How To Think Positive When Depressed

Table of Contents

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article about depression, mental shock, and negativity is for informational purposes only and is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you are in crisis or need immediate help, please contact a mental health professional or call emergency services.

A Quicker Way To Heal From Depression

‘How to think positive when depressed’ is a natural question when you are depressed.

But do you know why one falls into depression in the first place?

Let’s focus on the second question first.

The closest synonyms of ‘life’ are ‘uncertainty’ and ‘change.’

One moment, everything may be going great for you, but very quickly, it can change into a disaster.

Let’s face it—uncertainty and change affect the four main areas of life: interpersonal, personal, professional, and goals.

When things take an unexpected and ugly turn in any of these areas of life, we sometimes find ourselves unable to maintain our sanity.

We get shocked, and before we can think again, we find ourselves in depression.

The thing about depression is that once you have fallen into it, you cannot decide when to come out.

The harder you try to come out of depression, the deeper you keep falling into it.

Thus, once you have fallen into depression, only time can heal you.

Experts say that the bigger the shock, the greater the time it would take you to come out of depression.

But is it so?

Not really!

It’s because there is a way even around this natural rule.

Even an absolute entity like time can be made relative by us!

How?

The more you struggle during the depression, the more you feel that this dark phase is getting longer and longer.

But if you can find a way to keep yourself somewhat hopeful even during this challenging time, you can come out of your depression pretty quickly.

And the way to do so is by learning how to think positive when depressed.

Depression affects your mind and body, but it is not capable of affecting your soul or the life energy within you if you don’t allow it.

When you learn how to think positive when depressed, you develop a “protective wall” around your soul.

Depression enters you through the mind but very quickly spreads into your body.

There isn’t anything much you can do about it.

But building a protective wall around your soul or life energy through positive thinking is in your hands.

What it does is that it doesn’t let the depression affect your soul adversely, hence helping you hold on to life and thus survive depression.

And when you have gained confidence and the time is right, you, very naturally, start pushing depression out of your mind and body, too.

Thus, it’s essential to learn how to think positive when depressed.

But this process happens step by step, not in haste or one go.

Let’s find out how to think positive when depressed so that we survive and heal from depression using positive thinking.

How To Think Positive When Depressed

how to think positive when depressed

There are ten steps to learning how to think positive when depressed.

Have The Resolve Of Not Giving Up

The first step in learning how to think positive when depressed is having the resolve of not giving up.

The initial phase of depression is the most challenging time one has to deal with.

It’s because when you have just fallen into depression, you haven’t yet built the protective wall of positive thinking around your soul.

Also, you are not in any position to build it as you are at your weakest self.

So, every moment is a big test, and you must keep fighting without giving up.

You have to make sure that you do not let depression affect your will to survive and your determination to live.

You may not have positive thinking at that moment, but you have a positive purpose.

If you can survive the challenge of depression when you are at your most vulnerable self, things will only get easier thereon.

It can only make you more robust in the future, which will prepare you to overcome depression and heal yourself of it.

With this motivation in mind, keep fighting and never think of giving up.

When you are determined not to give up, you have completed the first step in learning ‘How to think positive when depressed.’

Don’t Try Too Hard To Think Positive

how to think positive when depressed

The second step in learning ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is not to try too hard to think positively.

Trying to develop the resolve of not giving up will be the beginning of positive thinking while you are depressed.

But remember, right now, the fight is to survive and not to develop positive thinking.

You are most potent when you fight for survival, so stay invested in it.

The moment you switch your objective to developing positive thinking while you are depressed, the fight might start getting more challenging.

The art of positive thinking has to be developed step by step in a very natural way.

If you try too hard to think positively before the right time, you might fail miserably, further damaging your self-confidence. 

It will push you deeper into depression and make it harder and longer to come out of it.

Remember, depression is like that marshy land where you sink lower as you try harder to emerge. 

So, you have to be patient and intelligent while you try to learn how to think positive when depressed.

When you no longer try too hard to think positively, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Accept The Inability To Think Positively

The third step in discovering ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is accepting the inability to think positively.

When you stop trying too hard to think positively, the struggle becomes one of mental steadiness, peace, and focus.

The next thing you need to do is to build acceptance of your inability to think positively at that moment.

Acceptance gives you a natural force within you that opens up the path ahead.

And it works in the same way when you are trying to learn how to think positive when depressed.

Accepting your inability to think positively in a given moment prepares you to start thinking positively.

