The Spice That's As Effective As Prozac (and How to Take it for Depression)

The vivid red spice known as saffron might be able to replace your Prozac, according to science and Traditional Persian Medicine, which uses saffron for the treatment of depression.

Photo credit: Zoyachubby

*This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you choose to make a purchase through the links.

•  Saffron is just as effective as pharmaceutical anti-depressants... 

A review of six separate studies that included 230 clinically depressed patients concluded that saffron is just as effective as pharmaceutical anti-depressants, for some cases of mild to moderate depression.
In one study, 15 milligrams of saffron was given to patients twice a day.

The results, published in Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental Journal, showed that anti-depressent effects of taking saffron were comparable to those of the common prescription drug Prozac.

•  Smelling the Spice Also Improves Anxiety in Women

An unrelated study found that just smelling saffron for 20 minutes provided women with relief from anxiety. Since anxiety and depression are almost synonymous with each other, that interesting finding may be useful to many. 

...So How Does Saffron Work as an Anti-Depressant?

While nobody's entirely certain how saffron works as an anti-depressant, it's believed that the power lies in the serotonergic, neuro-endocrine and neuroprotective effects of the the spice. In other words, saffron protects against neuro-degenerative disorders like depression.

The natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances found in saffron could also contribute to the spice's anti-depressant activity.

One of the authors of the original study, Dr. Lopresti, mentions that people with depression have high levels of inflammation and free-radical damage caused from oxidative stress.the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant substances found in the spice.

The two substances deemed responsible are "crocin," a natural anti-inflammatory, and the antioxidant "crocetin."

As inflammation and free-radical damage continue to be linked to depression, those who struggle with mild to moderate forms may be able to finally find some relief simply by using natural foods and substances that reduce the inflammation and free-radical damage.

Tips to Help You Combat Depression using Saffron:

Photo credit: Anne White

1. Whether you're using natural or prescription anti-depressants, it's usually recommended that you give them 6-8 weeks to begin taking effect. This rule of thumb applies to natural anti-depressants, too.

2. As a culinary spice, you can add a pinch of saffron shreds in dishes like soups, stews.

3. Alternatively, you may wish to take a saffron supplement for ease and convenience. Saffron supplements come in liquid extract or a pill-form.


So, will you be incorporating this powerful spice into your daily anti-depressant regimen? Or perhaps you're one step ahead of us and have already tried it? Let us know in the comments below.

If you're interested in trying saffron extract, you can receive $5 off your order by going here.

Citations:
Human Psychopharmacology: Clinical and Experimental (Lopresti & Drummond et al., Vol. 29; Issue 6; November 2014; Pages 517–52) 

Fukui H, et.al; Psychological and neuroendocrinological effects of odor of saffron (Crocus sativus). Phytomedicine. 2011 Jun 15;18(8-9):726-30.

A Common Solution for Depression Might Actually Worsen it

Image source: Kyril Negoda

"Just get out of the house and surround yourself with people you enjoy being around. Get away for a while. Go on vacation. Do something for yourself."

The advice every single depressed person on the planet has been given time and again. Simple, right? Just force yourself to spend a little time with people you love, and soon the depression will dissolve.

There's one problem with that. Actually, there's two, but it comes later and mostly involved on-going depression.

For the person experiencing depression, it feels downright impossible to interact with other people. They aren't lazy or wallowing in their problems. Most people actually do take action to improve their happiness, but it literally feels im. poss. ible. 

 Let's look at the typical scenario for the depressed person:

You peel yourself up and start the daunting tasks that are supposed to make you happy again. You force yourself to leave your comfort zone and go out with friends, attend an event, spend quality time with a loved one.

The entire process (before, during, and after) is purely exhausting, even when the occasion brings joy to the sufferer. 

You push through time and again, hoping that eventually, you'll return to "normal" and the extreme discomfort and draining efforts will subside. You keep applying the solution, but fear and doubts surrounding the lack of results creep in.

You try to dispel the doubts and convince yourself this solution will work. Going out will become fun again and interacting with people will start feeling natural and not forced. 

You keep telling yourself that you just have to maintain a little longer -- just keep the efforts up until you reach the breakthrough moment. 

