How do you remain optimistic with a diagnosis of depression?

Gratitude: At the end of the day I take stock, I write down what I am most grateful for that day.  Some days it’s a really easy task, and other days it’s incredibly hard.  When I’m in a dark space I reach to find things like nice weather etc but the point is to get your mind focused on positive life-affirming things it really helps me.

 

Flip the switch on negativity:

The violent television shows and the funny-but-mean viral videos. Negativity is an insidious disease, and it spreads through seemingly harmless mediums. Turn it off.

 

Turn disappointment on its head:

When you’ve had a disappointment or failure, go ahead and finish something (anything). Complete a task that’s been on your to-do list.

 

When I experience disappointment, the first thing I try to do is complete another project. It forces your head and heart to change gears, and it will point you in a more positive, mindful direction.

 

Ask someone else for what you need:

Sometimes I  feel very disconnected from others, so I call a friend of mine she is a good listener and has a gift of mirroring back my thoughts and words to me that help me to reframe my negative thoughts.

It gave me the sense of connection that I needed.

 

Participate in enjoyable activities to help you get out of your head and into the present moment:

 

Some things you can do are: meditate, spend time with (or call) a friend or family member, read, do a hobby that you love, listen to music, take a hot bath, watch your favorite television show or a movie, or treat yourself to something you have been wanting.

 

Spending time in nature helps me to ground myself in the present moment. It gives me an inexplicable peace and joy that surprises and rejuvenates me. I love going to the ocean or lake such beautiful scenery it’s good for my heart.

 

“Turn your face toward the sun and the shadows will fall behind you.” – Māori Proverb

 

 

me

Karen is a great listener and a solid shoulder to lean on. She has a degree in History and English and a diploma in Counselling Skills. She struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Depression. She understands the importance of having someone to talk to about your struggles. She loves singing, researching her genealogy, cheering for her favorite hockey teams, swimming, hiking and spending time with friends.

You can follow Karen on Twitter.

One thought on “How do you remain optimistic with a diagnosis of depression?

Leave a Reply

Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in:

WordPress.com Logo

You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Log Out /  Change )

Facebook photo

You are commenting using your Facebook account. Log Out /  Change )

Connecting to %s