Key Points at a Glance
- The number of people who feel sad or even desperate has been rising for years.
- Since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, the number of people who are sad, lonely, desperate, or feeling discouraged and listless has continued to rise.
- However, there are some things you can do on your own to combat symptoms of depression.
- Important: If these measures do not help alleviate feelings of despair and sadness, professional help is essential.
The fact that we sometimes feel sad or desperate, or experience symptoms of depression, isn’t necessarily related to our external circumstances at first. It’s important to take good care of yourself and, when in doubt, seek outside help. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has further exacerbated the loneliness felt by many people over the past two years—and, in many cases, has also intensified their grief and despondency.
Be active—or become active—if you can
In recent months, the media has frequently addressed the human psyche and how the pandemic is affecting it. Hardly anyone can claim that COVID-19 and its effects haven’t left their mark on them personally. The risk of developing depression has certainly become much greater than it was “before COVID-19.” The pandemic has fueled fears—often fears for one’s very survival.
And yet: Even without the effects brought on by the global pandemic, sadness and despair are constant companions for many people. The underlying cause of the illness isn’t all that important; after all, mental illnesses almost always arise as a reaction to crises of any kind—what matters is how to address the symptoms. And “activity” is at the very top of the list. Those who are able to do so should go outside and spend time among other people; for many, however—and this is well known—that takes an immense amount of effort.
Think in small steps
A first small step could be, for example, to acknowledge the despair, sadness, and depression while telling yourself that this is only a temporary state—no matter what, you will get through this phase, whether on your own or with outside or professional support. Hope is an extremely powerful motivator that drives us, and more often than not, it’s the hope that things will get better. German stress researcher Mazda Adli puts it this way: “Hope is the real currency of our psyche.”
So hope, too, is a small step that you can take on the path to improvement or recovery. However, if you notice that staying active and maintaining hope are difficult for you and your health isn’t improving, seek help. And the sooner, the better. The sooner depression (or the onset of depression) is recognized and treated, the greater the chance of a quick recovery through therapy or medication.
No self-experiments
Speaking of medication: These days, you can order just about anything online, and websites often don’t require e-prescriptions. Even if you’re feeling very desperate or sad, you should not order antidepressants online without first seeing a doctor. This often makes your personal situation even worse. Instead, remember that depression—or sadness and despair—are medical conditions that are very treatable today. Take care of your health.
