Nature illustrations by Storyset

What are your bad habits? Would you like to change them? Do you think your life would be better without them? Well, think again; you are fine just the way you are.

Did that make you feel better? If it didn't, then what are you doing about the questions?

How much of your suffering is self-induced? How much of that can you bear? Sounds a bit harsh, doesn’t it? Self-induced suffering. But if you are lying on the couch all day or you can’t get out of bed, it is possible that it might be a significant part.

Statistics show a rise in depression rates and evidence of what depression can cause to the population (self-termination).

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Problems and Solutions

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Nature illustrations by Storyset

It is usually a very complex problem for people, in general, to handle. What is the difference between taking responsibility and taking blame? One is the truth and the other is a lie. One is empowering, and the other is disempowering.

There is enough evidence that taking responsibility can help with taking agency for one's life and help gain a sense of control over one's life, but it is a tightrope act when you are dealing with someone who has a tendency to blame themselves.

Those who suffer from depression have what is called a “negative self-attribution bias.” This makes it more likely that they will blame themselves for everything that goes wrong around them.

It is essentially not being able to see yourself beyond a problem that arises.

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The Horizon

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Nature illustrations by Storyset

If you look through a window, you will see that there is a big world around you, but if you look at the window, you might think the world is inside your house.

Sometimes it is so hard to get out of your headspace and see with your eyes and not see what is at the back of your eyes. This is usually the case with those who are depressed.

If you feel this way, then it means that when things go wrong around you, it was your fault. If it was your fault, it is also obvious to everybody, so you feel anxious around everyone because they know it was your fault. Every bad thing in the past that has ever happened was your fault, and in the future, you are going to keep spoiling things for yourself and others.

The first step is to see past the window... the problem is that these thoughts can be so blinding.

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New experiences

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Nature illustrations by Storyset

The first time you start learning to drive a car, you might make mistakes. You take your foot off the brakes when you really didn't want the car to move. You hit the gas too hard, you steer the car wrongly... but that's okay, after all, you are learning.

Taking responsibility for the place you are in is the same way. You cannot blame the world for all your problems, and at the same time, you cannot blame all the problems of the world on yourself.

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You are fine just the way you are

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Nature illustrations by Storyset

Maybe you are not fine the way you are, and you know you can improve. Maybe you can be a better version of yourself, and it starts with ending the self-blame or taking some responsibility for the place you are and what you are doing.

Maybe you live in a state of disorderliness, a mess, all around you... that you can fix. That could be the first step to setting your life in order.

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It looks too small

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Nature illustrations by Storyset

If you suffer from depression, then sometimes you feel like there is no use for you in the world. This is the same mindset that brings about thoughts of suicide, by the way, the "there is no use for me in the world" thoughts.

But what if I told you getting those thoughts out of the way starts with the things around you?

What are you doing? Right now, I am typing. I am doing so at close to 30 words per minute and erasing along the way. By the time I post this, I will have written over 1000 words. During this time, my mind sees what I am doing. It sees what I am doing, and quite often it tells me a story of the person I am trying to become and what it would take to become that person.

If I spend a lot of my time writing, I will start to see myself as someone who is able to write, a WRITER. In the same manner, if I avoid writing, I will begin to see myself as someone who avoids writing, a NON-WRITER.

Likewise, if you don’t take responsibility for aspects of the world that are within your control, you will begin to see yourself as irresponsible.

The problem is that people want to start with the big things around them, when for months all they’ve done is lay on the bed because these feelings of inadequacy have gripped them for the most part.

So, my advice is that you start small. If you have been laying in bed all day every day for weeks, can you sit up? If that’s not a problem for you, can you walk around your room? If that’s not a problem for you, can you put the room in order? Your mind will start to see you as the one who sits up, who can walk around, and who can put the room in order, if you do it frequently.

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So, what are you waiting for? What’s that little thing that is waiting for you to fix that you know you could fix? You could start today to handle it.

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Conclusion

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Inkscape.org

In conclusion, taking responsibility for our lives is crucial for our well-being and happiness. It can be a difficult task to differentiate between taking responsibility and taking blame, but it's necessary for growth and progress. Those who suffer from depression may find it challenging to see beyond their problems and may have a negative self-attribution bias that makes them blame themselves for everything that goes wrong around them.

However, by starting small and taking control of the things we can change, we can slowly shift our mindset and gain a sense of agency over our lives. Whether it's putting our room in order or learning a new skill, every small step we take towards improvement can help us see ourselves in a more positive light.

So, what are you waiting for? It's time to start taking responsibility for our lives and live the best version of ourselves.

Inkscape.org

For more help check here.

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References

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• Iresearchnet
• Psych Central