I Survived Depression - so can YOU!

Did you ever think that life just might be something that can make you feel good?  Now I know that some of you have some real good reasons to argue this point with me, but if you take a look just a short distance past where you have been focusing until now you just may begin to agree with me.

Take a look at a blue sky, a mountain range or a newborn baby’s face.  They are all magnificent creations! But I know, by now you’re probably saying, Scott, that’s all nice, but I have some real problems!  I have bills, trouble with my kids and my job - I don’t care about these things.

Well, I understand that, I have some real problems myself.  Actually, let’s begin changing our thinking right now by taking that very limiting word “problems” out of our vocabularies.  Folks, next time you go to use the word problem why not use the word “challenge” instead?  The word challenge is so much less defeating and lets your subconscious mind know that the situation is solvable.
 
Yes, you may have some very real challenges, but they are not your whole life no matter how consuming they may feel.  And I understand there are many people who claim that they never feel good because of the chemical imbalances within their brain.

As one who suffered all my life from those chemical imbalances within my brain as well as being a person whose depression has been in remission for over two years, I’m saying yes that’s all well and good, but a big part of the way one feels is also attributed to your surroundings.  No matter what mood you are in, be it from chemical imbalances or just those nasty challenges you can take it up a level.

I remember an exercise that motivational coach Anthony Robbins did that really rings true here.  He had the participants close their eyes for a moment and then with their eyes still closed recall everything in the room that was brown.  He then had them close their eyes again, but this time with their eyes closed recall everything in the room that was green.  Most people had no problem with the brown, but could not remember much that was green.  This was one of the best examples that I have ever seen that demonstrated people’s focus.  That to many people focus on the negatives in life.

In life we tend to get what we focus on.  Focus on the bad stuff and you will tend to get more of just that - “bad stuff”.  Focus on the good stuff and you will get more of that it!  You see, your mind acts like a camera.  And whatever the camera focuses on is the way you will perceive the world.  Ever notice no matter what the situation is there is always someone having a good time?

And have you ever noticed that no matter what the situation there is always a person unhappy and full of complaints.  Maybe you know somebody like that?  This person has every benefit and yet they are miserable and then there is the person that everything is a challenge and they still maintain a smile.  Not a phony smile, they are truly happy.

Our moods are not controlled by our day-to-day challenges.  Our moods are controlled by what we choose to focus on an everyday basis.  So why not raise the quality of your life by focusing on something that makes you feel good! 

Every once in awhile someone will look to obtain a result, but never achieve it feeling that it is out of reach.  Very often this desired result is within their grasp, but because of a little voice that I like to refer to as the “critic within” they never even try.

Let’s look at an example, let’s say all your life you want to go sky diving.  You always thought how much fun it would be to jump out of an airplane.  You always thought about the thrill, the feeling and how cool it would be to brag to your friends.  But because of this small voice inside your head you have never gone up in that plane.

You really want to, but because of that small pesky little voice saying that you are too clumsy or two big or too small or too overweight or anything else, you worry that you are going to get hurt.  It’s the critic within that stops so many people from obtaining their goals.

You see, you live your life by the quality of the conversations in your head.  And whether you realize it or not this is practically an ongoing conversation.  Have a good conversation like instead of thinking how you are unable to jump out of a plane and concentrating on how much fun it would be and you will jump out of that plane.

Of course it’s never easy to get the little guy to be quiet.  Sometimes he just goes on and on.  Studies have shown that on average the human mind processes 60,000 thoughts a day.  That would be a lot of work to make sure the conversation that you were having with yourself is generally a positive one.  But it can be done!

The way we do it is through our feelings.  Feels good and you think good - feel bad and you will think that way.  I know by this point you’re probably saying to yourself “my thoughts control my being able to jump out of an airplane?”  Well, I’m saying yes they do if that’s what you want and that your thoughts and the “critic within” determine every aspect of your life and it’s your feelings that determine your thoughts.

Let’s begin by understanding that the most powerful feeling for feeling good is gratitude.  Why not wake up tomorrow morning or better yet let’s begin right now by feeling grateful.  I don’t know what that is for you because for everyone this is different, but I guarantee that by feeling grateful even if it’s just for being alive you will feel better.  By feeling better, you will think better and I guarantee your day to day life will show the results.

Now that we are all happy and grateful, anyone care to take that jump with me? 

Manic depression which is now known as bipolar disorder can be divided into three categories. Then within those three categories there can be many variations. You can be mildly manic-depressive or your cycles could be more severe. You may just need a little counseling and maybe some mild medications or you may require stronger medications or even ECT in order to be able to function and lead a normal life. Fortunately when it comes to treatment options there are many available.

Medication is vital in treating manic depression. In fact many patients need to combine several medications to receive the best effects. One thing to understand with manic depression treatment is that the first medication that you are prescribed may not be the right one. Finding the right treatment can be a very long process of trial and error. If your first medication is not helping don’t be alarmed there are many types of medication available. The downside to medication though is that although rare there are possible side effects and that medications actually alter brain chemistry.

Here is a look at some of the most widely used types of medication: (more…)

Do you suffer from chronic depression? Are you being treated with anti depressant medication and talk therapy? Are these treatments working for you? These treatments seem to work for many people. I have been on Zoloft for over two years and am feeling probably the best that I ever have been in my entire life. Medication has come a long way.

Unfortunately there are others who cannot seem to get the same effects. Is this you? No matter which meds they try and regardless of who they talk to they can’t seem to find relief. What’s so disturbing is that this is not uncommon. Depression is a complex disease that affects as many as 20 million people and we are all different.

It’s not easy for a therapist or doctor when it comes to figuring out just the right combination of medication and talk therapy considering just how different we all are and how differently we respond to treatment. Wouldn’t it be helpful if we could put ourselves in a position where we had a much better chance of getting these treatments to work?

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