You remind yourself that a window of improvement has to open at some point. Then those everyday tasks that lead to so much suffering will be easier and easier. 

This depression will  lift, you'll find it possible to manage through a typical day without the feeling of fighting an impossible battle. Every minute you're still breathing won't feel like a struggle. The mental and physical exhaustion that threatens to takes you out the minute you wake up will cease to exist one day.

You might experience the feeling of hope again. Ah, just a sliver of a hopeful feeling would be heavenly. 

You don't remember what it's like to feel many positive emotions, but you know you want to feel them again. You actively seek to feel a sense of joy, even for just a minute.

 You've sought to do something, anything, that leaves you feeling fulfilled at the end of the day. So you push yourself some more.

You try the "fake it til' you make it" theory. You force yourself to smile until it hurts or fake-giggle until the laughter becomes sincere. 

You started another gratitude journal and stuck with it until it became a habit. 

Meditating has become another task on your ever-increasing list of activities you must complete to overcome this depression. 

You even try making time for extra physical activity and exercise every week. 

But you long to feel again. 

To feel that surge of euphoria that comes when you laugh hysterically.

Just a fleeting moment of motivation, inspiration, or excitement would be a dream-come-true. If only you could capture a tiny sliver of any of those emotions, you just might be able to get somewhere. 

You repeat the so-called depression solutions, but it's tiring and you can't help but wonder what's taking so long. 

How much longer can you keep exhausting yourself? Is it even worth it anymore?

We can only repeat something so many times without getting the results we want before we have no option but to start entertaining the doubts.

What the articles that spout this as an optimal solution for depression don't tell us is that some cases of long-term depression significantly worsens after repeated application of the so-called solution.

After trying the so-called "best solution" without success, many of us end up not knowing where to turn... Except for inward.

This is why it's important to understand how, why, and when your depression could be at risk of worsening. Being mindful of the signs and how the worsening of depression typically unfolds will help you to stay ahead of it and know when to seek other options.

When the "Solution" Worsens Depression

 Some people feel almost paralyzed when it comes to getting out of bed and functioning in a normal way. That's because it's hard to see how the situation could change anymore. It hasn't yet, so why would it now? 

Many people enter this stage of depression after many "failed" attempts at the everyday "solutions" we're fed. It usually manifests after multiple disappointments, and it's time to change the course of action if this is the case.

The Reason Depression Continues to Worsen When You've Tried the Solutions

It eventually becomes easier (and safer) to stay in bed than get up and be presented with more negative circumstances that landed you here in the first place. 

Why bother when the only things you can expect anymore are either no relief or new problems. 


After working tirelessly with the intention of results, it's discouraging when, at the end of the day, you're left with nothing but more exhaustion. Minimal results aren't enough to fuel anyone to continue going forward in the same direction.

It's this kind of experience that leads you in the opposite direction of positive emotions. Your brain observes patterns and it starts taking notes. 

In this case, the pattern looks like this: work, work, work = little to no change. 

The work isn't producing enough results to satisfy the brain's "reward system."  In other words, your brain decides this doesn't "work."

Our future expectations are based on past experiences

 

If you touched a hot stove and it burned your hand, would do it again and expect it not to burn? 

No, because you know from experience that the stove burned your hand, so you would expect it to do it again.

 Events and outcomes, whether negative or positive, are the same way. You experience enough of them and you start to expect nothing other than the same type of events and outcomes. 


When you've been using a solution and receiving minimal or no results repeats and this pattern repeats, your brain only knows to expect more of the same. All we know is what we've already experienced. As our experiences build, we sort through and learn to expect whatever we see the most of, whether it's bad or good. It's when the bad outweighs the good that people typically lose hope. Visions of progress become so clouded that everything seems impossible. 

Your brain decides that this doesn't "work." In other words, the work isn't producing enough worth the "reward."

Not only is it tough to keep putting in effort without any reward, now you're on the verge of developing negative thinking patterns. Instead of feeling numb, now you feel disappointment, frustration, and more hopelessness than before. 

It seems the only intense emotions you can feel are negative ones (like anger and sadness) that stem from the the building struggles and upsets. 

