Beat Your Depression

“Good humor is tonic for the mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment. ” – Grenville Kleiser

With the benefit of hindsight I now realize that good humor has helped me to stave off depression on many occasions over the years. In fact, it is only when I allowed circumstances to overcome my sense of humor that depression set in.

Notice that I said, “when I allowed circumstances,” and did not blame prevailing circumstances for my predicament at the time! This is because we all have choices as to how we react, or respond, to what happens in our lives.

Make sure that the choices that you make are in YOUR best interests.

What better way could there be to help us to overcome our depression than by giving and receiving healthy hugs?

They are environmentally friendly, can be found wherever there are people, cost nothing other than a moment of time, have no adverse side effects, and you cannot give one without receiving one in return. However, they can be contagious and addictive.

Years ago, in the early eighties, I was given a sheet of paper with a very short version of the power and value of hugs. I still have it somewhere in my memorabilia. It was titled “Healthy Hugs” and I used to keep a copy with me to show people so that I could solicit some hugs without being considered to be somewhat strange or a pervert.

There is no doubt that hugs give a person a mental lift and a feeling of well being. I can also understand the benefits of hugs in relation to raising children and the maternal instinct of mothers, and other women, to cuddle babies. “Cuddling and caressing make the growing child feel secure and is known to aid in self-esteem,” claims Dr Achal Bhagat, a Deli-based psychiatrist.

It is unfortunate that many men are reluctant to embrace each other with a hug as they are concerned that such actions may be considered not to be macho. It is time that this misconception is changed!

I admire those communities that are not affected by this perception. I, too, used to be concerned about the possibility of being misinterpreted or misunderstood when soliciting a hug. This has now changed, and I am fortunate that my adult children [two sons and a daughter] and my grandchildren offer to hug me.

Recently, I did a little research on this topic and found that there is considerable scientific evidence supporting the immense health benefits of hugging. Amongst this evidence is:-

The America Psychosomatic Association released a report in 2003 that found hugs make people healthier. It was a study conducted by psychological researchers at the University of North Carolina to figure out the correlation between hugs and health. They put 100 couples together and asked 50 couples each to watch fun videos holding hands and hug for 20 seconds afterwards.

The other 50 couples were told to watch movies without any physical contact. Later, all the participants were asked to talk about stress they recently experienced for two to three minutes.

The result showed that couples with no physical bonding had twice as high blood pressures and heartbeats than their counterparts.

The level of cortisol, a hormone secreted in response to stress, also went up [in those couples that had no physical bonding]. The effect of physical contact, or bonding, to unwind the body was scientifically proven.

———

We need 4 hugs a day for survival. We need 8 hugs a day for maintenance. We need 12 hugs a day for growth
—Virginia Satir, family therapist

So try it for yourself! Hug somebody, or at least hold hands for a while.

 New York University   Research News

Study Reveals How the Brain Generates the Human Tendency for Optimism
Wednesday, Oct 24, 2007

A neural network that may generate the human tendency to be optimistic has been identified by researchers at New York University. As humans, we expect to live longer and be more successful than average, and we underestimate our likelihood of getting a divorce or having cancer. The results, reported in the most recent issue of Nature, link the optimism bias to the same brain regions that show irregularities in depression.

The study was conducted by a team of researchers from the laboratory of NYU Professor Elizabeth Phelps. The lead author is Tali Sharot, now a post-doctoral fellow at University College London. ……….

“Our behavioral results suggest that while the past is constrained, the future is open to interpretation, allowing people to distance themselves from possible negative events and move closer toward positive ones,” said Phelps, a professor of psychology and neural science. “Understanding optimism is critical as optimism has been related to physical and mental health. On the other hand, a pessimistic view is correlated with severity of depression symptoms.” [more]

[You can learn to program your mind with the information contained in the Total Success Library.]

What a difference a sad event in someone’s life makes.
GEORGE CARLIN (His wife recently died…)

Isn’t it amazing that George Carlin – comedian of the 70’s and 80’s – could write something so very eloquent…and so very appropriate.

A Message by George Carlin:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.

We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We’ve added years to life not life to years.

We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbour.

We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom.

A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete….

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent

Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don’t recommend this to at least 8 people….Who cares?

George Carlin

How true this is!

