“One of the best ways to break our dependency on our sadness is to share/admit our depression to members of the Depressed Anonymous groups. We know how depression flourishes and grows strong in the privacy and solitude of our minds. Depression gradually dies in the light of open sharing and frank discussion. ” ‘We are only as weak as the secrets we keep.’ “ Believing is seeing. Pages 39-40

“An addictive depression has an energy all of its own; it feeds on itself and on our attempt to overcome it, just as any addiction does. We become accustomed to it, addicted to being depressed. And even though it feels awful, we cling to it because it givers us a solid sense of self. For most of us the attachment is a transient one that follows certain blows to our egos; we wind up kicking ourselves out of it before it goes on too long. Others go into therapy and try to find a somewhat better self-image to substitute. But some of us make a lifelong habit of it; it is how we really feel about ourselves, way down deep.”

SOURCE: Addiction and grace: Love and grace in the healing of addictions. Dr. Gerald May. Harper San Francisco.1989.

This is a quote from the 7th Way of Believing is seeing: 15 ways to leave the prison of depression. Hugh Smith. 2017. Pages 40-41.