Depression is one major thing that lead people to make unnecessary decisions to hurt themselves, people end up committing suicide and the rest.
I’ve struggled with depression my entire life. I spent the majority of my life with undiagnosed ADHD and have only learned to deal with the impulsivity and depression within the last few years.
As others point out, you’re certainly looking at things negatively: you’ve accomplished quite a lot, certainly more than the average person (with going to a top-notch school, as you say).
My struggles, whether they were sourced from my disorder or just from plain weakness of character, led me into a drug addiction, which (thankfully) quickly landed me in prison.
I was fortunate enough to qualify for a boot camp program, but I did not make it into that program without my new-found sense of humility, gratitude, and respect. I gained this from the gravity of the situation I was in.
Furthermore, I learned respect at that boot camp. The respect taught me gratitude, and humility. Having everything taken from me (even my name, it seemed like, was now just a number) allowed me to remove the veil that hid my passion from me.
I was always fascinated with computers, but I didn’t realize this was where my true passion lied until this point. In 6 years, I went from high school-educated ex-con to a degree in computer science from a large state university, and continued to follow my passion into a career as a developer for a very meaningful (to me, at least!) project, one that even required security clearance that I thought someone with my past would never, ever get. The day I told my story to the clearance interviewer, complete with all the dirty details, and I heard the good news…. I realized we can truly do anything we set our minds to.
I’ve taken the power of that mindset and used it to lose 65 lbs. The next year I used it to add 25 lbs of muscle and drop to 12% body fat. I’ve received a promotion and a raise at work during this time, as well.
There were many times my life seemed hopelessly lost or far behind. There was a time in my life where I felt like a complete failure as a father and a person, but I found a way to take my negative thoughts and turn them into positive decisions and actions. I refused to accept myself as the person I was currently and demanded more of myself.
So, in context of my story, here’s my advice to you to deal with Depression
1. Approach every step in life, every action, every thought from a position of gratitude, humility, and respect. You are entitled to absolutely nothing in this life, especially success. You have a lot of energy dedicated to jealously and entitlement right now, and it’s eating you up from the inside, like you say. Dedicate it to your true passion instead.
2. Believe that you will accomplish anything you set your mind to. I believe that you will, but whether you actually do depend on what you believe. Forget about trying to compete with yours peers, set your sights on something even higher, plan out how to get there, break the plan into smaller steps, and start taking them, one by one. Today. Right now.
3. Exercise! There is no better cure for depression. There are many subtle physiological factors that contribute to depression that are fixed by exercise. The discipline one attains from adhering to an exercise regimen (as well as eating and sleeping well to support that regimen) will be invaluable in helping you achieve your career goals.
Pick a manner of working out that appeals to you most. If you’re not sure where to start, then it’s a perfect opportunity to.
Practice humility by asking someone for help, show respect by putting 100% effort into the guidance you receive, and profess gratitude by doing something for them in return.
At this point, it feels relevant to mention that even as I write this, I’m preparing to spend my Friday evening helping an overweight person learn to lift weights and design a nutrition plan. They may believe that they can achieve their goals, and they may not. What I do know is that I have the opportunity to watch someone demonstrate great courage tonight, and I couldn’t be more excited. They don’t realize that they’re giving me more than I’m giving them.
My point is, I couldn’t be further from depressed these days.
Source: Valsmediagh.com
