Depression and "The Secret" 

A lot of people are misinformed about what "the Secret" is. They watched the movie or read the book, read what they want to into it, jumped to conclusions, and assumed they know everything there was to know. Actually the "Secret" is pretty complex and difficult to understand because it goes against everything we've been told. I have a small library on the subject, and I'm still struggling to understand it. I do know, however, that after being moderately to severely depressed most of my life, the "Secret" is the best thing I've ever heard. Why? Because it gives the depressed person some hope.

Probably the most significant component of depression, if not all of it, is the feeling that you don't have control over what is happening in your world. It has been shown that making animals powerless to change their world automatically makes them depressed. The sad feeling comes from the idea that you will never be able to improve your situation, whatever it is. There is no hope for you.

The "Secret" states that everyone has the ability to change their situation, and their world, even me. It says that we are all God's children, and have all been given the same power. The only difference between me and the millionaire with everything he wants is that he has figured out how to use that power.

Of course, it also says that a successful person thinks positive thoughts, and feels happy. It has been said that "The one thing a depressed person hates most of all is a happy person" and that has been my experience for the most part. Being happy is obviously extremely difficult for the depressed person, but we are given an idea of how to go about achieving that. We are given some hope of achieving what we want and need most of all.

It's about awareness, first of all. We first of all need to know the correct information (that we have the power to change too). Then we need to be aware of what we have been thinking. If you are aware of what you are thinking, you can change it; maybe not much, but at least a little bit. As they say, "Reach for the best feeling thought you can find". As we all know "the first step is always the hardest" and the most important thing is to be moving in the right direction, even if that movement is very slow. You may be taking one step forward, and then two steps back, but at least you will eventually get there. I won't become happy overnight but at least I am seeing an improvement in my mood. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. There is hope.

It's about action, second of all. One thing that we need to take into consideration here too is that action is essential. You have to do something. You can't achieve anything even by sitting there and thinking positive thoughts. There is a joke about the guy who prayed to God that he would get a million dollars, and finally God said to him "Give me a break; go and buy a lottery ticket." The good news is that doing something, even if it is just getting out of bed, will automatically make you feel happier. And it will start a snowball effect. You will be doing more and more and feeling better and better. You will learn, from experience, that you can, indeed, make a difference. It may be a small one at first, but eventually you will get to a point where you can make significant differences, and feel wonderful about them.

Depression, then, comes mostly or entirely, from the idea that we are powerless to change our situation, whatever it is. The "Secret" tells us that this idea is simply wrong. We have power. We have hope. We can change, even if it takes a while. We can influence our world, and in doing so, we can become happy again.

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