Seeking Advice on Dealing with Depression - Share Your Tips!

Since posting my blog titled 'The Cards We Are Dealt', I've had some inquiries about advice
on how to deal with depression, etc. I am by no means an expert, but here are some things
that helped me. And I'm asking others to post what helps them as well. Thank you.

I would say the first step is to go see a therapist. Talking to someone really helps. I am
fortunate to have a very good friend who is a counselor, and we talk weekly. Also, you
may or may not need medication. Do not be ashamed if you do need it for a while.
It can make all the difference in the world.

Make your surroundings light and airy and happy. Plants are wonderful. Crystals are
wonderful, bringing in positive energy. Find happy music. Get rid of that sad, sappy
stuff. LOL It is okay to go through your living space and touch each object and ask the
question 'Does this bring me joy?' If it doesn't, get rid of it. If it is something you
cannot part with, put it in a 'memory box', seal it up, and put it in the attic. Bring in
more items that bring you joy. For example, I have this beautiful pottery mug with
a cute little smiling bee on it. I love that bee. She is so happy. So I drew a few more
of her on my wall above my stove burners and above my kitchen sink. So now when
I cook or clean up, there are those happy bees. I smile.

Limit watching the news and other 'downer' TV. Watch happy, funny movies, shows.
I watch stand-up comedy all the time. If I am doing housework, I either put on happy
music or stand-up comedy. Do some internet searches to find what resonates with you.

Don't isolate yourself. Volunteering and giving back to your community is a wonderful
way to meet and talk with people. I love gardening, so I help with the community garden
every year. I also grow my own vegetable gardens and always have way too much, so I
donate to our local food bank. Animal shelters are also a great place to help out at.
Those poor little creatures need so much love and caring.
Adopt a pet. They have so much love to give. And you will be needed. You will need to take
care of him/her and love them.

Expand your mind...be creative...take up new hobbies...there are a ton of classes online now.
Or if you are fortunate to have a community center. Maybe there are painting classes or
something that interests you there. And if you can do something that 'gives back', all the
better. There are a lot of people in this world a lot worse off than we are.

My final suggestion is to have some sort of spiritual practice. I am not religious, but I am
deeply spiritual. If your current religion/spiritual practice is not helping you, then it is okay
to explore and find something that does. You can start with nature. Watch birds at your
feeder. Look how small they are. Amazing how they can fly. I don't do just one thing...
I do lots of different things. One thing I do that does make a big impact is I practice
gratitude daily. Just giving thanks for all the good, all the blessings, all the miracles in my life.

Remember the power of your words. It is so important to put only what you want after the
words 'I AM'. Here is my mantra I do several times a day. Sometimes all day long if I'm
having a hard go of it.
I put my hands on my heart and say:
I Am Healed.
I Am Loved.
I Am Worthy.
I Am Whole and Complete.
I Am Grateful.
I Am Grateful.
I Am Grateful.

And like I said in my post 'March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month', I don't believe
we go through pain and suffering for no reason. I believe the Divine helps us change
direction and gives us knowledge so we can help others. Through our own experiences
we now have the empathy, the compassion, the understanding of what others
are going through.
I believe something good comes from all our pain. I met all of you, which is a very good thing.
BIG BIG Hugs

Anyone watching the news nowadays is bound to be depressed and miserable. I watch reruns of Two and a Half Men, Jeff Dunham with Walter and Achmed, etc. I'm about the least stressed or depressed person you'll ever meet because I let nothing (even my cancer, ostomy, etc.) hold me down. Life is too short to worry and fret over stuff that a person has no control over. Everyone needs to smile and follow the sunshine in their life, whatever that may be.

Well said, Alex. Thanks!

Alex, I agree wholeheartedly with you! My doctor started crying one day because she couldn't believe with all I have been through that I am always smiling and helping others with a positive attitude. I swear it makes all the difference. No matter what happens to us, there is always someone worse off. It's not about what happens but how we react to it. There's a lot of power in positive thinking. I have stage four cancer and am going through a divorce, and I am the happiest person I know!

Hugs, I'm here if you ever need to talk.

EA, if you need to vent or babble to someone to make your day better, any of us are just a click or two away to listen. And I wouldn't mind getting the details on making whoopie.........pies.

Hello SallyNBC.
What a great post! You make many relevant and useful points which could well help others to overcome depression.
In my professional days, every one of my clients 'suffered' from depression and most of them were often suicidal. My impression was that most of the depression was brought about by living in a depressive society but, that aside, the problem seemed to be how well they were able to control/manage their 'emotions' / 'instincts' (depression being just one example). Many of my clients were referred to me for what was euphemistically labelled as 'anger-management'. Anger was an emotional response to much the same stimuli as that which was triggering depression. Indeed, those that insisted that ‘anger’ was their only problem often became depressed once the anger was ‘managed’.
Some people convince themselves that ‘emotions/instincts’ are the ‘natural’ way of things and therefore should/could not be ‘managed’. Unfortunately, humans no longer live in a ‘natural’ environment and relying on emotions to guide behaviour has become outdated.
The subject is vast, but in my book: ‘PD= Primitive Dysfunction & Maladjustment to Modernity’2007.
I proposed that people with a diagnosis of ‘Personality Disorder’ were largely labelled as such because they were dysfunctional within our modern societies.
In the book I tried to outline how this manifests itself in ‘dysfunctional’ individuals. However, in my work with these people, I felt obliged to help them explore how society itself was dysfunctional (for them) and how that dysfunction was affecting them adversely.
The primary proposition was that in order to appear functional in a dysfunctional environment, the individual needs to understand what they are dealing with and not react instinctively/naturally to situations that are not ‘natural’.
The (successful) ‘programme’ I developed was much more simple than it sounds, and it was based on (almost) indisputable ‘common-sense’. Much like your post!
Best wishes
Bill

Thank you, Bill.

Really great advice here, Sally, and not just for someone experiencing depression. Just good advice for living! Thanks!

Terry

I appreciate you saying that, Terry. Hugs

Awww thanks Alex, that's so sweet of you. I'm in a great place and am very happy! As far as making whoopie pies..... it's quite a project and time-consuming but I make them for everyone I know, especially the bartenders in Boston where my daughters work- it gets me free drinks lol!

Sally,

I'm just going to print this whole thing out and plaster it all over my house. Beautifully written.

-Rachel

You are too kind. I actually have little reminders all over my house.

I wrote 'I Love You' in bright red lipstick on my bathroom mirror. I was not raised to practice self-love so it doesn't come easy. But I am getting better at it.

Loved your post SallyNBC! I agree with most of the other replies. For my mental health, I stay so busy I don't have time to stay depressed for too long. I've got too much to do.

E I

Thank you. Yes, keeping busy is good.

Whoopie Pies have been proven to help ward off sadness. Like, try eating a homemade one and not smile and savor.