Get back to feeling happy

How do you know if you are just feeling a bit 'down in the dumps' or if you are showing signs of a depressive illness?

The following signs may be indicators that your mood is not as healthy as it should be:

• Your outlook on life or your performance at work has changed drastically over the past months
  
• People you trust have suggested that you have changed a lot or they have expressed concern for your well-being
  
• You have been ill more often than usual
  
• You have gained or lost a lot of weight
  
• You have either found that you need much more sleep than usual or you can't sleep at all
  
• Your sexual desire has diminished or increased in an alarming way

If you answered 'yes' to any of the questions above, use the following tips to help your mind and improve your mood:

Listen to your thoughts. Do they seem obsessive? Do they sound negative? If they do, then:

Rethink your problems. Work out what's bothering you and how it developed. Then try to look at the problem in a different way.

Get moving. Exercise is a remedy for poor mental health, enabling the brain to release 'feel good' chemicals.

Get help. Conquer small problems before they grow - either by talking them over with a good friend or, if they are more serious, by talking to a trained counsellor. You must inform your GP if you think you are suffering from depression.

Stop mind chatter. Prevent any negative conversations in your head, engage yourself with something new and challenging, such as a good book or a new evening class. Research shows that the more inquiring, searching and active your brain is, the healthier it becomes.