Depression

By Michael Knight

Tuesday 9 June 2009

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Identifying whether you have depression and to what extent is it affecting the quality of your life is possibly the first question to ask yourself.

The following twenty plus (20+) questions, some of which you may identify with, are primarily just to indicate that you are not alone, and to confirm you are not going mad, in this crazy yet beautiful world we live in, and more importantly to show you that having these thoughts is not a valid reason to end your life — as things will get better! Please believe me when I say this. So now for the questions:

1. Are you having trouble getting motivated and activated in your life to the level you would like?

2. Doing the simplest of things can seem so unimportant or difficult to get done?

3. Do you feel as if your will-power has disappeared for a short while? Where the future just does not seem to matter in the slightest.

4. Are you tired of the same old boring stuff?

5. Do you feel worn out, perhaps carrying the burden of too much seriousness and responsibility for far too long? Too many demands, not enough fun, freedom, sense of achievement, gratification feeling valued and alive?

6. Does everything seem to be a constant battle with the outside world? Conflict, complaints, fears, abuse? Does everything seem like a struggle?

7. Do you feel isolated, trapped in a world of despair, sometimes feeling like you couldn't fight your way out of a wet paper bag?

8. Do you feel you can't get the help you need, no matter how much you have tried, and still keep trying when you're up to it?

9. Do you feel like no one really seems to know or understand you?

10. Are you too hard on yourself, have high expectations of yourself and others? Perhaps you've felt like you have failed too many times.

11. Do you feel like you sink into your mind, like quick sand — the more you fight it, the quicker you sink?

12. Do you pretend you're okay to people who are around you?

13. Does this false imagery really help you?

14. Are you achieving in the workplace (if you have employment) and in your relationships?

15. Have you always been like this or since a trauma or various events in your life such as a Separation or Divorce? Or has the Separation increased your stress levels tenfold triggering or exacerbating your depression? Yes — sometimes it's really hard to know what came first, a bit like the chicken and the egg.

16. Are you eating properly, giving yourself the correct nutrition your body and mind needs?

17. Are you alone physically and emotionally — with nobody by your side to really support you? Do you feel loved?

18. What can you do to make your life better?

19. What are you scared of? What's holding you back from living a great life?

20. Do you want to live a great life really — or just keep doing what you are doing now?

Well there you go. Were you able to relate to any of those questions? Hopefully you did and this should make you feel a bit brighter that others experience the same as you and there is hope.

I certainly understand it's not always easy to find good people who understand what you are going through, who can show true compassion and empathy, especially in those dark moments, however it is extremely important to keep these people around when you do find them. People will be attracted to you because you are good person, regardless of whether you experience some bouts of depressing thoughts affecting you moods and behaviour.

It's never to late to attempt change, and after all what have you got to lose? Absolutely nothing, but you have everything to gain. So try something new each day — whatever it is.

The Answer

The reality is, there is no such thing as depression as a physical illness, hence no drugs are ever needed or should be taken!

All depression is, are simply depressing thoughts that we have locked away in our head (our sub-conscious mind) and these thoughts vibrate through our physical body manifesting into the outside (of us) world. So why do we think depressing thoughts and how did we get all those depressing thoughts stuck in our head?

Simply, they have been piling up in your head since you were born. Blotting up everything you saw, felt and experienced. If you happened to accumulate more of the negative type of experiences in your mind, these may likely be determining your actions even up to today.

So what to do?

The only thing you can really do is be reborn. By this I mean begin today, right now by putting good, positive, happy and fun thoughts, words, feelings, experiences, yes you get the picture, in to your daily life.

In time these good thoughts will overwrite the negative ones and your life will change dramatically.

Remember that old saying:

"If you continue to do what you have always done, you will always be what you've always been."

As a person who has suffered various levels of depression, moods, being melancholy, more sensitive than not most of my life, I have formed the opinion that these symptoms are sometimes the brain's way of having down-time. You can learn and be fulled from these negative moments to put more fun and exciting things in your life. Practicing more gratitude always seems to help me.

Also understand that more people suffer with it than you think, but most people won't openly tell you and show you what's really going on for them. You might be surprised that many people simply mask their so called 'dark side' until they are alone.

Whilst depression and similar sorts of psychological illness (if we can call it that) is no doubt a result of developmental anomalies from trauma or overwhelming stresses during childhood or even as adults, impacting on the mind causing different symptoms. A few things to pull you out of this psychosis and make you feel better are:

Eating (hopefully nutritious food), exercise, rest, company, working, achieving, gaining, love, gratitude, feeling secure in your being and understanding that you are almighty powerful and loving force who can be or do anything when you really want to.

For those who don't suffer some form of depression or mental illness, please be kind, tolerant and accepting of people with this condition at all times. It is usually not their fault they exhibit these symptoms. They simply need love, understanding and positive encouragement, not ridicule, abandonment and discrimination.

Depression can sometimes be referred to as a sickness, so if so, you wouldn't yell and carry on if they were in bed ill, now would you? So please show some concern and empathy, if you can. You may just be doing somebody a huge life saving favour.

These people are often some of the most loving, intelligent, brilliant perhaps genius like minds, if not inspiring and insightful people you may ever have the pleasure of meeting. Be grateful when you are in their presence, as they most likely are when you are in theirs.

Giving out an extra drop and love here and there can go along way, and besides you just might learn something about yourself.

With love and understanding
Michael