anybody got a reasonable cure...

[TripleRLtd]

btw, Happy Valentines Day!

That's sweet Green_Eyed.

[KINGofBLEH]

for crushing depression?

Rus - I have been where you are several times. I have dealt with self-esteem issues most of my adult life. I have found that when I have lost confidence in myself due to my circumstances at the time, it can be a challenge to regain that self-esteem and get out of each depressive cycle.

All of the options given here are good suggestions. May I offer a few more things for you to consider as you get through this tough time?

1. Set personal and professional goals. You have to repair the negative emotions you are feeling due to what you percieve to be recent shortcomings in your life. You can begin to do this by setting small goals to achieve and then working to achieve them. Some examples of these goals might be:

- Lose 10 pounds
- Read a book (that you wouldn't normally read)
- Visit a friend or relative you haven't seen in a long time
- Volunteer your time to a worthy cause (soup kitchen, homeless shelter, etc.)
- Voluteer to read to visit terminally ill children at the local hospital (that should really help you feel better about your situation!)

2. Don't let the job search get you down. Your job hunt IS your job now. You should pursue it with the same energy that you would put into it if it was your dream job. Then you will truly start to see results.

3. Transcend your circumstances. You must always keep in mind the larger goals for your life. These goals can include (for example): "What do I want to accomplish professionally before I retire?" "What kind of example do I want to set for my children?" "What kind of a person do I want other people to think of me as?" This is not always easy to do right away. If you are having trouble with setting big goals, start off by picking one area of your life that you excel at above all others and set a goal for that area of your life. Then always keep your eyes on that goal(s) and starting thinking about how you can use each circumstance in your life to achieving the goal(s).

4. Diversions. Think about things that you could do during those tough times when the depression seems to have you against the ropes and you fear that it will not end. You need to be able to get your mind off the depression and onto something productive. Taking a walk, going out for a drive, rearrange your house, go to the library, etc. These are all things you could plan out ahead of time to do when you are really feeling down, and for little to no $$.

Anti-depressants are an option too. Fortunately, I have not had to resort to them to get myself out of depression cycles.

Whatever you decide to do, remember you always have a support network you can talk to here at WD.