How to be happy - practical steps you can take now

You are depressed and happiness seems impossible but you couldn't be more wrong!. As long as your depression is not due to a chemical imbalance (which is often not the case) these steps will help you feel happier by breaking your negative thought and the hold it has over you.

Steps to being happier

1. Gratitude
   
   Think of your life right now. What good things are there to be thankful for? Start listing them on a piece of paper or just go over them in your head. The fact that you can find many positive things in your life no matter how depressed you may feel is comforting and will change your mood.
    
2. Pause in the Moment
   
   If you stop for one moment and forget the future and the past and concentrate on now, look around and ask yourself what is everything like now, you will see that there are no problems or worries in the present. Bring yourself into this present and forget everything else at least for as long as you can.
    
3. What if...?
   
   What if you get that job you want? What if you make a new friend? What if everything goes well? What if and then something positive is mind changing! Instead of you always thinking negatively you will begin to expect something positive. Change can be good...
    
4. At least..
   No matter how bad things appear you can always find a positive. Try adding at least to the end of your sentences when you here yourself begin to complain.
   
   I am fed up with my job but at least the hours are flexible. He talks too much but at least he is honest. This also will help you to think more positively. Depression makes everything black and this technique can help bring in a little light.
    
5. Stop saying I can't - realize that there are few things you can't do mostly what you are saying is that you don't want to do something. Examine why this is so - is it fear? Star correcting your statements and also those you tell yourself. you will be more happy as a result.
    
6. Decide to be happier - sounds too easy but yes you can decide to be happy or unhappy now! Decide to change what you can and accept what you can't and decide to be happy and more positive. You will weaken the grip that depression has over you.
    
7. Start imagining things improving - what you can see as possible, is possible. If you dream something you can make it real. The only thing stopping you is your thinking and your fear. As soon as you think things can improve and you have the power to change your mood will be lighter and happiness much closer.
    
   
   I hope that these easy to use techniques will help you become happier and whether you use them as part of your depression cure or your main strategy then I wish you luck. You can be happy and beat your depression. Know that you are not alone. Millions suffer every day and most recover, so can you. 

Depression, medication and anxiety

In order to aid recovery in patients doctors often consider medication as part of the process. Medication in itself cannot solve the problem but can relieve the symptoms. When the pain or other effects are lessened the person suffering from depression can begin to look at ways of solving his or her problems. It is quite impossible for anybody to think clearly about problems they have with an open mind when depression grips them and colours their view.

Depression medication makes recovery possible and helps the sufferer to get a grip of the situation. Here is a description of some of the medicines doctors may prescribe for depression:

Antidepressants:
First choice depression medication prescribed for patients with mild or severe depression. The antidepressants help the patient with therapy and take away or lessen the symptoms so that problems can be faced. There can be some side effects such as nausea, irritability, sweating, constipation, sleeping problems or drowsiness for example.
Antidepressants work on the chemical activity on the brain and stop a person dropping into severe depression, rather feelings are normalized to those of others experiencing events which make them sad. They are not addictive but it is important that they are taken exactly as the doctor prescribed. They may take as long as six weeks to begin working.

Anxiety medication:
Some antidepressants can also treat anxiety as well as depression. If anxiety is severe or occurs over a longer period then medication may be prescribed by a doctor. There are different kinds of anxiety disorders, such as:

• GAD - General Anxiety Disorder
• Panic attacks
• Phobia
• OCD - obsessive compulsive disorder
• PTSD - post traumatic stress disorder

Medication for anxiety includes medicines like Effexor, Sertraline, Paxil, Zoloft, Anafranil, Prozac, Xanax, Buspirone and Valium. Beta blockers like Propranolol  are used to control anxiety when someone has a speech, presentation or meeting which causes a lot of stress. 
read much more about anxiety and what to do about it here

SSRI:
A newer kind of antidepressant which causes fewer side effects. SSRI stands for Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor. The most common of these medicines are Prozac, Celexa, Paxil and Luvox. Long term use can cause weight gain but this is also true of most antidepressants. 

Anti-convulsants:
These may be used to treat Bipolar Disorder. Some of the common medicines in this group are Lamictal, Tegretol, Neurontin, Topamax. Those suffering from Bipolar Disorder often take more than one kind of medication such as Lithium or a mood stabilizer.
A careful diagnosis is necessary to prescribe the appropriate medication for sufferers of Bipolar Disorder.

Natural Medication 
There are also some natural forms of medication or herbal treatments such as St. John's Wort, Gingko Balboa, Chromium and others. 

Want to find out how you can conquer depression, stress and anxiety naturally and quickly?
click here to read about how to conquer depression naturally

Assertiveness Training and how it can help you

Being assertive is something you may normally consider confident people do naturally. If you are trying to improve your confidence as a step towards overcoming depression then assertiveness training could really help you. Learning to act and speak in a more assertive way could help you overcome several other obstacles in your life such as shyness, low self esteem and a lack of confidence.

What is assertiveness exactly? 

