Hi Googley... I have asked myself that question many times too because it is so automatic and consuming to hear and then entertain negative thoughts. One negative thought is like the first dominoe down.

Thanks Babysteps and Justfloating for sharing some excellent tips. I have worked with many of those with good success. It was hard for me at first like any behavioural change.

I think H. Marano makes some really key points particularly about the importance of acknowledging the presence of negative thinking and its relationship to a depressed mood and our ability to control our thinking and thus affect our moods.

I know for me once I saw the connection and learned to stop entertaining the negative thoughts and started to consciously counter every negative with at least one positive I felt empowered to battle the depression better. The sooner I go after the negative thoughts the better. If I let one dominoe fall it can be a long ride on the train of despair into the pit of hopelessness. I often have to fight the urge to ride the sorrow train because sometimes its just easier to give in than to wage battle again and again and again. The negative thoughts about the endlessness of the battle alone can sometimes keep me from making the effort. But I am learning that persistance pays off and it is becoming easier and almost automatic to respond to a negative thought with an instant dose of a positive. I try not to even give myself time to think about it. I acknowledge the negative thought and put my mind to flipping the picture around. Knowing the alternative to waging battle is to increase my suffer keeps me motivated even when I feel too tired to go another round. Suffering is so draining and so defeating and so distructive I can't give in. I can't let it control me. I tell myself that over and over to keep me motivated and to provide me with the strength to counter the negative thoughts and to keep on countering them everytime they pop into my thinking.

I also do the gratitude and affirmations. Sometimes I post stickers on my walls and around my mirror. I generally don't like mirrors because I don't like who I see. When it dawned on me how much I actually avoided mirrors or seeing any reflection of myself I decided to make the mirror my friend instead of my trigger for negative thinking. Especially when I am down and most critical of myself I will push myself in front of a mirror and use it to talk to myself. To force a smile and say positive things about myself. Sometimes I will make funny faces and try to get myself to laugh and play in the mirror like a child would do. I will affirm myself and tell myself my plans for the day and even ask myself if there is anything I would like to do just for fun or pleasure. When I have had enough I will wish myself a great day.

I think sometimes the hardest thing to get past is accepting that to some degree the battle will never end. At best it can get easier to manage. The answer to 'why?' will never be sufficient because the situation, the depression and the sadness will always feel unfair and cruel. I think one needs to practise the discipline of flipping the question to 'what?' What can I say, think, do now to counter the negative thought? One must be willing to take action no matter how slight to turn the tide and claim control of one's thinking.

Never give in. Sometimes that is the best affirmation I can muster just to get myself out of bed to take one baby step at a time to get myself to fight the good fight.

Sorry for the ramble but I kind of needed to remind myself to do the work and not overthink the why.

Blessings.