ginaisabellasimone
- Jul 4, 2020
- 7 min read

How to Cope With Depression

Updated: Jun 15, 2021

I was first diagnosed with depression at the age of 17 and I was feeling suicidal. If you can relate or know someone who can then here are some practical guidelines to stop feeling like this. This is what has and does work for me:

First thing you MUST do is get help. Tell someone, call someone. Call a free helpline number in your country UK - Samaritans 116123 free 24hrs from landline or mobile.

*Take supplements daily: (Watch my video for more info. In the description on You Tube you will find links to more information on these products ) https://youtu.be/ueQW7cT-5Fs

Here are the ones that I take. Many of them are specifically known for treating depression 100% naturally. One of them, Organic Lithium Orotate is even used to treat symptoms of Borderline Personality Disorder BPD and Bipolar Disorder. Organic Lithium Orotate, Ashwaghanda,VitD3,VitB12,Magnesium,Turmeric & Black Pepper, Vit C, Omega 3 Fish Oils, MSM powder ( Methylsulfonylmethane )

*Work out regularly even if it's just a brisk daily walk to release excess energy that stress builds up in your body

*Avoid alcohol as it honestly makes me feel down unless I am out with friends. Even then I drink very little if at all. Alcohol is actually a depressant. It takes a lot of hard work and energy for your body to flush this out of your system which can really leave you feeling drained. A vicious cycle could occur when you are constantly feeling low and exhausted from drinking....which makes life's emotional challenges harder to deal ewith...so you drink some more. My advice to you is honestly cut our alcohol all together. And just think of all the money you'll save as well.

* Don't smoke. Smoking increases stress levels and personally makes me feel ill. Nicotine overstimulates your body and spikes stress. If you smoke, the feeling of relief that you get when you smoke is totally false. All that is, is the receptors in your mind getting their dopamine fix as the dopamine starts to drop off since your last cigarette. If you focus on raising your levels of dopamine in other ways then you actually won't need a cigarette. Studies have shown that achieving short term, daily goals, exercising, deep breathing , meditation or having a coffee all increase your Dopamine levels. Eating a healthy diet also contributes to this. If you smoke as a way of dealing with stress just try and remember that every time you smoke you are putting your body under extreme stress which is going to really take away from your resources in being able to cope with what you are already finding stressful!

*Express your feelings : journal, talk, draw, dance, it doesn't matter how you do it but ignoring negative emotions or painful feelings doesn't make them go away. Its more positive to be honest about where you are at; releasing this and then taking a break. It's really liberating and it will immediately shift your focus, bring some much needed relief and it will change your state of mind. That's really important.

If you are really struggling with depression then the key thing is to to ANYTHING that will at least shift your focus and your state of mind. Anything is better than feeling suicidal and hopeless. I don't say that lightly at all. I've been there so please know that I'm speaking from experience and with the utmost respect to anyone who is going through this.

*Eat good food. Healthy, balanced eating is a really quick and easy way to alleviate depression quickly. What you eat directly impacts the chemicals in your brain, your energy levels and mental clarity. All of these impact on how you deal with stress and manage your emotions. Honestly, eat well for the sake of your mental health not just your physical wellbeing.

*Meditate It's incredibly important to recognize that meditation is about so much more than "being still". When you meditate on a regular basis you are giving your entire being a chance to rest and recover. Doing this in a waking state allows your brain to function on an entirely different level. Meditation, among a host of other brilliant things, allows the various parts of our brain to function together in harmony. Our brainwaves change literally and it triggers an healing effect throughout every single cell in our body. Meditation also builds in a totally new perspective so that anything that happens in your life isn't overwhelming at all. Meditation allows space in your mind for inspirations and solutions to problems that appear naturally. This doesn't really happen when we are constantly rushing around with a mind full of chatter. Read my other article titled "The Truth about Meditation" for more information.

*Do what you love - work on some personal goals , even small ones. It will immediately remind you that you are really in control of your life even if is doesn't feel like it sometimes. Or just make time to do something just for the fun of it. Even if you don't feel that excited about it initially, doing something simply because it feels good is incredibly beneficial to your overall wellbeing, so there in lies the purpose! It's definitely not a waste of time.

