How to handle depression? What are your tips at home that can make it easy to cool down?

Depression or feelings of sadness, confusion and worthlessness are something everyone suffers from on occasion. There is a difference between being infrequently depressed and clinical depression, which is best treated by professionals.

Certainly in this national financial crisis, everyone is worried. Many have lost jobs which increases the anxiety and it leads to a downward spiral that causes even the most optimistic to feel helpless and hopeless.

In order to snap yourself out of a funk, sit down and make a list of everything bothering you. Then put it under the heading of I CAN FIX THIS or NO, THIS IS OUT OF MY CONTROL. Everything out of your control is put aside. This would include your power over people, places and things. You may be able to do your part to control global warming, but you cannot fix it by yourself. You have to agree to allow nature to take its course with the things you cannot manage - your sister's inability to have children, your aging parents, and peace in the Middle East.

This leaves things you can take care of in some way that will be meaningful to you. Arrange this list from highest to lowest priority. If the highest priority is to recession proof your job, you realize that many of the elements of this issue are out of your hands, but you can do a great many things to make yourself be the best employee you can be. You simply need to know the difference of what you can do for yourself and what may be the decisions of others.

Once you have decided what is workable and what you need to let go of, you will feel far more in control of your own life. The next suggestion is to raise the serotonin levels in your brain. These are the neurotransmitters that make you feel happy and at peace. You find them naturally in mushrooms and in other fruits and vegetables. You can also find them at your pharmacy, but holistically, read about them and see what you can do by yourself. Carb rich meals raise the levels so maybe a nice mushroom and pasta dinner will be a fix.

There is a mantra for everything that ails you - eat responsibly with lots of fruits and vegetables and then get out there and exercise. For a temporary depression blaster, go for a brisk walk. If it turns into a jog or even a moderate run, don't be surprised when you suddenly experience a "runner's high". You can shake out a St. John's Wort and a B-12 capsule to help your body resist the stress you are under.

Put on some up-beat music and dance, even of you look like a frog in a blender. Sing even if no one else wants to hear it. These exercises help increase your feels of happiness. Watch a comedy show and bring up a laugh or two, not an anemic chuckle but a full, rolling belly laugh. It's impossible to be depressed when you are writhing on the floor with tears streaming out of your eyes.

Things bottled up inside are bound to expand. Humans are prone to see negativity as they hash and rehash their issues. This is why it is recommended to see a councilor who can help. Sometimes you don't have to go to that extreme if you have a trusted friend with whom you can share. Often the listening ear is the most important thing a friend can give to you. It isn't even necessary for friends to take sides as much as it is just to listen. As we talk we often find our own solutions just because we are verbalizing our issues and sorting through our options.

Depression is real, it won't go away by itself although it may become much more manageable if you seek ways to elevate your mood and put your problems into a workable perspective. If all else fails, see your doctor and let him decide what else to try.