Battling depression can be exhausting at times, but there are many treatments for depression that you can do on your own. If you want to overcome your depression, the first thing that you need to do is to take charge of your life and focus on developing healthy habits.  Eating a healthy, balanced diet will improve your outlook on life and exercise will give you energy, as well as a renewed confidence. Giving of yourself by doing something nice for others will improve your self-image.  Even if you are unhappy in your own life, giving joy to others will raise your spirits.   Depression causes sluggishness and apathy, sometimes so much that you don’t feel like doing much, if anything.  However, you should make yourself do something productive because being actively involved in a task or project will take your mind off your problems, leaving you no time to think self-defeating thoughts.