Overcoming Depression

The Ultimate Guide To Overcoming Depression Forever

Table Of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - What is Depression?

Chapter 2 - Distractions

Chapter 3 - Expression

Chapter 4 - Developing a Different Perspective

Chapter 5 - Recovery

Conclusion

Introduction

I want to thank you and congratulate you for downloading the book, “Overcoming Depression”.

This book contains proven steps as well as strategies on how to overcome your depression forever and maintain it for life. It also contains advice on how you can continue on the road of progress during when the days get tough.

Most cures are only good for a given number of time. They do not extend to one’s whole life. Let’s face it, overcoming depression is not a very easy matter. It takes time and the right mindset to do it. In this book, you’ll find all of that and more

Thanks again for downloading the book, I hope you enjoy it!

Chapter 1

What is Depression?

Our society is a tapestry of human nature. The collective human psychology of our age can be observed in the behavior of our society. On the subject of the many serious problems and issues our world is facing right now, human mentality is evident on how people take sides. Homosexuality, contraception and abortion, racism, domestic violence, discrimination, world hunger, sexism, religion, environmental problems, and war – all these are taken seriously by people all over the world and they have taken steps into addressing and solving all these problems.

However, not all problems are taken as seriously. Some of the issues are deemed trivial and our society also possesses a shallow, rotten side. People can be very cruel, selfish, childish, vain, and downright insensitive at times. They worship and idolize many shallow objects and personalities. Nowadays, more and more time is spent trivializing global problems and resorting to material distractions. Some people are more comfortable with averting their eyes from reality and focusing instead on their narcissistic campaign of self-promotion. Social climbers, posers, and other callow individuals flood the social-networking sites with pictures of themselves engaging in mundane activities in a conceited attempt to gather attention. The endless self-advertising and engorgement is evident on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, where it’s a harsh battle of Likes, Favorites, Retweets, and Reposts, and overall, just an empty pursuit of worthless things. They pay no attention to the other problems our society has which are just as serious: suicide, bulimia, anxiety are just belittled, scoffed at, and outright ignored. Society fails to comprehend the magnitude of these problems and simply lets them slide. And one of the major problems simply swept under the rug is depression.

What is depression? Depression is the state of sadness or loneliness that inhibits individuals from appreciating the beauty of their lives. Kevin Breel, a stand-up comedian who once experienced depression describes it as still being sad even when everything’s right. Sometimes, even when most of the aspects of their lives are going well, people will still feel unhappy.

Every person is accustomed to his or her own lifestyle. We all have our daily habits and routines. We all have different sets of characteristics, ambitions, and principles. Each of us has a unique story to tell about his or her past experiences. At some point, everyone has felt happy, sad, angry, tired, and lost. That’s what life is: a little of this and a little of that, a little of everything. Each of our lives is a brilliant collage full of success and tragedies past and future. Overall, life may be defined with every single word of every language, for all these words were made up by someone to describe a part of life.

We all have our ups and downs: the times when we felt like nothing could stop us and the times we felt so helpless against the tragedies we faced. To each person, this means something different. The different unfortunate events we encounter from time to time may bring us down. Usually, we manage to get back up shortly after and move on. But sometimes, we don’t. Sometimes, no matter how we try to cope with the circumstances, we can’t shake off the heavy feeling of sadness. And the lingering dispiritedness we feel from these adversities can lead to depression.

Depression is the defined to be the state of deep sadness that people endure for a long period of time. It is the state of unhappiness that inhibits an individual from appreciating life altogether. It is the loneliness that we experience from the difficulty of accepting the changes in our lives. Heartbreaks, regrets, failures, losing loved ones, and a general lack of achievement and dissatisfaction in what we do and our environment can cause depression.

