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Essay: "Overcoming Depression"

by David Snyder
"Be true to thine own self." We are all individuals. We are all unique. We are all special. Even the good can have bad; bad can have good. It's what choices you make more than others do for you. Depression is normal. Everyone will have it at some point. The question is will you let it beat you or you beat it? What makes you happy, comforted? How does it? When does it? Why does it? Where does it?

Mine are several: writing reading, an endless well of desire to learn and volunteerism. Of course, throw in my hobbies: coin and stamp collecting, book and magazine collecting, strategic games (e.g. Risk, Stratego, the Command and Conquer playstation games, and above all, collectible card games or ccg). So, what if I'm told some of this is kid stuff? I'm 36 and an '80's product but I like classic country music like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Johnny Horton and paycheck, Patsy Cline, C.W. McCall. I like New Age (aka easy listening) and some classical.

I'm old and I'm young. Inside I'm still a bit of a kid at heart. Overcoming depression, above all, is be yourself and not some molded or built robot someone else wants you to be. Advice is fine. But it's advice not command. Remember, the actual choice is yours.

If it makes you smile or feel good then do it, just end up charged with a crime, okay? Follow the old maxim: "Take time to smell the roses." Have regrets about the past if possible. You really want to beat depression? Look inside. Look inside and look at yourself. Do not let others beat you down! Think of how good you'll feel when you leave in a huff because they didn't?

At times depression is necessary and, ironically, helps. When a death comes? Cry. Whether seen or not, do it! I held in everything for almost 4 months when my dad died. When I cried it was almost an hour straight. Guess what? I felt better! All those months family and friends were scared. I would not talk, barely out and about, barely ate. I even drove into a snow bank at one point. Didn't faze me. All I did was shrug.

Don't avoid and run from depression. Face it. Look it in the eye. Say you won't win. Spit at it. Laugh at it! I can tell you with all honesty if you keep things bottled up it will tear you apart on every level. And, it will hurt like all of hell has been unleashed.

The best advice I can give is talk to someone you trust. Spill all the pain, heartache, guilt or whatever you're holding. It does work and far more than you might think. Most of the time a simple talk, maybe more than once if you have to, and you'll be surprised!