At this stage, it can be difficult to even feel genuine gratitude. The truth is, being grateful doesn't solve every case of depression. It undoubtedly does help and is a wonderful habit to develop, but I've noticed a lot of natural-based depression communities sending a dangerously strong message that the solution for all depression is gratitude and friends.

If you've put your all into a solution and actually feel worse than before, this is a huge red flag that suggests the need for a revision in your solution. There isn't a cure all for depression and the various options available to us should be explored, instead of touting one as the ultimate depression-fix.


I believe a lack of hope usually drags us to the low point where any sign of a good life is unimaginable. I remember times of hopefulness and hopelessness, and it's when I felt hope (even the smallest amount) that I was able to build on to it. 

With a little hope, I could add a pinch of motivation. With those two ingredients, I was able to look at the possibilities and solutions. When I can grab onto a little hope, I at least know I haven't fully and completely given up on myself and any potential for better. 

From the place of hope + motivation, we only need the other active ingredients to be on our way to whatever "better" there is.


Readers, please chime in with your comments and suggestions. What helps you during moments of hopelessness? Have you had any success in changing your expectations in order to change your outcomes? 

This Simple, but Highly Effective Task Combats Depression

Photo source: Martin Furhmann

 
This Simple, but Highly Effective Task Combats Depression

A study found that just a few minutes a day completing a specific task can be enough to significantly impact your happiness.



The study consisted of four groups of people. Each of the four groups were each given one of the following instructions to follow:


1. Write down 5 things you're grateful today.

2. Write down 5 things that have annoyed you today.

    3. Write down 5 ways you are superior to other people.

    4. Write down 5 random things that happened today.

Throughout the study, the participants’ happiness and overall satisfaction with their lives was measured by researchers. 

What they found 

The group who completed the task of noting things they're grateful for became measurably happier, had more positive emotions, heightened well-being, and felt more satisfied with their lives, compared to the other groups. 

 Source: Counting Blessings Versus Burdens: An Experimental Investigation of Gratitude and Subjective Well-Being in Daily Life, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 2003, Vol. 84, No.2 (Robert A. Emmons and Michael E. McCullough) 

I told you the task was extremely simple! Sometimes it really is the simplest of things that "work" though. 

Foods That Destroy Post-Menopausal Depression and Which Ones to Avoid

Photo credit: Max Sat

So you've made it through menopause. Perhaps without depression, and maybe even without severe mood changes. What most people don't know, however, is that the risks of developing mood problems and depression do not necessarily diminish after menopause.This dangerous misconception makes it difficult to differentiate the signs of hormonal changes from signs of depression.

The risk for depression is high among post-menopausal women, even those with no prior history of depression.


Why? The decrease in estrogen that occurs after menopause is believed to be a contributing factor in post-menopausal depression. When you combine that with poor diet, your chance of getting post-menopausal depression skyrockets.

If you have signs of post-menopausal depression, or want to decrease your risk of getting it, you'll want to start now by swapping your junk food with foods that fight depression. (Who knew food could fight depression, right?)

Lets start with the foods you should avoid in order to stave off post-menopausal depression

1. Refined Food
According to research, post-menopausal women who consume refined foods have an increased risk for depression.

  
Carbohydrates, refined grains, and refined sugars are mass-consumed. White bread and white rice, for example, are staple foods in most households. If you want to lower your risk of depression or improve your symptoms, you need to tweak your diet. Start by cutting out the harmful foods that contribute to depression and replace them with real food that nourishes.

 Alternatives to Refined Foods

To cut back on the refined foods you consume, start by incorporating healthier alternatives into your diet.

Refined white flour, including enriched wheat flour should be replaced with whole-wheat flour, bulgur, or cracked wheat. Additionally, try almond flour/almond meal for an interesting, healthier alternative to refined flour.

Refined grains, including corn meal and white rice: Replace all refined grains with whole-grain only. Choose whole cornmeal and whole oats that still contain their endosperm, bran, and germ.

Refined sugar and sweeteners like corn syrup, cane juice, brown rice syrup: Incorporate honey or maple syrup when you need sweetener, and avoid the rest. Note: Agave is not a healthy sweetener, despite its trendiness, but that's a topic for a whole 'nother post.