From the above, it is easy to understand how the pressures of life on most of us, including the rich and famous, can cause so much misery, depression and discontent.

I believe that if we can all follow these recommendations, the problem of depression in the world will diminish considerably. Here is a complimentary quote:-

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

– Leo Buscaglia

There is no doubt that happy and contented people seem to have very few problems with depression. They are generally calm, except when they are excited from having a good time, and they seldom seem to get stressed out. On the other hand, those people who suffer from depression are often stressed, withdrawn, melancholy, continually tired or exhausted, sad, and worry a lot, amongst other things.

This leads me to believe that, if people suffering from depression can become happy, perhaps their dark cloud of depression will lift and fade away. After all, the ancient Greeks believed [rightly so] that the best cure for melancholia was singing and dancing.

Now I know that there are some morbid and sad songs about and there are some theatrical dance routines that depict tragedy and pathos, but The ancient Greeks and I are referring to pleasant, happy music and dancing. Both singing and dancing stimulate the body to produce endorphins that are the body’s answer to opiates. The endorphins give us a natural high and make us feel good. This is why it is best to stop moping around if you happen to be depressed and DO something physical.

It is also good to take time out to do something new, or something that we have not allowed ourselves time for recently, but we thoroughly enjoy the activity. This compels us to concentrate on the activity at hand and to stop the continual re-visiting the past and ruminating about what should have been done, what could have been done, and what I should have said, blaming oneself for being foolish, etc. etc. ad nauseum. If you suffer, or have ever suffered, from depression, you will know what I am talking about.

I believe that we should always endeavor to be happy, calm, and contented, and live our lives in the present rather than in the past.

This is why I recommend the e-book, How To Find Happiness, written by Jennifer Summers. It is a great guide to health and happiness as attested to by Doctor Phyllis Gold, author of “Happiness – do what it takes” who said about How To Find Happiness:-

“If you want to increase your confidence and reduce the stress and anxiety in your life, then this program is second to none. It will make you happier and therefore healthier!”

The following article by Jennifer Summers Makes us think about how we spend our time and how we really need to re-think our priorities.

WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO TAKE ‘TIME OUT’

by Jennifer Summers

How many times have you continued working, knowing that you
are not giving 100% to the task at hand?

How many times have you read or written the same sentence
over and over again, as your mind keeps wandering and
thinking about other things?

How often have you wanted to take a break from the family
or kids but feared the consequences of doing so?

WHY DO WE NOT ALLOW OURSELVES THE TIME TO TAKE ‘TIME OUT’?

There are many genuine reasons for needing to complete jobs
and tasks, however we may also on occasion have ‘hidden
agendas’ as to why we cannot stop for a break. Some of
these reasons might be:

* EGO – Some people simply enjoy boasting about, ‘how late
they had to work in order to complete a project’ or ‘how
much effort they invested in order to complete the job so
quickly’ – this type of person is often looking to impress
others with their efforts, thereby increasing their ego in
the process.

* TIME – “I can’t stop, I just have to get this finished”.
Does this sound familiar? “I can’t stop because the job has
to be finished, WHY? So I can move straight on to the next
thing, and the next, and the next etc…” this person will
find that there is always something that has to be done,
which will constantly prevent him/her from taking a break.

* THE NEED TO BE NEEDED – A mother managing the household,
kids and other chores may feel as if her household will
collapse if she were to put her feet up or take a weekend
off! By not taking a break she can keep convincing herself
that her role is crucial and the family would collapse
without her input. This may indeed be true, but is still
not a good enough reason to prevent her having a rest!

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TAKING A BREAK?

Allowing your mind and/or body to rest can help re-focus
your attention, sharpen your wits and increase motivation.
In addition, taking time out helps to relieve stress, can
aid the recovery of tired muscles and also promotes the
discovery that there is more to life than just work.

I once asked an athlete what the most important element of
his training routine was and he answered, ‘rest’. He told
me that his muscles needed ‘time’ to repair after an
intensive workout session, so he was very strict in
allowing himself enough recuperation time between training
sessions. Giving himself this time off allowed him to go on
and become one of the most popular men in his sport.

I also know from my own work and writing, that sometimes my
mind feels blank but after some time out, I can return to
the subject matter with fresh eyes and a clear mind and it
all seems much easier.

