Depressed? Be kind to yourself

Depression is incredibly common. The more episodes of depression we experience, the more likely we are to have another, which is itself rather depressing.

So how does being kind to yourself help? Depression is linked to high self-criticism and shame. Shame is an emotion that occurs when we believe ourselves, rather than just our behaviour, to be defective. Being kind to oneself, or practising self-compassion, is a way to counter shame and self-criticism. Encouragingly, the research is increasingly showing its effectiveness in reducing depressive symptoms.

So how do we "do" self-compassion? A simple way to start is to go easy on the self-criticism the next time you make a mistake or fall short of your expectations. Remember that all human beings including yourself, whether you like it or not, make mistakes, and beating yourself up with self-criticism rarely helps you avoid making another.

I can't give self-compassion justice by way of an explanation on this blog, so if you're interested to learn more, visit mindfulselfcompassion.org .