Quote Originally Posted by zoom-zoom View Post
I was nodding my head at everything until the last one, #12. I think it's very dangerous to suggest that people who are clinically depressed can just exercise and *poof* they're cured! The people I've known who are clinically depressed could barely function, much less find it in themselves to exercise. I think exercise is AWESOME to pull most of us out of minor, temporary funks and to keep them at bay...but for people who are suffering with serious chemical imbalances in their brains it's pretty insulting to go all Pollyanna on them and suggest that all they need to do is run a few miles or take a bike ride to be cured and feel right with the world and themselves. I get pretty irritated with those who perpetuate myths and misunderstanding about mental disfunction like that. I've had close friends and family really destroyed by clinical depression. I've seen friends deal with suicide of a child or other loved-one when that individual battled severe depression.
As someone who has suffered from depression . . . ^ yes. In fact, when I down-spiraled into very serious depression, I was working out every day. And eating what most would consider a healthy diet. And so many people would suggest I "snap" out of it or "Decide" to be happy or even "get over myself." It was incredibly isolating and made me feel like more of a failure b/c I couldn't snap out of it. Anywho . . . . .

For those that aren't clinical, I think it is a great list! I would put "practice acts of kindness" at or near the top. Helping others is incredibly therapeutic and rewarding. When someone tells me they've been feeling down or blue, the first thing I suggest is that they look into mentoring or participating in a Big Brother/Big Sister program. When you start putting others first, you stop focusing so much on yourself--and that is a good thing.