subject: How To Get Out of Depression [print this page] Being depressed saps you of energy and even the desire to get out of your depression. But nobody really likes being depressed. Especially not if it drags on for weeks, months, and years. So is there a way to pull yourself out of depression?
Actually, there is a way.
First of all, as any general would say, you have to know your enemy. And yes, if you have an enemy to attack, it means you've got a fight on your hands.
KNOW YOUR ENEMY
Depression, once it gets going, actually causes chemical changes in the brain that perpetuate the depression; in other words, it feeds on itself. Depression is caused by you allowing bad circumstances to create negative thinking. This negative thinking, when you continue with it, causes the chemical changes in the brain that make you think more negative thoughts, until you reach a stage where everything looks grim and grey and hopeless, and you don't really care about anything or anybody. You start wrinkling up into a small self-absorbed ball.
DECIDE THAT YOU WANT TO ENGAGE THIS ENEMY
You have to make a definite, conscious, formal decision that you are going to attack your depression with the intention of defeating it. Write this decision on a piece of paper, with the date and your signature, and stick it up where you can see it, preferably at home and where you would see it when you wake up in the morning.
ATTACK THIS ENEMY AT IT'S ROOT!
The root of depression is negative thoughts. If you take these thoughts captive and annihilate them, then you take away the fuel that is keeping your depression alive. So here's an example: You get the thought "I can never succeed." You recognise it as a negative thought because it doesn't make you feel better or happy. Chuck it out of your mind as trash. Then REPLACE it with the positive mirror of that thought, which is "I can succeed. There's no reason why I can't succeed at something. I just have to keep trying different things!"
Another example: "Nobody likes me." Is the thought a negative one? YES. So trash it. Replace with "There are thousands of people in this world that would like me if they got to know me. I will just make friends with other people that society has rejected because they are too slow, or ugly, or poor. They will appreciate my friendship!"
You can be creative. But even just trashing a negative thought and saying "Well, it's a lovely sunny day at least" is a step in the right direction. After awhile the chemical imbalance in the brain will start to shift back to normal, and the positive thoughts will begin to happen without any effort. It's kinda like learning to ride a bicycle.
DONT WORRY IF THE ENEMY GETS A PUNCH IN HERE OR THERE!
Sometimes you have a really bad day and you fall back into entertaining negative thoughts. Don't worry - just go read your decision paper again, and start fresh from that moment, like you are starting with a clean slate. Leave the past behind, because you can't change it anyway. Look forward, and fight on!
GET BACKUP
If possible, get someone to help and encourage you. Tell them what you are intending to do, and explain the method to them, so that they can also contribute positive input. Explain to them that negative talking is banned! They can help by coming up with ideas on how to reinforce your positive thoughts. One lady stuck little sticky notes all over her house with positive statements, and Bible promises, and happy thoughts written on them. She came out of major depression, stopped all her medication and has been OK for about 12 years now. She still has to guard against negative thinking, but is now able to do so a lot easier.
AND THEN THE SUN CAME OUT AGAIN...
So you see, you can make it. It's a fight, make no mistake, but it really is a winnable fight.