The symptoms of depression usually manifest as changes in a person’s behavior and routines. A person acting uncharacteristically, developing new unhealthy habits, and withdrawing from people, is usually suffering from a problem. Some of the common first symptoms of depression are:

Fatigue

Lack of humor and enthusiasm

Withdrawing from loved ones

Lack of appetite

Neglect of hygiene

Preferring to be alone all the time

Frequent silence

Lack of interest in one’s own hobbies

People who are suffering from depression usually find it difficult to attribute their sadness to anything; they just feel sad, dispirited, uninspired, and severely exhausted all the time. Depression is not something that goes away after some rest: it stays and consumes a person from within. People suffering from depression are not always aware of it. They pass it off as fatigue or stress as it keeps building up. Soon, it will affect their daily routine, their diet, their habits, their work, and their relationships with other people. Stress, discontent with certain aspects in one’s life, and many other factors affect and contribute to one’s depression. The following symptoms are derivative from the first symptoms and develop as a person struggles to overcome depression:

Frequent sighing

Lack of interest in one’s own hobbies

Insomnia

Frequent listening to sad music

Frequently watching sad movies and TV shows alone

Self-harm

Laughing too hard at times

Frequent smoking (especially for non-smokers)

Frequent inebriation

Writing and posting about sadness

Engaging in highly unhealthy activities and frequent overexertion is a sign that a person is dealing with depression. A lack of regard for one’s welfare is one of the most common danger signs. Not planning ahead, frequently taking important things for granted,

It is very difficult for our society to properly address the issue of depression. Most people are reluctant to discuss depression, insisting that “that’s their problem, not mine” and avoiding it altogether. People suffering from depression are often depicted to be lousy attention-seekers. This causes people with depression to isolate themselves even more, forcing them to pretend like nothing’s wrong which is why it is so complicated and tough to address their problems. The severity of depression in our society is staggering, but we refuse to see it and our lack of sympathy and insensitivity to others makes it such a pressing issue.

Chapter 2

Distractions

The media is an excellent tool in raising worldwide awareness, which is vital in solving the many problems our world has. Advocates from many different sectors and communities strive to make their voices heard through the media, such as the victims of war, the LGBT community, battered women, and children of the next generation fighting to stop environmental abuse; all these are well-represented in the media. However, as depression isn’t taken as seriously by our society, it is hardly represented in the media. To avoid being called weak, or attention-seeking, most people suffering from depression prefer to isolate themselves instead, and fill their lives with distractions.

Each person has their own form of distractions. Books, TV shows, hobbies, vices, and even relationships with other people are used to cover up or divert a person from thinking of depression. For teenagers and children, depression manifests as addiction to video games, books, TV shows, and other media entertainment. The more secluded they become the harder it is to reach them and communicate. Some children and teenagers strive to do well in school, or actively engage in extracurricular activities such as sports to cope with their problems. But no matter how well they do, there is an empty feeling they can’t shake off; a feeling of growing dissatisfaction and frustration that becomes more and more difficult to suppress. At some point, self-harm and other forms of abuse may ensue.

For adults, work and vices are used to shake off depression. Adults suffering from depression work themselves too hard and spend more and more time alone. Drinking and smoking are also common ways adults use to temporarily cope with their problems. It is more difficult to observe depression in the behavior of adults because they can usually keep their behaviors in check: adults suffering from depression will do their best to keep it hidden and will ruthlessly deny any feelings of negativity. The behavior of people undergoing depression can be very complicated and difficult to understand.

Distractions can only help at first. In the long run, distractions are not a good way to cope with depression. People fill their lives with these various activities instead of focusing on solving their own problems. In worse cases, these people decide they are incapable of solving their problems and just actively try to forget. As a result, there is an emptiness that only makes it worse. People with depression usually refuse to admit that they aren’t well, until it’s too late. All the issues will manifest in some way or another and a person can only pretend to be okay for so long. That is why it is important to communicate and empathize with these people, even if they keep refusing help.

If you or someone close to you is suffering from depression, it is important to refrain from trivializing the person’s current condition. Depression does not mean you are crazy or mentally ill, unlike what other people suggest. It’s perfectly okay and normal to suffer from depression and it does not mean you are weak for admitting that you need help. Help the person slowly let go of his or her distractions, even for just a moment and try to get the person to express his or her issues with you. This may not happen immediately, as victims of depression are usually isolated deep within their distractions and are finding it difficult or even impossible to open up. But if a person is present and shows concern all the time, it could be easier. You do not need to be a professional or an expert to sympathize and understand someone who is suffering from depression.

Chapter 3

Expression

There is a fine line between expression and distractions and it varies from person to person. For some, the distractions become a manner of communication. Expression is very important in helping someone recover from depression. People with depression are reluctant to open up and express themselves because they think that “normal” people cannot relate to their issues. Well, first of all, depressed people are still normal people. And it is really important for us to try and understand the situation of the person we are trying to help. Sometimes, they aren’t seeking advice and they just want someone to listen.

