Our minds are powerful. Once it gets in a rut, it stays there.

For example, if every time we experience a low mood and we engage in some self-destructive behavior to soothe ourselves, we strengthen the hold depression has on us. We get so used to feeling miserable, we almost get used to it. We wouldn’t know how to live without it. We have let it define us and it becomes habitual.

The thoughts we think when we are depressed are almost always inaccurate. That’s what depression does. It so messes with our brain’s functioning that it’s a never-ending cycle.

And often it becomes a habit because we use it to justify doing what we want to do.

When we are depressed we often justify bad habits because our “depression” is making us do it.

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Think about the things you do. Much of it is strictly a habit. If you were to give it thought, you might very well change that behavior, not necessarily because it is bad but just because there is a better choice.

A great book to read is Atomic Habits by James Clear.

Unless the cycle is broken, and it certainly can be, we will continue to reinforce our depressed state and make it even worse. And the more we reinforce depression the greater the hold it has on us and the more of a habit it becomes.

We feel really down. Our mind goes there as well and our thoughts follow suit. We think hopeless thoughts. We think “dark” thoughts. This circles right back to our bodies and we feel even more depressed.

Let’s say we’re depressed and we’ve been soothing ourselves staying up late binge TV watching. It takes our mind off ourselves.

Or it makes feel better to eat a lot of sweets and so we indulge ourselves most days.

Plus, if it gets us attention, if people are constantly coming to our aid, again, it’s to our advantage we think, to stay depressed.

After a while these become habits. We almost like it when when we feel depressed because we can then engage in unhealthy behaviors. Because we feel sorry for ourselves, we feel we deserve to “treat” ourselves.

Many people, even though they say they hate their depression, they love the attention it brings them. They love the fact they can pamper themselves because “I’m so depressed”.

For example, have you ever thought about your worldview? If you haven’t, you’re not alone. Most people haven’t.

We are our habits. Change your habits and you can often change your depression. At the very least, you can certainly make it better.

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