感悟人生-Unit 14 You Can Beat Depression 战胜抑郁你能

You Can Beat Depression by William Thomas Buckley

Depression has always been considered a disease of life's middle or later years, but doctors are now reporting a surprising surge in cases among younger people. Why is depression striking earlier and more often? No one knows the precise cause, but experts point to the tremendous social changes over the past 20 years. Experts warn that clinical depression which can be very serious requires the attention of ? or the psychologist trained to treat the disorder¹. But you also may be able to help yourself. Here from leading authorities are six approaches:

1. Do Something Constructive². Depression feeds on inertia³, and action is its natural enemy. The less you do, the less you want to do. To fight inertia, write down a daily plan of action from wake-up to lights-out. List everything including showers and meals, because if you are really down, even little tasks can seem large. Break complicated activities into small discrete⁴ steps; they’ll seem more manageable. If just making your plan seems an impossible project, take heart from Doctor ??（人名）’s observation that action often must come before motivation; this means you shouldn't wait until you feel like it to start moving; because as long as you are depressed⁵, you may never feel like it; instead you might have to prime the pump by taking a small step to get started, even if you are not in the mood.

2. Lend a Hand. Altruism⁶ is rapidly gaining acceptance among doctors as a good way to help yourself to better health. Volunteer work, community service, or such neighborly gestures as shopping for an elderly ? can have a therapeutic⁷ effect. Moreover, because isolation⁸ from people is an important cause of depression, human contact in and of itself heals.

3. Schedule Joy. Many depressed people give up their pasttimes they enjoy most which only makes matters worse. To turn life around, include upbeat activities in each day’s agenda. Focus on social interactions especially get together with friends that make you feel competent, such as mastering a new skill and pleasurable events including dinner out or a movie; also try smiling. Extensive research shows that our behavior shapes our emotions. If you are feeling sad, don’t drag your feet, walk briskly; don’t slouch, sit upright; and don’t frown, smile. The attempt alone may put you in a good mood. The actions that go into being happy, the expressions, the postures⁹, and the movements can make you feel happy.

4. Exercise Regularly. Scientists think that aerobic¹⁰ exercise, activities like walking, jogging, swimming, and bicycling may boost your self-confidence, improve your sense of well-being¹¹, and heighten your energy. And by helping¹² you relax, it can reduce the tension and axiety that contribute to depression.

5. Brighten Your Day. Research has shown that exposure to light from the sun or artificial devices can help relieve such seasonal¹³ depression which affects a relatively¹⁴ small number of people. You can introduce more light into your home yourself by creating a brighter indoor environment, and by choosing a daytime activity such as walkng or jogging you can get natural light.

6. Read all about it. According to a recent study, giving depressed people certain books on depression control to read helped treating mild to moderate forms of the illness. Before embarking¹⁵ on self-therapy for what you suspect is mild depression, get a physical exam to make sure your health is good, then set a two-week target. If don’t feel better by then or if you feel worse or have suicidal thoughts at any time, talk to your doctor and he’d be an encouragement of Dr. ??（人名）. The decision to help yourself is the key to feeling better.

1 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

2 constructive   

adj.建设的，建设性的

参考例句：

• We welcome constructive criticism.我们乐意接受有建设性的批评。
• He is beginning to deal with his anger in a constructive way.他开始用建设性的方法处理自己的怒气。

3 inertia   

adj.惰性，惯性，懒惰，迟钝

参考例句：

• We had a feeling of inertia in the afternoon.下午我们感觉很懒。
• Inertia carried the plane onto the ground.飞机靠惯性着陆。

4 discrete   

adj.个别的，分离的，不连续的

参考例句：

• The picture consists of a lot of discrete spots of colour.这幅画由许多不相连的色点组成。
• Most staple fibers are discrete,individual entities.大多数短纤维是不联系的单独实体。

5 depressed   

adj.沮丧的，抑郁的，不景气的，萧条的

参考例句：

• When he was depressed,he felt utterly divorced from reality.他心情沮丧时就感到完全脱离了现实。
• His mother was depressed by the sad news.这个坏消息使他的母亲意志消沉。

6 altruism   

n.利他主义，不自私

参考例句：

• An important feature of moral behaviour is altruism.道德行为一个重要特点就是利他主义。
• Altruism is crucial for social cohesion.利他主义对社会的凝聚是至关重要的。

7 therapeutic   

adj.治疗的，起治疗作用的；对身心健康有益的

参考例句：

• Therapeutic measures were selected to fit the patient.选择治疗措施以适应病人的需要。
• When I was sad,music had a therapeutic effect.我悲伤的时候，音乐有治疗效力。

8 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

9 postures   

姿势( posture的名词复数 )； 看法； 态度； 立场

参考例句：

• Modern consciousness has this great need to explode its own postures. 现代意识很有这种摧毁本身姿态的需要。
• They instinctively gathered themselves into more tidy postures. 她们本能地恢复了端庄的姿态。

10 aerobic   

adj.需氧的，增氧健身法的，有氧的

参考例句：

• Aerobic exercise helps to build up stamina.有氧健身操有助于增强耐力。
• Aerobic dance is conductive to the health.有氧舞蹈有助于健康。

11 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

12 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

13 seasonal   

adj.季节的，季节性的

参考例句：

• The town relies on the seasonal tourist industry for jobs.这个城镇依靠季节性旅游业提供就业机会。
• The hors d'oeuvre is seasonal vegetables.餐前小吃是应时蔬菜。

14 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

15 embarking   

乘船( embark的现在分词 )； 装载； 从事

参考例句：

• He's embarking on a new career as a writer. 他即将开始新的职业生涯——当一名作家。
• The campaign on which were embarking was backed up by such intricate and detailed maintenance arrangemets. 我们实施的战争，须要如此复杂及详细的维护准备。