Self Help For Depression

This article on self help for depression is going to focus on the word “self”. Although we do need outside advice and assistance from time to time, it is essential to realize we are the only ones who can help or heal ourselves.

Much too often we will find ourselves depending on an outside source exclusively without realizing that “we” are both the cause and the effect of our challenges. Depression is just one manifestation of this sense of powerlessness.

“Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.”

— Swami Sivananda —

Self Help For Depression is Available

Obviously, this is a mental health condition that can impact our lives tremendously. Having worked in the mental health field for several years this was not an uncommon occurrence.

Quite simply it is a total focus on what is wrong, ignoring other areas that are actually working quite well. When we are so focused on our problems and engulfed with uncomfortable feelings we find ourselves in an “emotional straitjacket” that seems inescapable.

Depending on the severity of the condition, professional help is a valid option. But any outside assistance is meant to lead us to the realization that we are responsible for our own healing.

I have worked with many wonderful therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists in the past, and they all saw their function as restoring awareness of a person’s power to heal themselves. Their objective was to put themselves out of business rather than encourage dependency. They acted more as a guide to self-discovery.

In severe cases, assistance is needed to ensure safety and ability to function. Safety of self and others is always the primary consideration as a person goes through a healing process.

Self help strategies can initially complement any treatment modalities and assist in managing and eliminating symptoms. It is important to be led to the cause of these symptoms or else they will merely reoccur in a different form.

Some Helpful Ideas:

• Pay Attention to Diet — energy levels and moods are affected by our diet. Do some research or get some information from a qualified dietitian.
• Exercise a Bit — when we are depressed or upset in any way, get into motion. When we are moving around it is harder to stay focused on our feelings and challenges. Create a daily program starting with a small amount and increasing on a natural basis.
• Spend Time with Friends & Family — our loved ones are our greatest support
• Quiet Time — taking a walk in nature allows us to be focused in the present moment as well as increase our natural breath flow
• Get Some Sleep — each person has different needs but it is important to re-energize ourselves
• Focus on What is Working — regardless of our circumstances, we can find things that are working well even if we have to spend time to “reframe” our thoughts a bit to see their reality. There are some cognitive behavior techniques that can help with this.
• Consider a Support Group — this may not be for everyone but it can be helpful to share our progress with others experiencing similar challenges
• Do Something Different — have a new experience by trying something new. When we expand our horizons our focus shifts.

Self Help For Depression — The Magic of Gratitude

When we are truly able to let go and release our focus on our problems, real or imagined, it is at this very point that we can feel and recognize the beauty of life and begin to understand the power we possess to create not only an ideal life but assist others in doing the same.

No matter how unlikely this may seem now, gratitude is the virtue that will lead us there. It takes a bit of willingness to embrace the uncertainty and learn to be the calm within the storm.

There is always something to be grateful for when we are brutally honest with ourselves. We can always find something that is good whether we want to admit it or not due to our current state of affairs.

“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude.”

— Denis Waitley —

Happiness is our true state of affairs but can only be reached when we have cleansed our minds of all that stands in the way. Gratitude is the perfect elixir to get things cleaned up and resolved.

Where Gratitude Exists

The only place that we will find gratitude is in the present moment. When we are there we have released ourselves from all fear, doubt, and uncertainty, so we actually “feel” grateful without needing to force it.

This is all about healing ourselves from the lies we have bought into. Our brilliance and magnificence never go away, but our awareness of them does.

Right here, right now everything is okay. When we understand this we are then able to handle our challenges with effectiveness and efficiency. We are not dragging ourselves down by focusing on what we don’t want, and then reinforcing that state of mind by pointing to the proof of what exists.

We are not denying our feelings or problems, but recognizing that we created them in the first place by our state of mind. This awareness leads to other choices and decisions in the present moment that then recreate and transform our current reality.

Yes, we are powerful beings and have much for which to be grateful. We are able to use our power to benefit ourselves instead of dragging ourselves down.

Finding Self Help for Depression Within Ourselves

There really is nowhere to go and nothing to do because we have it all now. Instead of “seeking” we concentrate on “sharing”, as we have so much to give to others. It is only our unawareness and understanding of this that trips us up.

Our proof is that things are a result of what we have created with our current state of mind; we then blame outside circumstances and people for our problems. This keeps us blind to reality and in a vicious circle of guilt, condemnation, self-pity, and holding grudges.

We have gotten so good at this that when we are confronted with the mess we created we instantly go into denial and defensiveness, and then wonder why we are not happy and feel depressed.

The good news is we have the power to turn things around since we created this mess.

To sum things up the first priority is for safety and daily functioning. In severe cases of depression, it is important to get professional help in order to stabilize the situation. We can then do the necessary work to discover and eliminate the cause.

Be very selective in choosing professional help. It is critical to work with someone who is dedicated to removing the cause and not only treating the symptoms. Once things are stabilized it is essential that we are engaged in the type of therapy that finds and eliminates the cause of our condition rather than playing around with the symptoms.

Once we create enough space for the light to shine through, we discover that we are mighty unlimited beings who were caught up within a web of self-deception that caused our feelings of lack of self-worth, anxiety, and depression.

I look forward to us all discovering our true selves within and sharing our happiness and joy with others.

In peace and love within the Light,

Joseph William

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