Opening up about being mentally ill

[Thumpalumpacus]

Brakeman: I try to be positive in various ways:

1) Looking at what I have, rather than what I don't have

2) Trying to do things to lift my spirits

3) Focusing on the good in the world, and seeing how I can add to it, rather than focusing on bad things that I can't control

4) Accepting things how they are rather than railing against them

5) Trying to find humour in everything and to laugh

6) [This one is a bit difficult to explain] Attempting to aspire to be how I want myself to be, which is positive. I focus on the better parts of me and my thoughts, try to do positive actions, be helpful to people even when I feel like shit, and to hope that my subconscious will tend towards this better version of me. It seems to work. I guess it's a "positive attitude".

These are just a few examples, and they are personal, it's not supposed to be some get well quick scheme. It's a summary of how I have dealt with my depression, and how I've worked on my attitudes.

I totally agree that medication is not enough. I view medication as giving you the strength back to help yourself. It can put the balance back in your brain a little bit, so that you can seek help. The thing that has been key in my recent therapy, and which has given me somewhat of a breakthrough, is:

Even when you can't change things, you can change your attitude towards them.

This is a beautiful post, and these are steps that are pertinent even to those of us who don't suffer your depression, Rob.