So I woke up this morning feeling very depressed, but I am not feeling much better and might even be in a good mood. 
I was feeling depressed because my problems seemed insurmountable and I felt doomed. I realized, however, that I arrived at this conclusion through cognitive distortions rather than reason. I want to share what I discovered and hope it will help you improve your depression and motivation.
I lumped my problems together into one big sticky ball of life-****-ups. Whenever I considered improving one of these several dozen problems, it seemed miniscule in comparison to the entire ball. Even resolving a major problem would still leave me crippled and wallowing in misery for the forseable future, I thought to myself. Even worse, I was fairly convinced of my inability to resolve any specific problem in my life. It seemed my fate was sealed. Or was it?
My thinking was entirely wrong because it was produced through distortions. The distortions are black-white thinking, discounting the positive and fortune telling. By aggregating my problems together into one sticky-ball I collapsed individual matters with specific solutions, into one single matter with one ultimate solution. This is black and white thinking. By thinking of improvement in one area in terms of the entire ball (seeing it as minute given the total problems), I discounted the positive of my success in that particular area. This is a no-no in science by the way. By expecting to fail at solving specific problems, I told fortunes without corroborating statistical data or logical analysis. Would this hold up in science? If you are not convinced that these are truly distortions, consider the following demonstrative examples.
1. "Black and White Thinking: All my problems are one big problem."
The government exists to solve problems on behalf of the people. Given it's limited resources, however, the government cannot possibly solve ALL the extant problems in any given period of time. But if all problems are really one major problem, then failing to solve all of them is equivalent to being entirely ineffectual. Should the government therefore not exist? Of course it should! Regardless of their underlying causes, problems are discrete concerns, and the people benefit from addressing as many of these as possible. This is why the government exists. Solving all problems at once is an unrealistic and impertinent goal.
2. Discounting the Positive: "Progress on any specific problem means little or nothing by itself."
Suppose a person has several major problems; they lack sustenance, shelter, income, a relationship with their family, and friends. Imagine that this person solves the problem of finding food and water, and obtains shelter, then but fails to solve the remaining problems. They still have no job, no relationship with their family, and no friends. Has this person made little or no improvement because only two of the five problems were solved? Of course they have! They are no longer starving and thirsty all the time, and they have a warm and safe place to stay at night. This is major improvement in it's own right, independent of the other problems.
3. Fortune Telling: "I won't succeed at improving in any specific area."
How do I know that? Do I have statistical data suggesting my inability to solve this problem will continue into the future? Have the parameters been held constant? Can I demonstrate logicaly valid reasoning which indicates I will fail at making progress in any specific area? What are my assumptions and are they reasonable? No, no, no, and no. I just assumed I would fail because I felt like a failure, and failures don't succeed. I don't know I will fail in the slightest. I don't know if the things I imagine going wrong, realy will. This is not a matter of my personal values and beliefs, I am making concrete assertions about my abilities and about the world. But, I can't prove it in a scientific journal, and I can't prove it in court, and if I can't do either of those two things, HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT MY ASSERTIONS ARE FACTUAL?
I hope this helped you and please share your ideas.
I was feeling depressed because my problems seemed insurmountable and I felt doomed. I realized, however, that I arrived at this conclusion through cognitive distortions rather than reason. I want to share what I discovered and hope it will help you improve your depression and motivation.I lumped my problems together into one big sticky ball of life-****-ups. Whenever I considered improving one of these several dozen problems, it seemed miniscule in comparison to the entire ball. Even resolving a major problem would still leave me crippled and wallowing in misery for the forseable future, I thought to myself. Even worse, I was fairly convinced of my inability to resolve any specific problem in my life. It seemed my fate was sealed. Or was it?
My thinking was entirely wrong because it was produced through distortions. The distortions are black-white thinking, discounting the positive and fortune telling. By aggregating my problems together into one sticky-ball I collapsed individual matters with specific solutions, into one single matter with one ultimate solution. This is black and white thinking. By thinking of improvement in one area in terms of the entire ball (seeing it as minute given the total problems), I discounted the positive of my success in that particular area. This is a no-no in science by the way. By expecting to fail at solving specific problems, I told fortunes without corroborating statistical data or logical analysis. Would this hold up in science? If you are not convinced that these are truly distortions, consider the following demonstrative examples.
1. "Black and White Thinking: All my problems are one big problem."
The government exists to solve problems on behalf of the people. Given it's limited resources, however, the government cannot possibly solve ALL the extant problems in any given period of time. But if all problems are really one major problem, then failing to solve all of them is equivalent to being entirely ineffectual. Should the government therefore not exist? Of course it should! Regardless of their underlying causes, problems are discrete concerns, and the people benefit from addressing as many of these as possible. This is why the government exists. Solving all problems at once is an unrealistic and impertinent goal.
2. Discounting the Positive: "Progress on any specific problem means little or nothing by itself."
Suppose a person has several major problems; they lack sustenance, shelter, income, a relationship with their family, and friends. Imagine that this person solves the problem of finding food and water, and obtains shelter, then but fails to solve the remaining problems. They still have no job, no relationship with their family, and no friends. Has this person made little or no improvement because only two of the five problems were solved? Of course they have! They are no longer starving and thirsty all the time, and they have a warm and safe place to stay at night. This is major improvement in it's own right, independent of the other problems.
3. Fortune Telling: "I won't succeed at improving in any specific area."
How do I know that? Do I have statistical data suggesting my inability to solve this problem will continue into the future? Have the parameters been held constant? Can I demonstrate logicaly valid reasoning which indicates I will fail at making progress in any specific area? What are my assumptions and are they reasonable? No, no, no, and no. I just assumed I would fail because I felt like a failure, and failures don't succeed. I don't know I will fail in the slightest. I don't know if the things I imagine going wrong, realy will. This is not a matter of my personal values and beliefs, I am making concrete assertions about my abilities and about the world. But, I can't prove it in a scientific journal, and I can't prove it in court, and if I can't do either of those two things, HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT MY ASSERTIONS ARE FACTUAL?
I hope this helped you and please share your ideas.
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