Depression is a prolonged state of mind characterised by negativity affectivity. An occasional day of negative thoughts about the world is not depression. Life becomes a chore and nothing seems to alleviate this, feelings of sadness, tiredness and lethargy predominate along with a lack of will to perform everyday tasks. Doubts about ones ability to cope become common. Life is pessimistic.

Depression can have a gradual onset following prolonged periods of unrelieved stress that has lead to a pessimistic explanatory style. Pessimistic thoughts about self value, current day to day events, and about the future are the seeds of depression. In others depression can be of sudden onset following a major life change (relationship breakdown, death, bankruptcy etc).

Some researchers now believe the chemical and blood flow changes that occur in the brain in the depressive state are secondary to the change to the negative thought patterns and do not precede it. These same researchers also state that no-one has been able to demonstrate a deficiency of the so-called “anti-depressant chemicals” in the brain and believe that these drugs only alleviate the state not having any long term effects on the thought patterns basic to the depressive condition. The only apparent success is to allow individuals to function at sub-optimal levels and should only be prescribed for a short period until the acute phase has passed. (NB in the case of bipolar disorder there are specific and highly effective medications that need to be taken on a long term basis)

Numerous studies worldwide have demonstrated that “cognitive behaviour therapy” (CBT) is singularly the most effective tool to change thought patterns and provide long term relief from the depressive state.  Medication is only prescribed until the CBT has produced some changes in thought patterns. CBT confronts learnt beliefs and attitudes held by the individual and encourage searching for the evidence of the truth of these and finding new beliefs and attitudes that are evidence based. The aim of therapy is to find options and make decisions about the self and life that produces optimism.

Everyday spent thinking negative thoughts and being depressed is one day that is lost forever from an optimal life of joy and fulfilment. Life does not have a rewind button. Learn to change your explanatory style from pessimistic to optimistic and live life to the fullest. This is your choice.