Clinical depression is a medical condition which must first be treated by a physician. After doing a thorough assessment, your doctor can determine the type of medications you need. Although medications are the primary tool for dealing with clinical depression, there are other things you can do on your own. Rollo May (1909-1994), an influential American psychologist, has suggested that creativity may be one of the most powerful resources we have to face challenges such as depression. Facing such challenges takes courage, and May considered the courage to create to be the most important.
Step 1
Write a commitment to yourself that you will face the challenges ahead of you--a statement of intention which focuses on improving the quality of your life. Be creative in this document and use your imagination. You can use a scrapbook, for example, and make the commitment a work of art. Share this commitment with your most trusted friends. Show them how you have invested your personality and creativity into the work. Ask them to comment on your creation and provide feedback on your accomplishment.
Step 2
Write short stories about your important life events. Write the stories to emphasize the meaning and motivation which you can draw from these important life events. Embellish the facts. For example, if you are writing about your first car, exaggerate its qualities. Describe the paint color in vivid detail. Instead of "it was red," create a visual image which really stands out like "On a summer's day, it was the kind of fire-engine red that seemed to glow like hot embers."
Step 3
Talk to people using your imagination. Tell stories based on reality or create complete fictions. Let your imagination run wild. Storytelling is a tradition as old as humanity. It exists in every culture for a reason--it allows for our creative expression. Storytelling will also create bonds with others. Creating such relationships can also fight depression as you begin to feel more connectivity to others and more of your time is spent interacting than alone ruminating about your problems.
Step 4
Write poetry or songs. If you find that writing short stories is too difficult, consider a brief version of written expression. However, avoid creating only sad or gloomy work. Mental health professionals know that just talking about the feelings of depression are not enough to bring the change you want. You must begin to use your mind in ways which challenge the depression. So, instead of repeating the same pattern of expressing depression, create works which allow other parts of you to be expressed.
Step 5
Take up painting or drawing. Art therapy has matured as a legitimate treatment for depression. It is a very cost-effective method of being creative. Watercolors are quite inexpensive and you can use any kind of paper to paint on. Paint or draw imaginative pictures of yourself, your friends, and your environment. Avoid just creating sad or depressed images. Remember that your commitment is to improve the quality of your life--not to keep going over the bad feelings.
References
- Rollo May; The Courage to Create; 1968
