Indecisiveness is one of the common symptoms of depression. The depressed brain is a confused brain. A person suffering from depression is beset with a biochemical storm in the brain’s emotional centre. They may find that they cannot make a decision, or as soon as they make a decision, they would worry about its consequence.
Making decisions can be stressful if you are undergoing a bad episode of depression. The inability to decide is one of the most exasperating symptoms of depression. Therefore it is very important to try and find your way through these situations.
1. Coin Therapy
Cash or Credit?
Having here or Parcel?
Coffee or Tea?
These are some simple questions that most people find easy to decide on. But to a person suffering from depression, answering any of these queries can be tormenting. They feel as though their entire life depends on this decision.
To counter these thoughts, remind yourself that most decisions aren’t that important. All decisions you make are not going to be life changing. So don’t break your head over such minor decisions. Leave it to chance and just flip a coin.
Sometimes, when the coin has been tossed into the air, you would probably hear the inner voice in your head wish for something. If this happens, then listen to your inner voice and not the coin.
2. Go With The Gut feeling
Doing something feels wrong and so does doing nothing. When you’re depressed, it feels like every decision is the wrong decision and every move is the wrong move.
Therefore, it might sometimes be really helpful to go with your first instinct. Our first thought is often our best thought. The subconscious mind is more alert and smart than we think it is. So, don’t be afraid to go with your gut feeling. Also, do not ponder over the topic once it’s decided. Instead accept the decision that you have made and move on.
3. ‘If they were me, what would they do?’
People tend to make good decisions when they have the ability to evaluate alternatives and make judgements that are free of prejudice. Intense emotions and faulty predictions tend to have a negative impact on the decision making process.
It becomes a tedious task to make decisions when your rational judgement is clouded. Evaluating the problem as an outsider might probably be a very helpful approach that you can practice. So, next time you have a problem, just think of how an unbiased mature individual could handle the same situation. This should give you a clear road map for you to act upon.
4. Set up a structure
A plan or a structure will be a big relief as it brings in more clarity of thought. If possible, eliminate unnecessary decisions. Break the problem into smaller chunks so that it becomes easier to handle them individually.
Having structure also helps you get out of bed, enjoy your meal, participate in fun activities, and gives you something to look forward to. It also takes away the worry of figuring out what to do with your day.
Not having structure fuels depression. You have more time to think about what’s wrong with your life instead of getting out there and living it.
5. Ask for help
Sometimes, you may not trust yourself to make decisions when you have depression.
You may think twice before making a decision or believe that you’re making the wrong choice. To sort this, have someone help you make decisions. They could be your parents, your friends whose decisions you have faith in or a professional counselor who can understand you the best.
Making major decisions despite the inability to assess situations and facts accurately could prove harmful in the long run. Therefore, it is advisable to not make any major decisions when you’re depressed!
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