What are some good motivational techniques to combat a depressive state?

Answer 1

Motivational I'm not sure, but other techniques I can offer you from personal experience with clinical depression.

1. Believe it or not, how we breath has to do with depression. Deep breathing exercises can help better oxygenate our entire body, giving us more energy and helping depression. The technique I use every morning or when I've sat to long is this. I breath is very slowly through my nose and then out through my mouth. I do this very slowly about ten times, sometimes as many as 20 times. I don't know who came up with this idea, but it's in health books, fitness books, even books about yoga. It helps releave stress as well.

2. Our brain and several hormones that control moods and energy, are very much affected by light. So getting enough natural light into yourhome, going outside in the light several hours a day, is helpful. It also helps up your metablic rate so you burn more calories.

3. Now this one is one of my own, it's kind of strange, but when I just want to go to bed and avoid the world, if it's really cold outside, I have found that if I got outside and get really cold for just a few minutes, it actually energizes me, I think this occurs becuase the cold up's the bodies metebolic rate.

4. Do not listen to downer music, it sends a message to your brain to slow down, etc. Try finding some really uplighting music and begin your day with it, as well as turning it on anytime you start to get those feelings you know lead to your depression getting the best of you.

5. EXERCISE, EXERCISE, EXERCISE!

WHY? There is so much evidence that exercise at least descreases the severeity of depression because it creates the hormones and chemicals the brain needs to deal with depression.

6. Watch waht you eat. Many people eat lots of carbs and candy, which causes the blood sugar to roller coaster up adn down, up and down. Especially when you are depressed you do not want that to happy or you make your depression worse. Try eating a little less carbs and candies, and instead of eating three meals a day, eat three smaller meals and in between each a good quality sack, such as nuts and dried fruits. Keeping your Glucose, blood sugar, levels more even can do wonders for even clinical depression.

7. Don't get with people who are doom and gloom who you know make you feel down.

8. Getting out and serving others is known to help people with depression.

9. PRAY, this is personal opinon, but the one who knows us best and cares about us is our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and they care how we feel. Doesn't mean they make all things better for us, becuase human problems are part of life, but they can help you deal with it, find ways to over come it, etc.

10. Read positive books. Learn to play. Don't watch so much TV. Find a friend to go for walks with, even though it's hard to get out and do things at first when you are depressed. But if you keep sitting around if not active, it surely won't improve.

GOOD LUCK, hope you're depression improves soon.

Answer 2

Here's a good motivational technique to combat a depressive state - Count your blessings! If this isn't good enough, find a friend that needs your help. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth. When you are busy listening to another person and helping that person problem solve, it puts you into a position of feeling useful and when you see that others are happier because you're in this world it truly leads to a sense of accomplishment and inclusion. Sure, a body works better with 8 hours of sleep, plenty of water consumption, a balanced diet, and regular moderate exercise - and connecting with other people is just as important as maintaining your physical health. If you're in the mood to read I can recommend a few motivational books: You Can Do It! By Louis Hay, and Heal Your Life! By Louis Hay. Because it is all about PERCEPTION it always helps to acknowledge and understand one's human emotions so that we can better manage each day as it comes our way. Kudos to you for raising this question! Too many people focus on IQ (Intelligence Quotient), when EQ (Emotional Quotient aka Emotional Intelligence) is what will affect us the most in our daily lives. Have a great week and Pass it On!

Answer 3

This is another "black or white" question on a subject that is neither. :) I can't think of any dog that would thrive and work happily under an all-compulsion system. OTOH, I have not seen any dogs work consistently using a purely motivational system. If you want a consistent and happy-working dog, you use a combination of both. Rewards to teach, corrections to proof. ADD: I think Erika's comment is an excellent example of why 100% motivational methods may get the initial teaching done, but fail past that point. If the reward being offered is not as juicy as the distraction, the distraction will win. And offering no consequences for a command ignored simply teaches the dog that going after distractions is acceptable.

Answer 4

You need to find what works for you. Experiment and see what gets you over it. For me it's music and physical labor, i.e. cleaning, working out, jogging, walking, kickboxing, work, anything that makes me physically tired. I have known people that write poetry, paint, photography, driving, shooting pool, getting friends over, and so many other things. Whatever it is you have to find something that makes you feel good and that you have achieved something, even if all you did was something you'd been meaning to for months. It can be something that you have been wanting to do, something that helps somebody else and in turn gives you a boost, or something totally new. Good luck to you.

Answer 5

To be honest, you should not attempt to heal yourself or prolong the depression. If you do, you may be able to prolong it but when it comes back, it will worsen. Please, try to find mental health worker who can help you to find the chemical imbalance you have and to get you on meds that you need. That is easy to say. It took me 15 years to find a doctor who found the meds the day i walked into his office. One counselor, of the 15 I saw, said that I was a liar and another said I was scitzo; both reversed their diagnosis after their top officials looked at my files. Good luck and pray/

Answer 6

Well i kno when i get really really upset sometimes i like to right it all down on a piece of paper, listen to some music or music that makes u want to get up and dance, i also love reading positive outlook cards/books with really pretty colourful pictures.

Answer 7

one may be seeing a mental health center then try and see if getting a voulenteer job to make you feel more useful.Try to get it in a feild of work that you enjoy doing,The local hospital is a good place to start.
May be try some of the websites that deal with depresion.

Answer 8

Think positive, devote a bit of time everyday to doing something you enjoy, set some goals for yourself with things you want to accomplish, think about things in your life that you look forward to or that you are grateful for, spend time with loved ones.

Answer 9

Always Think POSSITIVE!!!!!!!!! Never let things wear you down, Be a happy person. Be with people that have good sence of humor and dirrection because those people are possitive thinkers.

Answer 10

I don't know if you will consider this motivational, but exercise is a great mood lifter.