It is in the nature of human beings to feel sad in different times. Loss, break-up, nostalgia, failure, among other things are the reasons for sadness. But, if it lingers in you for a long time, then, it is no longer considered normal. And worse, it may something that you should be worried of – for it might be a psychological disorder that we can just call “depression.”

Clearly, “depression” is something people wrongly use in several conversations. It’s a psychological state where a person experiences deep sadness or has very low self-esteem. There are times when people have no idea that they are already manifesting signs of depression, thinking that it is normal to feel such way. But, as I said, it is a psychological disorder and needs to be healed, before it gets worse.

But before you get anxious with your psychological condition, you need to know the signs of depression first before jumping into conclusion that you might be clinically depressed….

1. Low self-esteem. One of the strongest factor of having depression is lack of self-worth and low self-esteem. You think that you are a failure and a worthless individual who cannot do anything good.

2. Abnormal eating and sleeping patterns. You got such a good sleep last week but now, you are having trouble to have one. Irregular sleeping habit can imply that you are having some disturbances deep inside you which causes you to lose sleep or have a smooth one. Same thing applies to irregular eating patterns, where it can become an outlet for a strong emotion or the loss of appetite can indicate that something deeply affects it.

3. Lack of concentration. Difficulty in focusing on something can suggest an emotional disturbance.

4. Suicidal tendencies. A very dangerous factor than can cause the life of the depressed. Because of extreme feeling of worthlessness, guilt, or anxiety, the person thinks that the only way to escape pain is death.

There are also biological factor in acquiring depression like an insufficient amount of serotonin, or the “happy hormone,” in the body. On the other hand, once these factors are all present in your situation, then it’s best to treat it right away, with psychotherapy and a professional helping you out.

Words are difficult to express for someone like me. Sometimes, my friends even think that I am numb, without showing any hint of emotion even at the most stressful times. But I guess that’s just me, an introvert person who can’t express what she feels through words, even in facial expressions. On the other hand, I am not that clueless when it comes to expressions. I also show my concern through sympathizing, especially during the times of troubles. I guess this is my way of showing how much I care for my friends.

In showing this, I do three things…. things that I think are successful in making them feel that “I am here.”

1. I picture myself in their situation. I guess I won’t be able to understand them without considering their feelings and their situation. Since I am not that mature enough to fully understand an important issue, the only that I can do to make myself open-minded is to place myself in their shoes.

2. I console them. Such comforting words like “everything will be okay,” or “I am here for you,” can still pamper your bleeding friend despite the excessive usage of these words. Any expressions of encouragement gives them strength and a feeling that they have friends that care for them can uplift them.

3. I support them. I make sure that no matter what, I am there beside them. This is like making my encouraging words come true…. and no matter what happens, I’ll support their decisions and stick with them.

There are things that are not easy to forget…. And not easy to forgive. I, for one have lots of things that I perceive as unforgivable. On the other hand, that doesn’t give me a peace of mind, as I feel that there is something that needs a closure. Well, I do know that no matter how grave the situation is, I need to be humble and learn to forgive, otherwise I won’t be able to move forward without issues and conflicts.

It’s hard of course, finally swallowing my pride and patching up things with the people I hate the most. But, I have to admit that I felt good when I finally solved my issues with my enemies. I finally forget…. I finally forgive.

Believe me, forgiveness seems to be impossible at first, but once you learn how to do it, everything will be smooth. And if you have issues that you want to close but don’t know how, well these are my steps that teach me how to grab the essence of forgiveness.

1. Stop being angry. Anger and even hatred are the things that trigger you to refuse to forgive. As long as this emotion lingers in you, things will never reach its conclusion.

2. Let it go. Once you start learning the essence of letting go, I guess you’ll be ready to forgive. Let go of that madness. Let go of those past mistakes. Let go of those conflicts. With this, you’ll finally get into the final stage….

3. Acceptance. This is the “last stage” that I’m talking about. Letting go and acceptance go hand-in-hand, for one can’t accept a thing without letting go of their past issues. Once you finally accepted that “it” happened, I guess you are ready to take the next step which is to forgive.

So this is it. I know it’s easier said than done, but once you have the willingness to do it, then everything will fall into place. So if you are considering to forgive someone you hate the most, I do hope that your issues will be solved. Good luck on that buddy.

Geez. It feels like a century when I stopped from blogging. It’s just that I have many issues that I coped with so I thought that I better deal with ‘em first before starting to get into my happy blogging world.

Some of my issues are not hard to deal with, especially when it’s a loved-one we are talking about. Well, my best friend and I had this fight. I wasn’t worried about our argument, for I knew that we would be able to fix it. However, it’s the loneliness that really got me. You see, my best friend and I are like sisters. We spend the time together and the both of us feel incomplete when one of us is absent. And since we had a fight, I had to go on a day without her. It really sucked.

However, being an optimist as I am, I know how to deal with while looking at the silver lining. So, I jot down some things in my journal to organized my disarrayed thoughts on how to deal with this loneliness.

