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The “Great” Depression Part 1

Surviving the struggle with Peace and Love ✌️💙

By Robert Michael RuggieriPublished 3 years ago 5 min read
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Peace & Love

Some days are really hard...you try and try but nothing ever seems to work out the way you need or want it to. Does that sound familiar? The days when you barely have the energy to get out of bed. You ignore phone calls and text messages. Somehow you just seem to wander around in a foggy forest within your mind. The fog and darkness set in and you literally feel like you are in a labyrinth of sorts. It’s a feeling that is extremely difficult to explain to someone who has never wandered in the darkness. Sometimes you see a bit of light in the distance that you try to reach...and yet it remains out of reach. You find yourself laying in bed at 3:00am...unable to sleep but feel completely exhausted. Now that we have established a basic understanding of the how deep depression can feel, what do we do about it? The stigma of mental illness is a real thing. Many people are afraid to seek out a counselor or therapist. They hide their feelings away from others because they don’t want people to think they are “crazy” or even the terrible R-word that I wish wasn’t part of our vocabulary. Depression is not an easy battle. After all, you are fighting against you. It truly is a paradox. The battle can be ridiculously intense. It can leave you wounded in ways that are extremely difficult to come back from. Everything becomes so personal and somehow the slightest little thing can send you over the edge. I’ve personally worked in the mental health field for 8 years but I have also been battling the depression and anxiety fight for many many years. Some days are rough. I’ve had stretches where I’ve laid in bed for a week or two...mentally and emotionally exhausted in ways that even start to make me feel bad physically. What’s the point of all this I’m sure you’re wondering. How to you cope with your depression? When I talk with my clients I encourage them to watch “What About Bob?”. People laugh at this movie, and to be honest there is a lot of comedy within it but there is a serious underlying message. When people are depressed they want to get rid of it right? They go to a counselor or therapist and set a goal to get over their depression. It doesn’t work that way. That’s the honest truth. Think about trying to lose weight. If you weighed 300 pounds and you set a goal of losing 100 pounds and then you mess up and now you feel like shit. Some people give up right then and there. Much like with losing weight, depression battles need to start with really small goals. Your ultimate goal is to get over the depression but it isn’t gonna happen in an hour or a day. If you set the goals too high and somehow slip up, it can make your depression even worse. You gotta take baby steps. Set yourself small goals. Sometimes a goal needs to be just getting out of bed. I know to some that will sound silly, but when you accomplish a goal, it makes an impact on your mental state. Think about losing the weight again. Today I’m gonna walk for 15 minutes. Write it down and track it. Next time go for 20 minutes. Write it down. Celebrate it. Pat yourself on the back for accomplishing this simple goal. If the next day comes and you miss, you start the process over again. I get that it sounds like a real pain in the ass but in the end it’s worth it. You are the only one who can accomplish one of your goals. No one else can do it for you. The same principles truly do apply to depression battles. Today I’m going to clean off a table. Write it down and track it. Tomorrow I’m going to dust off the television. Write it down. Celebrate your little victories. You still have an ultimate goal to attain but you have to celebrate little victories. Regardless of what anyone thinks of your progress, you are in control. Trust me, I know it doesn’t feel like it, but you do have the power within you. It all starts and ends with you. Much like with other parts of life you have to pick your battles. Pick them wisely. Be kind to yourself. The world is rough...and life can be a bitch...and it will continually knock you out over and over. Life continues moving while you’re standing still. You have to learn to focus on those little things. People often ignore the little things until all of a sudden they turn into something bigger. You have to fight. When you celebrate those little victories by doing something for yourself (that’s called self-care by the way) you will take some of the pressure off of yourself, even if it’s just for that day. One good day is much better than another bad one. Love yourself. Stop listening to the criticism and negativity that the world may throw your way. I’m not going to lie and tell you that it’s easy. I assure you that if you made it this far into the first part of the story, you understand what I’m talking about and you can somehow relate to this. You are not alone. Other people understand the fight your in but you have to realize that everyone’s battle is different. We are all battling something. Someone cares about you. Someone loves you. Even when you don’t care or love yourself...someone does. Those of us battling depression care about one another because we understand the battles and struggles. I care. I love you. I encourage you to keep fighting. I wish you all Peace and Love ✌️💙

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About the Creator

Robert Michael Ruggieri

Just a human being trying to navigate life’s journey with curiosity and understanding. Wishing everyone Peace and Love along the way ✌️💙

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