Strategies for Breaking the Cycle of Depression
By: Brian M Murray, MS, IMH
Depression is not limited to certain people who are
pre-disposed for it. Depression can happen to anyone. Studies indicate that one
in four people will experience depression within their lifetime. There are key
thoughts and behaviors that can be attributed to feeling depressed such as
thinking (and believing) that everything is hopeless and that nothing is ever
going to change. Feelings of worthlessness, being useless at work or in
relationships and thinking the world is a terrible place casting blame on the
self when things go wrong. These are negative thought patterns that contribute
to depression.
There are also behaviors that contribute as well such as
being frequently tired or low energy, disruptive sleeping and eating patterns.
There is a loss of joy in life with the things that were once enjoyed.
Avoidance of family and friends, sleeping most of the day and difficulty
getting out of bed. There may even be painful physical complaints such as
frequent headaches and backaches. At its worst people may isolate for long
periods of time and turn to drugs or alcohol to help cope with the feelings of
depression. Chemicals only exacerbate the situation further by eliminating
precious serotonin from the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that acts as
a natural antidepressant.
Breaking the cycle of depression requires movement. In a
metaphorical sense, it is like heating water to a boil. Water without
stimulation remains motionless and unchanged. However, if some heat (activity)
is applied it energizes molecules creating more energy which creates more
movement and so forth and so on. The first step is breaking the motionless
cycle and getting movement going. Go to the park and feed the ducks or find
some activity that requires getting up and going outside of the home. A simple
walk around the block. Call a friend or family member and stop by for a visit.
Take up a hobby that involves being around other people such as an art class or
outdoor photography. The point is movement.
Breaking the cycle of depression through movement does
several things. First it creates a distraction by challenging the often
negative perception of the world around us and infuses something positive. It
challenges depressed feelings that the world is not a terrible place where
everything goes wrong or is bad. Challenge your thoughts of what you might be
reacting to. Are you focusing just on the bad things in life without looking at
the good? A good way to get negative thoughts out is journaling. Write down the
bad thoughts and leave blank space after each sentence to return and write in
positive alternatives.
While many of these strategies will work for mild to
moderate depression sometimes there may be a situation due to a chemical
imbalance in the brain, or chronic severe depression. If this is the case then
talking with your doctor for possible antidepressants is highly recommended
along with talk therapy.
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