The Most Powerful Thought for Overcoming Depression
How many thoughts do you think you have in a single day?
The Laboratory of Neuro Imaging (LONI) housed at the Keck school of medicine at USC found we think an average of 48.6 thoughts per minute. This is a lot of thoughts - most people land somewhere between 60,000 to 70,000 thoughts in a day!
Our thoughts have a powerful influence on our life. They have the ability to move us in a positive direction, but they can also disempower us and rob us of our energy and vitality. The wrong thoughts can propel us into a dark and depressive spiral. The right thoughts can be a huge help in healing depression.
Do you know the most powerful thought for overcoming depression?
The most powerful thought for overcoming depression is, “There are things I can do today and things I can think today that will make me feel better.”
That thought fills me with hopefulness - the powerful idea that what I think and what I do can make my life better. Hopefulness stands out in bright contrast to the persistently clingy and dull hopelessness of depression. Depression leads to the despairing belief that nothing will change and I will never get better. The ruminating thought of a depressed person is, “Why try? Even if I had energy, which I don’t; nothing is ever going to change for me anyway.” This mindset of hopelessness trickles through the depressed brain infecting every thought and siphoning away energy.
When I help a client struggling with depression, I need them to be open to the belief that their effort will make a difference. I am looking for just a glimmer of hopefulness. In counseling language, it is called an internal locus of control. It is a monumental turning point in therapy, and we will not be able to move forward until it occurs. I know, when I begin working with a new person who is battling depression, that nothing will change until they embrace this truth, so I wait for as long as it takes.
The change I am looking for is small but powerful. I am waiting for my client to take some small steps. To believe that changing what they do may make them feel a little better. To embrace the idea that thinking different thoughts may lift their spirits a little bit. To trust that these changes in their life can grow and improve over time. They don’t have to embrace the impossible. They don’t have to believe that tomorrow morning all will be well with the world, the sun will be shining, the sky will be blue, the birds will be singing, and they will be overcome with joy. But they do need to courageously take a few steps. They need to have an openness to see some small positive changes. They need to try. They need to hope … a little.
If you or someone you love struggles with depression, there are many small steps you can take. Some will be more helpful than others. We are all different so there is no one size fits all activity that works for everyone. Here are a couple to get you started:
Start a gratitude journal. Grab a notebook and make a list of five things you are grateful for. Do this each day. It is OK if the same item keeps reoccurring but look for new ones as well. Gratitude is a very present emotion and it is helpful for our brain and helpful in overcoming depression.
Take a walk. Many studies show that being outside and active are helpful for the symptoms of depression. If you are more ambitious, kick it up a few notches. Numerous studies show that 20 minutes of cardio daily can be very helpful for depression.
Every day ask God for help. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Keep asking and keep pursuing – don’t give up.
Hopefulness is powerful. What you think and what you do will make a tremendous difference in your fight against depression. If you have been struggling with depression for a while, I also urge you to reach out for help. A good counselor can be a tremendous resource for making progress on this journey.