Some mistakenly think that being assertive means being pushy or selfish in order to get your own way but this is not true and is an extremely misguided view. Assertive behaviour is positive and will bring you results in your dealings with others. Not being assertive is one way to cultivate low confidence, self esteem and worse. If you are an assertive person you will be confident to stand up and be counted, you will put your opinion forward and stand by it. You will not be quiet and go ignored. Normally because of the perceived risk involved in expressing yourself openly like this rather than keeping quiet means you need a certain level of confidence. If you want to conquer shyness or become more effective socially you need to be more assertive. Simply put, assertiveness is asking for what you want or speaking up for yourself when you feel strongly that you have something to say.
Why is being assertive important to you?

• Relationships - expressing your feelings and being able to ask what you want means you will be happier in your relationships and this is more likely to make for a happier partner.
• Career - those who are passive at work are often undervalued and ignored for promotion. It is those who put themselves forward and ask for responsibility that are given it. Being more assertive will bring you better opportunities and more job satisfaction.
• Family - it is important to compromise whether you are a son, daughter or parent but it is also important to be assertive in decisions where you need to state what you want. Women are especially in need of being more assertive or the demands on them can be unbearable.
• Friendships - any friendship should be on an equal footing. When one person starts to demand too much of the other it is time to reassess that friendship. Being assertive and telling your friend honestly what you think is very important and being passive can make you very unhappy.
• Success and ambitions - if you set yourself any goal you will need to be assertive with others who may try to dissuade you or stand in your way. Again, being assertive just means declaring your intention to do something and claiming your right to be what you want to be.
• Self esteem - if you are passive and feel that you have not spoken up for yourself in any situation, not only may you lose out but you will feel terrible inside. This feeling may even cause you to lose confidence and if it continues could even lead to depression. 

Assertiveness is a positive quality! Beware though, some will tell you being assertive is being selfish. Not so. As long as your assertiveness does not hurt anyone else and as long as you state your wishes calmly and confidently you are not acting selfishly. You have a right to be yourself and do what you feel is right for you. Selfishness is when you don't care about others, only yourself. What being assertive is all about is respect for yourself and this will also reflect outwards as you begin to respect others as having equal rights as you.
If you are interested in becoming more assertive and reaping the benefits that you will find as a result then I would  suggest that you get this helpful program which will transform the way you behave and change you for the better download the assertiveness  training self-hypnosis program now and start to improve the quality of your life!

Depression Treatment

Some different methods used to aid recovery in patients which work by first looking at the symptoms and then choosing an appropriate strategy to reduce and ease symptoms.
 
There are many different forms of treatment available but the single most important factor in recovering from depression is accepting that you need some form of help.
The most common form of treatment for depression is antidepressant medication plus some kind of therapy. The medication allows the person suffering from depression to feel much better and then he or she will be in a position to work on the problems which may be contributing to the depressive state.
Seeing a doctor is a very good idea because before you can make a decision about the kind of treatment you should follow you need a diagnosis which only a professional can give you.

Forms of Treatment of depression

Medication
Various medications exist including:

• Antidepressants
• Anxiety medication
• SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors)
• Antipsychotic medication
• Anticonvulsants

more information about medication

Therapy
There are many different kinds of therapy including:

• Talk therapy
• ECT (electroconvulsive therapy)
• Light therapy
• Nerve therapy
• Magnetic therapy

Self Help
These subjects are related to being depressed:

• self esteem
• living your life in the present 
• listing things you are grateful for
• inspiring quotes
• affirmations

Other

• Natural Cures can help you conquer depression and stress. Take a look at  how to find relief from depression, anxiety and stress naturally (100% guaranteed and highly recommended)
• exercise and its many benefits
• meditation and the effect it can have on lowering your stress level
• herbal treatments - St. John's Wort, Gingko Balboa, Chromium and many others.
• diet can have a big impact on your mood and physical and mental well-being
• aromatherapy
• positive music
• online counselling - professional psychologists available now to help you through any problem - I recommend this service to you  Click now to register and select an online psychologist  - Take action now!

Want to learn more about treating depression?
If you want to know more about depression and how it works, merits of different treatments and medication, how to choose a therapist or counselor and the role of your thinking in curing and preventing depression as well as information from the latest breakthrough studies then I recommend:
The Uncommon Knowledge Depression Program - a unique resource to help you through depression. It guides you not just to lift your depression but to beat it for good and learn how to live the rest of your life depression-free! 90 day money back guarantee if not completely satisfied with the program but as I've just completed it myself I know you will be!

Click now to read more and order the Depression Program - download in minutes!

Depression Cure or How to be Happy!

This page contains information about depression cures and offers advice on how to be happy. Different forms of depression require different depression cures and so it is wise to find out about treatments suitable for you by consulting a professional who will first decide what kind of depression you have.

Depression cures include:

• Medication - antidepressants - they cure depression by changing the chemical activity in the brain. Medication usually acts as a short term way to control depression. Most anti-depressants can not be taken long term. Medication is usually prescribed by doctors and can be used effectively with therapy and self help.
• Natural Cures - herbal remedies, food, exercise etc. Read more about natural cures for depression here
• Self Help -  books, support from friends, improving your self esteem, affirmations, websites about depression all can help to give you the best chance for a depression cure that will work for you.
• Cognitive Behaviour Therapy helps you change the way you react to situations in your life which make you feel depressed. This therapy can provide a real and lasting depression cure as it also helps you to cope with stress and problems and avoid falling into depression again. There are other forms of therapy and it is highly recommended as a possible cure.  Read about online counseling available now to help you with your depression.

