3 Mistakes People with Depression Make (and How to Overcome Them)

Americans are experiencing an epidemic of depression.  One out of four women are currently on medications for depression.  Our fast paced lives, personal struggles, and the daily stress we feel can often lead to symptoms of depression.  Unfortunately, people who feel “down” or unhappy often make the same three regrettable mistakes.

The first mistake people make is they think an antidepressant will solve all their problems.  Yet recent studies show that antidepressants are basically just expensive placebos with some nasty side effects.  For mild and moderate depression, they basically have no medicinal value for most people.  So why do so many people take antidepressants?   Well, pharmaceutical companies do their best to convince you that their drug is the answer—and antidepressants do seem to work for people with severe depression.  Yet, for the vast majority of people who feel depressed, a pill is not a good long-term solution.

The second mistake people make is to think there is little else they can do to overcome their depression.  Fortunately, there is a lot people can do.  Many methods for handling depression have been proven to work easily and more effectively than taking an antidepressant.  In fact, going to an expensive therapist isn’t even needed.  Studies show that several methods that can be done in as little as two minutes a day can be extremely effective in helping people overcome the symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Finally, the third mistake people make is they don’t realize that effective help is easily available.    There are many ways to get help when feeling depressed.  While self-help books that deal with depression can provide you with useful information, their suggestions, although, can be hard to follow in daily life.  Going to a therapist or life coach can be a good idea, but many people don’t have the money or desire to go to therapy.

Recently, online courses that offer a simple step-by-step approach for overcoming anxiety and depression have been created.   Along these lines, Dr. Emmett Miller and psychotherapist Jonathan Robinson created the program, “From Sad to Glad: How to Overcome Stress, Anxiety and Depression and Feel Happy Again.”

In the Sad to Glad program, participants download weekly audio and printed handouts from the web (or get the whole course mailed to them).  Each session is geared to help you overcome behaviors, thought patterns and feelings that lead to unnecessary suffering.  The ideas and methods offered are easy to follow, simple to do, and studies show that they really work.

The authors of the program are two renowned mental health experts:  Dr. Emmett Miller, M.D. and frequent Oprah expert and bestselling author Jonathan Robinson.  If you want to find out more about the “Sad to Glad” program, you can listen to free samples and download session one for just $1.00! Or watch a video Dr. Miller and Mr. Robinson discussing what is included and what to expect in the S.A.D. to Glad program.