Attached is a letter from a (fictional) person who overcame depression:

“I am a person who has undergone and survived depression. My family has never been an ideal one. Growing up, I have been exposed to so much violence. My parents fought all the time and their fights were terrible. Jealousy, money, vices, oh, none of it mattered to me as a kid. I have watched my father physically harm my mother. I have been subjected to so much physical abuse too, when I was young. I have seen my parents destroy the things we have at home, breaking the plates, the cabinets, the tables and chairs and setting the floor on fire. Guns and knives were normal objects to me. I grew up with so much violence in me, neglected and harmed by my own parents. In my family, we get points each time we hurt each other. We have no pictures from the past left, as they were either torn or burned by my parents.

After having endured all my childhood years, I finally made it to college. Nothing changed, except I thought I was better at handling what was happening. But just a few months from graduation, my nerves failed me. My father ended up in the emergency room after being fatally assaulted by my mother. I thought I could cope with it, but I couldn’t. I got expelled from my degree program. It only made things worse when my family found out. I got kicked out of the house and did not have any place to go. I didn’t have anyone who will help me finance my education. My friends came to my aid. They convinced my parents to let me stay. They accompanied me all the time. I recognized their help, but it was near Christmas, and my birthday, and I was so depressed. I could not sleep. I tried my best to act okay but I couldn’t sleep. I felt so worthless, so useless, and so helpless. I kept a razor in my bag, a bottle of painkillers beside my bed, carrying a tumbler full of pesticide wherever I went. I wanted to run away and never be seen again. But then, tragedy struck. My mother changed her mind and drove me out of the house, screaming abuse at me. I snapped. I assaulted her brutally. I ran. My grandmother offered me a place to stay. I had nothing from my old home left.

I spent Christmas with my grandmother. She said that she understood what I did. She told me to let go of the past and start anew, and that she will be there for me. It was not easy, but after crying my heart and soul out on the night of the 31th of December, I vowed never to let myself go down again. I enrolled myself into a different school, and secured a part-time job. After having gone through all that, I have learned that the only person who can accurately define you is yourself. I knew what it felt to be sad, to have nothing to show for and to consider throwing my life away. I remember the times I spent my nights crying, unable to sleep. And that is why I want things to change. Whatever crap you’re going through, I will tell you now, it will pass. Nothing lasts forever. Many people will call you names, many people will tell you you’re not worth anything, that you will never succeed. But what happens to you is actually up to you and it doesn’t matter where you came from. What matters is where you’re headed.”

People are afraid and reluctant to confront situations like those depicted in the letter above. Society takes one look at depression and flinches. Reading letters about depression and listening to tragic real-life stories makes some of us deeply uncomfortable. This is why help is so scarce for the people who are suffering from depression. They must let go of all the bottled up pain, desolation, disappointment, and hatred in order to feel better.

It is important for those suffering from depression to understand that there are other people who can relate to you. Everyone has their own sets of problems and issues in this life. It is often told that if everyone exposed the emotional baggage they carry everyday, you’d be glad to face your own problems instead of others’. The profound truth behind every misfortune is that you are never given anything you cannot handle. You may not know this yet, and you may not believe this yet, but you actually have what it takes to solve your own problems.

Expression can be made through words or actions. The scrutiny of our society can be very crooked and sharp, but do not let it affect you too much. Within expression lies the acknowledgment of the problem and it is the first step toward recovery. Depression is the incapacity to appreciate the good in one’s life in face of problems, and through expression, one can let all the negativity out and dispel the notion that nothing in your life is good enough.

Chapter 4

Developing a Different Perspective

In developing a different perspective, it is important to understand that you are not alone. There are many others who are going through the same things you are going through. And it’s not the end of the world; there is always something you can do, and there is always something good that will happen soon. Most people who are considering suicide are told, “Are you thinking of killing yourself? Well, don’t. Wait a year from now.” And you won’t believe you were going to kill yourself before that awesome movie came out, before your two best friends have finally gotten together, before Leonardo DiCaprio finally won an Oscar. I can’t believe I was going to kill myself before I learned how to figure skate, or stolen a bottle of expensive scotch and gotten away with it. Your good years are still ahead and your present in no way dictates what will happen next. There are a lot of wonderful and terrible things that have yet to happen to you, so don’t close your book just yet.

