How I Overcame My Depression

And how you can too

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Hey, amazing person reading this article!

I’ll share my personal experience on how I overcame depression. It’s a little personal, but I’ve made it reader-centric. Because I respect your time — I realize this isn’t just a personal journal!

This article is divided into 4 Phases:

1. Fitness Phase
2. Depression Phase
3. Realization Phase
4. Healing Phase

Now let’s dive into it.

Fitness phase

I’ve been through body shaming during my teenage years, which almost everyone has faced at some point in their lives.

I was quite on a bulkier side and people made fun of me. It didn’t bother me much at first, but I finally had enough in April 2016. Someone made an invasive comment, it really got to me, and I felt more insulted and disrespected than ever before.

I started my fitness journey in April 2017. I used to rope jump religiously every day. My weight was 61 kg and within 4 months I had reduced my weight to 52kg. That’s when I realized consistency for few months straight can do miracles!

I kept up with a regular workout regimen — until March 2022.

Depression phase

The pandemic ruined my consistency which led to the starting of The Depression Phase.

Continuous pressure, stress, worries, and anxiety ruined my mental health. The girl who’d normally get up by 4am started waking up at 9 am. I was tired all the time. I didn’t feel like working out.

By this time, I’d done with my deep work session. But I kept sleeping for hours and hours. I didn’t know if it was a symptom of depression. I thought maybe it was just a bit of stress.

But according to Healthline, depression is a type of mood disorder. It involves self-loathing and loss of self-esteem. Its symptoms are -

1. Feelings of sadness, hopelessness, unworthiness, and pessimism.
2. Getting bothered by small things.
3. Crying a lot.
4. Sleeping a lot or very little.
5. Loss of interest in hobbies you once enjoyed (in my case it was exercise).
6. Fatigue and lack of energy.
7. Difficulty in remembering and focusing.
8. Appetite or weight changes.
9. Chronic pains without any reason.
10. Suicidal thoughts or attempts.

After reading this list of symptoms, I was assured I was depressed.

From April 2020 to March 2021 I kept procrastinating with my fitness regimen. I knew I wasn’t alright. I’d work my a*s off but rejections and failures left me shattered. Still, I kept pushing myself and started my brand new project — my YouTube channel.

I couldn’t even get up in the mornings. I had tension on my shoulders and my upper back hurt, it’d ache for hours. And that’s when I realized I was legit going through a solid issue.

Realization phase

When the realization phase occurred, I thought of giving a chance to my exercise schedule again. If it can pull me through bad period cramps, then surely in this one too. I started exercising every day but lacked consistency. By July 2021, I finally decided I’d stay consistent. And still, there was a lot to conquer.

Healing phase

My healing phase started in January 2022 and here are my key takeaways and resources to help you fight through depression.

Just when you’re feeling low, you need to work out the most.

Exercise releases the endorphin hormone — your happy hormone, which uplifts your mood. And whenever you feel sad or low, do this:

• Go for a walk — It oxygenates your brain, improves cardiovascular fitness, and increases energy levels. When your energy levels are high, you’re less likely to feel depressed.
• Exercise or lift weights — According to Mayo Clinic, exercise leads to various psychological and emotional benefits. For instance, increased confidence. Hit the gym today!
• Connect with nature — Seeing nature for even just a minute can lead to a plethora of positive emotions, such as joy, creativity, and calmness. When I was starting my fitness journey again, I’d regularly connect with nature.
• Read a book — People with depression feel isolated and that’s what a book can help with.
• Chant a mantra, do yoga or cultivate some other spiritual habits — It’s proven by science! People with depression are helped by cultivating spiritual beliefs.
• Talk to your loved ones — We humans are hardwired for social interaction. Because of the depression phase, we feel isolated. I know it can be difficult, but you should have conversations with your loved ones during this time as much as possible.
• Eat your favorite food — Food influences your mood and you can eat what you love and feel a bit better. But remember you can’t numb your pain with it. I have realized that nutritious food can be made finger-licking too. Prepare your nutritious meal and make it tasty.
• Don’t buy unhealthy stuff — And if you do, keep it out of easy reach.
• Prime your environment for your next action — For example, keep dumbbells in front of your bedroom. This’ll motivate you to start your day with exercise and weight lifting.
• When facing a storm in life, reflect a lot! — Maintain a journal and write down everything, how you feel, list your goals, tasks, and everything in between. In my teenage years, I developed the habit of writing journals and it’s worth your efforts. Write religiously and ferociously.
• Check your emotional intelligence level with these questions, dig deep into your psyche and find out the answer to what you love, why you love it, and how you will pursue it.

Because honestly, to wake up every day and face your responsibilities, you should have something to look forward to.

Do any of these things, just do something. Don’t sit still or else negative thinking and low feelings could drown you.

Oh, and read this book — The Little Book of Stoicism. It’s a guide to becoming more confident, resilient, and calmer. No matter whether you’re feeling scared, depressed, or anxious, this book will help.

(I’ve also written my favorite quotes and principles on stoicism which might guide you on your path!)

With this, I hope you find a purpose and a reason to look forward to every day. It took me years to figure out everything, and I’m proud of the progress I’ve made.

As always, thanks for reading my story and making me feel heard. I hope this post helps you in your moments of darkness, save it for future reference. Clap for good karma and follow my medium page for more such content! :)