★Affirmation Help Requested

Hi,

I am new to this website and forum and am looking for help in how to develop affirmations to lift me out of depression and anxiety. I was told that if I use these religiously I can change my negative thought patterns to more positive and thus increase my self esteem and self love.

I would also appreciate anyone helping me with how to create my own CD’s that I can listen to while asleep.

Any and all help is welcomed.

Thank you,

Bruce

Look first of all you have no idea how much i can relate to your story. i have been depressed for super long and it took me a while to finally figure out why i was depressed. basically i was letting my depression get a hold of me and unlike you i was not doing anything to change it. I commend you for your efforts to change your life. this post is only a couple of sentences long but when i read it i felt like i knew you really well. i really wish you luck on getting what you want and being happy.

This is one thing I know for sure about affirmations:

Affirmations are so powerful that when repeated daily, are effective enough to transform your life.

I posted this in a previous thread, but I think it might be useful here.
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One thing that can be very helpful is to realize that you are not your thoughts, but the awareness OF your thoughts. Learn to observe the thinker. This takes some practice, but once you learn how to do it you will become much happier, I believe. Actually, I know it to be true.

Some form of physical activity will do a lot for you. Make it something, or a variety of things you enjoy doing. It doesn’t have to be intense physical training. It will work wonders and I don’t say that lightly, it WILL work wonders. I believe it is one of the fastest and most effective ways to fight depression. It is like a splash of cold water in your face that can help to bring you out of a fog.

Acceptance/Denial of reality is a biggie. Until we learn to see things as they really are as opposed to how we wish they were we are bound to have a lot of unhappiness in our lives. We can rail against it or work with it. Visualizing and affirming what you want is important, but it is important to have four feet firmly planted in reality.

One of the best things we can do is surround ourselves with people who support us. Many people are surrounded by negative people. This may involve getting new friends and avoiding the people who are bringing us down.

Another good thing is to really work on some exercises that will clarify your personal values and principles. Many people live a life that is in conflict with their personal values. How can you be clear about your goals if you aren’t clear about your values? You can’t! Knowing your values plants your feet on solid ground rather than shifting sand.

We live in a world that preaches materialism. There is nothing wrong with having “stuff”, but all the “stuff” in the world isn’t going to give your life meaning – that comes from within, from the spiritual part of you.

We can become very down on ourselves when we feel we have no value. I promise you that you do have value even if you can’t see it right now. It is there, I promise, I promise, I promise.

Another word about acceptance of reality. It is this. Life is hard. Acceptance of this makes life easier.

One thing that can be helpful is praying for others and helping others. No matter how bad it seems, there are other people who have had it even worse. Consider reading “Man’s Search for Meaning”.

Affirmations do work, however it takes time and most people give up too quickly. It takes lots of repetition to overwrite negative thought patterns. If you’ve been telling yourself something over and over for years, then it is going to take some time to change that thought. This site has a lot of information you can use to your benefit if you will take some time going through the forums.

Depression is not something to take lightly, but there is good news because there is light on the other side. Depression is a monster that can trick people into avoiding the very help they need. A depressed person can reason with himself that he is just whining about nothing, when in fact there can be a very real chemical imbalance that can be corrected. We can “depress” ourselves to a point where our brains literally stop producing certain chemical that are needed for mental health. I’m not a doctor, but I have read a little about this stuff because at one time I suffered from very real “severe clinical depression”. I overcame it with time and help, but for a very long time I kept telling myself that “this is normal, stop complaining, everyone gets down sometimes, it’s just life”. I even had a few friends tell me that I was suffering from depression and I kept denying it to myself. It took a few personal events to push me to the edge, but finally I sought help and found the way out. It wasn’t like flipping a light switch, it took time, but I promise there is a way out. I can look back now with a lot of clarity and see where I was and where I am now. I promise, NOW is better.

And speaking of NOW if better, one thing that can help us is living in the now. A lot of anxiety and depression can come from focusing on the past and future rather than the present. We worry about what we are going to be doing in the future, how we are going to make a living and on and on. Also, we can constantly focus on the past and dwell on the mistakes we have made in the past. “If only I had done such and such…” and on and on. Our mistakes are part of what make us who we are. Without mistakes we would not learn. Without pain there would be no joy or growth. Mistakes and pain serve a purpose. All humans want to be accepted and approved of, it is only natural, but this can also be a source of pain. We need to learn to love and accept ourselves regardless of what anyone else thinks. There is a lot of power in that. When we love ourselves for who we are we can then truly BE ourselves. The world we live in fosters some very unhealthy ideas about conforming and “keeping up with the Joneses” that, I believe, are the very cause of so much of the depression we see in our society.

