DEALING WITH DEPRESSION DEMONS

Life can be plain flippin' hard sometimes. Believe me, I know. I'm not the type to advocate sticking one's head in the sand and thinking happy-clappy thoughts, as if real challenges and problems don't exist, or as if they'll magically evaporate just because we will them to. No. There are times when our circumstances are simply gruelling, and it's a reality which I have no intention of dismissing.

However, with that said, it doesn't mean that you have to assume the posture of a helpless victim when the depression demons come pounding on your door. You have the ability to choose, and with that power comes the possibility of taking steps that can significantly reduce, if not eliminate, the storm clouds that are so callously peeing on your head. Locking yourself away with the curtains drawn is a No-No. If you desire to fight your way towards a healthier frame of mind, that option is available to you.

1. Get some sunshine and fresh air - The benefits of sunshine and the outdoors are as much psychological as they are physiological. Take a walk. Bask in some rays for a little while (with some protection if need be). Give your body a chance to soak in those warm and fuzzy rays and life-giving oxygen.
2. Get active - Take a walk. Do some gardening. Pop to the gym. Whatever you can. The benefits of exercise are age-old and undeniable. It's a sure-fire way to strengthen the body and mind.
3. Get social - Surround yourself with the company of positive, loving and inspiring people. We human beings are social creatures. Resist the temptation to shun good company. Sometimes, in this depression game, you need to do things for yourself that you know you need, even if you don't particularly want them very much.
4. Get inspired - Identify something that you can do that you enjoy and that invigorates and/or challenges you. It could me learning/playing an instrument, reading a good book, catching a good movie, blogging or journaling, building a model aircraft...whatever gets your creative juices flowing. The sense of enjoyment and accomplishment associated with feeding your creative side can work wonders.
5. Get help - If you're able to, there's absolutely no shame in seeking out professional counselling or therapy. Being able to 'offload' in the presence of an insightful and empathetic expert in these matters can help shed light on things and usher in healthy perspective. Ask people you trust if they're able to suggest someone, and make an appointment. It's worth the shot if you're able to take it.
6. Get proactive - If you know you're prone to depression, expect it to try its luck on occasion, and be ready in advance to take proactive, positive action. Don't allow yourself to be sucker-punched and to go into automatic defeat mode. When you sense that nasty gremlin approaching, make up your mind to run toward the light through embracing the aforementioned kinds of actions, rather than shutting yourself off from it and thereby exacerbating the problem.

Again, it's not my intention to make light of the depression issue. It's very real, and all too often very suffocating and seemingly overwhelming. It takes courage to face it head on, and a self-owned desire to experience life free from its clutches. At the end of the day, the smallest positive step that you can take is a step worth taking. Godspeed to you!
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Grant Alexander Cyster owns the blog entitled "I THINK, THEREFORE I ACHE.", offered as part of his Cape Town based freelance media business at: www.grantcyster.com