During depression you spend a lot of time alone. Getting out, being active and looking at yourself is the beginning of the healing process. If you spend a lot of time with your own thoughts, you are likely to keep slipping back to the low mood. Below are a few tips on sustaining the journey out of depression;

Check your mood

• Keep a mood diary. This can help you keep track of any changes in your mood, and you might find that you have more good days than you think. It can also help you notice if any activities, places or people make you feel better or worse.
• Challenge your thinking. Make a lists of reasons why you feel depressed, think of what you can change and how you can change it.

Stay active

• Join a group. This could be anything from a community project or a sports team to a hobby group. The important thing is to find an activity you enjoy, or perhaps something you have always wanted to try, to help you feel motivated.
• Try new things. Trying something new, like starting a new hobby, learning something new or even trying new food, can help boost your mood and break unhelpful patterns of thinking and behavior.
• Try volunteering. Volunteering or just offering to help someone out can make you feel better about yourself and less alone.
• Set realistic goals. Try to set yourself achievable goals, like getting dressed every day or cooking yourself a meal. Achieving your goals can help you feel good and boost your self-confidence, and help you move on to bigger ones.

Connect with other people

• Keep in touch. If you do not feel up to seeing people in person or talking, send a text or email to keep in touch with friends and family.
• Keep talking. It might feel hard to start talking to your friends and family about what you are feeling, but many people find that just sharing their experiences can help them feel better.
• Join a peer support group. Going to a peer support group is a great way to share tips and meet other people who are going through similar things. For example, if you are a new mother join a group of new mothers where they share their experiences and struggles. It will help to know that you are not alone and make it more comfortable for you to share.
• Get help – If you are not making positive progress on your own seek the help of a professional. Look for the available options such as online counselling if you do not have the ability for face to face sessions.