David Baxter PhD
Late Founder
Depression: Getting Back to Basics
by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.
Wed, May 25th 2011
Depression is gripping and all encompassing. It?s like walking through a thick wall of tar unable to see any clarity or light that may help us get out. The landscape in front of us appears increasingly overwhelming as life?s responsibilities begin to pile up.
If you?re feeling depressed, it?s not the time for critical thinking. The automatic negative thought filter is cemented into the brain giving us the sense that nothing?s going to work. So what we need is a very simple action plan that breaks things up into a continuum of do-able action items with a single line written at the top of the list.
?When feeling depressed, do one of these tasks even if your mind says it?s no use.?
Now, how do you make the list?
Pick things in your life that give you a sense of accomplishment or pleasure. Remember, these need to be on a continuum of difficulty because at times you?ll feel like you can do one thing and at another time you?ll think that same thing is overwhelming or uninteresting.
For example, you might pick something as simple as cuddling with your cat or dog as a source of pleasure. This has very little barriers if you are a cat or dog lover.
You may also write down, clean a corner of my room, do a stack of dishes, go to the post office, organize one file, clean out the refrigerator, take out the trash, go to the grocery store, etc?
Some of these are more difficult than others and that is exactly the benefit of having a list. Your mind no longer has to really think hard about options and has the ability to choose ones that have very little barrier or it can challenge itself with a higher degree of difficulty.
The purpose of all of this is so you can just take action. Reverting back to inaction or isolation is often the way to remain stuck. It?s important to maintain some form of forward movement; it simply sends the message to the mind that ?I can do it.?
I believe it was Henry Ford who said, ?Whether you believe you can or you can?t, you?re right.?
It?s when we?re depressed that the mind jumps in with ?No, no, stay away from that, we can?t do it.? Because emotions are involved we fall for it hook, line and sinker. The thought seems so credible and believable, yet at the end of the day, it?s just a thought.
Thoughts aren?t facts and actions speak louder than words.
So make it easier on yourself, create this list and put it somewhere you can see it. Choose to engage one or a few of the things on the list when you notice yourself not feeling well. Be kind to yourself through the process because after all, that?s a lot more restorative than those piercing self-judgments.
This is a practice, don?t expect to be perfect at it, treat it as an experiment and see what you find.
by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.
Wed, May 25th 2011
Depression is gripping and all encompassing. It?s like walking through a thick wall of tar unable to see any clarity or light that may help us get out. The landscape in front of us appears increasingly overwhelming as life?s responsibilities begin to pile up.
If you?re feeling depressed, it?s not the time for critical thinking. The automatic negative thought filter is cemented into the brain giving us the sense that nothing?s going to work. So what we need is a very simple action plan that breaks things up into a continuum of do-able action items with a single line written at the top of the list.
?When feeling depressed, do one of these tasks even if your mind says it?s no use.?
Now, how do you make the list?
Pick things in your life that give you a sense of accomplishment or pleasure. Remember, these need to be on a continuum of difficulty because at times you?ll feel like you can do one thing and at another time you?ll think that same thing is overwhelming or uninteresting.
For example, you might pick something as simple as cuddling with your cat or dog as a source of pleasure. This has very little barriers if you are a cat or dog lover.
You may also write down, clean a corner of my room, do a stack of dishes, go to the post office, organize one file, clean out the refrigerator, take out the trash, go to the grocery store, etc?
Some of these are more difficult than others and that is exactly the benefit of having a list. Your mind no longer has to really think hard about options and has the ability to choose ones that have very little barrier or it can challenge itself with a higher degree of difficulty.
The purpose of all of this is so you can just take action. Reverting back to inaction or isolation is often the way to remain stuck. It?s important to maintain some form of forward movement; it simply sends the message to the mind that ?I can do it.?
I believe it was Henry Ford who said, ?Whether you believe you can or you can?t, you?re right.?
It?s when we?re depressed that the mind jumps in with ?No, no, stay away from that, we can?t do it.? Because emotions are involved we fall for it hook, line and sinker. The thought seems so credible and believable, yet at the end of the day, it?s just a thought.
Thoughts aren?t facts and actions speak louder than words.
So make it easier on yourself, create this list and put it somewhere you can see it. Choose to engage one or a few of the things on the list when you notice yourself not feeling well. Be kind to yourself through the process because after all, that?s a lot more restorative than those piercing self-judgments.
This is a practice, don?t expect to be perfect at it, treat it as an experiment and see what you find.
