Being happy instead of sad a matter of will?

[fragrant_violet]

During my first semester at a 2 year college back in the fall of '86, I had this psychology instructor who, if he felt like saying sh$t, he said it. One day, when he was in one of his tamer moods, he said : "act the way you want to feel, and pretty soon, you'll feel the way you act." Hope this helps.

This has been discussed in detail on other pages and most but not all folk appear to disagree

Another way of saying what your eacher said is 'fake it'.

 

[Tawny]

It's very much possible. I assure u of that but it's a process of learning that is usually to intense for most people. But if u can face your self as who u r right now. And tell yourself how much u love yourself and how much u desire to not suffer anymore. U can then embrace your current affairs. Shifting your perspective and understanding. This will with perseverance turn your afflictions into great strength. I'll give u a process to try out. Every night before you goto bed. Look yourself in the mirror get as close as u can and say to your self " you deserve to be happy" say it 10 times slowly and with conviction. And u will slowly chip away at ur walls u have put up to protect yourself. Unfortunately these walls can hinder change. Change is absolutely despicable to people in severe depression. It's scary and unknown. But people don't have to change in the blink of an eye. And when u drop that first wall and discovers that happiness dwells within u and is not subject to the circumstance u believe urself 2 be in.

Walk day by day in spiritual progress. If you persist remarkable things will happen.

I love

There are also symptoms though, which in some people reoccur year after year despite medication and despite a strong faith and despite psychological strength.

The reason for that is unknown. The reason medication works is unknown. We all have our personal views on illness and medication, the reason for them.

It is not black and white and we need to be careful not to push one point because at the end of the day, none of us know.

 

[Capri19]

Keep in mind that the chemical imbalance explanation is a theory, not a fact. It started in the 1960s, and by the 1990s with SSRI drugs, was popular enough to get loads of people including doctors who prescribe antidepressants, on board with the idea. American TV commercials then were using the theory in a way that was misleading and simplified, in order to sell their product. Sales of antidepressants have boomed since then, way more people take them nowadays. Has this alleviated suffering on a grand scale like the promise of Prozac as a "miracle drug" said it would? No, it hasn't.

More recent research looks at stress hormones causing damage to neurons. Antidepressants are said to help the brain grow new nerve cells, a process that takes some weeks, in line with how long it takes for the pills to kick in.

I’m interested to know a bit more about the stress hormones causing damage to neurons...might have to do some reading. I’m convinced my depression starts to worsen when I’m stressed....plus my stress probably causes physical pain....neck and shoulder and stomach...which then affects my mental state.

 

[Purpleplum]

Does a doctor say to a patient who comes in with a broken leg:

"You're just looking at it the wrong way."

?

Case closed.

 

[fragrant_violet]

I’m interested to know a bit more about the stress hormones causing damage to neurons...might have to do some reading. I’m convinced my depression starts to worsen when I’m stressed....plus my stress probably causes physical pain....neck and shoulder and stomach...which then affects my mental state.

Yep that all makes sense

I posted a link about 'neurogenesis' on an thread a couple of months ago concerning the discredited 'chemical imbalance' theory.

 

[Mistral]

I think we can look upon happiness as a side effect of the various things we do rather than a purpose in itself. Making happiness a purpose is probably going ineffective in recovering from depression.

 

[JeanPierre]

Does a doctor say to a patient who comes in with a broken leg:

"You're just looking at it the wrong way."

?

Case closed.

I think maybe we could say, 'my leg is not broken too badly and will heal' or
'that leg will likely need to be amputated'.
Not to be trite but don't forget to count your blessings type thing.

 

[Purpleplum]

I think maybe we could say, 'my leg is not broken too badly and will heal' or
'that leg will likely need to be amputated'.
Not to be trite but don't forget to count your blessings type thing.

It could be that the person with broken legs earns their living on their feet and may never be able to do that work again.. They have no one to support them while their leg heals....they live alone...no family...no anybody.
They can't afford the medical bills it will cost.
These are real life things.

And some wealthy doctor with a large support system is saying to "look at the bright side."

 

[JeanPierre]

It could be that the person with broken legs earns their living on their feet and may never be able to do that work again.. They have no one to support them while their leg heals....they live alone...no family...no anybody.
They can't afford the medical bills it will cost.
These are real life things.

And some wealthy doctor with a large support system is saying to "look at the bright side."

Good point!

 

[Twinkle Toes]

I have chronic depression due to emotional neglect and autism. I tried medications but they left me with neurological symptoms. I have had periods where it's not been so bad but then it will come back. Going through the perimenopause right now isn't helping either. Fortunately for me I have more than one alter so sometimes switching can work.

For example this morning I find myself in tears because as usual I am let down by a family member who having not done as promised leaves me in the situation where I have no gift wrapped and ready for someone else's birthday next week and said family member is going away tomorrow so its highly unlikely they will get me what they promised in time.

My paranoid alter is inside screaming 'retard' at me for being dumb enough to trust someone would actually do what they promised! 'you should know by now you're not important enough to anyone' a younger alter who likes to see the good in everyone is in floods of tears, the cynical one just feels 'betrayed yet again' and wonders what the point is of being here (as a human) 'If we have to live for a fixed durartion on this earth better to live on the inside where you can be anything you want' ...

We can spend the rest of the day locked in this cycle of thoughts probably ending up drinking to 'feel better' or we can let the 'littles' out who want to play on video games or play with the dog, they will provide the same kind of 'high' drug free and because they are protected 'deep inside' have no knowledge of any 'real life upsets' when they come out, otherwise we'd have no emergency reserves of 'happy hormone' to lift the mood back up so then the social front's struggle to function when we have to go out and appear 'normal' like 'smiling and cherrily saying 'morning' to the neighbours when we take the dog out.

Right now the system is trying to figure out who is going to be the best person to send out on the dog's walk who will cope without publicly bursting into tears if something should go wrong on the walk and whether we can find someone who could look online for a gift that can be sent to us or them directly just in case the other relative doesn't manage to complete on their promise at all ...though it also needs to be something that would be ok to be kept for xmas just in case he does last minute and then acts like he was always going to!

 

[natalie]

Since, 2007 literally when placed onto Abilify, though i had severe mental health illness, and hadn't settled until 25ml, came along, and even then, 25ml took enough time to kick in, I have always been a happy character, off course I'll have my off days, weat her related, and feeling low and irritible weather related, at times, otherwise overall, I am happy character, and I don't have Depression, I have different forms of mental ill health recovered through med though conditons/problems.