I want to talk about something real. Depression and anxiety can make life tough for a lot of people, so I wanted to offer those of you with these conditions a strategy that I learned that really helped me out: [b]A B C D[/b] The ABCD technique can explain why certain situations cause you to feel depressed or anxious. [b]A:[/b] Adversity [b]B:[/b] Beliefs [b]C:[/b] Consequences [b]D:[/b] Debate When you feel depressed or anxious, it's because there's been something in your life, some [i]adversity[/i] that's causing you some stress. But, you need to remember this: [b]A does not lead to C.[/b] The adversity alone isn't what causes you to feel that way. Rather, it's your [i]beliefs[/i] about that situation that dictate your mood. For example, maybe someone you loved passed away. It's natural to feel sad about it, but when you enter that depressive episode that's when there's something wrong. The death itself isn't what's making you depressed, it's how you interpret the loss. Maybe you feel like there's something you should have done. It's different for everybody. But here's where you have to change your thinking. [b]B leads to C.[/b] Your beliefs are what shape your emotions. You have to [i]debate[/i] those beliefs to change how you feel. Reevaluating my beliefs (and meds) have helped me overcome my depression and anxieties. I was in a pretty bad place for a while, and I wound up at a mental health hospital because of it. I really wanted to change, and this strategy was at the heart of my recovery. If you have any questions or want to talk about anything, feel free to comment or PM me. No judgments; I've been there, and I know plenty of people who've been there too.