(((Berries))))))) i have been in the place you are, feeling like nothing good has ever happened, will ever happen and it went on endlessly, when it seemed like things might change, there would be a back spin and i'd find myself back in the same place again, feeling a deep sadness that things are the way they are and so many times i felt like the way things were set up, there was no way to succeed, that every attempt was so much energy on my part and so easily shot down by 'them'

depression is tough and we fear that we can never overcome and we need help, a lot of help...

thankfully for me (and i hope it can be for you too) people didnt give up on me, people thought the best of me (in most cases) people gave me another chance...

it made a difference that i kept trying, kept thinking that i would one day climb out of the dark place i was in... peoples friendliness even when i was down, from random strangers, kept my head above water...

it was tough and we've just got to be tougher.... sending you hope and strength...

when we are depressed we have to be careful and mindful of what we allow our minds to focus on, and who we spend our time with... see if you can attach yourself to others who believe in healing... co-miserating is at first a welcome sight, to know we are not alone and it gives us strength and validation when we find others who feel like us...

depression in a group can become like a huge tar pit... we unintentionally encourage each other to stay down when the focus is how wrong and awful everything is around us...

we need to find an inner strength and we reach out to someone or something that seems to have the strength we are lacking... we remove ourselves from the sinking spiral of co-misery when we learn to encourage and use our own tests as lessons in overcoming... each day you breathe is a success..

be careful Berries with who and what you surround yourself with.. sensory data input is no small factor in overcoming depression.. that which we surround ourself with, eventually we will become...

choose your past-times and associates well... the influence of the positive works as equally as the influence of the negative.... its so simple and still so hard....

choose good things and only good things will come into you... you are in control of you and you can help yourself to feel better with simple positive statements... it takes time... no one expects you to heal overnight... be patient with you as you are with others.. most importantly, pay attention to your sensory inputs... if you want happy, find a few things that make you happy and put them around you.... a picture, a birthday card, a favorite stuffed animal...

its ok to treat yourself like the child alone in the recovery room at your local hospital... find a good book, get your blankets pulled up around you, tell yourself you are safe now... short moments of safety and peace become long moments, then minutes, then hours, then days, weeks, and so on.. the hard part is getting the initial inertia going in your favor... build it just a little each day and it takes perseverance.... avoid allowing your mind to focus negatively.... and control data input!

turn off the negative phrases, thoughts, messages...

life is not guaranteed to be beautiful but we can do something to make it better... when we are stronger we can do more, when we combine our energy with others, we can make change...

get on the team that is healing Berries and borrow their strength, make it your own and in time, give it away... there is always more where that came from and life can become about overcoming, not defeat... in time...

i cant emphasize enough how important it is when depressed to avoid the 'group think' of the hopeless feelings... its tough to stand on your own but better to stand alone and live than go together off the deep end