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By Dr. Isaac Schumann
Depression is believed by the medical profession to be the
most
prevalent disease of our time. The fear of developing heart
problems or cancer alone is enough to cause tremendous stress
and accompanying depression. There is a tremendous malaise
circulating our world today. Both the medical profession and
the media are constantly "warning" us of the dangers and
probabilities of different diseases, some of which seem more
than likely to shorten our life span. For instance, if there
is
cancer in your family, you're most likely going to get it! And
of course, if cancer is not threat enough there is always the
West Nile virus, Bird flu, AIDs and a host of other diseases
to
frighten us...
One thing is for sure, we will never hear the end of
calamities
that are likely to beset us, whether from disease or some
other
form of challenge we may face. It seems inevitable that there
will always be “something” that will get our blood pressure
soaring.
So, what is the answer to this problem? How can we carry-on
with our lives without being constantly afraid of what lies
around the next corner? Here are several suggestions about how
to effectively deal with life’s challenging situations:
1) Seek interpersonal support
People need other people, and there are many good and
practical
ways to relieve stress and anxiety. Exercise, good nutrition
and
positive thinking are great antidotes. These not only help
relieve the angst; they actually give us a sense of
empowerment
over our lives.
2) Seek spiritual guidance about spoken words
The Bible tells us that the power of life and death are in the
tongue. Words can both bless and curse (James 3). Negative
words can evoke fear, anxiety and actually produce negative
effects in a person’s life.
Whenever a word is heard - any word - the mind paints a
picture
of it. For instance, when someone says "black cow" immediately
you will see that cow in your mind's eye. Although words are
not tangible, they have the power to bring about emotional and
physical change! Remember - The Bible teaches that the earth
was created by the Word of God! Now that's real word power!
We all have a choice when it comes to listening and what we
hear. We can choose to empower ourselves by listening to
positive words and encouraging thoughts or we can do
otherwise.
Think about the last time you listening to some of your
favorite
music…Did your feet start tapping? Did you start to hum the
melody? Didn’t your mood lighten-up a bit as a result of
hearing the melody and the words? Negative words almost always
produce negative results, whether seen or unseen. On the other
hand, positive words instill a sense of well-being. A mere
smile and a quick, happy-sounding, "Have a great day!" can
instantly produce good feelings and joy.
3) Develop a “thankful” attitude.
Thankfulness is one of the greatest virtues. A wise man once
said that if we divided a page in two and wrote all our
setbacks on one side and all our blessings on the other, we
would find that the blessings far outweigh the negatives. The
Bible teaches us to give thanks with a grateful heart for all
things. Don't look back on past hurts, nor fret about
tomorrow.
Live “today” to the fullest…choose joy and thankfulness.
In conclusion, remember that our thoughts respond to what we
feed the mind through our senses. Therefore, it naturally
follows that happiness is a choice. This may be a foreign
concept to many of us at first, but when applied, the results
can be truly amazing! Break the habit of feeling trapped in a
world of negative thoughts and decide to switch-on the power
of
positive thoughts, today.
About The Author: Dr. Isaac Schumann brings to you a life time
of experience in the mental health field
www.depressionhelpguides.com
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