- What is the difference between depression and a depressive episode
- How to recognize negative emotions
- How to take control of a negative lifestyle
There’s a difference between depression and having a depressive episode. As the label signifies, with a depressive episode, negative emotions are the result of a particular reason behind the thoughts and feelings. However, with depression, there isn’t necessarily any person or situation that can be identified as to why the extreme negative emotions/reactions have appeared and continued for at least two weeks without a break.
Whether one is experiencing depressive emotions as a result of a particular occurrence or not, it’s not as simple as someone saying to snap out of it or that the person is just a negative person. Individuals can take steps to rectify the negative approach to life. Whether a person is prescribed medication or not for their depression or depressive episode it’s important to change one’s approach to life.
Occurrences, such as criticism made by someone, the ending of a relationship, or the loss of someone, may lead to feeling extremely sad, hopeless, angry or fearful that seems to be lasting. However, the negative emotions don’t necessarily need to control one’s life. Negative emotions rely on being fed by negative beliefs/thoughts and behaviors. Through changing negative thoughts to positive ones helps to turn your feelings and life into a more positive direction.
You can only change these negative thoughts and feelings by realizing what they are. Then ask the questions: What occurrence has created these negative beliefs and feelings. Remember thoughts and feelings are interconnected. One can change their perspective and response to occurrences. Begin changing these negative beliefs by verbalizing them or writing about them and then replacing them with positive beliefs and positive feelings will follow. Whether I became sad and angry as a result of having a miscarriage or difficulties in a relationship, I tried to focus on what I can do differently that will change my thinking. One thing that I did was to talk to a close friend or relative that I trusted in order to share what I was thinking. I needed to get the words out of my head.