There are a couple of problems I see when dealing with people going through a depression. Problem 1: Negative Self-Talk. I think this is such a critical problem that I consider this mind-killer to be an Internal Terrorist (IT).

 

It is a mind-killer. Engaging in NST is like ingesting small doses of poison. One dose won't kill you but the cumulative effect will.  Your life may very well suck but until you get a handle on your attitude toward yourself, nothing positive will happen because you won't let it. Even if something positive did happen, your IT would find a way to turn it into something negative.

 

You tell me that you are powerless to change it. That you just can't stop the IT program. The truth is that you do have enough power and you can stop the IT program. You are, after all, the one who created the program and maintains the program so you also have the power to change that program. Now you need to convince yourself which reality is true - the self-empowering one or the self-defeating one - both are real - both are within your ability to create.

 

Changing the negative self talk is actually a very simple procedure. Although it is a simple thing to do, it does require persistence to make it work. The method is "Thought Stopping and Thought Redirection".  As soon as your internal dialog hints at being negative, you tell yourself "STOP" or "Cancel Cancel" and then tell yourself something positive such as "I am into achieving happiness". 

 

To change the negative program, it's important to train your brain to be positive. The only way to do this is to create a new and deep neural pathway - and that is done through repetition. It has to become a habit, second nature. Understand that you will not extinguish the IT on the first try or even the second try. You have created a strong neural pathway which is built around negativity. You have made this pathway into a paved highway through constant reinforcement. In order to change it, you need to create an equally strong positive pathway and then through continued effort, that positive pathway will become the dominant pathway.

 

It's really no different than training for a sport. When you first try the sport, you may not be very good at it. You may get winded easily and your skill level is poor. If you practice and dedicate yourself to learning the skills involved in excelling at the sport - you will become competent.

 

Problem 2 - Depressed people are self-centered. In order to keep a depression going, it's imperative that you think about yourself constantly. If you were really busy, you wouldn't have time to think about yourself and run the self-is-bad programs because your brain would be engaged in other tasks. In this problem also lies the solution. Get busy! The last thing you need to do if you are depressed is to sit around and think about it. 

 

Sometimes, it's good to analyze a problem but some problems don't have an answer - some problems are created by your brain's faulty program. Okay, realize what the problem is and then decide on a solution and a plan. Depressed people skip that last part, they engage in the loop of what is wrong and forget to focus on how to make things right. 

 

In sum, there are two things that you need to do to beat depression. 1. Realm control over your mind's direction by using the Thought Stopping and Thought Redirecting method.  2. Get busy. Idle time is your enemy. What to do? Clean your house, organize your closet, do volunteer work, take a class. 

 

Surround your self with up-beat music, watch only positive things on TV (at least until the depression is gone) such as comedy and shows with happy endings, hang around with positive people, do things that make you happy. Last but not least, just as you are waking up - begin to say the words "happy happy happy" and continue to say those words to your self for the next 15 minutes. I don't care how dumb you think that is - it is self hypnosis and it works. It's critical that you begin this though the moment you begin to wake up. That's why we keep it simple. It's a simple, easy command and you are most suggestible just as you are waking up and just as you are falling asleep. These are the best times for any affirmations.

Well the last couple of weeks have been pretty good.  Last week, I took Kachina to the Southland dog park where she went swimming in the river and played, yes played, with half a dozen dogs or so. Since I had such good results at that dog park, I thought I'd take a chance and let her off leash at our dog park.

 

Oh wait, before that. Here's a "doh" story. I had bought one of those doggie back packs and put it on Kachina. Inside the pack I stored some water for her and water for me and my cell phone. So we are walking down the path at the dog park, and I'm feeling all proud because my dog had a job and I, for once, didn't need to carry anything. Anyway, Kachina sees her friend Molly playing in the pond and off she goes after Molly. I wasn't holding on to the leash very tightly and so when she ran...towards the pond ... the leash slipped out of my hand. Picture me in slow motion "K-a-c-h-i-n-a noooooo c-o-m-e" as she splashed into the water, deep water ... soaking everything.  It wouldn't have been so bad - had my cell phone not been there. Sigh.  Surprisingly enough, even though my phone got soaked ... it actually still works.  That could have been an expensive lesson. Marisa hold on to your dog!

 

So, Kachina has been doing good at the park. She is playing with other dogs and not pouncing on every second dog. Yay! All was going well until yesterday when a larger than normal Yorkie lunged at Kachina and started a fight.  Of course Kachina isn't going to back down - especially from a Yorkie. lol.

 

I have to commend the owner, she kept a level head and pushed Kachina away from her dog. I was trying to get there.  I did put Kachina into a down immediately and she put her dog into a "down" also. Then we let both dogs sniff noses and they did - peacefully.  I was pretty impressed with her - the other owner.. 

 

 

I had Kachina at the vet's the other day for her yearly vaccinations. I was telling the vet about some of her behavior problems and he asked if there was any changes in her personality since she was spayed. I said, recently there have been a few improvements. Anyway, the vet said that it does take time after the operation for her hormones to dissipate. So, maybe there is hope after all and Kachina's title of "Biggest B*&%$h of the Park" can be put to rest.

 

We'll see.