Situational Depression

Note: Check with your doctor before changing or stopping any medication.

Depression is a limiting emotional state often experienced as a "bad" feeling. If it is caused by a situation it passes when the situation changes. If it is caused by memories it exists without reference to your situation. In this post we'll look at depression arising from your circumstances.

Each Birth Order experiences depression differently. The Only Child experiences frustration, the First Born is oppressed by guilt, the Second Born gets testy, the Third Born pursues ways to feel good often resulting in addictions and the Fourth Born feels anger toward self and others. The roots of situational depression are the same for every Birth Order.

Originally, everyone learned to get things done by feeling bad. In the crib we cried when we were hungry, uncomfortable in our diaper or wanting attention. These experiences planted memories of success by feeling bad. When we face a difficult situation it is as if our subconscious says "I know what to do! If I feel bad enough long enough that will take care of it." Of course, it no longer works. But, it keeps us from thinking of other strategies because subconsciously we are committed to getting things done by feeling bad.

As we got older other strategies replaced feeling bad. Parents and others would tell us to stop crying, whining or pouting in order to get what we wanted. We understood that we were to feel okay rather than using bad feelings. We had to learn other ways of getting things done.

We experience these memories when faced with a bad circumstance. We struggle to feel okay without success. Our memories tell us that we have to feel okay but we cannot feel okay. This inner struggle creates the emotional state of situational depression.

To relieve this depression we need to have your subconscious disconnect from those memories that make you feel okay. Those memories, rather than enabling you to feel okay, activate the memories of getting things done by feeling bad. To change that, tell yourself (your subconscious) to

"Forget the memories that make you feel okay."

On the other hand, at times you have been able to feel okay when things were bad. We want those memories to support your behavior now so we activate them. Tell yourself,

"Remember the memories that let you feel okay."

Your circumstances may not change but your reaction to them will. You'll be able to think more effectively than you could before. It will take a day or two to notice the effect.

Remember: Check with your doctor before changing or stopping any medication.