5 Tips for Rochester Residents Battling Depression and Anxiety

Depression is a worldwide problem affecting many people in the Rochester area. Therefore, you've probably experienced it at one time or another, or you might be battling it now. These are some tips for handling the issue and returning to being healthy and happy.

1. Improve Your Hairstyle

Hair is a significant part of your overall appearance, and it can contribute to instances of depression greatly. We naturally lose 50 to 100 scalp hairs per day. However, we can lose many more if we have certain medical conditions, allergies, or genes that make us bald before our intended time. Those problems can cause self-esteem issues and a depressed state of mind.

If you're not suffering from untimely hair loss, you can try getting a stylish haircut or dying or bleaching your hair to something trendy. Look in some popular magazines that other people read these days and pick something that catches your eye. That might perk up your mood and attract more people to you. Some nutritional changes or prescription products might help you grow hair if you're having an issue with an overwhelming loss of it.

2. Consider a Career Change

Workplaces are notorious for causing mental health issues, such as anxiety and depression, according to Talkspace. Their reports say that one in every five employees experiences the most excruciating mental health issues and needs some form of therapy to cope. Fortunately, most of those problems can be remedied by moving into a more suitable position or workplace.

For example, you might prefer a quieter environment or one that has fewer off-topic situations going on. Maybe you need a more positive atmosphere, adequate pay, or different benefits. Try making some changes to your current employment situation if you see a pattern of becoming depressed or anxious when you have to go to work. That strongly indicates your job is causing your negative feelings.

3. Start a Fitness Routine

Now is the absolute perfect time to start a fitness routine if you have not yet introduced one to your life. Exercising has many benefits, including a swift change in brain chemicals. A mere 20 minutes of exercise can boost your serotonin and endorphins so much that you'll forget you have a single care in the world.

Another benefit of getting the appropriate amount of exercise is that it helps fight disease and unhealthy conditions. For example, the CDC says that a simple 5 to 10% body weight loss can improve blood cholesterol and blood sugar. It can also help you to regulate your blood pressure.

A good way to get started is to visit a local gym and try doing 20-minute workouts three times a week. That will be just enough time to get your heart rate up and feel the effects of your exercise.

Start small, so you don't tire yourself out. You can lengthen your exercise times later. You'll likely notice that your mental health improves over time, and your body and soul are also reaping benefits.

4. Join a Club

Everyone needs human contact. Thus, you might feel under the weather if you're not getting enough of it. You can try to create a friend circle or support system by signing up for clubs, support groups, or other social events. You might feel a lot better once you have other people you can talk to.

5. Get Some Laughs

Many people still believe laughter is the best medicine. Therefore, you can introduce some laughter to your life and see if it helps your depression. You can use various methods to do it, too. You can search the movie theaters to see if you can find a good comedy playing. Alternatively, you look for a comedy show playing locally. Of course, you could also look to some of your best friends to give you some laughs. Whatever method you use, a good laugh or two will change your mood.

Use the above suggestions to combat depression and anxiety. As always, you can seek help from a professional if the issues aren't manageable.