Depression Report Card: "A" for Emoting



If I gave you a 'depression report card' would you get an "A" for emoting! Now there is something I am good at. You probably are too! Depression is an illness of heightened emotions, mostly negative emotions unfortunately. But if I was going to get an "A" on anything, it would be emoting!

 Can you identify? Would you get an "A" for emoting on your depression report card? What are some of your strongest emotions when you are depressed? Anger? Sadness? Guilt? Self-pity? Worry? 


 Emoting becomes a habit that we may not even be aware that we are doing it.  Even when we are not depressed, sometimes we emote too much for our own good or for anyone else's good. It is exhausting.

 And then there is the flip side, when you are so low it seems like you can't feel anything at all. I have often wondered, what comes first?

 Do the negative emotions lead to depression or does depression lead to negative emotions? 

 Does it even matter?

 At Christmas time emotions are high for everyone, not just those with mood disorders.

The matter for discussion is that we emote too much and it doesn't help. So how can you curb this tendency? Well there is a complicated answer and a simple answer.

 The complicated answer is cognitive therapy:  the concept that the way we think about things affects how we feel emotionally. The simple solution is to talk back to yourself, or talk back to those negative emotions.

 Here are some simple suggestions for self-talk at this difficult time of year.

 1. It is only a short season, it will pass.

 2. I don't have to attend everything, I can pick which events would be the least difficult for me.

 3. I am not the only one that finds Christmas stressful, even people without mood disorders feel the strain.

 Do you get the idea? 

 We are going to spend the next little while talking about this cognitive therapy. I have heard that it is sometimes more effective than medication or psychotherapy, plus you can learn to do it yourself so it is cheaper.

WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Are you dreading Christmas? Are you avoiding Christmas? Are you more emotional than usual at this time of year? Would it help to try some self-talk?

 There is hope for depression. Don't give up!

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