HOW LONG SHOULD A BREAK BE AND WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

A break can be anything from a 10-minute meditation
session to a year’s trip around the world, and anything
in-between. I define a break as, ‘something that takes
your mind off a preoccupation’. So depending on the time
you wish to avail towards relaxing you may enjoy reading,
watching a movie, cooking, playing with the kids, riding a
motorbike or driving, exercising or doing sports,
travelling or simply sleeping!

REMEMBER, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU ENJOY DOING:

1. Allow yourself (time off) to do it.

2. Do not feel guilty (about taking time off).

3. Enjoy the benefits (time off) will give you.

4. Understand that no matter how important you are (or
feel you are) life will continue (in the office, at
home, on the playing field) whilst you enjoy a break.

So, if you’re feeling tired, unmotivated or just in need of
a rest, don’t be a martyr or look negatively at this. You
may actually find that in reality, allowing yourself a break
will actually help you ultimately become more efficient and
effective in every part of your life.

Thank you for allowing yourself a five-minute break to read
this.

Happy relaxing,
Jennifer Summers
http://www.howtofindhappiness.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The author Jennifer Summers has developed a TOOLKIT called
“How To Find Happiness”. Get Stress Busting Exercises &
Techniques, excellent guides to Time and Anger Management
plus lots more. A must for you to manage your stress and
gain a new perspective on life.

A “Must Have” toolkit that can simply transform your life!
Click here now ===> http://www.howtofindhappiness.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

© How To Corporation. All rights reserved.

If we take time out to spend by ourselves or relaxing with our family and friends how much better would our lives be? Are we living or merely existing? How much would we reduce the stressors in our lives if we just put some time aside for ourselves? This book is certainly worth a read and may turn out to be our salvation.

Check it out here!

It is well known that excessive stress can lead to depression!  This article makes us look at some of the causal factors of stress in our lives and how we can reduce or eliminate stress.  Read on and make sure that you do not become a “statistic.”

How To Stop Yourself Becoming Another ‘Stress Statistic’

by Jennifer Summers

The statistics are truly <<shocking>>…

* Over 19 million Americans are currently suffering
from stress and anxiety related disorders.

* Up to 75% of people in employment are dissatisfied or
unhappy with their jobs.

* Stress related accidents are increasing year on year.

* Stress levels have increased substantially in children,
teenagers and the elderly.

* The majority of people that are suffering from such
stress disorders refuse to seek medical help.

* Stress is now considered to be a key factor in health
complaints such as stomach disorders, certain cancers
and heart condition.

Stress is not simply a problem, or even an epidemic; sadly
it has now actually become a way of life for the majority
of people!

WHY ARE WE BECOMING MORE STRESSED?
As the statistics above demonstrate, the biggest group
affected by ‘stress’ appears to be those in employment. This
doesn’t suggest we would be better off not working, merely
that working conditions are felt to have become more
demanding in recent years.

In addition to those in the workplace, children and
teenagers are also becoming more prone to anxiety, perhaps
due to ‘peer pressure’.

The aged too are increasingly becoming concerned, they are
living longer, may have financial worries and many fear for
their safety.

Modern life has become very demanding. Mobile phones mean
that we are almost always contactable; leisure time has
become reduced for many, replaced by longer working hours
and health risks have increased with a rise in cancers and
‘new conditions’ constantly being discovered.

IS ANYONE SAFE FROM STRESS?
All of us will experience situations that may cause us to
become ‘stressed’ or feel ‘anxious’.

Reasons are too many to note but can include, buying a
property, having guests stay over (in-laws!), being bullied,
exams, looking after children, managing finances,
relationship issues, travelling etc.

Stress is a ‘normal’ function of everyday life. Only when
it appears to take over our lives does it then become a
problem.

WHY DO WE BECOME STRESSED?
Everyone will have different reasons why a situation causes
them pressure. As a rule it’s usually when we don’t feel in
control of a situation, then we feel it’s grip tightening
around us causing us to feel worried or ‘stressed’.

SO WHAT’S THE ANSWER?
If stress is caused by us not ‘feeling in control’ of a
situation, the answer is to try and reverse this, and
‘retain control’.

