It is also invaluable advice for anyone who is fighting depression. Only those who know the early signs of clinical depression will be in a position to seek treatment before it takes complete control of their lives.

This may sound like wishful thinking to anyone who is fighting depression, simply because one of the most debilitating aspects of depression is that it robs its victims of the will to act. But depression is a vicious cycle. Those who fail to take action will only become less and less to do so as time passes.

Small Efforts Add Up

Fighting depression, once it has been diagnosed, can be as simple as forcing yourself to get out of bed in the mooring and get dressed, even if you don't have the will to leave the house. Fighting depression can be done in small increments; getting dressed today can lead to going out into the yard tomorrow, next week.

You may be one of the many people who suffer from recurring bouts of depression, and if so you probably are aware of its onset. If you think you may be about to experience another episode, begin fighting the depression before it gets a firm grip on your life by getting to your doctor as soon as possible.

If, on the other hand, you have never been diagnosed with clinical depression, you may at first think you are just feeling a case of the blues, or possibly experiencing lethargy because you are coming down with an illness. If you can't shake your feelings of sadness and indifference to what is going on around you, however, try reading about depression and see if the descriptions fit what you are feeling.

Rediscovering Your Joy

A classic symptom of clinical depression is that it will rob its sufferers of any feelings of joy and excitement about their lives. So try fighting depression by returning to the activities which you enjoyed before your current bout began; get some of your favorite exercise; have lunch with a friend; or keep busy with a hobby. Fighting depression means making an effort not to focus on the negative thoughts that keep intruding in your mind.

With each moment of positive emotions you feel, no matter how fleeting, you have won a small victory by fighting your depression instead of surrendering to it!

Distractions are a useful tool and if a small happiness can be nurtured from one of these acts then you will have taken a big step towards taking control. Do what you enjoy, do what you think you will enjoy, do what you have enjoyed in the past; but above all, do! Moving about, doing things, seeing people, interacting with people are all things which help to combat depression. If you can, exercise; it is an activity which will help you mentally as well as physically and the effort distracts you from too much thought. It may be a struggle but that is what is necessary. Whatever your circumstances, pushing yourself to do things, one step at a time, is the best way towards fighting depression.