When I’m depressed, I use the strategies in my books as though someone else wrote the books. It’s not as though I’ve become super human in managing this illness. (I wish.) Instead, my bipolar depression is around on a regular  basis and I have to find a way to live with it if I want to find happiness in this life.

Depression couldn’t care less about the reality of your life. You may have loving friends, a loving family, a great partner, kids you adore, a job you find fascinating and all of the money in the world – and yet depression will still make you feel that you have nothing.

Depression will tell you that your life is worth nothing and then it will make you act as if you have nothing. Nothing tastes good, feels good or will ever be good again. When someone tries to point out what’s going well, you really do want to listen, but your brain won’t let you. You can hear people list the good things, but depression will take you in another direction.

When this happens to me, here’s what I say to myself:

It’s an illness Julie. You know these thoughts are not real. Focus on what is real. You have people who love you. Call them and see them. You do enjoy writing, so get out your computer and write. You have two legs, go walk. Stop listening to what your brain is saying. Do what you need to do. You will be okay Julie. Depression is an illness. It’s a symptom of bipolar disorder. It always ends. It will be okay.

I often talk to myself like a military sergeant when I get depressed.  This is called Be Your Own Drill Sergeant in Get it Done When You’re Depressed. Sometimes I talk to myself like a loving mother. I do what is needed. If I’m depressed in the morning, I always have the goal of being better at night. It takes work, but it’s better than sitting and watching videos all day. The Health Cards Treatment System for Bipolar Disorder reminds me what to do and this helps as well. My mother often gets them out and does what the third column tells her will work. (If you have the Health Cards, this will make sense. If you don’t, the Health Cards are the treatment plan I created that everyone in my life uses to help me stay stable.)

When I get sick, I tell people that I’m sick. They know how to help me because when I’m well I teach them what works. This has saved my relationships.

I just sat down and wrote this (because writing makes me feel better and the act of getting things done helps me feel better) and now I’m going to do sometime kind for myself– depression doesn’t want me to take care of myself. Depression doesn’t care. But I care! I know what it takes to get better.

Are you depressed today? What do you need to do to end the depression?

Julie