ABSTRACT
Sometimes, when in an anxiety or a depression, we can get into short-term habits or coping patterns that can become quite addictive. These can include work-a-holism, alcohol abuse, emotionally cutting off, over-eating, over-using stimulants, getting irrationally angry, etc. None of these will help you to cope better in the long run. It is not that any of these are intrinsically “wrong”, for they may feel as if they help you a little—in the moment. However, they are also often a product of your depres-sion—and they need to be taken seriously. They can actually make your situation worse in the long term. If you were able to feel better about yourself, then you would not be resorting to these addictive coping mechanisms. So, parts of the process of you working on your depression and out of your depressed state will therefore include you working off, or away from, these habits.
