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Depression can take away your ability to experience
life’s pleasures and rewards.
Even when rewards are present, people with depression often
can’t see them. This leads to
inactivity and thoughts of hopelessness or failure, which cause more
depression. In other words,
it’s a vicious cycle.
Self activation breaks this cycle by preventing inactivity.
It is based on a type of therapy that has been proven to treat depression
[1]. Begin by increasing your awareness of what you do each moment of the
day and how it impacts you. Keep an hourly record of your activities and
note the effect each had on your mood.
What you think about is just as relevant as what you do,
and thinking is also an activity, so you can also take notice of the way
your thoughts affect your mood.
As you develop this awareness, keep a list of activities
which improve your mood. Understandably, in the midst of depression these
may be hard to find, so look to the past as well:
1) What
activities used to give you a sense of accomplishment?
2) What are your
long- or short-term goals in life?
What activities might slowly get you there?
3) List things
you like about yourself or your life, even if you have a hard time
believing them now. What can you do
that would remind you of them?
4) What are some
activities you once enjoyed?
You might enlist a friend to help generate ideas. To the
right are some sample activities that people often enjoy when they’re
not depressed. You may find some that appeal to you and many that
don’t – the important thing is what you find rewarding not what
other people enjoy. I suggest mixing
some pleasurable activities with constructive ones (the kinds that will
slowly build towards your own personal goals).
People with depression often have negative beliefs about
life, such as “I can’t do anything,” “I’m not
likeable,” “No one cares about me,” or “Everything
turns out bad.” This therapy
works particularly well if you generate activities that successfully counter these
beliefs. These kinds of activities
can be difficult to think of and plan on your own, and I recommend having a
therapist to help with that part.
Now that you have a list, choose things on it that you
can accomplish, even if you don’t enjoy them now. One of the most
important parts of this therapy is to learn to do things based on your
awareness of how they affect you, rather than on your motivation to do
them.
For example, suppose you used to take pride in yourself
as an athlete. Now, in the midst of
depression, you find you are tired and never exercise. While it might be asking too much to run
a marathon, you may be able to walk for 30 minutes a day, do aerobics for
15 minutes, or simply stretch.
Next, prepare a calendar for the next week with several
activities from your list scheduled on each day. Remember: the activities need not be
grand or heroic; what matters in this therapy is doing them
consistently. In fact, this therapy
works best if you start with easy things and slowly increase them week by
week.
If you find you can’t keep up with the list, try
problem-solving with your therapist or choosing easier activities.
For more reading…
Overcoming
Depression One Step at a Time, by Michael E. Addis and Christopher
Martell. (A self-help guide).
Authentic
Happiness (this “Positive
Psychology” web-site by Dr. Seligman uses similar techniques to
self-activation; it requires you to register).
Scientific References
[1] Jacobson, NS et al. A
component analysis of cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology 64(2):
295-304, 1996.
Updated 3/4/5 by Chris Aiken,
M.D.
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Sample Ideas
Constructive Ideas
Exercise
Work in a garden
Clean your room
Write a poem
Wash your car
Reorganize your room
Plant a tree
Decorate your room
Work on your car
Clean out one closet
Learn to draw
Clean something
Get to work early
Try a new, easy recipe
Practice a sport, karate, or yoga
Work on a photo album
Plan how to lose weight
Throw out old papers you no longer need
Gently stretch your muscles
Take a class in something that interests you
Read the Bible or a spiritual text
Plan your career
Plan how to save money or get out of debt
Recycle old items
Plan on going to or finishing school
Refinish furniture
Complete a task (any task)
Relaxation
Take a warm bubble bath
Practice breathing slowly
Practice Mindfulness
Go buy an ice cream cone
Walk in the rain
Think about things what you’ve accomplished
Sit by a warm fire
Eat a strawberry
Walk barefoot on soft cool grass
Eat a slice of warm, freshly-baked bread
Find a quiet place to sit outside and enjoy nature
Make a list of things you are thankful for
Sit in your favorite coffeehouse and read
Have breakfast in bed
Buy yourself a rose
Walk on a scenic path in a park
Drink some hot cocoa/tea/cider
Write in your journal
Pet a friendly dog/cat
Have a manicure or pedicure
Stop and smell some
flowers
Think about retirement, or
about finishing school
Try a new food you've never tasted
Wake up early and watch the sunrise
Watch the sunset
Relax with a good book and/or soothing music
Play your favorite music and dance to it by
yourself
Go to bed early
Sleep outside under the stars
Fix a special dinner just for yourself
Go for a walk
Light candles
Sing or whistle around the house
Pray
Take a sauna
Daydream
Laugh
Give yourself more time than you need to accomplish
whatever you’re doing
Get a massage
Take a cozy nap
Listen to your favorite CD
Get a facial
Have a day with nothing to do
Paint your nails
Fun, Travel & Entertainment
Go see a film or show
Go to a pet store and play with the animals
Visit a zoo
Visit a town you’ve never been to
Explore a new hobby (click for Yahoo hobbies)
Go rent a funny video
Go out to your favorite restaurant
Go to the beach
Take a scenic drive
Buy new clothes
Browse in a book or record store for as long as you
want
Buy yourself something special that you can afford
Go to the park and feed the ducks, swing on the swings,
go down the slide.
Visit a museum or another interesting place
Work on your favorite puzzle or puzzlebook
Go dancing
Research your family tree (geneaology)
Read a book
Go bowling or skating
Go shopping
Start an aquarium
Go to a sporting event
Learn a magic trick
Go fishing
Play cards
Bake cookies
Take some pictures
Plan a day trip
Throw snowballs
Learn to needlepoint
Go swimming
Watch a ballet
Read or memorize a poem
Listen to a symphony
Read a story curled up in bed
Look at a work of art
Do something you’ve never done before
Feed the birds
Memorize a joke
Go on a picnic
Take a different route to work
Play solitaire
Window shop on your favorite street
Play a board game
Learn to sail, canoe or ride horses
Do a crossword puzzle
Shoot pool
Plan an easy, restful vacation
Listen to books on tape
Go out to your favorite restaurant
Look through travel brochures and dream
Visit your local library and browse the shelves
Take pictures of your family
Write your life story
Plan a hike or camping trip
Read magazines or newpapers
Social
Call a good friend—or several good friends
Play in intramural sports
Go to church or a prayer group
E-mail a friend
Smile
Practice listening to others
Plan a surprise birthday party
Meet new people
Join or start a book club
Plan lunch with a friend
Go on a date or spend time alone with your partner
Make a gift for a family member or friend
Watch children play
Do volunteer work
Get involved in a club
Teach a child to fly a kite
Take acting lessons
Say something nice to someone
Play with a toddler or baby
Write a note to a far away friend
Freely praise other people
Tell a friend how much you appreciate them
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