1. Don't get enough sleep for days and weeks at a time.
2. When you start feeling a little down, stay away from people and be alone with your own thoughts. Don't help anyone, or be involved in their lives. Before you know it, you'll really start spiraling down.
3. Steer your inner announcer to carry on imaginary confrontational conversations with people.
4. Feel guilty about those imaginary conversations.
5. Feel sorry for yourself and so indulge yourself in too much TV or food (or bad books, magazines, websites, etc.) (or sleep, which is my pitfall).
6. Feel guilty about indulging yourself.
7. If a positive thought or feeling worms its way into your psyche, squash it! Don't let it linger long enough to multiply, and definitely don't dwell on it.
8. Don't let yourself think this is just temporary.
9. Don't exercise any self control over what you think. Make sure to convince yourself you have no control over your thoughts (except for #10).
10. Constantly tell yourself what a loser you are and every time more evidence pops up in your mind, embrace it.
11. Procrastinate. Don't do anything. Freeze, veg-out. Quit. Give up.
12. Feel guilty about procrastinating & freezing-up.
13. Remember, guilt and shame are your friend! Laughter is your enemy!
14. DON'T SING!
*Taken from Gary's Blog a long time ago. And it has ministered to me often.
Because of certain things going on in my life, this subject has been on my mind for quite some time. I struggle with it. . .my loved ones struggle. . . my friends struggle. I pray today for those who struggle with depression and discouragement. May the God of our salvation fix our eyes on Him, and the Hope that He has placed before us. May He put a new song in our hearts today. And may a lost and dying world see something different in us and want it for themselves!
I love you Lord! You are so good to us, even when we do not realize it. Even your difficult is good. Difficult with you, is better than easy without you! May you get all the glory and honor due you. Amen
7 comments:
Girl, I know of no one seeking the Lord who probably doesn't struggle with depression and discouragment. I'm only just now realizing that these patterns and cycles are actually darts from the enemy that I am allowing to get through my armor. Thank you for sharing this...it really spoke some truth to me. I am in a deep process of "renewing my mind" and I thought I had it all together...HAH!! The onion peels keep coming off, but there is a victory dance at the end of each battle.
God bless!!
These are the things we do don't we, makes you feel down in the dumps just reading them. Hey I want to be happy and pumped up so I'm going to try and always see what I can do about not doing these things. Thanks for reminding me of where I don't want to be.
Regina:
My thoughts especially resonate with #2. It's one I've battled and come to some firm conclusions in the matter.
When I'm feeling low, my immediate reaction is to retreat...from everything and everyone. I recognize it quickly and take the necessary steps to get out and to "live" in the context of community. It may not always walk perfect, but it's a start and it keeps me focused on others rather than self.
I battle, to a degree, with depression. It's been a struggle for years, but I have learned some coping strategies, like watching what goes in and out of my mind, etc. Less tv and absolutely no secular music during these seasons (just my thing, not necessarily others).
What little "will" I possess during depression, I make a conscious effort to exercise it for my good, even when I don't feel like it.
Walks are also tremendously helpful!
I don't know if you're feeling any of these things this day, but there are so many who are. I'll be praying for all of us and for God's healing power to be present in our lives and that we have the good sense to receive it.
peace~elaine
I have been there many times and truer words have not been spoken. Thanks.
Hey, Regina, I've got an award for you. Come on over to my blog to pick it up.
Thanks for the blessing.
Melanie
Couldn't have said it better myself!
Thank you so much for your comment on my blog! It encourages me so much. Aren't our children such an incredible blessing? Let's stay in touch. I love reading your insignts!
Melisa
Regina---this was the neatest thing I have ever seen!!!
I loved it.
Your words on our Sisters of Faith devotions have been so incredibly encouraging. Aimee is new to blogging and she has been blown away by the response of each comment. I told her it is like we are in a sweet small group study!
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