4 Ways to Reverse Depression

What is Depression? Depression is defined as: a sadness exceeding a normal time of grief both in duration and intensity. In short more often than not you are unhappy, frustrated, pissed off, negative and any other emotion you can throw in the hat. There are 3 major types of depression:

1. 
   Major depression - is characterized by a combination of symptoms that last for at least two weeks in a row, including sad and/or irritable mood that interfere with the ability to work, sleep, eat. These episodes can occur once, twice, or several times in a lifetime.


2. 
   Bipolar disorder (manic depression) - is a group of mood disorders or cycles of moods that include at least one episode of mania which are often chronic and recurring. Sometimes, the mood switches are dramatic and can cause unwise business or financial decisions when an individual is in a manic phase. 


3. 
   Dysthymia - is a less severe but usually more long-lasting type of depression. It involves long-term (chronic) symptoms that do not disable but yet prevent the affected person from functioning at "full steam". Episodes of major depression can occur and this combination of the two types of depression is referred to as double-depression.

In the context of Health we have to realize the body is responding to what is cultivated in our minds. So it is critical to focus on what we feed our mind as much as what we feed our body. Before we do this lets take a moment to look at signs that people exhibit in a depressive character: 

• Persistently sad, anxious, angry, irritable, or "empty" mood


• Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism and worthlessness


• Loss of interest


• early-morning awakening, or oversleeping


• Fatigue


• Crying spells


• Thoughts of death or suicide


• Physical symptoms, chronic pain, headaches, loss of appetite

The causes are numerous and to lengthily for purposes of this article but it is worth the time to reflect in your individual case some of the reasons that could have affected you. Grief, sadness and mourning are all natural responses to certain circumstances, but as described above the extended effects of these emotions is what pushes us over the line into depression. 

In discussion all this clinical talk is fine but living in the midst of depression requires more than talk, you need help.

I would like to share a few ways with you that may help to reverse depression:

1. 
   Medication - There is a real connection between a bodies chemical imbalance and depression. If you cannot do it yourself get help to find out if you have conflicting medication. You may also have a nutritional imbalance it might take some time to research but you may solve a big chunk of your problem in this one area


2. 
   Protect Your Mind - You know down inside what affects you negatively, stay away from these things. The last thing you need is to add extra negative stress on top of your depressive state.


3. 
   Layoff - Take it easy on yourself, layoff you. Self-Condemnation is one of the most vicious cycles to break, it consumes you day and night. Since it is a thought it can be as cancerous as any tumor.  To compound depression thoughts can manifest itself into physical problems and you don't need that.


4. 
   Release - Depression is a poison and like any other poison you need to get it out of you body. Write, talk, exercise, find what works for you and get that poison (depression) out of your body.

I know easier said than done but if you have the will to change then change you will. Take small steps so frustration won't stop your progress. Lets accept the fact that some people like the "Rut" and that's the way that is.

Very disruptive to your life and a complex matter this depression is, but you have to start somewhere and if you have the will to change that's half the battle. 

Don't you give up, that's what depression wants and it can't survive if you have hope.Depression puts you in a very small box where there is no room for hope and the alternatives it offers are not very good.

Folks, in my worse days my hope was that I would not wake up the next day, death was my hope. Now my hope is in some small way as a chick breaks out of it's shell that you can break out of the shell of depression and re-discover what good things life still has to offer.

Remember we have One Life - One Body

RB