 2. High glycemic index foods cause depression, mood changes, and fatigue.

This is due to the hormonal reaction that these high glycemic foods create. Hormones play an enormous role in our mood and energy levels, so you'll want to avoid foods high on the glycemic index scale that further throw them out of balance.


High glycemic foods are those that affect your blood sugar levels. Some examples of foods that are high on the glycemic index are sweets, ice cream, corn, and refined carbs like white bread.  

Foods with a glycemic index of 70 or higher are considered "high glycemic." You can find the glycemic index rating of any particular food here.

Source: Pain Pix

 According to studies --  including the one that linked refined foods to an increased risk of depression --  you may have some control where depression is concerned.

      Let's look at the foods that fight depression

1. Lactose, vegetables, non-fruit juice, and fiber
Post-menopausal women who consumed more lactose, vegetables, non-juice fruit, and fiber significantly lowered their risk for depression, according to the same study as mentioned previously.

Source: Honolulu Media

Lactose


Lactose is found in milk, but it's also added to other food products. Make sure you only consume organic, hormone and antibiotic-free milk.


Antioxidants
Oxidative stress in the brain is associated with mild to moderate depression, especially in the elderly, so choose foods that have a high antioxidant profile.

Fruits like bananas and blueberries are rich in fiber and antioxidants -- both of which help promote mental health. 

Cranberries, blueberries, and blackberries are rich sources of antioxidants. Sea buck thorn berries are also high in antioxidants and rich in vitamin C, plus a host of other vitamins and minerals.

When it comes to choosing the best fruits for fighting post-menopausal depression, aim for vibrant yellow and orange colored fruits, and berries that are deep hues of blue and red.


Vegetables
Leafy greens like red and green leaf lettuce, kale, chard, romaine, and collard greens contain phytochemicals (an important antioxidant) and fiber. These help provide your brain and body with the vitamins and minerals required for good mental health.

Russet potatoes, beans, and artichoke are good vegetable-sources for antioxidants

Fish
Studies found that a diet high in fish reduces the risk of depression by 17%.

There's been conflicting information regarding the benefit of fish for depression, so researchers performed a meta-analysis of 26 relevant studies involving 150,278 participants. Using the Egger's test and funnel plot to eradicate the possibility of publication bias, the evaluation concluded that the evidence is legitimate -- Fish decreases the risk of depression in both males and females.

Choose salmon (wild caught only) and you'll get the depression-fighting omega-3's plus a dose of selenium. An alternative to food that swims would be chia seeds and flax seeds as they both contain omega-3's.

Why Selenium?
The mineral selenium not only helps decrease the symptoms of depression, but it also acts as an antioxidant, so make sure your diet contains plenty of it. Beans, brown rice, and seafood (like clams and oysters) are a few sources of selenium.


Last but not least... Get Some D
No good article on depression should omit the importance of vitamin D, even though this is far from a comprehensive list of foods that help fight depression. Make sure you're getting enough sunlight and vitamin D3 if you're deficient, like most people.

For more ways to improve the symptoms of depression and prevention please subscribe and stay tuned for my upcoming series to learn what vitamins, minerals, and foods are necessary to kick depression's butt.

Do you have any anti-depressant tips to share? What has or hasn't worked for you

Sources: 
1. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 2016; 70:299-304 doi:10.1136/jech-2015-206278      Fang Li, Xiaoqin Liu, Dongfeng Zhang 
2.   The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (Gangwisch et al., 2015). June 24, 2015, doi: 10.3945/ ajcn.114.103846 ajcn103846

5 Things You Need to Know Before Taking Prescription Anti-Depressants

Source: Thomas Hawk

Anti-depressant drugs are prescribed at an alarming and perpetually rising rate, despite their negative, and all too common side effects.

Most people have at least heard about how dangerous these drugs and their side effects can be. The information regarding the harmful, often poisonous ingredients isn't a secret. Just a single Internet search on depression pulls up sources warning of the harms involved with these drugs.

But doctors don't seem to be any less eager to dole out prescriptions to their patients. 

And we, the patients, don't seem to be any less eager to take them.

Of course, the information on the possible dangers should be made more available, and I agree wholeheartedly that prescribing doctors should practice ethics and be up front about the dangers before they prescribe.

