depression_sdYou’re stressed. Things didn’t go as planned. Hell, nothing seems to be going right.

School is getting annoying. Work even more so. Don’t even bother mentioning home. Things are a mess and you don’t know what to do.

These things happen. Sometimes things reach to a point where they seem overwhelming, every guy goes through it once in a while. It doesn’t mean you’re weak or any less of a man. It just means that you need to step back, assess the situation and then deal with it.

The thing is, that is easier said than done.

Men, while less likely than women, do have battles with depression. The symptoms may be the typical ones such as being withdrawn, losing interest in things you liked to do before. Or it could be increased aggression, irritability, drinking more than you normally do and even engaging in high risk behaviors.

Depression is on a scale from mild to severe and while in some severe cases you might need to see a mental health professional to really deal with the problem. There are things that you can do to reduce the symptoms of your depression.

1. Meditation

A study, Meditation Programs for Psychological Stress and Well-being, done has shown that mindfulness meditation has similar effects to antidepressants. The experiment showed that mindfulness meditation programs had evidence of improved depression. The study also showed that mindfulness meditation didn’t have much effect on substance abuse, eating habits, sleep and weight. While effective in improving depression, researched said that mindfulness meditation was no better than prescribed drugs, exercise or other behavioural therapies. In this case, meditation is really a choice. If it’s not for you then maybe exercising is.

2. Exercising

Feeling the darkness wrap its arms around you, slowly draining you of your energy or peace of mind? One effective way of kicking its ass and getting your energy back up is by exercising. We all know the physical and mental benefits of exercising. Whether it’s weight lifting, aerobic exercises or resistance training; working out is a great way to reduce the symptoms of depression and improve your mood. If you’re feeling that dark cloud looming over your head then hit the gym or drop and crank out some push ups. Get your blood pumping and improve your mood!

3. Yoga

Similar to meditation in regards to its breathing technique. Research has shown that yoga is another simple and cost effective way to combat depression. A recent study done on yoga as a complementary treatment for depression has shown that yoga has been benefits for both the body and the mind. It was observed that yoga improved the mental, emotional and physical state of those who participated in the study. Yoga also helps with other mental disorders such as PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and epilepsy.

What’s your experience with depression? Have any of these worked for you?

Let us know by commenting below!