Break Free! You Can Release Yourself from Depression.

Will my life ever get better? When will I be happy? Is this the year my life changes? These were two questions I asked myself over and over again until the answers came in a manner I never imagined. After 34 years living a life limited within the parameters of Depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, being on antidepressants and in therapy for years, I was ready to try just about anything that would help me feel better. When I was traveling cross-country, I saw a bumper sticker that said "kill your TV." I wondered what the sentiment was behind this message and decided to not watch TV and see if there were any benefits in doing so. After a month of not watching TV, I became more and more sensitive to aggression and stressful situations or drama of other people, movies or shows on TV that I once enjoyed. I actually felt more depressed after being exposed to them, so I decided to take a longer and extensive break from TV and stay out of the social drama circles. I decided to be outdoors cycling, hiking, or reading and creating something inside. After just a few weeks, my mood was lighter and I felt less anxious. Now over six years later, I only watch uplifting movies or recorded shows that leave me feeling good. I no longer watch TV. Who would have known that by simply staying away from people who thrive on talking about problems they or other people have constantly and changing my entertainment routine would make such a difference in my life! Breaking away from old habits is hard and you can do it. Just like how a bad haircut will eventually grow out, so do old habits that prevent you from moving forward in your life. Usually someone feeling down goes deeper and deeper into that dark abyss of depression without ever knowing that they are bringing themselves there through something as simple as being around certain people or watching something on TV. Most of what we do that perpetuates our struggles with depression is an unconscious need to try to figure out our own past trauma or hurt by being exposed to it in the present through certain people and things. It seems as if there is something to gain for us by going there, an answer to come through by maintaining those habits that we have kept for so long. Most people don’t realize how much negativity they allow into their lives and perpetuate in various ways because that way of living is the only way they know how to live and is their only perception of life as seen through the scope of depression. There are ways to identify the negative we expose ourselves to so we can develop a healthier life through connecting with the positive which is always present. We just need to seek it out. Find out just how much negativity you have in your life by going down the Negativity Identifier and selecting what is familiar to you, the results are surprising! 14. I give people a piece of my mind on blogs, they deserve it____rn13. I like to complain about how other people make me mad____rn12. I can identify with the characters in TV or movies that are graphic and involve pain and struggle___rn11. I feel what the character must be feeling and it is so real to me___rn10. I watch shows about finding out whodunit ____rn9. I read books that involve crime, death, betrayal and graphic scenes____rn8. I like movies with destruction and mayhem____rn7. The people I know like to complain and stress over things____ rn6. I spend time with someone who puts me down and makes me feel bad about myself____rn5. My mind races with worry that something bad is going to happen____ rn4. The only way I can feel is if I think of something that makes me sad____rn3. I feel bored and aimlessly channel surf on the TV for something to watch____rn2. I talk about the drama I see on TV with others who watch the same shows____rn1. I play the show over in my mind as if I were the character____ A score of five or more reveal that you seek out negative reinforcement of you low or angry mood in your interactions with others and entertainment activities. rnBe patient with yourself if at first doing something that is new and you know is good for you may seem really hard. Remember, you’ve lived with the habits you have had for a long time and doing something new may take a while to get the momentum going in your life!