You will recover. It may not happen soon, but it will happen. You will come to realize that things were not as bad as they seemed to be. You will appreciate the fact that things can get worse. People who have experienced tremendous suffering are wiser and stronger than people who haven’t. You will learn to appreciate life more and that is a lesson none of your other experiences will teach you. It is human to suffer and chase after happiness and once the suffering ends, you will be able to see things more clearly.

Learn to appreciate the pain, for it is proof that you are alive. Pain is a vicious motivator, as it eliminates fear. Many great people like Steve Jobs underwent tremendous depression before they started accomplishing many amazing feats. You’re already hurt and you’ve already paid the price, so make it worth it. Push yourself to the limits; push your own limits. Pain and depression exposes what a person is truly made of.

Developing a different perspective lies in seeing yourself from a third person’s point-of-view. Discover what you are capable of and learn your own weaknesses. Remember that there is always a bigger picture where our problems and flaws don’t seem to matter as much. Similar to one of the scenes in the motion picture Gravity, you can view your problems from above. The scene showing two astronauts watching the earth from outer space made it feel like the everyday problems the people on the ground kept worrying about were surreal and small. Every person has his or her own story, full of his or her own mistakes and lessons.

In order to recover from depression, you have to see yourself in a whole new different perspective. Often, people suffering from depression experience self-pity and loss of self-esteem. One of the most essential steps in recovering from depression is fixing your perspective of yourself. Keep in mind that only you know your story; what you did, why you did what you did, and how well you did it. Accept failure as it is one of the most vicious motivators. Stop labeling yourself as worthless or broken, or not good enough. Everyone makes mistakes; this sentence has been used over and over again, but it is still profoundly true. Even the best of minds, such as Steve Jobs and Walt Disney, have fallen down at some point and it is the capacity to get up after each fall that counts.

Chapter 5

Recovery

When you start engaging in your hobbies again, it will feel wonderful. It’s as if you have been granted a second chance in life and it’s beautiful. You will start laughing again, start going out with friends again. You will feel okay again, after having forgotten how okay feels like.

The first step to recovery is closure and closure comes in many different forms. For some, closure is established through communication and finally settling whatever differences. For others, closure simply means letting go of all the pain and hurt that no longer contributes to your growth. Eventually, you will wake up and stop brooding over what troubled you deeply. You will start living normally again. Life is a huge carousel that doesn’t stop when you fall down. But you can get on back whenever you’re ready again.

All wounds heal and some leave scars, but that’s okay. Your scars define what you’ve been through; your bad experiences and the pain of lessons learned. We all have our scars and that’s fine. Some people finally get tired of being lonely all the time and start to chase their own happiness again. Communicate more with your loved ones and take care of yourself. Decide what’s best for you. Keep yourself healthy and happy. Exercise everyday. Don’t be too hard on yourself. You will still make mistakes and sometimes, there will still be bad days, and that’s okay. We all mess up sometimes, but we get over each one all the same.

Recovery is a slow process. It involves a cycle of the old symptoms, distractions, and expression. Some days, you will feel a little better, even fine. On others, it will feel like nothing’s changed and you’re back on square one. It’s not going to be a steady rise and the period of time recovery takes varies from person to person. Overall, there is no solid formula for overcoming depression. Every person has their own sets of life lessons to learn from every unfortunate experience. Recovery involves appreciating the balance between the good things and the bad things in our life.

We all have enough: enough bad things to appreciate the good things and enough good things to accept the bad things. Only time can bring about recovery.

Conclusion

Thank you again for downloading this book!

I hope this book was able to help you see your addiction in a different light as well as figure out what you can do to help yourself get better. It isn’t an easy process but with enough determination and support from your loved ones, this is something that can be achievable. Just remember to keep your head up through it all.

The next step is to apply what you have learned, put everything into action and change for the better.

Finally, if you enjoyed this book, please take the time to share your thoughts and post a review on Amazon. It’d be greatly appreciated!

Thank you and good luck!

Brian Rogers

Table of Contents

Table Of ContentsIntroductionChapter 1

Introduction

Chapter 1

Chapter 2Distractions

Chapter 3Expression

Chapter 4

Chapter 5Recovery

Conclusion