The more information you have about depression cures the better! Find out more about treatments here

Can Medication Cure Depression?

Medication is not a permanent solution for most people. The solution to a depression free life is to use all the tools available and let others help where they can.  - therapy, self help, books, changed attitude, improved self esteem, friends

How to become happier and less depressed


Visit how to be happy for  more steps you can take now.
Conquer depression and anxiety quickly and naturally - My No.1 Recommendation

Depression cure step one:
 
Are you unhappy and don't know what to do about it?

• I am unhappy because ......
• How can I be happy when ....
• I will be happy when.....

Putting conditions on your happiness means you cannot be happy now and you won't be happy until your conditions are met.
 
The mistake is that even if your conditions are reached you set new ones again and again. Decide to be happy now while you are working to achieve what you want and need. Enjoy the journey!

A depression cure is possible if you work at it and get the right help. One thing you should do is improve your self confidence and self esteem with this free course

Depression cure summary: Here are some changes you can make now to become a happier person:

• Be true to yourself
• Look to the present, drop the future worry and the past regret
• Focus on positives not negatives
• Give yourself permission to move forward
• Work on your self confidence and self esteem. 
• Make a list of everything that you are thankful for now in your life

Depression Test

Are you depressed? - then try this test

This depression test will help you understand if you are depressed and just how bad it is. Take the test now!

A couple of years ago I was depressed and didn't realize it. Answer these questions and for each yes give yourself one point (be honest!):
Do you:

1. Wake up early in the morning and find you can't go back to sleep?
2. Do you often feel extremely tired without apparent reason?
3. Do you lack self confidence and doubt yourself?
4. Do you feel lonely or withdrawn from the world?
5. Do you feel worthless?
6. Do you eat too much?
7. Do you drink too much?
8. Do you find it difficult to concentrate?
9. Do you find it difficult to think logically or make decisions?
10. Are you procrastinating or avoiding doing things?
11. Have you lost interest in sexual activity?
12. Are you apathetic and lacking in motivation?
13. Do you sometimes feel like crying?
14. Do you see no future for yourself?
15. Do you feel trapped?
16. Do you feel you can't cope?
17. Do you have trouble sleeping at night?
18. Do you feel life is not worth living?
19. Do you suffer from quick mood swings?

Test Results: 
less than 5 - low level or beginnings of depression
5 to 10 - moderate level
11 plus - high level depression

Depression is serious and if you score moderate or high depression please see a doctor and consider some of the tools and courses I suggest on the self help courses and tools section of this website because after all's said and done it's up to you to heal yourself! 

Test Notes
Just a couple of the above may not be a problem but if you answer yes to say five or more of the above you are depressed.

There is a wide range of being depressed from low to high levels. If you answered yes to numbers 16, 18 or 19 you must do something now! Online counseling could be very helpful to you. 
 
Please use the results as a springboard to take action. Please use all of the information contained in this website and check out the links for other resources.

Want to find out how you can conquer depression, stress and anxiety naturally and quickly?
click here to learn more

Depression Help and Tips on How to be Happy

Depression help can be found in many places. I suggest you try the following :
Beginnings of Depression

• Try the tools and courses I recommend. They will help you with your self confidence, your self esteem and motivate you to succeed! click now
• Help yourself be happier, there are many things you can do to - depression help - check the how to be happy section now!
• Turn to your faith. It really does help - pray and become stronger!
• Read inspiring depression busting books that will give you strength and new ideas. Check my selection of helpful books now!
• Go easy on yourself and slow down, rest and try to get yourself in shape to reverse this downward spiral!

Depression Help for Moderate and Severe Stages of Depression

• See a Doctor or counselor
• Take prescribed medication if necessary
• Be determined to rid yourself of this illness
• Seek understanding of the problem 
• Make changes in your life which will benefit you
• Use your faith in God however you can

Online counselling could be very helpful to you. There are many highly qualified professionals waiting to help you with advice - I recommend this service if you feel you would benefit from talking to someone about your problems whatever they are. Click now to register and select an online psychologist to help you through your problem. Take action now!

Also I recommend to you:
The Uncommon Knowledge Depression Program - click to read more

Depression Prevention
Depression help includes you helping yourself to stay happy and avoid the downward spiral into the unhappy world that is very familiar to depressed people.

Providing you have recovered and do not suffer from the more serious forms of clinical depression you can change the way you think and approach life so that you will be happier. If you are happy you cannot become depressed.

Depression help comes from so many sources including doctors, friends and most importantly yourself. Look out for the warning signs of depression as noted on the symptoms page or test yourself and then try some of the things listed in how to be happy 

Recommended Reading:
#1 50 Ways to Fight Depression Without Drugs - really excellent!
#2 7 Getting up when you're feeling down: a woman's guide to overcoming and preventing depression  - The book is very helpful for women who are dealing with depression
#3 Beating Depression - Great book!