EXAMPLES:
If you’re not happy at work, for whatever reasons, speak
with your boss and try to work out a solution that would
make you feel more comfortable.

If you don’t get on particularly well with someone you know
(partner, family, friends), rather than bottling it all up
inside – talk to them about it. You’ll either strengthen
your relationship or not but either way the problem will
be out of your system.

If you know you have an exam or deadline looming, don’t wait
until the night before to try and get everything done as
this just puts undue pressure on yourself.

Examples of stressful situations are endless and I’m sure we
can all think of many that affect us personally. Often we
spend too much time looking for answers instead of simply
analysing the cause.

CALMING TECHNIQUES:
Write down all the areas in your life that currently cause
you to feel stressed.

* How much is your attitude responsible rather than
external factors?

* What could you do differently to change this?

* How would you like these situations to be?

* How do you feel this can be achieved?

Try and keep your answers realistic and recognise that every
problem has a solution.

REMEMBER:

1. Experiencing a stressful situation is not uncommon.

2. Stress is a warning and should be taken seriously.

3. Look at what may be causing you to feel this way (is
it you or the situation, perhaps both).

4. Communicate – talking or writing about your issues
may help ‘get things off your chest’.

5. Finding the solution to our stress can often seem
easier ‘said than done’ but there is a solution out
there, don’t be afraid to look for it.

Don’t become another ‘stress statistic’, retain control
over your life and enjoy it.

Good luck,

Jennifer Summers

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The author Jennifer Summers has developed a TOOLKIT called
“How To Find Happiness”. It comes complete with many Stress
Busting exercises & techniques, guides to Time and Anger
Management plus lots more. A must for anyone interested in
managing their stress & gaining a new perspective on life!
Check out ===> http://www.howtofindhappiness.com
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

© How To Corporation. All rights reserved.

The medical fraternity often claims that a major cause of depression, anxiety, and other forms of emotional disorders, is chemical imbalance. However, there is seldom any discussion about what causes the chemical imbalance. I have been searching for answers to this question and so far I have found that there is very little information provided by doctors, scientists, or clinical researchers.

There is a considerable amount of information discussing what the chemical imbalances are and what can be done, medically, to adjust the imbalance of chemicals. However, despite a lot of research over a long period of time, it appears that there are only several theories put forward regarding possible causes. One of these relates to a sustained increase in the production of adrenalin as a result of daily stressors, and a corresponding and compensating reduction in the production of the neurochemicals [or neurotransmitters] such as seratonin and cortisol.

Another theory suggests that disturbed sleep patterns and/or chronic pain cause seratonin to be used quicker than it can be replaced by the body. This leads to a situation where the synapses [the region where two or more nerve cells meet and across which an impulse passes] have insufficient amounts of neurotransmitter in them to allow the passage of complete signals relating to sleep, pain control, and mood control. This, in turn, often results in a snowball effect that compounds the problem.

There are some people out there who believe that pharmaceutical companies may know more about the causes of the imbalances than they are prepared to divulge because it may lead to a downturn in the lucrative sales of their products. Perhaps the tobacco industry’s record caused them to have this slant on their outlook? They may have a point though as I understand that not all sufferers of depression and anxiety etc. have a chemical imbalance; many people do not respond to antidepressants used to compensate for chemical imbalances; and there are times when sufferers respond positively to placebos. In other circumstances it is time that tends to heal the problem.

I believe that the medical profession really is trying to get a much better understanding of the problem. viz:-

“A study at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston may lead to a better understanding of how antidepressants like Prozac work — and how to make them more effective.” 2005

“Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Eric Gouaux at Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) and colleagues Satinder K. Singh and Atsuko Yamashita published their findings August 8, 2007, in an advance online publication in the journal Nature. ….. The researchers began their studies with the goal of understanding how TCAs interact with their clinical target, sodium-coupled neurotransmitter transporters. These transporters mop up neurotransmitters from the synapse, the junction between neurons. Neurotransmitters are molecules that neurons use to communicate with neighbouring neurons. TCAs work by inhibiting the reuptake of neurotransmitters by neurons.

Disorders such as depression, epilepsy, autism, or obsessive-compulsive disorder can result from impaired function of sodium-coupled neurotransmitter transporters. Thus, these molecules are the target of a variety of drugs, including TCAs.

