Never, never give up on life
In the book, “Living Water 2009,” a certain Ad shared his story. “It was 4 a.m. and I was wide awake. A wave of anxiety and hopelessness went through my mind. For the past months, I had not achieved the target set by a contract, I signed with a company. However, I was holding on to a promise the Lord had given me. The message was from Joe 2:27 which reads, “ { I} shall never again be put to shame.”
“That morning as anxiety tried to get the better of me, the Lord led me to today’s readings and told me to follow His lead. I have to set my face determined not to yield to discouragement and hopelessness because no matter what the situation may be, I will not be put to shame. God is my help. That is His promise.”
Ad’s story reminds me of a young man who recently visited me. He was one of those whom I “adopted” when my children were growing up. He confided that he had his moments of depression. There were times wherein he wished he would never wake up and he would be swallowed with the earth. Melancholy feelings would hit him now and then. Sometimes he would feel that the day is too long. He said, “Why can’t I be happy with all the blessings that I received from the Lord? I am a Christian but it seems that the “demons” overwhelmed my thoughts.”
I told him that he must never forget that he is a beautiful soul inside and out. What he needs is his frequent link to the Lord through prayers. And I also told him to practice the habit of gratefulness by journaling— writing the blessings that he received from the Lord. He would realized through this how blessed he is and he’ll be more grateful to the Lord. However, I further told him that he must see a doctor so he could be given proper medication if his depression worsens.
Depression can strike anybody, anytime, anywhere states the www.forbesindia.com. The reasons for depression can be an external factor event (like loss of a job, death in the family or romantic break-up) or internal due to hormonal or biochemical imbalances. However, there are ways to fight depression that don’t involve drugs according to our source. Here they are:
Exercise. It’s simple: any form of exercise, releases feel good chemicals like endorphins, dopamine and serotonin. Do what you love doing; be it swimming, running, yoga, or walking and you can have an immediate impact on your well-being and boosting mood.
Do the new. Changing your routine can help. Visit the library. Go on a walking tour. Plan a day trip. Anything new can help change the way you are feeling and may lead to feeling more mindful. It also activates the dopamine pathways in your brain that is in charge of rewards.
Smile more. Smile and the world smiles with you. Cry and you cry alone. The old adage is probably true. Smiling makes you likeable. It also makes you feel good. It is also good for your physical health.
Gratitude. Being grateful multiplies our happiness. It forces the brain to shift focus on what’s going wrong to what’s going right. Gratefulness leads to well-being and decreased depression.
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