The Happy List For Depression Sufferers
Jun 18th, 2008 by zania
Although I suffer from Depression, I am also aware that there are times in my life when I may not be depressed, just feeling a little defeated or exhausted by what is going on around me.
This could develop into full blown depression, or manifest itself as another aspect of Dysthymia, but sometimes it is not too late to ‘nip it in the bud’, before it takes on more serious aspects. In these cases, I use a technique I picked up on a website somewhere quite a while ago (sorry, no credits - I didn’t bookmark it at the time). However, I have changed the idea somewhat, to fit in with someone who might be on the verge of depression, but who is still open to the idea of giving happiness a chance.
What I am going to tell you about does not always work, I’ll admit, but sometimes it works well, and gets me through ‘to fight another day’ 
It’s another aspect of ‘writing things down‘ and could also be adapted for blogging to help you cope with depression. I’ll call it:
Making a Happy List Without Getting Stressed:
I have posted the list here in order, from what I think is the easiest to the hardest, although you may wish to do the exercises a different way around, according to how you feel at the time.
If, at any point, writing this list makes you feel worse, don’t get stressed about it. Cast it aside. It’s just a list of exercises you can do if you feel up to it. Nothing here is written in stone.
Each day, try to write down the following:
- Something which made you feel good today (if only for a little while). This could be something you would normally consider almost inconsequential as it happens most days. Perhaps your partner gave you a hug, or one of your children stopped being naughty for a moment and gave you a lovely smile. It could even be something like your dog snuggling up to you on the couch, or a joke on the TV which made you smile. However, ‘tiny’ this ‘good’ thing is, write it down.
- In fact, if you can think of more than one thing, write them all down!
- Write down as many things as you can that you like about yourself. Don’t stress out if at this particular point in time you cannot think of many of your ‘good points’. You are going to do this every day for a while, at least until you get over the ‘low spell’, so you have plenty of time to think of something. You may be a good mother, father, son or daughter, or a great cook, an excellent writer, or dancer, or have a good ear for music. Unlike me, you may even be good at maths! It could be anything. We are all good at something. Write down anything you think of. Only the good things mind
- Write down as many things as you can that you are grateful for. Now, I know this may be a hard thing to do, especially if you are feeling low because of the pressures of life. I also know that writing about things you are grateful for may have a counter effect, in that, if you are really depressed, or struggling with financial problems, you may fear losing the things you are grateful for. So, if at any time writing out this list makes you upset, leave it alone. It’s only an exercise after all.
- Nevertheless, there may be things you are grateful for which do not cost money, or are not threatened in any way by your life circumstances. Perhaps you have a friend or relative from the past who was kind to you in some way, or a teacher who taught you a skill you are grateful for now. These things are not threatened by current events. You can be grateful for them without fear of losing them.
You will notice that my ‘Happy List’ is not the most positive you will ever come across. It might be seen as limited by those who want us to always ‘think positive thoughts’, because it allows that many of us find this suggestion impossible to carry out.
My ‘Happy List’ is written by someone who suffers from depression herself, is also a cynic, and who knows that thnking happy thoughts is damned hard when you are feeling low!
But it can work, given the chance and a little adaptation to suit you and your needs.
So, next time you are feeling low but not feeling too depressed, give my Happy List a try. No promises mind. But, if you are careful and chuck it to one side if writing down some of these thoughts makes you too sad to continue, then it might just help you get through the ‘low patch’ and come out a little happier on the other side
[...] take it anymore!” We discussed alternatives and I decided that the right combination of Happy Meals and “Happy Days” episodes might be a suitable substitute. He profusely disagreed [...]