How can we begin to think positive in moments when we are feeling depressed? We all feel unhappy, low or moody from time to time. However, depression is more than just feeling down – it’s a serious illness that can affect anybody at any age. Unlike what some people think, depression is not a sign of weakness or something that you can just snap out of by simply pulling yourself together, but learning how to think positive is a great step forward.
Depression affects people differently and can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from lasting feelings of hopelessness and sadness, constant feeling of tiredness, sleep problems, loss of sex drive and appetite, to loss of interest in things you normally enjoy.
The good news is that with the right kind of treatment and support, you can make a full recovery. This often includes psychological and/or medical treatment. However, you can also help yourself overcome depression and feel better through positive thinking.
If you’ve been depressed before, you understand that this condition puts a negative spin on everything in your life, including how you see yourself, your expectations for the future and even the situations you encounter every day. Therefore, breaking out of your negative thinking pattern is key to overcoming depression.
Taking action to feel better, learning how to think positive is going to be difficult but it’s not impossible. The key is to start small and slowly build everything from there. Here are some things you can do to think positive when depressed:
How To Think Positive: Replace Negative Self-Talk And Thinking
When you’re feeling depressed, it may seem difficult to change your thoughts from negative to positive. But, that’s exactly what you need to do. If not, your negative thoughts will become part of your belief system, and when that happens, your subconscious mind will start creating situations that mirror your negative thoughts.
So, choose every day to make statements, which promote positive thoughts instead of negative thoughts. For instance, instead of saying, “I can’t do it,” say it’s an opportunity for me to learn something new.” With patience and regular practice, your self-talk with eventually contain less self-criticism and more self acceptance.
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Get Moving
Engaging in regular exercise is a great way to reduce stress, increase mood-enhancing endorphins, increase your energy levels and relieve muscle tension – all of which have a positive effect on depression. Run, dance, take your pet for a walk, or do other forms of exercise regularly to help you feel better.
Do The Things That Make You Happy
Take a hot bath, laugh often, listen to music, watch your favorite TV show, meditate or do anything else that uplifts your spirit and makes you feel good.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
A great step to learn how to think positive is to consider this: It feels more comfortable to isolate yourself from your loved ones when you’re suffering from depression. May be it’s because you are ashamed of what you’re going through, or you are just too exhausted to explain yourself over and over again. Whatever your reason is, isolating yourself will only make your situation worse.
So, why not start spending time with your trusted friends and family members who make you feel loved and cared for? They are likely to encourage you and give you advice on how to cope with your depression, or help you get professional treatment, if you share your experiences with them.
Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself
Majority of depressed people are perfectionists who hold themselves to incredibly high standards, and then beat themselves up when they don’t meet them. If you’re one of them, easing out your perfectionist standards can help you overcome this kind of self-imposed stress. Allow yourself to be imperfect. Remember that the process in learning how to think positive is not one about pretending to be happy all the time, but one where you place more focus on the good things in your life. Make mistakes and learn from them, instead of beating yourself up.
All in all, recovery from depression takes time and requires a lot of effort on your part, but you’ll surely get there if you’re determined. Use the above self-help tips as part of your treatment plan to help speed up your recovery and prevent depression from returning in the future. Think positive and you’ll feel positive, that is the simple way on how to succeed in taking your first steps towards recovery.
