Triumph Over Depression: John Wick and a Mental Health Warrior’s Plan
- Bruce Schutter
- Apr 20
- 5 min read
It all started on one of those gloomy mornings when depression showed up uninvited. I woke up with that heavy, familiar feeling pressing down on me, trying to convince me that the day was already lost before it had even really begun.
There are days when I need a fellow Warrior to give me a nudge. And who better to call for backup than John Wick himself? So I sent him a text: “Hey John, depression’s knocking — and it’s looking for trouble.”
Within minutes, he was at my doorstep — not as the relentless hitman we all know, but as a calm, collected Mental Health Warrior ready to help a friend. He stepped inside, quiet as ever, carrying that steady presence that says, we’re not letting this thing run the show today.
Over diet sodas, I laid it all out: how depression was stirring up old financial worries, poking at past mistakes and nudging me toward that all-too-familiar spiral where everything feels heavier than it is.
I admitted, “Look, I know I’ve taught these lessons a hundred times, but today I just need a reminder from someone who gets it.”
John gave a slow nod, like a man who had stared down plenty of darkness himself. And that is when our conversation turned into something bigger than a pep talk — it became a Mental Health Warrior plan for how to push back when depression tries to take control.
The Warrior Solution
Now John is a fellow Warrior and knows my story — how for 20 years I struggled with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. Those battles left me feeling so powerless that I tried to end my life. But in that dark time, I discovered something life-changing: mental health is the key to overcoming any challenge.
From that journey, I created the Mental Health Warrior Program — a bold new SELF-HELP approach that puts YOU in charge.
So you can take charge of your emotions, triumph over challenges and build the life you really want.
I also shared with John the blueprint for becoming a Warrior through my story and my book, I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism and Anxiety Disorders by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior.
Today was a perfect example of the student helping the teacher, because John looked at me and said, “Let’s walk through three lessons together. They’ll help you move forward from depression and take back control.”
Lesson 1: Depression Lies
John leaned back and reminded me of something I have said countless times but needed to hear that day: depression has one goal — to make us feel powerless, as if nothing will ever change.
“There were days,” he said, “when I would wake up already feeling heavy. Depression would start whispering right away — telling me the day was already ruined, that nothing I did would matter and that I might as well shut down.”
He paused. “That is what depression does. It tries to trap us in a loop of negative thoughts, convincing us that we’re stuck. But you, Bruce, you’re a Mental Health Warrior. You’ve got tools. You’ve got solutions.”
And just like that, I remembered the truth: I am NOT powerless — depression lies.
Our Turn:
I thought about the financial worries depression had been magnifying in my mind. Sure, I had faced setbacks — who has not? But those challenges did not define me.
I turned to John as the fog began to lift. “You’re right,” I said. “Today, I’m not letting this take over. It’s just a thought — not my reality.”
Today, I still have the power to respond. I still have the power to use my tools. I still have the power to take charge of my day.
Because that is the real power of being a Mental Health Warrior. We have the mindset to see through the lies depression tells us — and that is the first powerful step.
Lesson 2: Take Action (Yes, Even a Sandwich Counts)
This is where John shined a light on the next step.
“Look,” he said, “when things feel out of control, the best thing you can do is get up and take a simple action. Action breaks the spell.
Remember when you told me to just make a sandwich? I thought it sounded ridiculous at first, but it worked.”
John explained that in his darkest moments, depression tried to pin him in place. It made everything feel too heavy, too pointless or too far gone to bother. But making a sandwich gave him something simple to do and that simple action reminded him that he was still in charge — and still in the fight.
Our Turn:
So we made sandwiches.
Nothing fancy — just low carb bread, turkey, cheese and a slice of onion for a touch of class. But with each step — slicing, layering and assembling — I felt more grounded, like I was literally building my day back together one slice at a time.
As we munched, I could not help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Here I was, sitting with John Wick, eating a sandwich to battle depression. But it was working. My mind felt clearer, my thoughts felt more focused and that looming financial worry did not seem quite as large.
Taking action, however small, had pulled me back into the present.
“Plus, it’s delicious,” I said between bites. “Thanks for reminding me that simple Warrior actions are an effective weapon against depression.”
Lesson 3: From Stuck to Strategy
John leaned back and shared how this lesson had worked in his own life.
“There were times,” he said, “when grief, anger and pain all hit at once. And when that happened, the problem in front of me could start to feel bigger than it really was. Depression likes that. It wants the problem to feel so heavy that you do nothing.”
He paused, then added, “But when you give the problem a strategy, it becomes something you can actually fight.”
John looked at me with that steady Warrior calm. “Depression wants you stuck. Strategy gets you moving and gives you actions you can take today — so you can triumph over depression.”
Our Turn:
That hit home for me immediately, because depression had been using financial stress as its weapon that morning.
Instead of letting it stay as one giant cloud over my head, I sat down and broke it into smaller steps.
First, I could face the challenge by taking time to review my finances and get a clearer picture of my situation. Second, I could set up a small savings plan to build more security.
Third, I could review my monthly spending and identify a few areas where I could cut back.
The moment I wrote those steps down, I felt relief. The problem was still real, but it no longer felt like an abstract weight pressing down on me. It had become something specific, manageable and answerable.
That is the Warrior power of moving from stuck to strategy — it gives us manageable steps we can take and helps put depression back in its box.
Wrap Up
With our sandwiches finished and our spirits lifted, John glanced at his watch.
“I should get back to it,” he said, standing up. “There’s always another rescue, another mission.”
But before he left, he paused and gave me one last look. “You’ve got this, Bruce. Depression might knock, but you do not have to let it in.”
I smiled, grateful for the support. “Thanks, John. I think I need to sit down and read my own book, I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior, to remind myself of all the Warrior solutions I have available each day.”
So the next time depression tries to creep into your day, remember John Wick’s advice and tap into your Mental Health Warrior power.
See through the lies. Take action. Build a strategy. And rise above the challenge.
You’ve got this, Warrior!
Bruce Schutter ⚔️
Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!