It has been a great challenge, however, to understand precisely how these molecules function and interact with drugs. The problem, Gouaux said, is that the transporters found in humans are not amenable to study.”

Another person has remarked that life would be miserable if we did not have some chemical imbalances that affect our moods. When you think about this there is some merit to the statement. Without mood swings, ostensibly brought about by chemical imbalances, we would all be like the legendary Zombies, or living dead. We would not enjoy the natural highs of endorphin, the body’s opiate-like hormone, brought about by singing, dancing and exercise. Nor would we be able to display sorrow or grief when it is appropriate to do so. And if we did not have our down days we would not have a yardstick to measure against and appreciate the good days.

We are all probably aware that it is our thoughts that generally prompt the secretion of the various hormones. For example, if we think that our safety is being threatened, we quickly secrete adrenalin and its cohorts to equip us for fight or flight by closing down nutrient supply to some organs, such as the digestive system, and re-directing the nutrients to the muscles, heart and lungs until the threat is gone and our system can return to normal.

When we anticipate [think] something favorable is about to happen, we produce hormones that put us in a good mood; and thinking of a sumptuous meal causes us to salivate in anticipation of partaking the meal.

This, together with my personal experiences, convinces me that, if our thoughts influence our body’s endocrine glands [those that excrete the hormones and saliva etc.] then, by controlling our thoughts we can influence the secretions of hormones, and the timing of such secretions, to our advantage. Cognitive behavioral therapy [CBT] is a relatively new method of treating problems associated with depression and anxiety etc. and is certainly a step in the right direction. This, and other forms of mental programming, will be the subject of much of my discussion in future.

In my case, I applied the information that I gleaned from the “Total Success Library” and listened to relaxation recordings to hasten my recovery from depression.

Note: Since I originally wrote this post I have been searching for the answer to the question that I posed. My research has caused me much to be alarmed about, especially when a prominent psychiatrist has stated that chemical imbalances of the brain is the only disease spread by word of mouth.

There seems to be a considerable number of psychiatrists who disagree with the position taken by the pharmaceutical companies that produce anti-depressants and the many doctors who prescribe them. One such psychiatrist is Douglas C. Smith, M.D. from Juneau, Alaska, who stated “One hundred years from now, people will read current psychiatric text books with the same incredulity we have about blood-letting and snake oil…”

I was particularly concerned to read about the association of anti-depressants and suicide, attempted suicide, homicide and attempted homicide by people who take anti-depressants, plus the fact that during the first 12 years after its introduction, there were 40,000 reports of adverse effects from Prozac submitted to the FDA.

Expect to read more about these concerns in future posts.

Depression-Depression-Depression- Depression

It is generally known that there are basically four types of depression. These are:-

1. Topography – A hollow or sunken part e.g. a pit.
2. Weather – A low barometric pressure surrounded by higher pressures.
3. Economy – A decline in business activity accompanied by unemployment and lowering of income. [This can often give rise to the type of depression described in 4.]
4. Personal – A lowering of vitality or functional activity or the state of being below par in physical or mental vitality.

The medical profession further catagorizes item 4 into into a number of groups and sub-groups that you can read about in the book Understanding and Curing Depression.

When people suffer from depression [4.], amongst other things, they often say that they feel lost, in a fog, overwhelmed, anxious, or at the bottom of a pit.

The good thing about this is that if you are at the bottom of a pit the only direction left to go is up and out of the pit. 🙂

If you manage to find yourself at the bottom of a pit because you lost your way in the darkness or in a fog, or you were overwhelmed and pushed over the side, or slid to the bottom as a result of slippery or crumbling sides, do not give up hope. You should be able to manage to walk or climb out of the pit, especially when the dust settles, or the fog lifts and you can see better.

Should the sides still be slippery or crumbling then you may occasionally slip back a little, or even right to the botttom again. However, as you are now aware of the problem, you can take more care and preventative action, or even take a different route. You can even call for help. Quite often help is closer than you think.

Help could take the form of the end of a rope thrown to you, or a ladder lowered to you. However, you will still have to do some work yourself. This includes, tying the rope around your waist and climbing the sides with the rope to steady you, or you may have to climb the ladder with, or without the security of a rope around your waist.