Acceptance ends all your unreasonable expectations, which naturally gives rise to the hope of thinking positively when depressed. 

You become committed to developing positive thinking rather than trying to develop it forcefully within yourself.

And this is the point where actual progress towards learning how to think positive when depressed starts happening. 

When you have accepted your inability to think positively, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Do Not Give Up On Positive Thinking

how to think positive when depressed

The next step in discovering ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is not giving up on positive thinking.

Sometimes, silence is mistaken for weakness.

Similarly, acceptance is often mistaken for giving up.

But the truth is that silence is the biggest strength, and acceptance is the most significant step towards your goal.

In this case, accepting our inability to think positively in a given moment is the most significant step towards learning how to think positive when depressed.

You should know this clearly and should believe in it wholeheartedly.

Prevent yourself from believing that just because you have accepted that you cannot think positively now, you have given up on that objective.

You have to wait patiently for the right opportunity and the right time when you can get hold of positive thinking.

So, have hope in your heart and keep yourself open and ready to start thinking positive when you are depressed.

When you do not give up on positive thinking, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Notice The Positive Things Happening In Your Life

The next step in learning ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is to notice the positive things happening in your life.

Positive thinking should always have a solid and proper foundation, especially when you are depressed. 

It’s because when truth is the foundation of your positive thinking, it becomes easier to believe in it.

So, instead of giving yourself unsupported or baseless positivity, acknowledge the positive things happening in your life.

You being depressed is only a reflection of your current inner state and not the truth about your outer reality.

So, even when you are depressed, many positive things might still be happening in your life.

What you need to do is to keep aside that one thing that pushed you into depression and look at the rest of the things you have in life.

The most significant positive you will notice is that you are still alive.

The next big positive in your life will be that you have people who love you.

Next, you have a well-settled job that can help you live a great life.

You also have skills that can help you overcome any challenge or obstacle in life.

Probably the most significant positive aspect of your life is that you can still dream, work towards, and achieve your goals.

So, you don’t have to generate positive thinking out of the blue; you have to notice the great things that you already have in life.

When you are depressed, it may take a little extra time to acknowledge and absorb these positives.

But the key again is to stay put, keep believing, and not give up at any point.

When you notice the positive things happening in your life, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Build On The Positives You Already Have

pexels norbert kundrak 764171 3625023

The next step in learning ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is to build on the positives you already have in your life.

When you can see the positive things happening in your life, you must try to build on them.

You have to find next-in-line positive things related to those things. 

So, when you notice and appreciate that you are still alive, you must consider what it means.

It means that whatever you may have lost, you can rebuild it from scratch.

You are lucky enough to have an opportunity many people wish for, but only a few get.

It also means that you have an opportunity to make yourself mentally stronger and test your life skills.

Similarly, the fact that you have people around you who love you means that you are not lonely in this challenging time.

It also means you have active support and help to rebuild your life from scratch, making things easier.

Also, even if you have nothing else, you will always have love, which is more than enough to live a meaningful life.

The fact that you have a great job or a vital skill means you can still live your life on your terms.

And the freedom to pursue your dreams means an exciting life full of adventure and thrill.

You can also imagine the satisfaction and happiness of fulfilling those dreams.

This way, you should take forward the foundational positives you already have.

Doing this will go a long way in helping you learn how to think positive when depressed.

But at any stage, remember not to get carried away or start trying too hard to think positively.

Take it slow and in a customized manner that suits and serves you well.

When you have started building on the positives you already have, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Give Yourself Positive Self Talks

The next step in discovering ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is to give positive self-talk to yourself.

Building on the foundational positives in your life won’t be easy.

When a person is depressed, a dark cloud of questions constantly surrounds their mind.

Whatever they try to do or think, these debilitating questions try to scare them and prevent their progress.

So, when you try to take baby steps towards learning how to think positive when depressed, you will find negativity standing in the way.

It may tell you that your loved ones will leave you and that love is unreliable.

It is where you have to talk positively to yourself about it.

Remember, you don’t have to get scared or backtrack, and you don’t have to be ultra-brave, either.

You have to try and move forward by giving logical and convincing arguments in favor of your positive thoughts.

So, tell yourself that your loved ones have always stood with you through thick and thin and that they will continue doing so.

Tell yourself they will stick by your side and help you in every possible way.

Assure yourself that their love will also help you regain self-love.

Once you give yourself enough positive self-talk about a negative question, the former will destroy the latter forever.

Such positive self-talk will help you move forward and bring you closer to thinking more positively. 

