Have you ever stepped on a field rigged with land mines? Well, thank heavens you haven’t. To be alive, you will need more than good luck to tell the tale. Being in such a situation will leave you sweaty, nervous, and terrified, with your heart in your mouth. Every step you take decides your fate. Either you get another chance at being alive, or you explode. An unpleasant picture, right?
Now, imagine going through that field of land mines every day. Metaphorically speaking, today’s world is a field of land mines full of depression triggers. There’s so much negativity, disappointment, pressure, and stress that it wears out the soul. You can be happy in one moment, and in the next, you can be in a terrible despairing state.
Apostle L’Tanya C. Perry, MDiv. wrote about this state of affairs in her book, “HEALING YOUR DEPRESSION.” She said, “are so many things that make us lose our minds; there is no day that we will not avoid one challenge or the other. Things get even worse when there’s no one around to share our problems with, or the people around don’t care about us. are so many things that make us lose our minds; there is no day that we will not avoid one challenge or the other. Things get even worse when there’s no one around to share our problems with, or the people around don’t care about usenough to make you lose interest in yourself. Quite honestly, this is thereal world and its complexities. The feeling that you’re alone, incompetent, or unworthy is a slow poison for the mind.”
How do you survive in such a world? By doing the same thing you’d do to survive a minefield. First, just as you’d learn about the markers used to identify mines, learn about the various depression triggers that; you encounter daily. Proverbs 22:3 (NLT) says, “A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences.”
Secondly, people who don’t want to get blown up don’t touch or step on mines. So avoid those things that cause depression. For instance, social media sometimes is a powerful depression trigger. Here’s the solution: make a habit of taking some time off social media to protect your mental health. Thirdly, if you mishandle any of the first two survival tips and get injured by an exploding mine, you must stop all movements. It’s the same with depression triggers. When you notice that depression has begun to set in, you need to tend to that injury. Be attentive to what caused it: stress, negative thoughts, heartbreak, toxic people, etc. Looking after your injuries means retreating to heal and isolating yourself from further harm. Take responsibility today, and your joy will be complete.
Do you want to learn more about how to overcome depression and live a life full of laughter and fulfillment? Then get this life-transforming book, HEALING YOUR DEPRESSION by Apostle L’Tanya C. Perry, MDiv.