This World Health Day, let us all resolve to fight depression. There are over 350 million people across the globe who are suffering from depression. In India alone, one in three people is suffering from depression. Unfortunately, the taboos associated with depression and other mental health issues makes it difficult for people to talk about it or seek help. Depression is a disease that can be diagnosed and treated by qualified physicians. In our fight to prevent or manage depression, our resilience levels have a significant role to play. Poor emotional resilience levels are often associated with defensive and dysfunctional behavior, which is not a good place to be.  This post shares self-care tips to build emotional resilience.

Meditation

The concepts of Dhyana and Mudra originated in India. Our ancients, who were well versed in holistic medicine, worked on techniques to strengthen their bodies and minds. These techniques that cleanse the Chakras are being revived today. We can learn them online and work towards building resilience. The key here is regular practice.

Sleep

There are many benefits of eight hours of sleep, to the body and the mind. Caffeine and adrenaline are no cures to a sleep-deprived mind.  With a well-rested mind, it becomes easier to build resilience.

Exercise

Researchers have found a connection between an active lifestyle and mental well being. The short-term benefits include an uplifted mood due to the release of endorphins. Long-term benefits include better resilience and improved confidence due to weight-loss.

Journaling

It is said that self-awareness is the key to building resilience. Journaling is one technique recommended by experts to increase resilience. We can learn to accept strong feelings and explore them. It becomes easier to let go of old hurt feelings, to close old chapters rather than letting them upset us. It also becomes easier to challenge negative thoughts.

Diet

We are what we eat. There are many foods that act as stress busters and help us build on our resilience levels.  For example, we all know about healthy fats and their role in improving mental health.

Friends

Our friends are our support system – they listen to us without judging, give us a shoulder to lean on, lighten our mood when we are upset, and are there for us when we want to have fun. Talking to a friend can increase our emotional well-being.

Planning

Experts advise starting the day with a plan that can be implemented easily. With planning, we can focus on our major goals, learn new things without barriers of age, and build hobbies to ease stress.  Planning can give us the agility and mental strength required to build resilience.

Doctors

Resilience has three key aspects connected to our physical, emotional, and cognitive well-being. An imbalance in one of these aspects can have a significant impact on our resilience levels.  There are times when a visit to the doctor can become important for our well-being. With the help of our friends and family members, we can watch out for signals that require corrective and preventive actions.

The long-term benefits of building emotional resilience include respect for self and others, tolerance to changes and uncertainties, good personal morale, effective interpersonal communication, and more. We can feel a sense of purpose and involvement, which can make it easier to fight depression. Let us choose to live healthy.