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Many have not yet found themselves or their way and are exhausted emotionally and spiritually as they continue to accept less than what they want or need from life. The question is: isn't it time for us to look at depression in more depth and not only from a clinical point of view? Might we agree that we each have a responsibility to understand ourselves more fully and realize that - despite labels, categories or medical definitions - we are each unique individuals.
As anyone who has experienced it knows, one does not simply snap out of depression. Help often is needed in one form or another. Use the following tips with other treatments to begin the climb out of the deep abyss of the depressive's state:
- Think and wear color. Go for colors that make you feel good and give you a lift. Yellow, orange, green, white, purple, pink and blue are good choices. No sinking in black.
- Follow this simple meditation; it takes only a few minutes. Try it daily. Imagine that you are surrounded, bathing and floating in your favorite color and light (or whatever color you feel you need at this moment). Take long, slow, deep breathes from your stomach and imagine that you are breathing that color all through your body until you feel full. Remember that it's not necessary to see the color in vivid details in your mind; just the basic outline and feeling. Even using the name of it is enough. Just a few minutes can give you a real lift.
- Express yourself feelings first, thoughts second. Talk to someone, even your own reflection in a mirror, or write things down. Find other ways to express yourself. Crying and expressing feelings of anger, pain and despair in a safe comfortable space can bring real relief.
- Self soothe, massage, love and nurture your body. Touch yourself in loving ways. Allow you to feel good.
- For every negative thought you have, follow it with a higher positive one. Repeat positive and powerful words such as "I love myself completely without condition", and "I am a free powerful being". Write your own positive affirmations and use them often.
- Move around. Make time for 20 minutes of exercise in some form every day, even if it's just a walk. Make the effort, even if you don't feel like it.
- Ask for and accept help from others. Know that depression does have a beginning, middle, and an end, and that you can come through it. See depression as a small slice of a big pie that you are focused on, and feel struck in; but know that all the rest of that pie is there to live, taste and experience.
- Build up your self-esteem daily even in small ways. Listen to uplifting music; find something that makes you smile; get plenty of fresh air and light each day.
- Cut down an alcohol, meat, sugar, stimulants and processed food. Get back to wholesome basics. Include plenty of fruits, vegetables and grains and drink plenty of room temperature water.
- Allow yourself to sleep. Take each day as it comes. Don't try to solve all problems in one day. Break patterns, habits and routines. Change your thinking to expect the best and the unexpected.
It is important to know that, even in your darkest deepest moments, you are not alone. Millions of other people are sharing your same experience. Remember that depression needs gentle growing awareness of who you are and what you need, rather than simply denial and positive thoughts. In your darkest moments, you are journeying not only through depression but also through the unknown within yourself. There is life before and after depression, and one day you may well look back and realize the value of the experience.
Footnote: ECT reportedly is light years away from what used to be known as electric shock treatment performed on patients in mental institutions with or without their consent. Nowadays the procedure takes less than five minutes; patients are anesthetized, and reports claim great success with patients where medication has failed. However, medical jargon aside, it appears that medicine does not know conclusively how the treatment works other than it shocks the patient out of depression.
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