Winnie the Pooh and Eeyore Became My Teachers: 3 Mental Health Warrior Steps to Beat Depression

Yesterday, I found myself in a familiar place — that gray cloud of depression hovering above, trying to pull me under. And despite being the guy who created the Mental Health Warrior Program, with all the tools I’ve built and used for years, there are still days when the weight of my own mind catches me off guard.

Yesterday was one of those days.

As much as I’d love to swing my Mental Health Warrior sword and make depression vanish on command, I know it’s not that simple. But that doesn’t mean I’m powerless.

So, I did what any Warrior would do when things get dark — I called in reinforcements. From the Hundred Acre Wood.

Yes, I reached out to an old friend: Winnie the Pooh. That honey-loving optimist has become an unexpected mentor on my mental health journey. And, true to form, he didn’t show up alone.

He brought Eeyore — the resident expert on emotional fog and the art of quietly enduring the storm.

They made themselves comfortable in my living room, and something unexpected happened. The roles reversed. There I was — the teacher of mental health tools — being counseled by two residents of the Hundred Acre Wood.

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The Warrior Solution

Now Winnie and Eeyore are fellow Warriors — and they know my story.

For 20 years, I struggled with Bipolar, Alcoholism, Anxiety Disorders and PTSD. These challenges ran my life, leaving me so powerless that I tried to end it. But in that darkest moment, I discovered something life-changing: mental health isn’t the enemy — it’s the key to overcoming every challenge.

Armed with that knowledge, 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.

The blueprint for this approach began in my book I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior. Apparently, Winnie and Eeyore had both read it — and judging by the way they were nodding wisely, they’d already applied the lessons. (I’m still not sure how Eeyore manages page-turning with hooves.)

At the very core of the Mental Health Warrior Program is this belief: we can triumph over life’s hardest battles by learning to manage our emotions and by using the right tools.

But that day, my toolbox felt out of reach.

Because depression, it seems, has a spare key to my mental fortress — and some days, it just lets itself in, uninvited.

Thankfully, that’s when Winnie and Eeyore — my unlikely but loyal Warrior Tribe — came to my rescue. They gently reminded me of three powerful steps to beat back depression… steps I’d temporarily forgotten in the fog of my own mind.

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Step 1: Pause to See Things Clearly

“Sometimes,” Pooh said in his slow, thoughtful way, “when you’re feeling like the whole world is sitting on your shoulders, you need to take a step back. Not to run away, but just to see things from a different angle.”

Eeyore, in his typical Eeyore fashion, sighed. “It’s not like stepping back will fix everything,” he said, “but it might stop things from getting worse.”

I smiled. Classic Eeyore — practical, gloomy and accidentally profound.

Our Turn:

When depression hits, your thoughts can start sprinting like they’re training for the Emotional Olympics. That’s why taking a moment to pause — even briefly — can change everything.

It’s not about avoiding your feelings; it’s about breaking the momentum of those racing thoughts long enough to breathe and regain your footing.

Here are a few Warrior ways to practice stepping back:

• Shift your focus: Step outside for a walk, move to a new room, or simply look out the window for a few minutes. A change of scenery gives your mind permission to reset.
  

• Breathe deeply: Take five slow, intentional breaths. Each one tells your nervous system: “I’m safe. I’m here. I’m okay.”
  

• Use a grounding tool: Hold something tangible — like your Mental Health Warrior Coin — to anchor you in the present and remind yourself of your strength.

Stepping back doesn’t mean you’re giving up — it means you’re choosing strategy over struggle. It’s your Warrior pause button — the space where you catch your breath, see clearly and start to reclaim your power.

Because even the smallest pause can be the first step out of the dark.

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Step 2: Untangling Depression’s Hold on Reality

With his ears drooping even lower, Eeyore muttered, “Depression has a way of making everything look worse than it is. Sometimes, I think my tail falling off means the whole world is falling apart.”

Pooh nodded sagely. “But when you really look at things, maybe your tail is just a little loose and needs fixing. Maybe everything isn’t as bad as it seems.”

