In the story, the three friends talked about how to free someone from the “glass box” of depression. They may have come up with things like call a friend, go for a walk, watch a movie, or eat something that tastes good. Any and all of those answers might help someone with depression.

I will give you five paths that can lead you out of depression, anxiety, and fear. None of these paths is what you might call a short cut. You will have to travel them over and over until you have worn a deep enough impression in your life (or your neurological pathways) to actually make a difference. They are all about gaining control of your “core”—your true self. I call them Give Yourself Permission, Sing, Dance, Smell Wonderful Things,  and Act Silly with Your Friends!

Here is the first one.

1. Give Yourself Permission – The power of permissions. We often get stuck in a negative or low emotion because we have not given ourselves permission to get unstuck. Tell yourself, “Good news! I am now giving myself permission to escape from this negative emotion. Get going!” The simple act of verbalizing this new thought out loud can crack the glass box of depression. All you need to do now is push on the weakened glass to see it break.

Now let us look at four proven ways to “push” through depression.

2. Sing – The power of music. Sing a favorite song! Make music! Whistle or hum! Music is a great mood lifter. Music is stored in parts of the brain that our
ordinary memories are not given access to. People with Alzheimer’s or dementia often become present (alert) when listening to their favorite music
because they stop living in the diseased parts of their brain, and because hearing their favorite music awakens parts of their brains untouched by dementia. (If possible, see the YouTube video Alive Inside to see this phenomenon in action.) Soooo, let us sing a favorite song. [Have a popular song ready to play on your phone or a speaker. It is probably a good idea to have the words printed so everyone feels freer to sing along. Lead out the song with a loud, expressive voice (and it never hurts to smile).]

Hey! I think it is working! I feel better already! How about you?

3. Dance – The power of movement. Exercise is another great mood-lifter. You may have heard of a “runner’s high.” After exercising, running, or
participating in some physical activity it is common to experience a relaxing, all-is-well feeling. This is often referred to as a “runner’s high.” The experience is often attributed to a burst of endorphins that is released during exercise. But in reality, exercise increases levels of mood-improving
neuromodulators (endocannabinoids) in the bloodstream. Unlike endorphins which block pain, these mood-improving neuromodulators can move easily through the cellular barrier separating the bloodstream from the brain, where they promote short-term psychoactive effects such as reduced anxiety and feelings of calm. [For further information, please see: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-truth-
behind-runners-high-and-other-mental-benefits-of-running.]

Let us try it out! [If possible, play the video “Cartoon Dance” available through your ISP link and follow along. If this is not possible, put on a lively tune and do some simple funny movements. There are literally hundreds of “Cartoon Dance” videos, some are appropriate, others not so much. Choose wisely. It is also possible to assign this to several students ahead of time and have them work out the music and dance steps.]

I think I am starting to feel all those mood-improving neuromodulators kick in! How about you?”

The next path may sound funny, but good smells can be mood-lifters, too.

4. Smell Wonderful Things – The power of smells. The things we smell (consciously or subconsciously) trigger memories, change our emotions, alter
our moods, and can even wake us up. Let us try a little experiment!

I will need a couple of volunteers. [Choose two volunteers to come to the front of the class to participate.]

First, I want you to close your eyes. I am going to let you smell three different things, and with your eyes closed, I want you to notice how each smell affects you. Do not worry, none of the smells will be anything gross or unpleasant. [Let both volunteers smell three of the smells—for example, perfume, food, and deodorant or whatever you brought for today’s class.]

Keep your eyes closed and tell us how this smell is affecting you. [The answers may range from something as simple as, “I like it!” to “It reminds me of my mom.” If neither student mentions an emotion such as, “It makes me feel happy” or “safe” or “calm,” ask them how it makes them feel. Repeat the experiment with other smells like a slice of peach or apple, or something cooked like bacon or potatoes. You may want to involve the rest of the class by passing around some of the different smells at this point.]

In the western world, when people want to sell their homes, they sometimes bake fresh bread before showing their homes to potential buyers, because the smell of fresh bread awakens pleasant memories of home in the potential buyer. Did you know there is a whole field of study called ‘aromatherapy’ based on how smells can alter our moods? So when confronted with depression, light a scented candle!

[Note: If you Google aromatherapy, you will discover it is not considered a true science because of the subjective nature of its outcomes. In other words, not all smells evoke the same emotional response in people—but smells certainly do alter our emotions!]

5. Act Silly with Your Friends – The power of acting silly with your friends. Depression has a strict set of rules that keep us stuck in sadness, worry, and fatigue. You have to break those “rules” to get free. One of the best ways of doing that is to do something silly (and fun) with friends. In a sense, that is what we have been doing. But here I am thinking of fun stuff like building a fort out of blankets and things we can find right here in our classroom. Or like
doing an archeological dig right outside of our classroom—we look for a likely spot and then lay a grid and catalog what we find. When we work as a team, we awaken our relational circuits and say “no” to depression.