But that isn't happening, and people are hardly getting any less depressed, despite having a rainbow assortment of anti-depressants to choose from.

It's up to us to get informed, to do the research, to ask the questions. And the best time to start is before you start taking the drugs prescribed by some doctor who may not even be fully aware herself/himself of what it may do to you. More importantly, you should know what steps you can take that might help improve your chances of better mental health.

For starters, did you know that not every person who's depressed requires anti-depressant medications? In fact, there's an increasing amount of evidence that suggests that some cases of depression can be attributed to something as simple as a vitamin deficiency.

Note: Depression is nothing to make light of and no doubt, the prescription drugs available have and do help many people. The purpose of this article is not to tell you that anti-depressants are wrong. My intention is to simply share information with the hope that it may help increase your odds when fighting this life-stealing battle known as depression.

Before you blindly take anti-depressant drugs, let's go over five common contributing factors that may be playing a major role in your depression.

Are You Deficient in Vitamin D?

Don't discredit the sunshine vitamin's importance for overall health. It does more than you think, including playing a role in depression. Inadequate vitamin D levels can cause Seasonal Affective Disorder or "SAD," one of the most common types of depression. 

 

Hormonal imbalances are another frequent cause of depression. Vitamin D regulates hormones, so making sure you're getting enough could mean the difference between depression and wellness. *Read my next article in this series "Top Best and Worst Foods for Post-Menopausal Depression) to learn more about the foods that can cause depression and those that will help, particularly in depression cases that are related to hormonal imbalances.

Magnesium Deficiency Causes Depression

Multiple types of depression were seen in magnesium deficient people. Not only that, but there have been studies confirming the use of magnesium to help manage depression and anxiety.

The thing to keep in mind when it comes to magnesium is that many supplements are not able to reach the brain. However, the macromineral magnesium supplement, Magnesium L-Threonate, may break the blood-brain barrier to reach the brain and is highly absorbable, making it ideal for those of us who can't mess around with non-working magnesium. 

A Healthy Digestive System Could Mean Less Depression

This may be the most shocking one yet, but poor digestive health impacts more than your gut. A properly balanced digestive system, with enough healthy bacteria (think probiotics and prebiotics) is attributed to healthier mental states. In fact, your digestive health affects your entire health, so tending to it may be just what you need to focus on.

It does make sense. How many of you suffer from digestive system ailments and depression, too?  Don't worry, I'm in your boat, too.

When I first read that digestive problems like IBS (ahem, that's me) are linked to depression and anxiety, I remember wondering how I never made that connection myself being that I have struggled with each of them, all occurring around the same time.

Healthy Cholesterol Levels Can Decrease Depression

Surprise! Low cholesterol has also been linked to depression. Perhaps people suffering from depression as a result of having low cholesterol could benefit immensely from maintaining healthier levels.

Your Other Medications May be to Blame

Did you know that depression is a side effect of some blood pressure medications? Some birth control have depression listed as a common side effect, and the list goes on.

 A lot of people expect their doctors to tell them up front if depression is a possible side effect of a medication they're taking, but this is rarely the case. So it's important that you check the medication's black box to see the full list of side effects and if you suspect a medication is causing depression, don't hesitate to tell your doctor. They often have alternatives that you can switch to. There are often options available to help counteract this side effect as well. And when options are limited (if there isn't an alternative medication available or if they don't work for you), some doctors will recommend other, non-prescription methods of managing the depressive side effects. I highly recommend that anybody suffering from depression ask their doctor what options are available to help them manage depression. 

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), for example, is becoming more and more common in mainstream medicine. It's basically a self-therapy that anyone can do, but even doctors are starting to attest to the benefits, so don't ever believe that your only option is permanent suffering.

This is not a comprehensive list of depression's causes. But it is a good place to start if you or your child is displaying symptoms of depression. It's a good idea to get all the facts and make sure that you're getting enough nutrients to avoid deficiency-related depression. The next step is to start looking at your lifestyle and see if there could be anything there contributing to depression that you can change or improve upon.

Want to know what foods cause depression in post-menopausal women and which ones can help? Click here to read the article.

For more information about improving the symptoms of depression and prevention please subscribe and stay tuned for my upcoming series to learn what vitamins, minerals, and foods are necessary to kick depression's butt. 

