A New Year’s resolution brings hope and excitement. Yet for people who are coping with depression, creating the right New Year’s resolution and following through on it is sometimes challenging. And in some cases, a New Year’s resolution can cause new depression symptoms, or cause existing depression symptoms to worsen.
The new year represents a time of change, and if a person failed to accomplish a New Year’s resolution the previous year then he or she might experience New Year’s blues. In this situation, an individual may be susceptible to sadness, guilt, and other depression symptoms, particularly when it comes to thinking about and creating a New Year’s resolution.
Pressure from others to create a New Year’s resolution can be overwhelming, too. If family members and friends have already put together New Year’s resolutions, stress may escalate for someone who has yet to do so. Increased stress levels can contribute to depression and may make a person give up on forming New Year’s resolutions.
Even if one didn’t accomplish last year’s resolution, it is important not to forget the opportunity provided by starting a New Year. For those who want to accomplish as much as possible in the new year, a New Year’s resolution represents an opportunity to put their best foot forward.
Tips to Find a New Year’s Resolution for Depression
A New Year’s resolution presents a unique opportunity, particularly for people who are coping with depression. By focusing on the positive aspects of a New Year’s resolution, like how eating healthy or exercising in the new year can help slim his or her waistline, an individual can develop a New Year’s resolution that won’t contribute to depression symptoms. This type of positive resolution may even bring a smile to an individual’s face.
With a New Year’s resolution, it helps to be specific as well, WebMD notes. Once a person has a specific New Year’s resolution in place, he or she can determine the exact steps required to transform a vision into a reality.
Sometimes, a New Year’s resolution appears more daunting after a person puts his or her plan into action. If this occurs, a person should be unafraid to modify the resolution. He or she can even break a New Year’s resolution into a series of smaller steps or goals.
New Year’s Resolutions for Depression
Any of these New Year’s resolutions may help an individual feel good about himself or herself and manage depression symptoms:
- Exercise Daily: Engage in exercise and other physical activities that help improve mood, reduce anxiety, and release feel-good endorphins in the brain.
- Practice Yoga, Meditation, or Other Mindfulness Activities: Perform mindfulness activities that promote emotional well-being and increase self-awareness.
- Spend Time with Family Members and Friends: Regularly schedule time to enjoy fun activities with family members and friends.
- Journal Every Day: Use a daily journal to express thoughts and feelings that contribute to depression symptoms and put these thoughts and feelings into perspective.
- Seek Out Treatment for Depression Symptoms: Meet with a doctor to discuss depression and evaluate different treatment options.
If depression symptoms are persistent and make it tough to enjoy life, there is no need to let them linger. By consulting with the medical clinicians at Achieve Concierge, an individual can take the first step to learn techniques or strategies to cope with depression.
Depression is problematic, and depression symptoms can make it difficult for a person to create and follow through on a New Year’s resolution. At Achieve Concierge, we help patients discover the best ways to manage depression symptoms. To learn more or to schedule a treatment consultation with Achieve Concierge, please contact us online, or call us today at (619) 393-5871.