Session Fourteen homework has some very good information to remember if you were on this program primarily because of DEPRESSION.
I want to add a new perspective on depression. These are my realities, and my terminology, and anyone who disagrees, that is good. Understand that this is not science. This is my experience while working through my depression here. Depression is a condition. Grief is an emotion. When my parents both died in less than a year, I experienced such overwhelming grief, I could not function. The grief became the largest stress in my days. That stress exacerbated a long term slow simmering depression, which I’d had for many years. Grief is not something you cure, anymore than you cure happiness, or unhappiness. But depression can be cured. This program provides a very clever journey for us to embark upon; and to help us along this journey we have several guides. This online community is a branch of this guide. What I found, and have proof of because of my journals and homework results, is that my depression grew out of NEGATIVE THINKING. I don’t know where it took off, or when it started. But my relationships always failed because I told myself lies about my own self worth, my own value (or lack of same) within each relationship. When you stop the negative self talk, all the healthy aspects of your thinking fall into place. And when you have trouble during this program (or after you graduate) it is because your thinking is returning to old familiar dysfunctional nonsense. Catch it when it happens. A good exercise is to get out your journal and start writing. Just write down what you are telling yourself. At the end of each day, ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU ARE TALKING YOURSELF INTO.
Unless your thoughts are not within your own control (in that event, do see a doctor and consider medication) the tools here will help you cure yourself of ever being lost in depression. You may get depressed again, but you won’t be lost there, and you will be able to walk yourself out.
Depression can be cured.
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monty'smom
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Want2FeelGoodAgain
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Personally I believe my depression grew out of my anxiety, and as I began to BELIEVE I'd be anxious and nauseas all my life, I began to convince myself, and that does sound like a very depressing thing, so it became a depressing thing. Once I got a handle on my anxiety, the depression lifted a bit on its own because of the self worth I got back, and it was very empowering to not feel so helpless. We can all do it, one way or another, if we can convince ourselves we are dying during an anxiety attack, we can convince ourselves we are not 
One day at a time is the fastest we can go......
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Mary Wargo
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I whole heartedly agree with this. I've seen the proof in myself. I can now immediately see when an old thought comes up and what it does to me. When I look over my journal from months ago I can now say "No wonder I was feeling that way, look at what I believed about myself from what I was telling myself!" The negative self talk was pure nonsense and not even true. Not to say I have no faults lol- but I can see things now in myself I may want to change without it effecting my self worth. I believe this is the key for me. Allowing myself to acknowledge that I may have some negative traits, without allowing it to effect my self worth and self esteem.
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susie wrenn
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Elizabeth J.
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pipermarie66
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