Fight depression with action opposite to emotion.
Depression steals your energy and obliterates your motivation to do the things you once enjoyed. It kills your desire and makes it difficult to do even the simplest daily task.
Depression is sneaky and can come in the form of body aches, irritability, excessive guilt, a loss of interest in many of your favorite things, and a general loss of excitement for life. When depression is severe it can create feelings of hopelessness and helplessness. A sufferer may even experience suicidal thoughts.
No matter how hopeless you may feel, it is important to know that depression is treatable. You can feel better. In order to treat depression and find joy again, you are going to have to push yourself out of your comfort zone and do action opposite to emotion. In other words, you are going to have to do some things you don’t feel like doing.
Okay, let’s look at how this is done the action opposite to emotion way because it is the action opposite to emotion that will get you feeling better.
You don’t feel like getting out of bed. Force yourself to do it anyway.
When you are depressed, staying in bed all day will actually increase your depression. When you don’t feel like getting up force yourself to do action opposite to emotion and put two feet on the floor and begin your day.
You don’t feel like taking a shower. Force yourself to do it anyway.
Showering can feel like a major chore when you are depressed. Force yourself to do it anyway. After you get yourself showered and dressed, you will feel a little bit better.
You don’t feel like putting yourself on an early rise sleep schedule. Force yourself to do it anyway.
Many people who are depressed sleep half or even most of the day and stay up watching television most of the night. This schedule can make depression worse. Getting up early, at the same time everyday, can help decrease depression.
You don’t feel like going to the doctor. Force yourself to go anyway.
When your energy is low along with your motivation, you may procrastinate making that doctor’s appointment. Force yourself to do it anyway…immediately. Going to the doctor doesn’t mean that you will be forced to take medications, but it will give you a better idea of what is going on with you as well as different treatment options.
You don’t feel like going to lunch with a friend. Force yourself to go anyway.
Depression makes you want to isolate yourself, but isolation increases depression. Accept that lunch invitation whether you want to go or not. Breaking out of isolation may get you feeling a little bit better. Look at it as something you need to do rather than focusing on whether or not you will enjoy it. It is difficult to enjoy most things when you are depressed, but doing them may be part of your treatment.
You don’t feel like opening your blinds. Force yourself to open them anyway.
Staying in a dark cave will not improve your condition. Get out and spend some time in the sun. Even if it is not sunny outside, open the blinds and let in some natural light.
You don’t feel like exercising. Force yourself to do it anyway.
Most likely, you will not have the energy to exercise when you are depressed. Do action opposite to emotion and force yourself to do some kind of exercise even if it is just for 30 minutes. Evidence based studies show that regular exercise decreases depression.
You don’t feel like going outside. Force yourself to go anyway.
The fresh air can help you feel better.
Try to look at fighting depression as a recipe. The treatment takes more than one ingredient. It will take lots of different ingredients to get you feeling better. It will also take doing many things you don’t feel like doing (action opposite to emotion) to get you spiraling in a much happier direction.
If you are feeling hopeless and helpless, know that the depression has a strong hold on you. Seek medical help immediately so that you can begin to live again.
I hope this helps you! If you want to read how to build positive momentum in your life, check out my book, The Snowball Effect: How to Build Positive Momentum in Your Life. It is available in soft cover and e-book. Check it out by clicking here.
Remember, if you always do what you have always done, you will always get what you have always gotten. Maybe it’s time to do something different. Don’t trust your depression! It will tell you that you will never feel better. It will tell you to stay in bed. It will tell you that life’s not worth it. It will tell you that you aren’t worth it. Depression lies. Fight back with action opposite to emotion.
You are worth it!
Kristin
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