Depression

[Papewaio]

Imagine yourself at your happiest (not pleasured, happiest).

In your daily life you are fit, have had plenty of sleep, are exercising regularly. You feel that what you do is important, that you contribute to your life, family and society. You move through each day with a purpose. You don't run or strut you glide and glow so brightly that you seem to be smiling even when you aren't. You have so many options and things to do and at the same time you know which needs to be done first, and then second and then third... You are a dynamo of happiness and motivation.

Now turn that upside down and inside out and you have depression. Depressed you can't see any options, there is no way out, it is black and you are at the bottom of a well in which you can't see any way out. You are so scared that nothing can get better that nothing must be better then here and now. You fear the blankness so much that eternal death looks a much rosier option. No known options in life remain, but there is the unknown option of death.

The irony is when you are depressed or better when you feel yourself on that very real slippery slope. It is just then when have have lost all motivation that you need to grab on and get motivated. To find that light, to change your life, to take back control and to see the big picture.

Everyone has a different way of sparking those epiphany moments. While depressed one forgets that you can change your own environment. It is at this time that changing the locale can be most important. Mine is hiking in the wilderness, or swimming deep in the ocean, or seeing those sunsets. Nature is generally a good way to make someone feel connected to the greater world. That's half the problem about depression is that you feel you have lost all worthwhile connections with the world, the other half is being so blinkered to realise that you can actually rebuild these connections. The other way is to show people in worse misery who need help. Go to town, take your girlfriend, watch a light hearted movie, tip every homeless person you see, walk an old lady across the road. Go and make other peoples day. Smile (double points for old people, half for Hare Krishna).

Be there for her, but don't place the responsibility for her happiness on your shoulders. Just show her the path and hopefully she can follow your lead.

Most important follow the advice of medical professionals.