Suffering depression? Ask yourself these 2 questions...

[Imallin4Joe]

First, pinpoint the source of your depression..

What is making you sad?

#1 can you put a finger on what is making you sad?

#2 is it worth ruining your life over that thing?

I'll bet it isn't worth being depressed about.

The way that I beat depression was to realize that nothing in life is worthy of creating the kind of depression that ruins your life.

Pinpoint your source of depression and ask yourself, is it really worth being sad for this?

[RandySF]

1. Depression doesn'twork that way.

It's a medical condition, not an outlook on life.

[Bucky]

17. The OP is describing a treatment, not a cure

And someone who's suffered from long term depression for many years I can tell you that how I approach my condition attitudinally can have a humongous effect on how effectively I can cope with it.

There's a lot of misinformation out there about depression--and it's a damn sneaky disease--so I'm a little wary of the "Is it worth ruining your life?" kind of chatter. But "put on a happy face" isn't a bad strategy, just very incomplete advice.

[Marcus IM]

2. Well, if it's that easy then I guess we don't need therapists.

I get your wanting to discuss depression, but, this?

[meadowlander]

3. It depends on the type of depression you have.

For people with clinical depression or bipolar disorder often the answer to #1 is nothing in particular. It's just an overwhelming feeling of having your body being invaded by an alien that just wants to sleep, cry, and stare out the window. That's not really something you can logic your way out of. You just have to feel like shit until you don't anymore.

If it works for you, great. But I think you need to be careful of minimising the struggles that people with more severe forms of clinical depression go through by suggesting that the power of positive thinking is all they need. They don't "create the kind of depression that ruins their life". They have a medical disorder that they need to cope with and often need medication to do so.

[johnp3907]

4. This is depressing.

[Skittles]

5. there is a difference between sadness and depression

seriously

[patricia92243]

12. Yes!

[rubbersole]

6. I got a dog.

It is still working. I'm sure it won't be for others. At least it changes your perspective. It's something very tangible to care about.

[Hekate]

7. Depression isn't "sadness" or "the blues" and it's sources are dark. Churchill & others call it...

… “the black dog.” It comes and goes without warning — but mostly it just comes and stays. It can’t be shoo’d away by positive thinking. There are things that can help individuals — Churchill, for instance, drank. Modern medication helps some. Talk therapy can also help some.

Thank you, though.

[Laffy Kat]

8. Sometimes it's not that simple.

I'm glad you're feeling better, though.

[roamer65]

9. Sometimes it's due to a chemical imbalance in the brain.

In those cases, it usually requires medications. No amount of “positive thinking” will fix that situation.

Glad you are feeling better!

[mopinko]

10. yeah, by definition you werent clinically depressed.

cuz that’s not even how it works.

[nolabear]

11. There's depression and there's situational depression.

With the latter you can ask yourself those questions, though the answer isn’t as easy as you describe in many cases.

Actually there are a number of varieties of things we lump into the term depression, some of which have been covered upthread. But if you are responding to a situation and can find a way to respond differently that’s good. That’s often life.

[wishstar]

13. I have a friend who thinks life is hell on earth

because she is so upset feeling overwhelmed by the numerous frustrations, setbacks and disappointments in her current and past personal life as well as in the world outside herself. She dwells on every bad thing that happens and is afraid of slipping so far down into depression that she cannot get back out. Part of her negative outlook is blaming herself for her mistakes and inadequacies that have contributed to some of her problems even though she knows that other people's stupidity and selfishness are at the root of many of her difficulties and that random bad stuff just happens that is no one's fault. Realities of being human in an unpredictable world where much is out of our control.

She has been on meds for years that have been very helpful in keeping her from falling into depths of depression however her current therapist isn't providing her any significant help.

As her friend, I am at a loss for words to help her because I can't disagree that life can be hell and bad things constantly happen to good people. All I can do is assure her that her life has positive meaning and is important to me and her dog and her other loved ones.
But it is difficult to help someone with such negativity to feel optimism and positivity in their life.

Anyway, your post has helped me to reflect on my own situation with my friend who suffers from depression.

[CharleyDog]

14. no, that's not how depression works. It's not "sadness" and it's kinda insulting to imply people

can just think a way out of depression.

[Lunabell]

15. You don't get it at all.

Sometimes it is a chemical imbalance and just mind over matter doesn't work. Your message is dangerous and misguided.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

16. What the fuck is this shit right here

[WhiskeyGrinder]

19. Why post shit advice in the MHG?

[Emile]

20. You are right!