Here are some of the few negative things you probably do.

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Not Eating Healthy Foods – It would be very convenient to use the global health situation to excuse yourself from eating the right food. You might say that due to the financial strain, it is difficult for you to have nutritious meals on the table. Honestly, it is a factor. But thinking about the whole situation and how eating healthy foods are receiving a lot of emphases right now, perhaps you can always make some changes to that. And as much as you are capable of eating a lot of foods you like during this time, you should avoid overeating sweets and junk foods. But don’t get it wrong and think that you need to avoid eating for that case. If there is no available food, consider eating something that can pump up your energy because not eating anything is no different from eating unhealthy ones.

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Not Getting Enough Sleep – Of course, you feel anxious and terrified about this whole pandemic situation. However, it is not enough reason to not have enough sleep. If you think about it, the lockdown situation not only encourages you to change your routines but also allows you to take rest. Perhaps it is not easy, and the struggle for everybody is different. But that is more reason for you to stay mentally, physically, and emotionally healthy. It would be best if you allowed yourself to fix itself because the more you deprive yourself of sleep, the more your mind and body will be less capable of handling this situation.

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Not Doing Enough Physical Exercise – This whole health crisis limits you to do a lot of things. You can’t go outside and do the things you usually do. However, it should not stop you from maintaining a healthy body since it is one of the essentials of preventing yourself from getting infected. You have all the time and improvised resources around you to practice fitness and health. It is not going to be a burden since a 10 to 15-minute workout will already make a difference. If you do not like to follow certain routines, you can work on other things that require physical activity. You can clean the house, build a home-improvement project, work on a DIY task, and so on. The ideas are endless.

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Not Socializing With People

Yes, as much as you want to practice social distancing, you need to find ways to socialize even if in a different way. Not only socializing with other people will keep your mental and emotional health intact, but it will also save you from boredom and isolation. Do not let this situation limits you from getting close to your friends and loved ones despite the physical distancing protocol. Consider texting, chatting, or calling them from time to time to get updated on their lives. Maintain a healthy relationship with people because that is one of the things that can save your sanity during this uncertain time.

Indeed, since there is no cure yet to this Coronavirus, you will have to deal with your life changes for quite an extended period. Therefore, be sure to avoid harmful habits.

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