Sources: 1. Possible contributions of skin pigmentation and vitamin D in a polyfactorial
model of seasonal affective disorder. Medical Hypotheses, 2014; 83 (5): 517 DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2014.09.010 Alan E. Stewart, Susan Tanner, Kathryn A. Roecklein, Michael G. Kimlin.

2. Magnesium in depression. Chair and Department of Applied Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland. Pharmacol Rep. 2013;65(3):547-54. Serefko A, Szopa A, Wlaź P.

3.  Gut Bacteria May Exacerbate Depression  Published in Scientific American; 2013.

5 Ways to Stop Your Mental and Emotional Set-Backs From Keeping You Stuck

Image Source: Alessandra

Whether it's anxiety, depression, a phobia, or all of the above, most people feel dealing with them feel like they're running into a brick wall. Sometimes repeatedly. Depression and anxiety commonly cause us to feel stuck. But do you know why?

Fear. 

Photo credit: ASweeneyPhoto

This little 5-letter word is behind practically every case of depression and anxiety? The saying, "we're driven by fear" is so true, right? For most people, every action they take is out of fear. And they don't even realize it.

People overwork themselves out of fear of not having enough money. (Understandable, but a fear-based action nonetheless.)

People spend their money out of fear. Just take, for example, how many people spend thousands on insurance and home security systems. (That's not to say that it isn't a proactive and very smart thing to do, it does paint a picture of just how much our society lives in fear.)

  Like with most things, our mental and emotional set-back are also fueled or "driven" by fear. Even our own unhappiness is often based on fears when we look deeper into it.

 Nobody deserves to live in fear and nobody deserves to live a life that makes them feel stuck. Yet thousands of my readers feel both stuck and fearful. You've probably arrived here because you feel that way, too. And you want the mental and emotional set-backs to stop controlling your life. 

That's exactly why I've laid out 5 simple, but effective ways you can get more control over the emotional and mental set-backs instead of them controlling you.

1. Stop Owning Your Problems (and Fears)
Three words: Law. of. Attraction. 

What you think about and what you tell yourself and others will become your actual reality. If you continuously thinking about what scares you, your fears start manifesting quicker than you can burn your morning toast.

When you constantly claim an illness, it's almost like you invite it to become part of you. Slowly, this illness (or other problem) grows until it become your reality. Just take a gander at the years of posts and articles I've written on how I spent most of my adult life being severely ill from my anxieties and thoughts i.e. fears.

Ponder on this:
if you can easily create a lasting problem or illness for yourself just by claiming it or giving continuous thought to it, you can do the very same by giving thought to the opposite.

In other words, stop claiming your illness/problem/set-back and start claiming your joy, great health, and stability.

It works. I've been on the journey myself.


2. Stop Being Worthless

I know, that's harsh if not downright mean, but what I mean is stop letting yourself continue with a life routine that keeps you feeling worthless day in and day out.

P.S. This has been a big area of struggle for me, which is why I feel comfortable saying what I have. There were times that I felt so worthless that I found it difficult not to believe that I was nothing more than a burden to those who love me. I thought I was unworthy of even the smallest favor. 

Do yourself (and me, please?) a favor and change this now. 

Do not wallow in or even entertain the thoughts that bring up feelings of worthlessness. It will never help you to become any more worthy and it's completely counter-active to what you want to achieve. 

Stop counting all the ways you must be worthless. You aren't. I promise.

What you can do to combat feelings of worthlessness:
 I've taken the advice of some experts in this field and have been able to transform those useless thoughts and feelings of being worthless.
 

Get out of your head and get into the world, in any way that you can manage.
 I started making a deliberate and conscious effort to get out of my head space and be with my loved ones. Even if it's just sitting with my nieces and nephews for a few minutes -- it's all about building yourself up with small things, and there's nothing that makes you feel as worthy of life as being around those who make you feel needed. 

Or pets. If you're an animal lover, spend some time reveling in the love vibration you feel when petting your animals. This is thought to be very healing.

At the very least, being around the pets or kids always means I'll be put to good use. The turtles need feeding, the cats need petting, the dog needs a bath. Kids help with their homework, the TV channel changed, something to eat, or someone to read them a book.

