A Dose of Encouragement

Since we’re halfway through journey, now’s the perfect time to reevaluate the situation. Let’s take a look at what you have achieved so far – you have a lot to be proud of! Summarizing all that you have learned so far can also be very motivational and encourage you to pursuit further progress.

What You’ve Learned

You now know that depression is almost as common as the flu. From teenagers and young adults, to mature individuals and senior citizens, nobody is immune to depression.

You Have the Right Tools

Whatever the case may be, depression can always pose a threat to our mental and physical health, but it can also be dealt with in a healthy and effective way.

Understanding the mechanisms behind depression, was the first step towards healing. You learned about various biological and environmental factors, followed by an exploration of various types of depression.

The Importance of Psychoeducation

Now we know that mood disorders are more common than we might have thought, so there’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. Psychoeducation is an important part of the process because it debunks the popular beliefs and myths about psychological issues.

All things considered, depression is no longer a scary monster hiding inside the darkest closet of our minds, but rather a manageable problem. Good job for taking the time to learn so much!

Your Achievements

Since you first started working towards coping with depression, you’ve probably accomplished several goals that are worth mentioning. First and foremost, you’ve managed to break the vicious cycle of depression, or at least you have begun the journey towards that goal.

You've Started to Break the Cycle

Understanding and breaking the cycle is a crucial part of the process, since fear of failure is what keeps most people from implementing positive changes into their lives.

You Know How to Achieve Change

One of the best tools against negative thinking is the ABC model. This simple, yet effective strategy has likely allowed you to identify, challenge and overcome your invasive thoughts and beliefs.

Once you did that, the next step was to replace your old beliefs with alternative, rational thoughts. You already know that a positive thought has the power to change both your emotions and decisions.

You've Started to Change Your Behavior

While we’re on the topic of behavior, there are also achievements worth mentioning. Your newly-acquired physical exercise routine, combined with mindfulness strategies and behavioral activation, has probably led, or will soon lead, to a positive changes.

What’s the Next Step?

Since depression no longer has you by the throat, and isn’t constantly keeping you in bed anymore, now is the perfect time to enjoy life, by exploring new ideas and opportunities.

Small Changes, Big Results

Don’t forget that small changes generate significant lifelong improvements, which is why adjusting your thoughts and emotions will bring positive change in the long run. Strategies like behavioral activation or thought-challenging, should be used on a daily basis so that you can slowly build a set of healthy habits.

Prepare for Future Episodes

The next task before you is to maintain your progress, as you anticipate future obstacles. Just because life seems better at the moment, doesn’t mean smooth sailing is possible forever.

Even though you know understand how to cope with depression, that does not mean you are immune to it for the rest of your life. However, an important achievement is that now you have a strong set of therapeutic techniques, to help you cope in a healthy way.

Create Meaningful Relationships

One of the most fundamental principles of healthy living is to cultivate meaningful relationships. Skills like assertiveness, empathy, and conflict-resolution are an excellent addition to your interpersonal skill ‘portfolio’.

On a personal and professional level, building strong relationships puts you on the right path to success and wellbeing. That is why your next step would be to learn and implement healthy strategies, when it comes to social interactions.