I think we live in a time where the pressure is ever-increasing to be perfect, to fit the mold of what we see and hear and when we can’t live up to that, it because really difficult to determine how to live.

There’s a certain freedom in going against the grain but it does come with a certain price on your psyche.

I suffered from depression related to a traumatic brain injury that I refused to believe was physical until I received treatment for it.

What worked for me in the past was learning something new. Not something similar to what I was already doing, but a radical departure from the typical, a real mental challenge. In my case, it was computer programming.

All the latest research supports the recommendations in the above article. That’s not to say intense introspection is not valuable, but taking concrete steps like the ones mentioned above can indeed have a very beneficial effect for many, many people. If something doesn’t work, as the article suggests, move on and try something else.

What ended my depression was identifying what in my life I couldn’t accept, and accepting it. I don’t mean to make it sound easy. It took many years. It might have taken fewer if I’d known that was what I needed.

Perhaps the best advice offered here is to definitely seek professional help, if you even think you may need it. While a positive, self-reliant attitude is a great thing to have, sometimes, it takes more than just ‘manning up’ to fight off depression. Society is changing; there is no longer the stigma attached to seeking help for mental health issues that there once was, so, as the author says, be a man and get help if you need it. Great stuff here.