Problem: Article: Ruminating over bitter and negative thoughts is a trademark of depression. This means you get stuck thinking the same negative thoughts over and over again. Making changes to stop these negative ruminations can take time, but persisting in this matter can make a major difference. Write down all the bad automatic thoughts you have. It may seem like you don't have that many negative thoughts, so keeping a list of them all can give you a good reality check. Seeing the amount as well as the content of these thoughts can help you to identify unproductive thought patterns that contribute to depression. Next, create a positive or more logical thought for each negative thought you wrote down. This might look like: "Instead of, 'I'm ugly,' I will think, 'I am unique and beautiful just as I am. I don't need to conform to any societal standard of beauty.'" Turn around negative or irrational thinking. Every time you have a negative thought, make the conscious decision to stop it. For every negative thought you have, replace it with a positive, more realistic one. Although this may seem silly or strange at first, it can make a serious difference in your mood and functioning over time. For example, if you have a thought such as, "I know this is going to turn out badly," think of alternative ways of thinking about the situation such as, "This might not end up so bad. It could have a good outcome." Even if you don't believe it right away, positive self-talk helps reduce depression and increase a sense of well-being. Make a list of your ten favorite physical features and your ten favorite features of your personality. For instance, you really like the color of your eyes and you like that you're a compassionate person. Post this somewhere you can see it on a daily basis, and repeat items off it to yourself when necessary. When you find that you're bringing yourself down, consciously compliment yourself on something. You can look at your list to remind yourself of some of your best qualities. Accept compliments from others as true. Instead of questioning their motives, simply agree that they are true and take them as such. This may help to build your self-esteem back up and make it easier for you and others both to give you more compliments. The negative thoughts and feelings that come with depression can make it difficult to take risks or push yourself. Try to remind yourself that these negative views are a result of the depression and don't accurately reflect the whole of your capabilities. Take small steps toward accomplishing your goals and they can seem much more achievable. Break down larger tasks or goals into smaller ones, and allow yourself to do what you can when you can. Remember that your recovery won't be immediate. It will take time to start feeling better, but it is achievable. Think about feeling just a little better today, and how you can make that happen, instead of focusing on the larger task of feeling completely back to normal in several months. Be realistic and avoid perfectionism. If you want to exercise everyday for thirty minutes, but miss a few or don't go for quite that long, that's okay. You can continue working on your goal the next day. Cynical thinking can sometimes be the result of a filter on your thoughts. This filter will block out good experiences, only allowing you to see the bad. For example, the date you went on last night might only be remembered for an awkward comment you made rather than the rest of the great conversation and kiss at the end. Take the good with the bad, rather than one or the other. Be specific instead of overgeneralizing based on a single negative experience. If you struggle with one thing, you are likely to filter out all the times you succeeded. Remember that a single experience is not the be-all-end-all for your thoughts and behaviors. If you happen to experience a single event that does have more bad than good, keep in mind that that was just a single event in a chain of events, many of which have been better than they were worse.
Summary: Think positively and realistically. Compliment yourself. Be open to possibilities. Cope with a negative filter.

Problem: Article: Preventing the introduction of snails into the aquarium can save you a lot of time and trouble. Inspect live plants or decor for snails or their eggs before placing in your tank. Remove any snails or eggs before placing into your aquarium. Quarantine live plants before placing into your tank by having a quarantine tank. Leave the plants in there a few weeks and pick off any snails you find. Dipping plants in a bleach solution can kill snails and eggs. Make a solution of 1 part plain bleach to 19 parts of water, which is about 3/4 cup bleach to a gallon of water. Dip the plants in this solution for two to three minutes, remove and rinse well under running water for up to five minutes. This can be a bit harsh on certain plants so there is no guarantee that it won't harm the plant. You can also place plants in a killing solution of aluminum sulfate and water. Add 2-3 teaspoons of aluminum sulfate to a gallon of warm water and stir to dissolve. Submerge the plants in this and let them sit in this for at least 2-3 hours but up to 24 hours. When you remove the plants, rinse them well before adding to your aquarium.
Summary: Inspect all items entering the tank. Quarantine items before placing them in the tank. Dip all aquarium additions in a snail killing solution before adding them to the tank.

Problem: Article: While it can be surprising to encounter a snake while weeding your garden or walking around your yard, having a snake around isn't necessarily a bad thing. In fact, you should be proud - a good snake population in an area is a sign that the ecosystem there is healthy. In addition, snakes play an important role in keeping other pests, like mice and rats, from taking over. So if a snake isn't eating your chicken's eggs or otherwise being a bother, consider sharing your yard with it instead of trapping it and moving it elsewhere. Rat snakes and gopher snakes are especially beneficial to have around. They're as good as cats for keeping the rodent population down. King snakes go one step further and eat rattlesnakes. In fact, if you get rid of a king snake, the rattlesnakes are more likely to move in - and then you'll have a much more serious problem on your hands. If you don't like snakes, a great way to keep them away is to make your yard less snake-friendly. Snakes hang out in areas that are a little unkempt and wild. They like tall grass, brush piles, wood piles, and other sources of shelter. To make your yard less inviting, do the following: Mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of piles of rocks, leaves, brush, bricks, or anything else that a snake could use as shelter. Keep your rodent population down by cleaning up acorns, sealing your trash, and removing other sources of food for rodents. If you've been finding snakes in your attic or basement, look for cracks and holes that might be letting them in. Make sure the doors and windows are sealed around the edges. Screen the chimney, vents, and any other spots that could serve as an entryway for a snake. Snake experts seem to agree that most repellents aren't effective, but they might be worth a try if you've exhausted other ideas. Try putting one of the following substances in your garden, chicken coop or wherever you have a snake problem: Spray a solution made with fox urine around the perimeter of your property. Some say that snakes are deterred by the smell of their predators' urine. You can find this solution in home and garden stores. Try putting rags soaked in ammonia around the yard. This substance is said to repel snakes and other animals. Put human hair clippings around your garden. The smell of the hair is said to keep snakes away.
Summary:
Consider letting nonvenomous snakes stick around. Make your yard less hospitable to snakes. Seal your house. Try snake repellent.