Narrator: This is Science Today. One of the hardest aspects about getting over a depression is breaking the cycle of negative rumination. Psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky of the University of California, Riverside says rather than dwell on a depressed mood, try distraction.

Lyubomirsky: At least temporarily, so that you can address some of the problems, because often there are problems in your life associated with a depression. Rumination, really it feeds a vicious cycle between depressed mood and rumination. You think about it, you start thinking about the implications, it gets you more depressed, then your mood is even more bias and it spirals out of control and then a full-scale depression results.

Narrator: In her studies on depression, Lyubomirsky says keeping a strong social support network is also very important when it comes to therapy.

Lyubomirsky: Just having some close friends and family members works a great deal. So try to spend time with other people, try to distract yourself when you find yourself dwelling on the negative.

Narrator: For Science Today, I'm Larissa Branin.