by Marcus Brooks

Created on: July 16, 2007

Depression is a hard-hitting mental and emotional condition. Depending on the severity, perscription drugs are needed for treatment; or they are not. It makes sense to attack depression in the early stages.

In 1988 and 2006, I encountered early bouts of depression. Writing hobby rescued me from its devestation effects. While concentrating on building a writing and self-publishing business, I've been too busy to worry about petty things. One way to stave off depression is to have a passion. Writing strengthened my inner resolve. Here are other ways to avert feeling depressed.

Get plenty of exercise. Work out at home, at a gym or outside. Take off on a brisk run at five am. Physical exertion will do wonders in erasing mental and emotional doldrums. Depressed people aren't active. Stay active. Be physical. Create and follow an exercise regimen. Activity provides a positive rush.

Create small goals for yourself. Depressed people have few or no goals. Motivate yourself to achieve things like: Run two miles on Thursday. Rake up all the leaves in the front yard on Friday. Read two chapters by next Tuesday. The feeling of achievement is opposite to the feelings of failure that depression fosters.

Find a passion. What do you like to best? Cook? Paint? Write? Lift weights? Find anything that gets you going. Challenge yourself. If you like to write, become a citizen journalism for Helium (ha-ha), or a poet or an author. If you like riding a bicycle, take part in Iowa's Ragbrai. Training is required for this one. If you like cooking, enroll in a culinary arts school. If you like to paint, become a house painter or an abstract artist. Paint pictures of landscapes. Design murals. Find a passion and make it part of your life.

Write out your problems in a journal. Jot down your thoughts, whatever they are. Keep them private. Use the paper to vent or rant. Don't take the depression out on your emotional psyche. A journal is the best friend to someone hurting inside.

Talk to someone. Talk out your problems with friends or family. Be careful to not be a "problem dumper". Some people may resent you for being that. If you have a YMCA in your town, go there and sign up for free counseling. The organization provides that service. Otherwise, find a therapist or clergyperson to talk to.

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