Overcoming Depression

A few months ago I posted about being depressed. There are different kinds of depression and mine was far from the worst, but as anyone that has been depressed would know, it still wasn’t a place one would want to be. Now, few months after I can say I am out of it and can recognise several key elements that helped me get through.

Acceptance & Honesty

Probably one of the most important reasons to get through was the fact that I accepted my situation. It is not something that came out of great wisdom or purpose, but the fact that I was writing articles and had nothing else that occupied my mind but how I felt, it came naturally that I wrote about it. Once I started writing it made me realise that I was in fact depressed.

Accepting helped me say to myself “I am here”. Then I had to also realise that “it is ok” to be in that situation. However, after writing the article I was very afraid to post it, since whoever reads it might think “why would I care about your problems, I have my own” or would see my weaknesses. Still I pressed the dreaded “Publish” button. It later proved to be one of the best things I could have done.

Social Support

Once the article was published and my friends that receive my newsletter saw it I started receiving their messages. They cared. There was I feeling alone, without motivation, weak and isolated and suddenly all that broke when I realised there are so many people around me that care. It made me think that I have been wrong in my account of the situation and gave me hope.

Moreover, some of my friends and readers recognised themselves in what I described as my situation. They were going through the same and felt relieved to see that they were not alone. Not only, but that it was ok to share and talk about it and that there was someone else who would understand exactly what is happening.

While feeling groundless all of this gave me a foundation. As I mentioned in my previous article about the social ground, I suddenly discovered a massive hidden resource in my life. It was a great lesson and I am thankful to everyone who came forward!

Habits

As mentioned in the beginning before realisation came I was simply writing. If I had not established that habit none of the above would have followed. The habit was something I grabbed onto as the only certain thing, even though I didn’t have the motivation to do it I kept going only because I had been doing it for a while and didn’t want to break the continuance. As if it was a rope it dragged me out of the moving sands of my own reasoning. Simply because I didn’t halt completely but kept going, it allowed for new events to bring a fresh perspective.

Moreover, I stuck to my daily schedule and continued training, reading and resting. It all kept me in a state that allowed for a quicker recovery than if I had let it all go.

Summary

It is pretty certain that depression can strike again, but the previous experience helped me realise that first, I have some amazing people around me that really care and I can rely on. Second, that it is better to be honest and accept your situation, and even more to state it out loud. Once you do that others can come and help and you can start addressing the problem, rather than go around in circles. And third, that you should always keep moving – everything is temporary and will eventually convert into something else.