{"id":2482,"date":"2021-05-10T16:12:33","date_gmt":"2021-05-10T16:12:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/melissabhowell.com\/?p=2482"},"modified":"2024-01-01T20:14:22","modified_gmt":"2024-01-01T20:14:22","slug":"how-to-stop-being-depressed-part-6","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/melissabhowell.com\/how-to-stop-being-depressed-part-6\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Stop Being Depressed–Part 6"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Gratitude is one of the best ways to combat depression, and to improve every area of your life.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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When we are feeling depressed, we are mired in negativity. If people tell us to just “think positive thoughts,” we might want to throttle them–if only we had the energy, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, we think negative thoughts about the person who told us to think positive thoughts \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, trying to think positive thoughts when we’re depressed feels like slathering frosting over a pile of mud. We know deep down that we’re just covering up the depression–not changing it or dealing with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, I want you to know that it’s o.k. to be depressed. Everyone deals with situational and\/or clinical depression at some point in their life. It’s a completely normal mental health challenge. But it’s never fun.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, instead of telling you to be positive, I’m going to suggest you be grateful.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You might wonder, “What’s the difference?”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Often, being positive can turn into being false about our situation. It’s a tricky thing, because there’s such a thing as “toxic positivity<\/a>,” which is pretending that problems don’t exist. When positivity is insincere, forced, or makes it seem like your feelings of depression aren’t legitimate–that’s<\/em> when it’s a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can actually be an avoidance tactic, and when used to suppress your authentic feelings, can lead to more psychological distress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gratitude, on the other hand, is accepting your current situation, but noticing that there might be some good things in your life as well.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being grateful does not mean you cover up or deny your feelings of depression. It just means you allow the possibility that not everything is horrible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How Does Gratitude Affect Depression?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Research has shown that being grateful can help people be less depressed<\/a>, when used with other strategies. In other words, this one thing <\/em>(being grateful) will not cure depression<\/a> (or anxiety), but it can definitely help, AND have a huge impact on other areas of your life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to try using gratitude to help combat depression, I suggest you just look for small, simple things to be grateful for. The bird outside your window. The fact that you have hot water, so that if you actually wanted to take a shower, you could. Your comfortable bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re not saying, “I’m happy! I’m full of life! I’m excited for my future!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You’re just saying, “I’m grateful Netflix exists. I’m grateful I have pajamas. I’m grateful for chocolate.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

See the difference?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Expressing Gratitude is Important<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Studies have shown that thinking<\/em> grateful thoughts and writing<\/em> grateful thoughts are important. But to get the greatest reduction in depressive symptoms, expressing<\/em> gratitude is the key<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This means that you share what you’re grateful for with other people. If you don’t feel like verbally talking to anyone, you have the opportunity to share on social media. (Just be very careful with social media, as it can fuel feelings of depression. I suggest you just hop on, share what you’re grateful for, and hop back off. No scrolling!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even better, enlist a “gratitude buddy.” Find a friend who will agree to also start a daily practice of being grateful, and text each other what you’re grateful for that day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saying “thanks” or “thank you” is also a form of gratitude. Try saying it more often!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Happens When You Practice Gratitude?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Robert Emmons, PhD, the lab director of the Emmons Lab at the University of California in Davis, who is widely considered to be one of the world\u2019s leading experts on gratitude, has discovered the following positive effects of gratitude<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n