There are several risk factors that have been identified to increase an individual's risk of developing depression. It's important to understand that depression can affect any individual at anytime, regardless of status, gender, age, popularity, or race.
Experiencing major life changes or unfortunate life events, such as losing a loved one can be really difficult. Realise that stress is among the leading causes of depression and other health problems.
Divorce is known to increase an individual's risk of experiencing depression. Statistics reveal that the depression rate is higher among many people who are separated or divorced, as compared to those who are happily married or living with their partners.
Some people may have an increased depression risk because of certain personality traits that they have, such as having a low self-worth, and being constantly worried about anything. Understand that having a negative thinking pattern can only lead you in a downward spiral, which can increase your risk of experiencing clinical depression.
How mindfulness can help with depression?
There are lots of simple ways to help you practice mindfulness. Realize that being mindful is sometimes all it takes to enjoy living your life more.
One simple way to help you practice mindfulness is to do less. Avoid doing lots of things at one time. This can keep you from getting your mind focused on a single thing. If you organize lots of activities in a single day, you'll be dashing from one thing to the next. This leaves you no room in between to think more clearly about what you're doing. In this manner, you'll only be getting on with your day on an auto-pilot mode.
Manage your schedule and make time to simply relax and do nothing else. Spend as little as 5 minutes each day to simply allow yourself to rest your mind and give it a break. Simply focus on your breathing and relax your mind and body. Understand that giving yourself a break every so often or whenever you need one can help you become even more efficient.
It's important to understand that it requires attention and regular practice to be able to listen mindfully. Your feelings and thoughts can interfere with your ability to listen. It can prevent you from being able to truly hear what another person is telling you.
To listen with mindfulness involves paying close attention to the speaker without interruption. It involves focusing your awareness on the speaker's words and gestures. One thing you can do to help you focus on what another person is telling you is to maintain eye contact. This shows the other person that you're interested to listen about what they have to say.
If you do not understand well what the speaker is saying, ask them nicely to clarify their statement. It's better to ask, rather than to assume. Making assumptions can often cause misunderstandings. So, do not hesitate to ask questions. And when they reply, see to it that you're listening with care and without judgment.
