by Wayne Leon Learmond
For a 'depressive' it is nigh on impossible to think positively about anything. But, one has to say that there is a lot to be said for positive thinking. The problem arises when, for that minute or so when a someone who is depressed can see a chink of light, then it is taken away again. Negative thoughts begin to overwhelm the mind, with all kinds of things that could go wrong, instead of things that could go right.
Depression is the destroyer of lives, and it is also the destroyer of 'free thinking'. It is a sickness of the mind that can ultimately kill, and must be taken seriously by society as a whole. It is not enough for those who do not have this sickness to say, that those who do will 'get over it'. For it takes a lot more than words to guide that person from the darkness into the light and into the hope of a new day.
Depression is much more than the sum of its parts, and has a history that dates back centuries. Although of course, it was not known as 'depression' then because there was no name for it. People who had depression were simply called, 'lunatics', and were kept away from the rest of the family - or indeed, other people who were sick. And of course, the power of the mind was not known back then either, or how positive thinking could numb the condition.
Yet, it has been proven that the power of the mind, and positive thinking can help with depression as a whole. Indeed, positive thinking can help you achieve and overcome any obstacle that stands in your way...including depression. But, before anything can be achieved, the person suffering with depression needs to seek help themselves. They need to recognise that they need help and actively seek it out.
Only then can the next stage be reached, that of positive thinking. Once a person recognises that they need help, and are willing to do something about it, then psychologists begin working on positive thinking [once the reason for the depression has been whittled down]. If a person is not willing to recognise their symptoms for what it is, then they are stuck in a seemingly never-ending battle of pessimism - which in turn leads to depression.
It is a well-known fact that those who suffer with depression very often think the worst, should anything good happen to them. That their minds simply refuse to believe that anything good or deserving should fall upon them. They look to find fault, and often say to themselves that this good fortune will not last.
However, once these feelings of negativity are overcome, then the world, quite literally is your oyster. Positive thinking gives you the power to believe in yourself. It gives you the power to believe in your own ability and to achieve anything that you put your mind too. Positive thinking can help you think rationally about any given situation and/or problem. When the problem is faced, and you are in a positive frame of mind, then solutions can be found.
When one is depressed, then panic sets in whenever problems arise. The problem may not be as bad as it is made out to be, but to the depressive, it is could be the end of the world. It is this state of mind that can plunge the person suffering with mental illness into a black cloud of despondency.
However, when one is in a positive frame of mind, then anything can be achieved. Problems are faced head-on, in a rational way. Yet your positive frame of mind overcomes the barriers. that such problems would have brought you if you were depressed. By training your mind to think more positively about yourself, and to enhance any strengths you may have, you will find your life getting better by the day. Depression, it is thought, could be caused by the surrounding area in which you were born. It could also be caused by behaviour which has also been 'learned' over the months or years.
Depression that has been 'learned' or developed through circumstances, people who surround you [ who are themselves negative in thought] Or parents that have always thought badly of you, can all contribute to the development and low-self esteem of the person suffering with mental illness.
The fact of the matter is, is that mental illness can - and is quite often alleviated - through a positive state of mind. This cannot be rushed, but rather, it has the be 'learned'. Much like depression is developed over the years, so to can positive thinking be developed. One has to be able to train their brain into thinking less about the negative things that could happen, and thinking more about the positives.
The reason that it cannot be rushed is that the person suffering with depression has to be able to acknowledge it. Unless depression is acknowledged and faced, then there is nothing that anyone can do until that person is ready within their own minds, to seek out the help that they need. Positive thoughts do work, and it is about self-hypnoses and developing your brain into believing in yourself... rather than against yourself.
From Helium published on September 12, 2010
