How to Avoid Depression at Midlife
There are no guaranteed ways to prevent depression, but family therapist Dan Gottlieb advises the following to minimize the risk.
Get support: Close friends and support systems, always important, are more so during periods when people are isolated, self-focused, and at risk of depression.
Mind your body: What's good for the body - healthy eating, aerobic exercise, a good night's sleep - is good for the mind.
Have fun: You can learn this from toddlers and small children. Be sure to experience pleasure frequently.
Live a meaningful life: Spend time talking with your family about what's most important to all of you, and what being alive really means. Make sure you are living in support of your deepest values rather than in fear of your greatest anxieties.
