Level 1 - Physical -

Aerobic Exercise (jogging, fast walking, swimming) for 30-45 minutes 3 or 4 times a week. (See handout Over 100 Ways Exercise will Enrich the Quality of Your Life)

Sleep is so important to mental/emotional health. Loss of sleep undermines functioning and performance. (See handout Sleep Hygiene)

Nutrition. Good nutrition can make a significant difference in reducing depression. Avoid sugar and caffeine. Drink plenty of water. Eat fruits, grains and vegetables.

Do Things - "It is easier to act yourself into the correct way of thinking, than to think yourself into the correct way of acting." -William James. Schedule a pleasurable activity once before noon and again before you go to sleep. Take "mini-vacations" throughout the day. Ten to fifteen minutes to renew and refocus yourself.

Go Back to What Used to Work - We gravitate to activities that we are naturally good at, or which we did growing up. Build on skills and activities that you once enjoyed but from which you have drifted. (See handout Discovering Personal Strengths)

How do you know if you need medication? One way to determine that is if you are feeling better after you do Levels 1 & 2 for three to four weeks. These first two levels increase Serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is chiefly what anti-depressants give you. It may be that you can’t even get enough energy or emotional strength to do #1 & #2. If you can’t do them, or if you can’t derive benefits from doing them, consider medication to "jump start your engine."

Be Assertive - Assertiveness simply means standing up for your rights, needs and desires, without violating the rights of others. It increases your sense of control

Have a Friend Who is a Confidante - It is healing to ventilate our honest feelings with someone we trust. Keep it someone same gender or a relative. Ideally this confidante is our spouse but this doesn’t always work.

The 3 C’s - make up an orientation to life and others that helps maintain a healthy life philosophy and balance. The 3-C’s are: Control (you need to be in control of your life), Commitment (you need to be committed to a life purpose and others), and Challenge ( you need to see life’s problems as a challenge rather than a threat).

Life Purpose - If our life loses meaning, if we can’t put what we’re doing into a larger picture we can become depressed. Find and be true to your purpose.

Recognizing Distorted Thinking - (See handout 16 Styles of Distorted Thinking). These contribute to depression, anxiety and anger. Read each one and rate yourself on a 1 - 10 scale. If you score 7 or more work on it. Put several on 3X5 cards and make a tally mark each time you catch yourself thinking that way. The distorted thoughts will correct themselves automatically for the most part, simply by counting them.

Learn to Let Go - "For every worry under the sun there is a solution or there is none. If there be one go and find it. If there be none, never mind it."

Live in Harmony with Your Values - Write down your roles in life, such as individual, husband or wife, mother or father, daughter or son, brother or sister, friend, employee, etc. Next to each role write two values that matter to you. For example, as an individual it may be important to you to make contact with God each day or serve another, or such. Live these values and you will have greater spiritual harmony, less depression.

Live from Your Center - Go to your heart and learn to trust what you find there. Find your peace.