I recently watched the movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and thought about how it can aid people in improving mental health.  If you’ve ever struggled with depression, you will find some gems in my review of this movie in this blog post.

Dealing With Depression is Tough Stuff

If you suffer from this serious mental illness, you probably know it’s much more than a case of the blues.  In 2017, at least 17.3 million people suffered from depression according to NIMH (National Institute on Mental Health).  I think this number is actually higher because the degree of self-reporting is probably lower due to lack of awareness of symptoms and inability to diagnose it.  It is life-threatening because of how it can lead to suicide or is linked to other chronic conditions that can shorten a person’s lifespan. That’s all of the statistics, but here’s what I got from the movie:

What Mister Rogers Taught Me About Dealing with Depression:

 1. There’s at least one way to cope with anger that helps:  I watched the show as a kid, but was probably not paying attention or watching the days he talked about how you can do something with your anger besides hit back or hit yourself.  Depression has been called anger turned inwards by many people. In the movie, this was probably meant for the main character (who wasn’t Mister Rogers, actually) who had a lot of anger at his father, but didn’t know how to deal with it besides actually hitting his father.  Banging on a piano was one of the favorite ways Mister Rogers demonstrated in the movie.  

2. Get regular exercise.  One of Mister Rogers main positive coping habits was swimming laps in a pool.  By the way, this could help with #1 above, since it’s a form of physical exertion and you can shout or yell underwater without bothering anybody.  

3. Relationships matter.  We all need others to get by, and Mister Rogers developed a friendship with the writer who was tasked with interviewing him.  Not only that, he took an interest in and befriended his whole family at a time when they were in crisis. Even if we think we don’t have a reason to go on, taking an interest in others and expressing love and care for them can help us overcome our focus on ourselves.  That can become a reason for carrying on even when we don’t think we have a reason to live.  

4. Developing feelings of positive self-worth is important.  One of the major themes of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood was that each of us has inherent worth:  that we are lovable just as we are. This was what many of his detractors took issue with him about, but they probably had no inherent feelings of self-worth themselves.  To overcome depression I have to believe in my own self-worth at some level, otherwise I won’t take the action of getting help myself.  

5. Identify what you are grateful for and express gratitude to others. A depressed mind will tend to focus on what is wrong, but being able to identify what you have to be grateful for is a great way to counter this tendency. Even if you don’t feel especially grateful, it’s important to call attention to what you have to be grateful for in dealing with depression. Mr. Rogers was continually thanking people in the movie for kindnesses show to him, and this helped everyone to feel better in each situation they were in with him.

What I Can Do in Helping Deal with Depression

I emphasize each of these 4 things with my clients over and over again in helping deal with depression.  They can become the pillars of anyone’s recovery plan in varying combinations, but along with good nutrition and possibly antidepressant therapy they help most everyone to get well as much or more than anything out there.  I’ve helped well over 100 people in my social work career to get themselves out of depression and can attest to how much hope there is for anyone who wants to get better and is willing to do the work of recovery. If you’re not sure if you can be helped, I invite you to contact me for a free 15-minute phone consult to find out for yourself if therapy with me would help you.  I can be reached by phone at 512-648-3053, or by filling out the form below. You are not alone, as much as you may want to believe it, but isolation may be one of the symptoms you’re struggling with. Dealing with depression isn’t easy, but it can be the most worthwhile thing you’ve ever done if you are willing to get the help and support you need. 

About the author:  Scott Kampschaefer, LCSW is a private practice therapist in Frederick, MD.  He has an extensive background in working with depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder at a clinic for older adults with these disorders in Austin.  He now works with adults and adolescents 14 and up in private practice. His new e-book is entitled Life’s Lessons from the Young and the Old and is available for purchase on Amazon.

Visit our page on depression therapy to find out how Scott can help you in dealing with depression.