Just Say "No" To Depression!
Depression is believed by the medical profession to be the most
prevalent disease of our time. The fear of developing heart
problems or cancer alone is enough to cause tremendous stress
and accompanying depression. There is a tremendous malaise
circulating our world today. Both the medical profession and the
media are constantly "warning" us of the dangers and
probabilities of different diseases, some of which seem more
than likely to shorten our life span. For instance, if there is
cancer in your family, you're most likely going to get it! And
of course, if cancer is not threat enough there is always the
West Nile virus, Bird flu, AIDs and a host of other diseases to
frighten us...
One thing is for sure, we will never hear the end of calamities
that are likely to beset us, whether from disease or some other
form of challenge we may face. It seems inevitable that there
will always be "something" that will get our blood pressure
soaring.
So, what is the answer to this problem? How can we carry-on with
our lives without being constantly afraid of what lies around
the next corner? Here are several suggestions about how to
effectively deal with life's challenging situations:
1) Seek interpersonal support
People need other people, and there are many good and practical
ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Exercise, good nutrition and
positive thinking are great antidotes. These not only help
relieve the angst; they actually give us a sense of empowerment
over our lives.
2) Seek spiritual guidance about spoken words
The Bible tells us that the power of life and death are in the
tongue. Words can both bless and curse (James 3). Negative words
can evoke fear, anxiety and actually produce negative effects in
a person's life.
Whenever a word is heard - any word - the mind paints a picture
of it. For instance, when someone says "black cow" immediately
you will see that cow in your mind's eye. Although words are not
tangible, they have the power to bring about emotional and
physical change! Remember - The Bible teaches that the earth was
created by the Word of God! Now that's real word power!
We all have a choice when it comes to listening and what we
hear. We can choose to empower ourselves by listening to
positive words and encouraging thoughts or we can do otherwise.
Think about the last time you listening to some of your favorite
music...Did your feet start tapping? Did you start to hum the
melody? Didn't your mood lighten-up a bit as a result of hearing
the melody and the words? Negative words almost always produce
negative results, whether seen or unseen. On the other hand,
positive words instill a sense of well-being. A mere smile and a
quick, happy-sounding, "Have a great day!" can instantly produce
good feelings and joy.
3) Develop a "thankful" attitude.
Thankfulness is one of the greatest virtues. A wise man once
said that if we divided a page in two and wrote all our setbacks
on one side and all our blessings on the other, we would find
that the blessings far outweigh the negatives. The Bible teaches
us to give thanks with a grateful heart for all things. Don't
look back on past hurts, nor fret about tomorrow. Live "today"
to the fullest...choose joy and thankfulness.
In conclusion, remember that our thoughts respond to what we
feed the mind through our senses. Therefore, it naturally
follows that happiness is a choice. This may be a foreign
concept to many of us at first, but when applied, the results
can be truly amazing! Break the habit of feeling trapped in a
world of negative thoughts and decide to switch-on the power of
positive thoughts, today.