Treating Depression
A very good friend of mine suffered from depression for years, and was taking medication on and off. The doctors he went to did not even ask him any questions about his depression, or recommend counselling, or ANYTHING. Merely repeated his prescription of a drug.
After I learnt about and started benefiting from a gratitude diary, I encouraged him to do the same. However, it did not work for him at all.
OK, I reasoned something a little more drastic was necessary.
I asked him to start listing everything he could be grateful for. Everything he had in his life right now - beautiful kids, comfortable furniture, a computer etc etc etc - everything. And then everything that had happened in his life he could be grateful for. This effort was a monumental task for him, but he did it. Took him 2 days, and many, many pages.
The idea was to turn his thoughts away from negativity, from what was wrong in his life, and what he didn't have, and start focussing on what he DID have, and achievements he could be proud of.
At the same time, he commenced an excercise program of walking each day around his neighbourhood- to stimulate him, to get him out of the house, to start appreciating things around him, and to turn his mind outwards instead of inwards.
The other program he undertook was a juice detox, with a detox diet following. This was to eliminate the toxins that interfered with the chemicals in his brain, that were somehow stopping his supply of seratonin and other essentials that help keep us stable and happy.
Between the 3 programs - Gratitude, Exercise, and a Juice Detox, he was completely normal within about 2 months. Yes, he still has sad or negative days - but don't we all? Most of the time, he is not depressed, and is handling his life very well.
Gratitude diary instructions : http://gratitudediary.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-gratitude-diary-works.html
Juice Detox diet he followed : http://www.juice-detox.com
After I learnt about and started benefiting from a gratitude diary, I encouraged him to do the same. However, it did not work for him at all.
OK, I reasoned something a little more drastic was necessary.
I asked him to start listing everything he could be grateful for. Everything he had in his life right now - beautiful kids, comfortable furniture, a computer etc etc etc - everything. And then everything that had happened in his life he could be grateful for. This effort was a monumental task for him, but he did it. Took him 2 days, and many, many pages.
The idea was to turn his thoughts away from negativity, from what was wrong in his life, and what he didn't have, and start focussing on what he DID have, and achievements he could be proud of.
At the same time, he commenced an excercise program of walking each day around his neighbourhood- to stimulate him, to get him out of the house, to start appreciating things around him, and to turn his mind outwards instead of inwards.
The other program he undertook was a juice detox, with a detox diet following. This was to eliminate the toxins that interfered with the chemicals in his brain, that were somehow stopping his supply of seratonin and other essentials that help keep us stable and happy.
Between the 3 programs - Gratitude, Exercise, and a Juice Detox, he was completely normal within about 2 months. Yes, he still has sad or negative days - but don't we all? Most of the time, he is not depressed, and is handling his life very well.
Gratitude diary instructions : http://gratitudediary.blogspot.com/2006/07/how-gratitude-diary-works.html
Juice Detox diet he followed : http://www.juice-detox.com
posted by Margo @ 11:32 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home