Question

Depressed people look not to the future but to the past to relieve their depression. They feel that rehashing and rehearsing the causes of their symptoms will somehow help to solve their problems. This quickly deteriorates into a vicious downward spiral that exacerbates the severity and::increases or decreases? length of depression.

Accepted Answer

An obsessive focus on the past makes people less able to think about the future. Maintaining past-negative attitudes by thinking and talking about them repeatedly is not a good strategy. Put the past to rest and build on it the vision of a better future.

Women on Dr. Phil's show: had never consciously chosen to be fat, but then had chosen what they ate from a purely present-oriented perspective, without regard for consequences.

Past People Depression Future Chosen Depressed Relieve Feel