Depression to Happiness

Now that you finally have a name to put on what you have been feeling for most of your life, you may find yourself somewhat relieved, but scared at the same time.  With all of the information out there on depression it almost seems like the more you learn about this disease, the more questions you have about it.  The question that may be first on your list of things you want to know could be whether or not this diagnosis means that you will not be able to lead a happy and satisfying life.  You were probably told about the medications available to treat your depression, but you can’t imagine how just popping a pill can make you feel happier when you haven’t been truly happy in years.

One of the things to keep in mind is that nobody is happy all the time, even people who do not live with depression can be depressed at times.  Chronic depression is different than the usual feeling of being down for a few days brought on by a specific event, but the difference is usually how long it lasts and why it starts in the first place.  Experiencing the feeling of being depressed once it is happening usually feels the same for most people, no matter what kind it is.

Being depressed doesn’t mean that you are ungrateful or a bad person, it just means you’re human.  For the person who is chronically depressed it’s hard to accept feeling bad all the time, especially when everything else in their life is good.

Accepting that what you are feeling is part of a condition that you have, and did nothing to cause, will give you an immense freedom to be open to treat it for what it is, without guilt or self punishment.  Making the decision to be as happy as you can, as much as you can, is not the simplistic idea that you can say it and then you will instantly feel it.  It is making the commitment to yourself to realize all the things that you have control of in your life that can make you feel good.  Things like keeping a healthy diet, exercising regularly, taking your medicine, and acknowledging that taking care of your mental health is just as vital as taking care of your body.  It is also important to be aware of the things that just don’t work for you, as well as those things and people that may even set you back a little.

After a while you will be able to tell the difference between feeling a little upset or depressed by one of life’s disappointments, and when you should pay extra attention to what’s going on in your life.  Sometimes it will be something as simple as making sure your medications are at a therapeutic level in your system.  Even getting in an extra therapy session to blow off some steam can help redirect a possible melt down that you feel coming on.

Managing your chronic depression in a patient, hopeful, and positive way will open the door for happiness to sneak into your life when you least expect it to.  And you will find as time goes on that the door becomes much easier to keep open.