You've battled depression and won. You know your symptoms are likely to return. A life with depression requires the same focus on a healthy, balanced life as any other medical illness does. To function as it was intended, you have to give your brain everything it needs. Here are two “don't” and five “do” reminders for how to maximize your brain-health to stay on top of your depression.

You've likely heard that you can “act as if....” to overcome some negative belief or feeling. Act as if you are not shy at the party, or afraid at your first skiing lessons, and you'll be pleasantly surprised. You will have fooled yourself into not being socially awkward or terrified and gained the confidence you need to step up your game.

Acting depressed can reinforce your belief that you have no control over depression. Acting depressed can add to your guilt, make you feel even more worthless. It can make it impossible to notice any natural improvement in your mood.

Acting "as if" will not cure your depression, but it will allow you to notice the occasional feelings of almost-good. It can prevent you from adding to the bad feelings.

Your therapist has told you that you have a "mood disorder" called bipolar. It sounds so serious and frankly, you don't think you have a problem at all, except that you don't like feeling depressed. Other people have a problem with how much fun you have.