We’d get ourselves to a doctor if we feel ill but if the feeling is emotional like being worried, sad or hopeless, we are likely to resist seeking help for months or even years. According to a survey by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lily, it takes 6 years for people to get treated for mood disorders.

Suffering in silence is a bad idea and failing to seek help for anxiety or depression is downright dangerous. The longer you wait, the worse things can get. Untreated anxiety can turn into depression and vice versa.

Getting a diagnose is your first step to feel like yourself again. You can ask your physician for a referral to a psychologist or a psychiatrist or you can call your insurer to provide you a list of mental health providers and I can assure you that you will be glad that you did. You can also do this to a friend who is struggling emotionally.

It may take a while to decide to seek for treatment, whether it’s for you or your loved one, but for a while, making a few changes to your everyday habits can upgrade your outlook.

You can also try the changes below to lift your mood and to learn more about anxiety, depression and other emotional afflictions.

• Phone a friend. Lonely folks are more likely to be depressed. Aim to strengthen bonds with at least 3 close friends to feel your happiest. Make friend dates by automating them, agree to meet at the gym twice a week or gather for a night of takeout and movie watching the first Friday of each month. You will keep your spirits high with a little help from your friends.

• Have sweet dreams. It’s not just beauty sleep, it’s happy sleep. A solid 7 to 8 hours of rest is one of the most important things you can do for your emotional health. People who have insomnia are 5 times more likely to develop depression compared with those who are well-rested. To do that, you have to skip late-night TV and web surfing. Jot down your worries on a notepad so you can rest with a clear mind and try soothing stretches before turning in.

• See the light. Depressed people who were exposed to a bright light for an hour upon waking up in the morning for 5 weeks experienced a 54% improvement in symptoms. Try flicking on an energy light as you read your morning paper or answer your email. Also, spending more time outside can also lift your spirits  and tame stress. Read a book on a park bench during your lunch break or bike to run your errands.

• Sweat away sadness. Working out may be as effective at relieving mild to moderate depression as the antidepressant Zoloft. It stimulates the release of the feel-good chemical dopamine in our brain. Just a 30 minutes of walking a day can improve your mood. If you’d rather stretch than stride, even taking a yoga class has been proven to boost levels of neurotransmitter called gamma-aminobutyric acid that helps keep depression at bay.

• Claim some quiet time. A moment of silence like meditation is as effective as medicine at reducing bouts of depression. Yoga is a great way to clear your mind. You can also try setting aside 10 minutes in the morning to deep breathing. If you want to stay in motion, try “walking meditation”. Stride slowly for 20 minutes sans iPod, stare at the ground 6 feet ahead and focus on the soles of your shoes lifting and dropping.

• Eat good food. There are foods like fish that contains omega-3 fatty acids which help to enhance areas of the brains that affect our mood. Aim to eat a low-mercury swimmer like wild salmon, arctic char or sardines twice a week. Bake a spud on the side for a dose of vitamin B6, which lowers your depression risk risk. Foods which in folate such as spinach, beans and oranges are filled with blues-busting serotonin.