If only this were the remedy for depression

If only this were the remedy for depression

My friend posted this video with Bob Newhart today on Facebook and it made me laugh.

Even though I am a mom who fights depression, this video doesn’t offend me at all. I’ve often attempted to snap out of my depression or as the video states ‘stop it.’

Sometimes I can pull it off. It’s about learning your triggers and then learning what you can do to combat them. There’s this window when I feel myself starting to slide towards a sludgy hole, and if I work at catching my thoughts and eat protein and change my scenery, sometimes I can stop it.

I am thankful.

Unfortunately, deciding to ‘stop it’ isn’t really a remedy for depression in general. At least not with a major depressive episode. Depression isn’t a choice. It is an illness. In fact, it is the second leading cause for disability in the world. When I am in the midst of a major episode, I can’t ‘stop’ anything. It’s more like sitting still and waiting for the wave to come to shore.

But I can work toward health outside of those times. And I do. What I find is that although I can’t seem to get rid of my depression altogether, I can create more time between episodes. And when the slippery slope returns in my life, with the help of Jesus, antidepressants, and my cognitive behavioral therapist, I don’t tend to slide down as far.

I’ll keep this video in my back pocket for laughter, encouragement, and perspective.

Just remember, for a lot of us who struggle with depression, we’d stop it if we could.

I’ll keep this video also, because I love Bob Newhart. I mean, who doesn’t?

You might also like: 6 things a mom struggling with depression can do to start the day off better On fighting depression: do the next thing… 10 things not to say to a mother fighting depression Depressed mom = failed mom On coming out of depressionZemanta

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