*Being mindful of your thoughts and thinking - I listen to recordings every day made by my friends and myself that are full of beautiful, positive statements. Wow...pure medicine for the mind. Really is. So become aware of what you are saying up in your head when no one is watching. It really does have a massive impact on your life. When you work with me I create recordings for you that are filled with phrases linked directly to your desired outcome in all areas of your life. You listen to this every day and it literally reprograms your mind. It also triggers something on a universal level because as your mind starts to belief and accept that these things are possible, life itself responds and the right people, circumstances and opportunities start showing up in your life to make these happen.

*Gratitude - yes, it's been said a million times and I'll say it again. You can have aspirations to want to improve your life, lose weight, have more money etc....but don't wait for all of that before you feel grateful or to start loving yourself. You really will be much better off doing that right now...as you are. That's the real magic trick :)

Support Invest in some sort of therapy or speak to your GP about access to free services such as Hypnotherapy, Reiki, Counselling, Life Coaching, Meditation classes, discounted Gym membership even if it's just to use the pool etc. Once you start looking you'll realize that there is actually a wealth of support out there. You're never alone.

A little more about my journey... When my eating disorder had become undeniable at 17 I was submitted to hospital for psychiatric treatment. While in there I had a profound Hypnotherapy experience which really triggered my healing journey. I had started to manage my anxiety by developing anorexia at the age of about 14. But it took some time for me to actually reach out for help. And of course it took time for me to loose enough weight to look obviously malnourished. I ended up being checked in to a ward and spent my 18th birthday in hospital. Wow...something I'll never forget.

Firstly, I was and have since been prescribed antidepressants. I was suicidal at 17 and honestly didn't see any point to life at all. However, the two days that I felt the antidepressants in my system were a nightmare for me. I really hated the feeling of having those chemicals in my body....and it just caused more stress. So I refused them. And have done so every time that I 've been prescribed them ever since. I read up on all the side-effects. Being anorexic I was a totally stickler for wanting to know exactly what I was putting into my body. The eating disorder gave me a sense of control over my temple and there was no ways I was putting those toxins into it. So, I researched absolutely every alternative. And I discovered a lot. By that time though I had also been exposed to Hypnotherapy and I was awakened to the realization that I had inner work to do to alleviate the emotional pain I was in. No pill was going to do that for me.

So what did I do instead?

I worked on getting healthy. Physically healthy. I used art to express all of the dark and destructive emotions that I had to work through. I started telling people how I really felt and started asking questions many people are afraid to ask. And so began a good couple of years of healing. I'm 46 and of course, with the world not being the absolute utopia it could actually be, I still have to battle depression. But I have found and mastered tools that work so well for me now that it's really not a label I give myself. In fact, I never did. I never categorized myself as someone who "has depression". I have challenging times yes, but my perception of myself is that I am ultimately ok and am just going through life...riding the waves. Do I pop pills? Oh yes...lots. Do I have crutches...of course. But I am conscious to try and choose pills and crutches that are more supportive than destructive. I made a video sharing information on the supplements that I take religiously, every day to support my mental health. They also give me clarity, help me to stay focused and of course support my physical heath as well. But that's really the key. You my not realize this but every choice that you make actually affects your mental health. What you eat. Whether or not you move your body enough. The company you keep. What you watch on TV. What you read. Your thought patterns and beliefs.....nothing is separate. It all feels quite a lot to take on right? But the beautiful thing about connectedness is that if you just make a change in one are it will affect the rest. For me, the easiest thing to do is...pop a pill right? Let's be honest that's why doctor's are so quick to prescribe them. However, with me being so sensitive to chemicals and not getting on well with conventional medicine in general, I pop other pills instead. So below I'm going to list what I take and as well as a few other things that I do ( and don't do ) which really help me stay in the driving seat when it comes to my mental health. I really hope it helps you or someone you care about in some way. If you'd like to work with me please get in touch. I offer a free 30 minute consultation where we can chat about where you are at right now, where you would like to be and how you can absolutely get there! Gina Isabella Simone