How To Use Your Mind To Decrease Depression

Our brains are affected by our experiences, thoughts, behavior and emotions. We now know that the brain is capable of changing as long as we are living. The ability of the brain to change is called neuroplasticity. People with strokes and serious brain trauma were able to recover because of neuroplasticity. Neuroplasticity can work to your advantage or disadvantage. Depression and anxiety can become a firm pattern in the brain and we get wired to be depressed. 

Usually change takes time. But by consistent engagement and intervention you can slowly rewire your brain pattern. Try focusing on the present, not the past and future. focusing on what is occurring now can help reduce anxiety. This may sound like a small deal, but it's not. Whenever you start getting frantic and worried about something that happened or might/will happen, force your mind to focus on the present. This is called "mindfulness". 

At first it will be hard,but every time the occasion occurs, shift your mind into the present. Focus on how you feel now, what is happening now. Slowly this will retrain your mind to focus on the present and be less worried about the future. 

Mindfulness is also a good way to deal with pain. A throbbing headache is awful. A sprained ankle can really hurt. Now try thinking of it this way. What already happened doesn't hurt you anymore. What will hurt you soon didn't happen yet so it can't hurt you now. So the only thing that hurts is the pain of the present moment (millisecond). Now, how much is that? You are turning hours of pain into a second of pain.

So mindfulness is a great way of dealing with acute pain and anxiety as well.

Let us know if you have any other tips for anxiety.