I wish I could slap my hand on your head and say “be healed”, but unfortunately it’s not that easy. I guess, theoretically, it could be, but in reality it just doesn’t seem to work that way. The good news is that in reality, it turns out that the secrets of life aren’t secrets at all. They have been known for several thousand years. Books are filled with the secrets, we just have to learn them and the books are available at your local library or on the internet for free. There are even list of “the best” books out there that can help you. There are even audio-tapes if you don’t want to read. So don’t give up.

I think you might consider talking to your doctor. I have suffered from clinical depression myself and with the help of my doctor, found a medication that helps me.
I know that may not be what you expected to hear, but with depression there is a point where something more than affirmations are needed.
I know from experience.
Our society still treats depression as something you can snap out of somehow. But that is not the case. Clinical depression is serious and by taking on this as though you can cure it yourself you may be putting yourself at risk.
A red flag to me is your comment “…that if I used these religiously I can change my negative thought patterns…”
That’s too much pressure to put on yourself.
Again, I can tell you from experience. The best cure for depression is finding friends to support and listen to you with understanding and going to a doctor. I know it helped me.

That said, depression is often linked to anxiety. You might compose affirmations that encourage you to think of life as stable and see your experiences in a positive way.
Some ideas:
“I see good in my circumstances.”
“I find great potential and opportunities wherever I look.”
“I am a person of talent. I am valued by any group I join.”
“I express my emotions to my friends. I ask them for help freely.”
“I embrace help when it is offered. I trust others who offer reasonable solutions.”

“I see the good in life. I see potential friends all around me.”

“I see life as an adventure.”
“I see each experience as chance to learn.”
“I open myself to joy and happiness. I enjoy little things. I enjoy sharing with others.”

“I am happy that I am alive at this time.”
“I see people smile and I want to smile back.”
“I know bad times only last for a limited time.”
“I get out and take positive action, even when I feel sad.”

I took wellbutrin for a couple of months and it helped me. I have read since then, though, that research has been done that suggests that it is a placebo effect. They, whoever “they” are (I don’t remember where I read it, but I believe it was a reliable source and if I recall where I read it I will post it for you) said that the therapist was the factor that made the most difference. A good therapist can do a lot. I believe they said that sugar pills were as effective as the prescription medication.

Yes, I just did a google search for “depression medication placebo study” and got lots of hits from various sources, you can do the same and decide for yourself.

My understanding is that some side effects from prescription meds can be permanent. Stuff like facial twiches and a NEVER ENDING dry cough are just a couple of examples. And I’m sure big pharma has it all covered in the legal dept, so if you get screwed, then, well, you are just screwed. (I know I’m not supposed to hate, but I really hate what lawyers and drug companies and corrupt politicians and progressives have done to our country.)

Well, I know that medication has been a factor in my getting back to my old self. But I did work with my doctor to find a dosage that worked best for me. Side effects are something to look out for, but in my experience depression is hard to beat. And while medications need to be improved I think they can help.

A person dealing with depression has options. But they don’t feel like they have options. And that is a pretty bad way to live. While I do like the boost affirmations give me, there are some things that are very strenuous. The brain is a complex organ. I encourage anyone who is seriously depressed to look at ALL their options.

As an RN and a person who has suffered major depression, I think that medication is necessary in some cases. In mine, it was for awhile. Having said that I once read a study that said that six weeks of therapy had the same benefits as prescribing antidepressants in a person who suffered a normal bout of depression. Guess what? The antidepressants cost the insurance companies less that therapy and that is after they leave the patient responsible for most of the bill anyway. Call me cynical, but I have been a nurse too long not to be.

In response to flowergirl's post:

Very powerful quote. Thanks for posting

˚ ready now, thank you  

Posted on 31/07/2019.

In response to flowergirl's post:

I wish more prescriptions (for everything) in the country were written just  like that:

Rx:

exercise

nutritious foods

sunlight

positive material and supportive friends