| I have fallen into many pits of depression over almost 20 years now, even now I am struggling to get out of a deep one. Seems this is just a cycle in my life, unfortunately. You can't logic yourself out of beliefs, I completely get that. Once you realize how depressed you are, you're usually also mired in terrible thoughts and negativity. But in my experience, I HAVE to try to logic myself out of patterns of behaviors. I also need to fight those beliefs, as futile as it seems. Hear me out here: I think one of the most toxic things was when I thought it was a chemical imbalance completely out of my control -- so there was nothing I could do but take pills and passively wait for my brain chemistry to correct itself. I have recovered from like 4 or 5 episodes of major depression now, and the key for me every time has been
a) realizing I'm depressed
b) waiting for/creating a day when I have the energy to think and address this, and then
c) reflecting on and fighting against thoughts and behaviours extending/reinforcing the depression. Obviously this is a messy and inefficient process with a lot of slippage. And maybe it doesn't work for other people, or maybe I've got something else wrong with me than just major depression, and that's why it works. Anyways, not trying to invalidate your experience, just sharing what I've found works for me. |
The meds are there to help you change the circumstances that drove you into that state. One still has to the work.
That's to say, the meds may make step (b) easier. The rest is the same.
That way out, at the moment, might feel illogical because your logic is ill. Or at least to me it does; for the same reasons it felt "messy", inefficient, and slippery to you.
What use is logic when the axioms are flawed? But I digress.
I'm not aware of any other way. That a-b-c of yours is what the meds and therapy may help with, but otherwise that's the path, messy and slippery as it is.