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3. Hang-out with my friends. Since my best friend is absent, I went out with my other friends for fun. We dined together, watched a movie, and talked about some things about or lives. It’s these times when you are comforted by them.

2. Keeping a self-journal. Keeping a self-journal is, I guess the best therapy I’ve ever had. Even when there is no one to accompany me, I can still have a communication with myself through the process of writing. Besides, I’ll be able to know more about myself as I write down everything that I feel.

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3. Think of wonderful memories. Despite the absence of my best friend, I can still feel her company while I reminisce our times together. With this, I can lessen my loneliness.

It easier to say those things than do it, for I was affected by our fight. But somehow, I manage to do that list and survive some days without her. But hey, the good thing here is our fight is over and we’re back to ordinary fun-loving women that we are.

Don’t wear a long face especially when the world is celebrating and cheering. Besides, sadness makes you feel old. But if you are still grimacing about something, then I guess I cannot really blame you. I have been there for many times and it’s really hard to fight it especially when it affects you very much. In fact, I have come up with some ideas on how to fight against it. It’s very effective, if you ask it. On the other hand, if you are feeling sad, you can write down these ideas to give you points on how to bring back a grin in your face even though you are sad.

1. Wallow. Cry, mop around, be bitter for some time. Releasing that emotion is really helpful to minimize the weight of your sadness. Rather than keeping it inside yourself, you just release it until you are able to do things that you want.

2. Do something that cheers you up. When you are tired of moping around, then you can begin enjoying your time. Whether it’s  stuffing yourself with sundae, reading a good book, looking at a breath-taking scenery, or watching a movie, enjoy your moment to the fullest. With this, you will be able to breathe freely and smile.

3. Take a walk. Walking is not just a form of exercise. It can really help you ease your pain. In fact, a study has shown that people with depression can deal with their problems more easily from taking a walk for at least 10 minutes.

Remember that it’s only natural to feel sad about something. But if you are going to be blue for a long time, then it’s not going to be healthy anymore. That is why I am sharing my techniques to you, to make you feel better when sadness strikes you.

There is a cold sweat in your face. There are goosebumps on your flesh. Your pulse rate is increasing. Your chest feels like it’s going to explode. You are angry. You are mad. You are enraged. But wait…. You don’t know how to express how furious you are at the world.

Well, if you are clueless as to how to express it, well, don’t worry. I have few suggestions for you….

1. Destroy the things around you. Throw any stuff you see. Whether it’s a toy, a mug, an instrument, a cabinet, a refrigerator, it doesn’t matter. And don’t get bothered at its direction because it’s not really that important. Don’t pay attention to its value. Who cares if it’s worth a thousand bucks? Money doesn’t concern you when you are mad, right? Remember, you are enraged, and the only thing you should care about is for them to feel your anger.

2. Curse everything. Ass@#le. B&*llsh!%. Son of a b^$%*9. Try to find words that can express your madness. Of course you should be certain that it’s a bad word. Because if your are saying things like, “Forgive my rudeness, I am being carried away by my aggravation,” I don’t think people would assume that you are that furious. So, curse all you wat. Oh yeah, you might as well be creative and use other language.

3. Be rebellious. Remember that the rebellious people that we know have issues…. and they are mad. So, worship these people and make them your idols. Follow their footsteps and do what they do until you become a rebellious icon yourself. And just a piece of reminder, don’t lose that angst of yours so you can become a credible rebel, eh?

Exceeding your limits to achieve your goal can be excruciating, especially when it’s failure you meet in the end, and not that success you are dreaming about. And later, it can hit you with pain and frustration. Because it seems like the end of everything, hopes can be difficult to find and there can be more struggles in gong back to the road you once take.

Frustrations can be too tough to handle, so here are some tips on how to beat them before it hits you and puts you in low self-esteem.

“Let frustration be your motivation.” This is a statement that encourages optimism among those who are frustrated. Instead of getting down from failure, put your head up and use it as an inspiration to get better.

Reflect on what happened. “What went wrong?” Ask yourself this question and it will help you reflect on your strengths and weaknesses. And since you’re using that frustration as your motivation, you will be working on your weakness until it becomes your strength.

Failure is a part of the process. Accept the fact that it’s not always that you get the best things in life. Remember the famous phrase, “Life is like a wheel,” where there will be times when you are not on top. So, if things don’t go according to your expectations, accept it whole-heartedly because it’s part of your betterment.

Huge drops of sweat fall your face. Your mouth is dry, and you are not feeling well because of your headache. Much to your dismay, your muscles tense, your back pain gets worse, and you can no longer sleep because you are afraid something might happen. When you are in this condition, you are without a doubt, experiencing anxiety. Though these physical manifestations don’t necessarily reflect anxiety, there are high possibilities that you are anxious when you are experiencing such for several times. And when this happens, it’s time to make an action before it develops to something worse. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and Panic Attacks are two of the possible things that may happen if you don’t take action.

If self-help can no longer treat your anxiety, psychotherapy can be the best solution. Since professionals know how to deal with such problems, they can offer help through various methods. And sometimes, group therapy is establish as a treatment. Medication can also be given to help you cope with anxiety.