When you have started giving yourself positive self-talk, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Journal Regularly

pexels negativespace 34072

The next step in learning ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is to journal regularly.

Writing is a very effective way to bring out all the negativity in your mind.

It can bring out even the hidden negativities you didn’t know existed within you.

So, when you write about your day or any particular incident, you physically express or release the hidden negativity in your mind.

It helps you empty yourself of all the negativities.

You start writing positive and constructive things about yourself after eliminating all the negativity within you.

When you finish writing in your daily journal, your mind will start generating positive thoughts.

But when you are depressed, there is too much agony inside you.

It keeps refilling you whenever you pour it out through journaling.

So, regular and consistent journalling is a must if you want to learn how to think positive when depressed. 

Let all the negativity out till it stops refilling you.

When you start journalling regularly, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Use Positive Affirmations

The next step in discovering ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is to use positive affirmations.

Self-talk will enhance your self-confidence and give you the belief to think positively.

Things would start changing for the better and will no longer be just about survival.

After starting to practice positive self-talk, you will slowly become able to push depression out of your mind and body.

It will bring you in a position to chant positive affirmations to yourself.

Positive affirmations are your thoughts or goals in simple sentences that resonate with you.

Repeating these positive affirmations helps you visualize them and finally manifest them.

Thus, positive affirmations will help you strengthen your self-confidence and belief in positive thinking.

They will give you the confidence to see positive things happening and help you manifest them.

If you can manifest your positive thinking, are you still depressed?

Once you have fallen into depression, its effect or the seed of depression always stays within you.

So, you might be good enough to practice positive affirmations, but if you leave it, you will again risk falling into depression.

Thus, it’s best that once you have fallen into depression, you strengthen your belief so much that you go beyond the clutches of depression.

So, after inculcating the habit of positive self-talk, you need to practice positive affirmations in your life.

Use positive affirmations where positive self-talk doesn’t work for you.

So, if you want a fancy luxury car, try positive affirmations instead of positive self-talk.

Write a particular affirmation about which car you want and by when you want it with you.

But do remember to keep the affirmation practical and realistic.

So, the bigger your dream, the more time you should give it to get fulfilled.

It’s better to use realistic affirmations with a small time frame.

When you fulfill these objectives, your confidence and self-belief will be sky-high.

It will reduce your depression to almost negligible.

Positive affirmations are the beginning of an advanced level of positive thinking. 

It’s a point where depression, although still existent within you, isn’t able to affect you adversely.

So, make sure you use positive affirmations to strengthen your positive thinking further and thus reduce your depression to its minimum.

When you have started using positive affirmations, you have completed the next step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Pray To Resurrect Your Belief System

pexels pixabay 268013

The final step in learning ‘How to think positive when depressed’ is to pray to resurrect your belief system.

Your thoughts act as the units of your belief system.

When you are depressed and can’t think positively, your belief system weakens.

And praying is the biggest and the best way to strengthen your beliefs.

When you pray to an entity you believe is as big as the creator of the universe, the positivity level of your thoughts becomes infinite.

It “cleanses” your mind and helps you think positively.

When you pray, you start believing that you can heal from anything and achieve anything you want.

So, when your thoughts become clean, and your belief system resurrects through prayers, you free yourself of depression completely. 

You become your most positive self, which pushes depression far away from you.

You no longer have to put effort into thinking positive because you become an epitome of positivity.

Thus, praying not only helps you think positive when you are depressed, but it also heals you of depression completely. 

When you have started praying to resurrect your belief system, you have completed the final step in learning ‘how to think positive when depressed.’

Rebuild Positive Thinking in Your Life From Scratch

Finding out the answer to ‘how to think positive when depressed’ is essential.

Positivity thinking is the most significant requirement for living a decent human life.

But it becomes essential to learn this art when you have fallen into depression.

Unfortunately, positive thinking cannot be accessed right away when you have fallen into depressed.

You must work towards it and rebuild it in your mind.

First, you have to ensure that in the bid to think positively, you do not aggravate your depressive state.

Then, slowly, you have to start focusing on the positives you have in your life.

And then, finally, you have to create positive things in your life through positive thinking so that you get completely healed of depression.

Upon healing fully, when you become your most positive self, you also start loving yourself like you used to before getting depressed.

Depression teaches you the value of self-love and life, which makes you a complete person in yourself forever.  

So, learn how to think positive when depressed and become the best version of yourself.

Want to keep up with our blog?

Get our most valuable tips right inside your inbox, once per month!