There seems to be little doubt that some of us are more susceptible to depression than others. Why that should be is an unknown but since we are all different we should not be surprised. Some people are good at business, others are great athletes and some of us have to live with depression.

If we accept that it is something within us that does not mean we cannot manage it and live with depression deep within us but not appearing to affect our day to day lives. We can find ways to help us cope and there is depression help available to give support and treatment when needed.

I have experienced depression at several different stages of life and each time it has been hard for me and hard for those around me. People with no knowledge of the condition try to be helpful by saying you should ‘pull your finger out’ and ‘get on with life’ but that is not very helpful.

My own feelings on my own depression are that I am fine when things are going reasonably well but lack of confidence in myself or the knowledge on how to improve things leaves me feeling inadequate and pathetic. I can see no way of dealing with the problems I face so I tend to shut down and try to ignore the rest of the world. I guess it is a sort of self protection mechanism but I can’t say it really solves the problem.

The problem of depression and discussing how to treat the condition is that logic does not play a very large role in the situation. Yes I can see the logic of ‘pulling myself together’ but I don’t know how to achieve that. When you feel so bad it is so hard to take positive action to improve your situation. Financial problems often trigger depression and it is no great surprise that people who are struggling to survive financially should feel overwhelmed by the stress of trying to cope with a life and financial system that is complicated and where the details are considered important. When you are suffering with depression the details are things you find difficult to cope with.

When you are experiencing depression you view the world in a different way to other people, and differently to the way you would view it when you are feeling fine. Everything seems like a huge problem and doing the smallest tasks seems overwhelming. Building confidence in your own abilities seems crucial and I have found that by making small progress each day I can rebuild my self confidence and that seems to help me feel better.

If you find yourself overwhelmed by everything you feel you should be doing and consequently unable to do anything, try to focus on one small task each day. It may be something simple like putting out the trash or filling the washing machine. Do that one task and allow yourself to feel pleased about having done something. Yes, it is a small thing but it is a positive thing. Give yourself a pat on the back and feel pleased that rather than doing nothing, you got something done.

Small steps build your confidence and your belief in yourself. Each day you are reinforcing the positives and helping yourself to feel better about yourself. We may have to live with depression but we can also learn what helps us recover from it and get through it. For me these small positive steps are a sign that I am not as bad as I sometimes think and I can achieve more.

I guess I should just point out that none of this is medical advice. I am not a doctor these are my own thoughts and feelings and experiences of depression. If you feel that you or a loved one is suffering from depression you should visit your doctor and get a qualified medical opinion and treatment. Just visiting the doctor and admitting to your problems can be a great relief and with proper treatment things should get better.

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