Tips for Navigating Depression 

When to get immediate help

If you’re having thoughts of harming yourself or feel unable to keep yourself or others safe, or a loved may be at this point, reach out for help right away. It's completely okay and a sign of courage to ask for help for yourself or help a friend or loved one get the help they need.

Contact your local emergency services, a crisis hotline, or go to the nearest emergency room. 

In the U.S. or Canada, you can call 9-1-1 or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. 

If you’re elsewhere, check local resources—many countries have dedicated crisis lines and chat services. Put a sticker on your phone to have it available.

About Depression

According to the depression fact-sheet by the WHO, depression is defined as "Depressive disorder, or depression, is a common mental health condition that can happen to anyone. It is characterized by a low mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time.

The Mayo clinic states about depression: "More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness and you can't simply "snap out" of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don't get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychotherapy or both."

Depression is different from regular mood changes and feelings about everyday life. Depressive episodes last most of the day, nearly every day, for at least two weeks.

Life problems, for example a health crisis, conflicts at school, work, in relationships or severe financial difficulties can also result in depression, especially when there is no foundation and grounding in deep purpose and spirituality.

Prevention programmes have been shown to reduce depression.

There are also effective treatments for depression, and the results are best if several modalities are combined in a way that we describe as holistic health - on a physical, mental, social and spiritual level, as part of a holistic healing program like the one offered by Dr. Sujan Sen.

In the short term, anti-depressant medications can also be helpful, as can be changes in nutrition and adding targeted natural supplements.

The Role of chronic stress in depression

Generally, stress is a term used to describe the body's natural response to a perceived threat or challenge.
It is a physiological and psychological reaction that occurs when we feel overwhelmed or under pressure, and our bodies and minds react to the situation.
Stress can be caused by a wide range of factors, including work, school, relationships, financial problems, health issues, and more.
When we experience chronic stress, our body releases stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline, which can cause a range of physical and emotional symptoms.
While some level of stress is normal and can even be helpful in certain situations, chronic or excessive stress can have negative effects on our physical and mental health.

Chronic, unrelenting stress can contribute to depression in individuals who are susceptible to this disorder. 

Chronic stress can lead to a range of negative health outcomes, including increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and mental health disorders.

Research has also shown that too much stress can weaken the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to illnesses and infections.

Some examples of potential negative outcomes of chronic stress include:

• increased heart rate
• high blood pressure
• heart attack
• stroke
• high blood sugars
• sweating
• anxiety
• depression
• irritability
• digestive issues
• stomach pain
• nausea
• diarrhea
• constipation.
• difficulty sleeping.
• Cognitive decline
• memory problems
• forgetfulness
• Weakened/suppressed immune system
• frequent infections and diseases
• Chronic pain
• headaches,
• back pain
• fibromyalgia
• relationship trouble
• divorce

Stressed parents even affect the mental and physical health of their children. So, stress management should be paramount for parents.

Coping strategies you can try today 

Grounding techniques: 

Name five things you see, four things you can touch, three sounds you hear.

Add a slow breath in for four, out for six with each item to steady your nervous system.

Expand your senses—notice one scent (a drop of lavender or citrus), one taste (a sip of water or tea), and one temperature cue (cool hands on your cheeks or a warm mug).

Place your feet on the floor, feel your weight supported, and name the colors, shapes, and textures around you. It’s simple and brings you into the present, interrupting depressive rumination and inviting the body into safety, a core pillar of holistic therapy.

Consider keeping a small “grounding kit” nearby—smooth stone, calming scent, and a reminder card—to make this practice easy to access when mood dips.

Activity scheduling: 

Plan one pleasurable or necessary activity each day—laundry, a short call with a friend, listening to a favorite song.

Aim for tiny, doable steps: a 10-minute tidy, stepping outside for sunlight, or prepping a nourishing snack.

Choose a time, set a gentle timer, and pair it with an existing routine (after brushing teeth, take a five-minute walk).

Track simple checkmarks to build momentum, and if energy is low, shrink the task further—fold two shirts, send one text, press play on one song.

 This is behavioral activation through a holistic lens: restoring rhythm, reconnecting with values, and honoring your capacity today.

Cognitive reframing: 

When negative thoughts arise, gently ask, “Is this thought a fact or an interpretation?”

Write the thought, list evidence for and against, and craft a balanced alternative: “This is hard, and I’m learning what helps.”

Label common distortions like all-or-nothing thinking or mind reading, and replace harsh self-talk with kinder, realistic statements.

Try the phrase “What would I tell a friend?” or “This is depression speaking, not the full truth.”

A two-minute voice note or journal snippet can help externalize and soften the inner critic, supporting emotional regulation and self-compassion.

Mindful movement: 

Gentle yoga, tai chi, or a slow walk can calm the nervous system without pressure to “perform.”

Choose five to ten minutes, match movement to your breath, and keep it invitational—release your jaw, lower your shoulders, notice your feet.

If nature is accessible, walk on grass or near trees; if not, stretch by a window with natural light or soothing music at a steady tempo.

Try a body scan, micro-movements for stiff areas, or legs-up-the-wall for grounding.

Movement is medicine for mood, sleep, and stress, and in holistic care it’s less about intensity and more about consistent, compassionate connection to your body.

Mindfulness, Appreciation and Gratitude

When you learn to appreciate the little things in life, happiness can follow over time. A gratitude journal can help to remind yourself of things to be grateful about, as can wellness-focused AI tools like the Gratitude Generator or the Positive Affirmation Wizard inside the Easy AI System by the non-profit AI Wellness Universe. 

According to the definition of happiness from Wikipedia,  "Happiness is a positive and pleasant emotion, ranging from contentment to intense joy. An antidote to depression, for sure.