If you managed to injure yourself during your descent to the bottom of the pit and could not contribute to your rescue, help may be needed in the form of a rescue team to recover you.

We can use the information above as a parable for overcoming depression. Then the pit would be the depression, and the feelings of being lost, in a fog, overwhelmed etc would be the symptons associated with depression. The rope and ladder would be the counseling to assist you, and the physical act of climbing out yourself would be what YOU do to help yourself to recover and prevent problems in the future. Should the situation be dire enough for you need a rescue team, this may equate to the need for you to take a trip to hospital. Hopefully, this will not be required.

I liken the need for counseling to receiving a laceration to the forearm, hand, or hip as a result of a nail protruding from something that you pass by frequently. You will probably need to disinfect the wound and place a dressing, such as a bandage on it to protect the wound whilst the body repairs itself. You may even need a suture or two if the wound is large. Then you would need to take action to prevent similar problems in the future. This could involve hammering the nail flush with it’s surrounds or removing it altogether.

If you treat only the wound and not the cause of the wound you can expect more problems. I recommend undertaking counseling for depression and working on yourself to prevent problems in future. This is what I did to assist in my recovery from depression.

I shall be discussing ways and means of beating your depression, without the need to resort to taking anti-depressants, in future posts. I have found from experience, discussions with other sufferers, and in-depth reading to determine what causes the imbalance of chemicals that medical practitioners say causes depression, that it is quite possible that anti-depressant medication can cause more problems than they remedy. This will be discussed in much more detail in future posts and in great depth in my book when it is completed.

When you were at the bottom of the pit you may have experienced some anxiety. This is often related to depression and is a combination of fear and worry. Should you find yourself being anxious, try to remember that FEAR is an acronym for False Evidence Appearing Real, and worry is like being in a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but gets you nowhere.

You can learn more about how to cure anxiety and panic attacks here. This gives solutions, other than medication, to cure anxiety and panic attacks and much of this can be applied to beating depression as they are all closely associated.

It appears that many people are having trouble understanding or accepting Rule #6 in the article” Ten Rules for Being Human,” posted on September 12th, 2007. Viz:-

6. “There” is no better a place than “here.” When your “there” has become a “here”, you will simply obtain another “there” that will again look better than “here.”

Perhaps if I share a little of the book entitled, “The Precious Present,” by Spencer Johnson M.D. this could assist to enlighten those people as to what I believe is the essence of Rule # 6. You will just have to replace “here” with “the present” and “there” with “the future.”

You may recall that Spencer Johnson M.D. also co-authored the best selling book entitled, “The One Minute Manager,” which was so popular that it was translated into seven languages.

Apparently, The Precious Present is a reflection of Dr Johnson’s life. He had a happy childhood and a remarkable career with many accomplishments, including earning a degree in psychology; an M.D. from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; training at the Harvard Medical School; and membership of national societies in philosophy and psychology. He also authored many books and had over a million copies of his books in print before his fortieth birthday. However, despite these achievements, he was unhappy as he felt that there was something missing from his life. [This seems to be a common trait in many people who suffer from depression.]

He finally discovered the secret of personal happiness after years of study, traveling, and searching his own mind. Dr Spencer Johnson shares this secret in parable form in The Precious Present. Here is an excerpt:-

“Pain is simply the difference between what is and what I want it to be.

When I feel guilty over my imperfect past, or I am anxious over my unknown future, I do not live in the present. I experience pain. I make myself ill. And I am unhappy.

My past was the present. And now my future will be the present. The present moment is the only reality I ever experience.

As long as I stay in the present, I am happy forever: because forever is always the present.”

From my experience, understanding each of the ten rules for being human can be truly beneficial to people who want to break the shackles of depression. However, I believe that living in the present is THE most important.

The Precious Present is one of the books that has assisted me to overcome my depression by re-adjusting my mindset. Another great book that goes into more depth about the value of the present moment is, “The Power of NOW” by Eckhart Tolle.

ADDENDUM

My wife was unaware that I had made this post last Thursday and she came home from work tonight [Monday] with a quote that she had written down from an email that she had received from a man who was retiring from the work force. When I read the quote I began to wonder if this was a coincidence or not. Here it is:-

“Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift.
That is why it is called The Present.”