Depression is a clinical condition that causes much human misery. Despite much research, it remains difficult to combat depression effectively. But isn’t prevention ultimately better than cure? Depression is a common phenomenon in our modern society. With depression, a mood disorder occurs, which can be accompanied by depression and a greatly reduced zest for life, or emotional flatness. If someone is sad for a while, we quickly say that he is depressed, when in fact it is only a short-term dip. It is therefore better to use the word depression consciously and sparingly. Clinical depression only exists when a wide range of criteria are met. These are, among other things, recorded in diagnostic and statistical manuals such as the ICD-10 of the World Health Organization. In short, we can say that not every depressed period points to depression. Yet depression is common in the Netherlands and causes a lot of human suffering. Curing depression is very difficult. However, preventing it is very possible. Here are a few tips.

Make sure you get enough sleep and rest

To prevent depression, it is first and foremost important that we lead a balanced life. This means: enough sleep and rest, so that we do not become exhausted. If a person has not had enough rest, he is much more susceptible to negative thoughts and feelings. Daily life can also quickly seem overwhelming, which can also cause depressive feelings to arise more quickly.

Ensure sufficient human contact

A human being is by nature a social being. He needs other people around him in order to develop and to feel part of a meaningful context. For this reason, extraverted open people are less likely to develop depression than more closed people. So make sure you have enough social contacts, make new friends and visit places where people come together. Are you a bit shy and do you have difficulty making new contacts? Then remember that you can even have a nice chat with the postman, and also focus more on the people you already know. This includes acquaintances, colleagues and family.

Avoid negative thoughts

If you have negative thoughts, you also negatively shape the world around you. Negative thoughts are often linked to a negative self-image and a dark worldview. It is often the case that what you radiate also comes back to you in life. Therefore, try to take life less seriously in some areas and focus more on the beautiful things that life has to offer. Try to think of what really makes you happy. Music? Good friends? Development? Pay less attention to others and simply do what makes you happy.

Lifestyle

Your lifestyle is also important in preventing depression. People who live an unhealthy lifestyle often also have a much more negative self-image, which can lead to feelings of depression. So take good care of yourself. Drink plenty of water and eat healthy so you feel more powerful. In addition, do not use addictive substances and try to exercise enough!

Set your own goals

Feelings of depression are more likely to overwhelm us when we are dissatisfied with our lives. Realize that only you have the power to change your own life. Write down for yourself what you still dream of and what goals you have for yourself that you have not yet achieved. It is important that in addition to writing down those goals, you also design a time plan for yourself, to make achievement easier. This increases the chance that you will actually achieve your goals, and the chance of disappointment is therefore much smaller.

Eat consciously

Many people do not know that certain nutrients can also play a role in keeping depression at bay.

• Start the day with plenty of fresh fruit and foods high in tyrosine. Tyrosine is an amino acid and also the precursor of norepinephrine. Norepinephrine is a substance that gives you a sensation as if you have just returned from sports, relaxed but active. By exercising a few times a week you can increase the noradrenaline level in your blood. Foods that contain a lot of Tyrosine can help you with this. Products that contain a lot of tyrosine are: nuts, seeds, sauerkraut, dairy and grains.

• Try to eat foods rich in Tryptophan in the evening and after a busy day. Tryptophan is an amino acid and also the precursor of serotonin. Serotonin is a substance that helps combat sleep problems, anxiety and depression. Products that contain a lot of tryptophan are; lentils, bananas, dates, cottage cheese, organic cheese, cottage cheese products, grains, brown rice and sesame seeds. However, it is very important that tryptophan is only properly absorbed in the brain if you also eat something sweet with it. This is also where the advice to drink warm milk with honey comes from.

• In addition to the above substances, also use extra vitamin B complex. This can significantly improve the mood. Folic acid, magnesium, zinc and certainly vitamin B6 are necessary for the conversion of tryptophan into serotonin. It has been proven that many depressed people have a folic acid deficiency.