I couldn’t help but smile. Leave it to Eeyore to summarize the human condition with a tail metaphor — and Pooh to fix it with quiet wisdom.

Our Turn:

Depression has a sneaky way of twisting reality until everything feels impossible. A single bad moment can start to look like a lifelong catastrophe. The truth is, the problem often isn’t as big as it feels — it’s just wearing depression’s funhouse mirror.

To cut through the distortion, you have to slow down and separate what’s real from what’s magnified by emotion.

Here’s how you can begin sorting things out:

• Write it down: Jot down what’s bothering you, no matter how big or small. Seeing your thoughts on paper turns abstract fears into something you can examine — and manage.
  

• Talk it out: Share what you’re feeling with someone you trust — a friend, family member, or your Warrior Tribe. Sometimes another person’s perspective helps you see where depression’s voice has exaggerated the story.
  

• Focus on what you can control: Like Eeyore’s tail, not everything is falling apart — some things just need tightening. Pick one small action you can take, and start there.

Remember, identifying the source of your pain doesn’t dismiss your feelings — it clarifies them. It helps you see what’s really going on beneath the noise.

When you separate truth from distortion, you take back your power. Because every Warrior knows: you can’t fight what you can’t see clearly — but once you do, victory becomes possible!

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Step 3: Turning Awareness Into Action

“When something’s wrong — like when I can’t find any honey — I don’t just sit there and feel sad,” Pooh said. “I get up and I look for honey. Or I ask Christopher Robin for help.”

Eeyore nodded, stitching his tail back on. “Even if all I do is fix this thing again, it’s something. Better than sitting around and waiting for things to get worse.”

I laughed. “You two make it sound so simple.”

Pooh smiled. “Maybe it is simple, Bruce. Not easy, but simple.”

Our Turn:

Once you’ve faced your emotions and untangled what’s real, there’s only one thing left to do — Take action, no matter how small.

Action is the antidote to hopelessness. It reminds your mind and body that you’re still in charge.

For me, that meant facing the mountain of half-finished projects that had been quietly mocking me from my to-do list. Instead of seeing them as one giant monster, I picked one — just one — and finished it. Then another. Each completed task lightened the weight a little more.

Here are a few ways you can start taking Warrior action today:

• Start small: Even tiny moves — like tidying one corner, making your bed, or stepping outside for fresh air — can shift your energy and momentum.
  

• Celebrate progress: Don’t wait for the big wins. Every small action counts. Warriors cheer for each step forward because progress is proof you’re still fighting.
  

• Focus on what’s within your control: You don’t have to fix everything. Just one thing. One step, one task, one moment at a time.

Taking action doesn’t mean you’re instantly healed — it means you’re alive, engaged, and choosing to keep moving forward.

Because when you act, you tell depression it doesn’t get the final say.

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Wrap Up

As our conversation came to a close, I realized something profound: even the teacher needs to ask for help sometimes.

Pooh and Eeyore had done more than remind me of the three steps to beat depression — they had reminded me what the Mental Health Warrior Tribe is really about: connection, courage, and shared strength.

As I watched them head back toward the Hundred Acre Wood, I felt the fog of depression start to lift. I could breathe again — reminded of my own resilience and the tools I already carried within me.

Before they left, I handed each of them a copy of I Triumphed Over Bipolar, Alcoholism, and Anxiety Disorder by Becoming a Mental Health Warrior. “Share it with the others,” I told them. “Because the Hundred Acre Wood could use a few more Warriors.”

Pooh’s eyes lit up. “Oh, I’ll give this to Piglet first. He’s been very brave lately.” Eeyore nodded thoughtfully. “And I’ll take one to Owl. He worries too much. Could use a good read.”

As they disappeared among the trees, I smiled. Depression hadn’t vanished, but it had lost its grip — replaced by purpose, connection and a reminder that we rise stronger together.

So if you’re struggling with depression today, take heed of Pooh and Eeyore’s advice.

Because you are a Mental Health Warrior — and you have the strength to climb out of the darkest days and find your way back to the light!

Bruce Schutter

Every day is a chance to choose strength — because YOU'RE IN CHARGE!