Depression Reframes and Metaphors
Reframing to see your depression as understandable and solvable and be comfortable being patient and taking small steps.
How to reframe Depression?
The planet image illustrates what is meant by depression reframing. For, depending on where you are, you see things differently. And this applies to everything, not only to planet earth. And no viewing place is intrinsically better than any other. It is just different – and either helpful or unhelpful.
So how can you reframes your depression? To see it differently and no longer the all consuming and terrifying monster that it appears to be now?
Finding Depression Reframes
One: Understand better
What you understand and can make sense of will lose at least some of its capacity to terrify you. That is why the Human Givens REM sleep explanation is so helpful (besides being correct) – it makes ordinary what was previously unknown and from it, hope can be built. Read this Twisted Ankle Fairy Story.
Two: Why patience will help
There is no need to feel the terror of the out of control mind. You can begin to realise that there are ways to bring the tiger under control and then as your mind begins to clear, that big reframes will naturally emerge. These will be around aspects of your life, that previously (in the depth of depression) felt intractable and insoluble.
Three: Undertake a Needs Audit
As you see your life from this more neutral and detached place, you can begin to see possible solutions or at least small steps that can be taken by you right now.
Five Depression Reframing Metaphors
These metaphors/stories resonate with many clients who are locked in depression.
- Be like that willow tree that happily bends in the wind but knows he will not break because you can sense the depth of your roots.
- Stop digging – you are in deep enough already.
- If you peel an onion it will bring tears to your eyes but that does not necessarily mean that there is anything to cry about.
- What if your depression was like a twisted ankle? You would rest it, yes. And so it is with your mind right now
- If you just stop and wait for a moment, you might see the clouds will lift and then, who knows, you will see that door which you had forgotten was there and if you look carefully, you will notice that there is a key in the door.
Depression Stories
Donkey
Onion tears
Imprisoned
The Contract
Buddhas Three Tasks
Gifts
How can I help you?
