"Holding on to hope may not make patients happier as they deal with chronic illness or diseases, according to a new study by University of Michigan Health System researchers."

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/169509.php

The above is from an article that I found very interesting and related to. Having dealt with major depression most of my adult life now, there did come a point when I had to realize that what I hoped for myself and how things actually are, were two very different things and my hopes and expectations for myself were making me more depressed.

That's not to say I don't continue to use most of all of the help we talk about here regularly: exercise, taking things one day or one hour at a time (keeping in the present), eating well, medication, therapy, etc.

But I do feel that "giving up hope" or simply accepting my state of depression (or anxiety, pain) on any given day and doing the best I can - even if my best that day and for many days is not doing much at all - has helped my quality of life. I don't wake up each day and get more depressed because I am depressed. Anyway, I thought others might find this article interesting also, and maybe some of you have experienced what I have?