5 Powerful Steps to Break the Chains of Depression

It’s dark, cold, and damp. You can hear the sound of water dripping from an unknown source, but all you can see is the darkness that surrounds you. You try to move your arms, but the sound of clattering chains makes it clear that your wrists are shackled to the wall. Then you try your legs, but they are bound and chained to the floor.

There’s an opening above you, and a little bit of sunshine spills into your cell. You think to yourself, “the wall doesn’t look too hard to climb, I should be able to make it.” But you can’t, you aren’t strong enough to get out of those chains, so you holler out to see if someone can save you but there’s no one there. If you could somehow break the chains that hold you back, freedom could be yours.

That cell in this scenario is what it’s like in your mind when you’re suffering from depression!

The chains keep you attached to the wall, leaving you incapable of fully enjoying your life or the people in it. Depression keeps you trapped in your cold, dark, cell, feeling as if you can never get yourself out of there and that you might be stuck there forever. You’re constantly thinking, “If only there was a way to break those chains and escape.”

It's possible to break the chains of depression. It's possible to get rid of those shackles and climb out of your cell. It's possible to be free. But how?

These are some steps you can take immediately that can help set you free from your depression.

Step 1: Understand Depression

There are many different types of depression. It's important for you to identify what type of depression you suffer from so you can seek the most effective treatment.

The most severe type of depression is called clinical depression. It's chronic, and it’s not triggered by anything specific. It's simply always there. Most doctors prescribe anti-depressants and counseling for those who suffer from clinical depression. It usually lasts for years, possibly even a lifetime.

Another mood disorder, called Bipolar Disorder can cause depression as well. Symptoms can include manic highs and depressive lows. A person may experience mood swings, sadness, elevated mood, to name a few.

Step 2: Monitor Your Thoughts

You feed your depression with negative thoughts, so it’s important to be mindful and not let them stray. When you’re depressed you tend to get stuck in past events or memories and you may start having regrets of things you should or could have done. Your thoughts can keep you looking back, and you won’t be able to move forward.

· Practice thinking positively. Positive thoughts can have a massive impact on your outlook on your life.

Step 3: Commune with Nature

• Spending time in nature has been proven to reduce some symptoms of depression. Take a walk through a park or a nearby forest. Relaxing and observing the sights and sounds of nature can reduce stress. Watch the birds and squirrels busily scurrying about in their daily routines. Close your eyes, take in the sounds of the forest, feel the cool breeze on your arms, and breathe in the aroma of fresh wet leaves.

Step 4: Exercise Regularly

Exercising re-energizes your body, produces hormones that elevate your mood, and boosts confidence.

For best results:

· Before you hit the gym, familiarize yourself with different workout routines, and better yet, encourage a friend to join you. The support can remind you to keep your thoughts positive.

· If joining a gym isn’t your style, you can still get plenty of exercise. Run and play with your kids and pets. Take walks, swim, or play sports.

Step 5: Discover What Triggers Your Depression

Since everyone is different, the way others experience symptoms will not be the same for you. What triggers the next person may not be what triggers you. Take a moment to reflect and analyze your symptoms, keep track of what may have caused you to create negative thoughts, this could be an event, a person, a situation, etc.

Once you find your triggers, it will be easier to work towards climbing out of that dark cell.

Moving Forward

Breaking the chains of depression isn’t something that anyone can do for you. You must make the decision on your own and be willing to rewrite the narrative of your life’s story. If you do the work, you can take back your mind and get your freedom. There's no need to spend another minute in that cold, damp, cell.

DISCLAIMER: This is not medical advice and is not meant to diagnose or treat any disorder or illness. If you are struggling with depression, please contact your healthcare provider.

Angela M Mitchell is the founder and CEO of Back to her. She is also a Certified Master Life & Personal Development Coach, a mental health advocate, and a Co-Author in the international best-selling collaborative masterpiece, The Image in The Mirror. She received a degree in Healthcare Administration from Bryant and Stratton College and has since dedicated her life to advocating for women who live with mental health disorders.

Angela also assists women entrepreneurs to acknowledge their struggles, change the narrative of the stories they tell, and rewrite them so that they can become deliberate, not desperate, creators of their own life's story.

She guides them through a process of self-discovery that leads them to reignite their passions and to rediscover their God-Given purpose so that they can achieve the success they desire in their personal and professional life.