Moments of happiness may be triggered by positive life experiences or thoughts, but sometimes it may arise from no obvious cause.

The level of happiness for longer periods of time is more strongly correlated with levels of life satisfaction, subjective well-being, flourishing and eudaimonia.

In common usage, the word happy can be an appraisal of those measures themselves or as a shorthand for a "source" of happiness.

As with any emotion, the precise definition of happiness has been a perennial debate in philosophy."

A quick reset for Anxiety and Panic Attacks

Depression often goes along with anxiety, culminating sometimes in frightening and disabling panic attacks, the "fight-flight-freeze" reaction.

Dr. Daniel Amen's 2 min breathing advice can break a panic attack fast:

Why Combination therapy and medication can help 

Evidence-based talk therapies such as CBT, interpersonal therapy, and behavioral activation provide practical tools to identify unhelpful thought patterns, reframe beliefs, and build coping strategies for everyday triggers at work, home, and in relationships.

Within a holistic therapy framework, these approaches are complemented by mind-body practices—mindfulness, hypnotherapy, NLP, EFT, , breathwork, restorative movement, yoga, and somatic methods like Havening Techniques - that all calm the nervous system, reduce stress reactivity, increase mental resilience and create conditions where new habits can take root.

Lifestyle foundations play a key role as well: consistent sleep routines, nutrient-dense meals that support the gut-brain axis, regular sunlight and movement, and supportive community all amplify therapeutic gains.

Medication, when prescribed and monitored by a qualified clinician, can help to support mood and reduce anxiety and emotional distress, especially when symptoms make daily functioning difficult, and may offer initially an easier way to help with the immense emotional pain of depression until therapy and lifestyle change have started to work.

For many people, blended care produces the strongest outcomes: psychotherapy plus medication, integrated with individualized routines that honor culture, values, and lived life experience, delivered by experienced human beings who truly care about others and can listen empathetically while reflecting back your thoughts in a more hopeful way and pointing out new pathways to a better future.

We can design whole-person pathways—collaborating with other prescribers, offering trauma-informed coaching or groups, layering in skills practice between sessions, and tracking progress with simple measures—to help our clients stay engaged and empowered. 

According to the World Health Organization, depression affects more than 280 million people worldwide, yet effective, holistic treatments exist.

Reaching out is the first step, and with the right team and integrative plan, recovery is not only possible but sustainable.

Real-life comfort: a story of Healing from Depression

Asha, a friend of mine, once told me that after weeks of low energy, she set a rule: she would only put on shoes and step outside the door, even if she didn’t walk.

Most days she returned to the couch; some days she stayed out for thirty minutes and felt lighter. 

Those tiny choices reconnected her to activities and people, and eventually to treatment that helped. 

Here is Asha's story in more detail:

Day One: (Asha's name changed for privacy)

Asha laced her old sneakers by the front door, fingers trembling as if the simple act were a grand gesture. 

The air beyond the threshold smelled of damp concrete and distant pine.

Without a plan, she stepped outside, felt the cracked pavement under her soles, and then—after a single breath—turned back and returned to the couch.

Yet the rule held, and she stroked the fabric of her journal as though it were a lifeline.

Day Three: 

The sky was pale gold when Asha rose.

She repeated the ritual, each step a small revolt against the weight in her chest. 

Today, she lingered forty seconds, listening to a sparrow’s trill, watching a neighbor hang laundry that fluttered like a banner in a gentle breeze.

She wrote: “Nearly a minute, and I tasted air.”

Day Seven: 

Half a dozen tries later, Asha found herself at the end of the driveway.

A squirrel darted across the road, and she smiled before remembering she could still. 

The breeze carried faint echoes of laughter from a child chasing bubbles in a yard two houses down. 

For the first time in weeks, her heart felt expanses beyond her ribcage.

Day Ten:

Rain dripped from eaves as she ventured onto the sidewalk, umbrella unopened. 

The soft patter on her shoulders reminded her of childhood, of running through sprinklers with siblings. 

She stood there for thirty minutes, raindrops clinging to her lashes, and hoped the sky could wash away more than just physical dust.

Day Fourteen: 

Asha rounded the block, glancing at the mailbox, the old oak tree, the mailbox again.

Each landmark whispered welcome.

A neighbor paused, nodded a greeting, and offered a bouquet of dandelions she’d picked from her yard.

Their warmth bloomed in the damp morning, and she felt the ember of connection flicker back to life.

Reflection: 

On Day Twenty, she walked inside a clinic with the same rule: lace up, step forward. 

There, hands waiting in gentle support, she began the treatment she had long postponed.

In her journal’s margin she wrote, “The smallest step made all the difference.”

And she believed it. Can you believe it, too?

Building your support network 

Tell one trusted person how you’re feeling and one way they can support you (a text check-in, a short walk, or help booking an appointment).

Community—friends, family, support groups—reduces isolation and helps you stay accountable to self-care. 

Practical resources 

• Find a therapist or a doctor that has experience in treating depression: Use directories like Psychology Today, local mental health services, or community health centers. 
• Mental Health Crisis lines: 988 (U.S. and Canada), Samaritans (UK & Ireland), Lifeline (Australia) or local equivalents. 
• Apps and tools: Mood trackers, guided breathing apps, and CBT-based programs can be helpful when used alongside professional care. 

A final note of encouragement 

Healing isn’t linear—there will be setbacks and small victories. 

Be patient with yourself.

Celebrate the tiny steps and treat them as real progress. 

You deserve care, understanding, and time.

Learn more about effective strategies, treatment options, and local resources—reach out, explore trusted sites, or speak with Dr. Sujan Sen or your personal healthcare provider today.