How
Depressing
If
you were afflicted with depression, do you think you could overcome
it? I had a letter from a writer this week asking what came first
in depression ... chemicals in the body or thoughts in the mind?
For me, it's not a chicken and egg question.
I
successfully work with a lot of depression clients. For the most
part the only solution they've been given is medication to change
their chemical balance.
What
I've found is that if I can get them to emotionally engage with
their happier memories, they change their attitude and become
happy again. They break the depression mould by changing their
attitude. Their changed attitude changes their chemistry and pretty
soon (always under medical advice of course) they throw away their
pills and start living again.
Are
you old enough to remember vinyl records .. pre-CD and ipod days?
Those records used to get scratched and when the needle hit the
scratch, it would keep replaying the same phrase of music over
and over again. That's what depression is for most people.
They
get stuck in the problem not the solution. Their mind keeps replaying
how awful and depressing life is and that fills their consciousness.
Only by breaking the pattern of thinking can they realise their
full, whole and complete selves.
By
the way we all have downer days... even people who meditate regularly.So
you visit the downer and break out of it just as quickly. The
trick is to know that you are not defined by your negative emotions.
You are defined by your personality, your actions, and your beliefs
... your higher self ... your spiritual self,
Deep
within yourself, you have the ability to change any feelings you
have.
Imagine
being so in control of your emotions that you can turn a negative
into a positive using only the power of your mind.
Why
do you think some people spend time enriching the worst case scenario
rather than seeing every event as an opportunity to learn and
grow? That's all depression is, the refusal to see good and growth
in your life.
If
you feel lonely, remind yourself that loving people surround you.
Engage with a group of like minded friends who will lift you up
and support you.
If
your mind creates feelings of impending doom, remind youself that
you are safe. Think of all the things in your life that you are
grateful for.
Make
healthy choices. Being a happy person is a choice. Share your
life with like minded friends ... rather than people who want
to rub your nose in mistakes or perceived failures. Choose to
live in a positive environment. If you don't have those sorts
of friends, come to our classes ... you'll soon meet uplifting
people.
As
I said earlier, every now and then, everyone encounters a small
bout of sadness. And generally, the negative emotions are brought
about by a sense of insecurity or an underlying worry.
But
always remember ... it's not "them" or "stuff"
that creates negative emotions ... you are the creator and controller
of how you feel. So the homework starts now ... long before any
negatives may one day come along. Get used to creating what you
want from Life. Become a powerful, independent and stable individual.
Know you are a powerful, creative spiritual force ... and with
Source on your side, the rest of it is small stuff ... so don't
sweat the small stuff.
Self-Reflection
Questions:
1. Is there a specific person, place or thing that serves as a
trigger to depression? Re-imagine it.
2.
How often do you count your blessings and mentally revisit past
happiness and success?
3.
Do you express my feelings and openly share them with friends
or do you pretend to be some one else?
