DO YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DEPRESSION? HOW AWARE ARE YOU OF YOUR THOUGHTS AND FEELINGS? Are you sick and tired of getting depressed? If it is severe get help but if you have bouts of deep sadness this type of help may work for you. 

 ARE YOU TIRED OF ANTI-DEPRESSANTS?  I AM NOT TELLING YOU TO STOP TAKING YOUR MEDS.  I AM GOING TO SAY THAT I REFUSED TO TAKE THEM LONGER THAN A FEW MONTHS.  I MADE A DECISION TO CHANGE MY MINDSET.  THE MIND MUST BE RENEWED ANYWAY. 

Years ago I remember I would be coming home from work, walking down the street with my head down looking sad.  Some guy would usually look at me and say, " sister it can't be that bad."  I would look up and change the expression on my face. That happened several times to me.  Not any more. I trained my mind..not to stay in a unhealthy place for long, I do what I call a -Self Check. I check my feelings and my thoughts, then I take responsibility for them.

Depression is self doubt and anger turned on yourself, or suppressed negative feelings. Instead of taking responsibility for the anger many  hold it in until they explode and most self-sabotoge or act out of emotions. Self doubt is not healthy thinking, it makes you feel as if you are worthless.  WE ALL HAVE GREAT WORTH.  We make mistakes and have shortcomings but we are very Valuable to our Creator.  We must take responsibility for our anger and deal with it in a healthy way. Sometimes our feelings lie to us...there is still hope.  I use to have a problem with anger and self pity. Now I dismiss it or manage it.  

I realized that I was responsible for my depression because of the way I felt about my problems, people, places and things.  The way I was thinking about what hurt me or bothered me or my expectations towards that thing would make me FEEL bad, sad, angry or discouraged.

Something would happen in a relationship or with a family member; a problem would arise and then I would go into self pity.  I would think about the problem over and over and over again.  I would think about how I wished things were.  I would think about what was done to me.  I would think about things that I had no control over. I felt worse. I was always the victim. It was all in my head.  We are sometimes mistreated and things in life do happen but we don't have to remain stuck as if there is no solution or no hope for us.  Victimized but not a victim for life. 

I decided to get some help for my negative, self defeating thinking in 1992.  I was tired of being miserable, many times thinking myself into misery.   

I began to work on my mind, you can take responsibility for your thoughts and feelings too.  You don't want to ignore your feelings, just acknowledge them.  For example: "I am feeling angry and insecure right now. Admit to yourself what may have caused the feelings, then you can begin to nurture yourself.  Take a walk, watch a comedy, affirm that you still have worth and value. Remind yourself that this too shall pass.  You have been through tough times before. Tell yourself "work it down." Calm yourself down, take slow deep breaths.  

It's not someone elses job to make us happy that is our job.  Try to remember that we see things in pictures.  When we picture negative outcomes or something that disappointed us, we keep reliving the experience in our minds. The central nervous system does not know there may have been some time passed maybe even years since the incident or experience. The more you think about what hurts the worse you will feel.  You may trigger rage or a panic attack.  This type of thinking causes depression.  

Pay attention to how you feel.  If you feel bad, then you need to stop and ask yourself, "what am I thinking?" Monitor your thoughts by monitoring your feelings.  When you see a sad or negative picture in your mind, change your thoughts quickly to something you enjoy.  Think on things that are good, pure, perfect, lovely and of good report.  We all have been through some experiences that made us feel good. Don't focus on what makes you feel bad. I know this takes practice but commit to these tools and life will get better because you will have more joy and peace.  Negative thoughts and feelings will not completely leave your life. It never completely goes away, but you will see that you will have less time for this type of thinking. You will remember what it feels like to feel good and you will choose to cast down those unhealthy imaginations.  

PSALM 3:3 GOD IS MY SHIELD MY GLORY AND THE LIFTER OF MY HEAD.