Break Out of Depression by Focusing on These 4 Pillars of Health

Balanced eating, sleeping, activity, and relationships support positive mental health

Schedule activities for yourself. You need to be physically and socially active for at least four or five hours per day. Shutterstock

Jessica and Bill came to my office with their daughter, who has entered into a deep depression since she graduated from high school two months ago. Amber, a straight-A student, is about to move away to start her freshman year at her top-choice university in three weeks.

She hasn’t been out of bed in almost a week, and she still seems to be going downhill. Bill says that Amber has always been wound tightly and she’s just feeling nervous about leaving home.