 At least doing homework, changing the channel, bathing, or feeding the pets is a distraction from the paralyzing feeling of depression. These little creatures force me to get up and do something, and a lot of times, that's what we need.

If the feelings of low self-worth comes from your circumstances, (like in my own case: feeling like I haven't been doing much with my life or for others) simply reaching out to an old friend, have a get-together, or spending time with a family members will do wonders. When I've hit a low place, I like to make a promise that I'll show up at a friend's place. The key is to show up, and to keep doing it. Even if it doesn't cure anything, it always works to distract you from the negative thoughts that are keeping you stuck.

I've learned that the best thing I can do is take up any opportunity that provides distraction. 

Another helpful activity for anyone who's suffering with the feeling of worthlessness:
Before you go to bed tonight (or as you wake in the morning), don't do anything until you've listed at least a few things that make you feel worthy. For example, did you accomplish something that wasn't easy to tackle?

P.S. Make your results even more powerful by taking time to write (or type) the list. 

This activity helps you move forward because it inspires the urge to do things in your day that allow you to feel worthy. Or better put, things that remind you that you are worthy.

3. Hold Yourself Accountable
Whether it's completing one small project or task on your to-do list or just making yourself get up, make that effort. Beforehand, remind yourself that you don't have to follow through to the end (yes, even if it's just a shower), you just have to start.


Now is the best time to do those things because you will feel insanely proud for having overcame part of the difficulty and completed something that you've wanted to ignore so badly. 

Making the smallest attempts to do whatever it is you need to do but don't feel like doing will empower you. It's kind of like proving to yourself you can do something that once felt impossible. Then, you'll want to see how many more "things" you've dreaded that you can get done.

I use this technique so often that it's become almost a ritual. It never fails to uplift me as it's a way to prove to myself that I can do the things that I never thought I could manage.


4. Free The Emotions That Keep You Down
 For the emotionally-driven set-backs many people swear by EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), but if you aren't into that, you need to at least work on your belief system.

You can start by instilling a brand new belief within yourself: The belief that you can change anything easily. Your circumstances, your situations, anything. It might take you a month to really believe it, but don't slack on reminding yourself everyday that you can change this situation.

Without the hope of knowing you can change things, you won't be as motivated towards the life you want. 

Remember, you are not your "problem." 

Oh, and while we're at it, let's stop referring to things as "our problems."


5. It Won't Last Forever, Not Even Your Circumstances

Just breathe. Whatever feels like it could ruin your life in one minute, it won't. You can change your mind any time you want to and same goes for your circumstances. The second you've decided that you want change (whether it's regarding your mental/emotional state or your financial state), it's already on its way to you. It really does happen as quickly as the time it takes you to think the thought "I want a change."

Think about it, our circumstances always change, even when we aren't trying to change them. 

Stop focusing so hard on how badly a change needs to occur and start breathing and knowing it's already occurring. It's on its way.
 

Let's pause while you tell your mind "it's all fine and good."

Did you do it? Good... 

The change will occur. You need to take it slowly, stop the hurried thoughts that scream "it must change now or else!" and know that the change is occurring, just in a comfortable, gentle manner.

Okay, I'll give you one more than what I promised...

There's also psychotherapy, which is a scary word, but in this new age world, we have options that rely less on drugs and more on healing on deep levels.  

Take Daniela Maltauro at http://danielamaltauro.com/ for example, -- she's a psychotherapist who I admire for her unique approach to therapy in areas such as couples therapy. 

Her approach -- which involves focusing on honesty, trust, caring, and best of all, hope --  takes psychotherapy to a new level, something that has been an inspiration to me, as someone who has struggled with personal issues such as anxiety, feelings of unworthiness, and anxiety. 

I have never actually gone through therapy or counseling, but I try to keep up to date with new approaches in the industry. It's also worth noting that certain "psychotherapy services" (a simple couple's retreat, for example) can be useful for anyone, not just someone with a diagnosed mental health "illness."

 Do you have anything you could add to this list of ways to stop letting setbacks get in the way of your everyday, joyful life? If so, please share them with everyone in the comments section.

Remember to have fun. 
And have a safe, joyful Labor Day weekend!