5 Ways to Beat Up Depression

I usually envy people who are strangely optimistic, which results in unnecessary hate. But I shouldn't hate them. I should actually listen to them. 

As someone who has depression I need to be optimistic. I need to be able to tackle things with a bold, bright positive attitude. When I don't, I set myself up to fall. It is hard dealing with depression. I tend to take the door to my mind and heart and slam it tight, so no one knows the depression I face. 

It wasn't till yesterday that I told any of my friends I struggle with depression. It only came out when another friend mentioned having serious panic attacks, which I also fight with. (Funny side note: Once a panic attack caused me to think my shower was a shark. It isn't funny to me, but to everyone else it should be dag blam hilarious. xD) 

Anyway. I realized, at least for me, having depression is just like having an extra choir everyday. It takes work to deal with and it won't be easy. You can't snap your fingers and it will--poof!--be gone. No, instead you have to full on fight it, in the ring, everyday and one day you'll stand champion over it. 

Sure, fighting it isn't easy. In fact, it's probably is the hardest thing ever, but you can do it. So here are my 5 Ways to Beat Up Depression. I don't know if they're bullet proof, but they make logical sense. So, here we go!

1. Attack the Negative with a Positive 

When you have depression, negative thoughts come naturally. You don't even realize they are there until someone points it out. So, one of my first steps is to recognize your negative thoughts and reactions. Once you do that, you'll realize some of your negative reactions are a little absurd. And when you gain the ability to see your negatives, take the time to replace them with positives, or, as I say, attack them with positives. It doesn't matter if you don't necessarily believe your positives, because the truth is half the time we don't believe our negatives.  If we start using positives at the same time as negatives, soon, hopefully, we'll be balances out. 

2. Childish Thoughts vs. Adult Thoughts 

My therapist (is it bad that I remember how to spell therapist by putting together the rapist?) once explained to me something interesting about how our minds work. Things that happened we were younger were seen through a child's eyes, not an adults. Everything is taken in a different when you're a child. But the problem is, when you're older and you're looking back on a moment in the past, your memory comes from the child you. So, some things are dramatized and irrationality perceived. A 20 year old looking back on their parents divorce when they were five may still blame themselves for the divorce because they see it in the memory of their five year old self. The tool is to stop those irrational thoughts and return to your adult mind and think through it like an adult. Every time you deal with something from your past, remember who you were at that time and try to work through it in your 'adult' mind. 

3. Stay Focused on Your Target 

You hear it a bunch: "Stay focused!" Maybe in sports, dance, school, etc. But when you're fighting depression, stay focused on your goal. But in order to do that, you have to know what your goal is. Mine, personally, is to be strong enough to still have that lingering depression but still be able to live life with a smile on my face and the urge to be better and better. (If THAT made sense.) Once you have that goal in sight, make a dash for it. But you have to be aware of all the hurtles, pitfalls and other crap that will get in your way. Don't be afraid of the troubles that lay ahead, stay focused on your goal and give what you can to reach it. And don't set a goal the benefits only you, because in the end it only destroys you. Pick something that helps you by miles, but in some way can help other people around you. 

4. Don't Be Afraid to Try 

One of the worst things depression can do to you is shove you deep down into a little box. It makes you want to draw away from the whole world and have no outside contact. It seriously makes you want to lay there and never give up. Counter that blow with the exact opposite. Try new things all the time and don't be afraid of what other people think. I know, easier sad than done. But start with something small, like eating a new meal or walking a different route. Routine can be depression secret weapon. Why? Because then we get stuck in the routine and expect noting else and when things do get changed up, against our will, it drives us crazy. So, try, try and try again! (Wait...wrong context.) 

5. Enjoy Everything. 

Enjoy everything, even the hard battles. If we can look at our life and at least muster a pleasant smile, then we're doing good. When you're depressed, you tend to undermined yourself. You tell yourself that your life is a waste of space, on and on. And that's a lie. Everyone else knows that is a lie. You just have to realize that yourself. And you can do that by loving every moment of your life, embracing it. Hell, everything that has gone wrong in your life has been to your benefit. The wrongs have made you aware, ready for the next one, and stronger. Sure, they suck worse than a vacuum, but they are helpful in some ways. Look at your life and know that you're footprint on this world is a beautiful one, enjoy every moment of it. Depression is good at making us feel void when reality is, we're God's delight. 

I really hope my 5 steps help. I just came up with them myself and am using them to work on myself. Maybe, together, we can kick down depression. 

And maybe I'll shut up because this is getting WAY too sappy. ;]

**Jocelyn**