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Depression
Brian
Detroit, MI Moderator
I can't quite figure out why, but I definitely operate better at night.... Continue reading
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I don't think the behaviour per se is self-destructive. Shift-workers have to function like this all the time. Where it becomes troublesome is when it impacts upon others.
So, bit by bit, little by little, change it.
Any repetitive pattern with no specific beneficial aim is an addiction of sorts.
TWO: Your weight-loss WILL reach a plateau - but not an altogether negative one. Remember that as you burn fat off, you replace it with muscle...which is more dense and heavier than fat. So although you may think you're not losing weight any more, what's actually happining is that you're increasing your muscle mass whilst reducing your fat-mass.....
THREE:
If you really need some insight into how depression can overewhelm you, you might like to cast a glance over Knitwitch's Blog: As a diagnosed bi-polar, she's had a whack of a time with it.
CBT is amazing stuff, isn't it?
{{hugs}} Fede.
It is important at all times to remember exactly what depression really is. Depression is simply anger that has been turned inward because it has nowhere else to go. Nietzsche once wrote, "in times of peace, the warlike man attacks himself." What he failed to mention is that we are all "warlike" men. When depression invades your thoughts you must ask yourself not "why am I depressed" but "why am I angry?"
This should lead to insights that will certainly make these feelings more managible and bearable.
I hope that is helpful to you.
-Gassho.:):):)
That is one way to look at it. As one who has dealt with it for a number of years, it was found that my brain chemistry needed help. I have tried to get of the medications I take for depression. Both times, after 2 weeks I was very depressed and didn't care about anything or anyone (cept my life partner, didn't want to hurt him). I would end up having to go through some rocky times as I wanted (desire, eh?) to be like everyone else. I've had to accept that my depression is chemical in nature. I work on the things I can control, and follow the doctor's advice for the rest. Will I try again? Most likely but it may be in a controlled manner. Even to drop the dosage but when appropriate. Right now it would be insane of me to try.
To say it's just anger is a bit to swallow as there were many legitimate reasons for my depression which started when I was an adolescent. I was angry, but I was being abused by a father who was mentally ill himself. I was hurt, frustated, and a whole cornucopia of feelings. I've sorted through a lot of it. But it will continue to be dealt with. Luckily, not as intensely when I first started out. It was because I started out finding out about Buddhism was due to enough healing and growth. Granted, as men, we are allowed to be angry while not being allowed to let out "feminine" emotions such as sadness, compassion, empathy. Anger comes out easiest but as we grow and change when dealing with depression, other things come out also and allow us to be more well rounded.
I was spacifically talking about depression that is psychological in nature rather then chemical. Obviously chemical depression cannot be cured through any form of "insight" and must be dealt with through medications and diet.
I merely suggest that those plagued with psychological depression should see its source (anger) as a first step to dealing more deeply with it.
-Gassho:)
Hello Validus,
With all due respect, I think that you are falling into an old trap of separating 'mind' and 'body', as if they were two distinct entities. It is also, I suggest, an interesting but unproven assumption that depression is rooted in anger.
Well, I'm basing the above statements from myself on three things:
1. My Father is a retired psychologist who specialized in Substance abuse, which is pretty much always linked to depression. He was the one that educated me on depression and its dynamics and I respect his 20+ years of experiance.
2. Having fought depression much of my own life, I can personally attest that its source was in fact anger- mainly directed at my extremely abusive mother who, when I was 20, commited suicide.
3. I've had many friends share with me their personal experiances with depression and with only one exception, all said that their depressions stemmed from anger.
Dear Validus,
Your experience and that of your father are, of course, enormously important. They do demonstrate that depression may cover underlying anger but my point, based too on many years of experience both personal and professional (35 years as a counselling psychotherapist), is that this may be the case but is not inevitably so.
What appears from my own understanding of clients, my life and the literature is that depression will usual;ly have a complex aetiology, including physiology chemistry and occluded painful emotions which can include one or more of the primary emotions of fear, anger or sorrow. As my teacher, Virginia Satir, used to say, "We are all hungry and/or wounded" and whilst we may have similar wounds or hungers, it is risky to assume that we know another's underlying trauma.
One of the theories that I have found very useful in supporting others is to investigate which emotions were denied in our upbringing. In my own case, for example, fear was a definite "no-no" at home and, until I have been able to meet and sit with my unacknowledged fear, the emotional content of my long history of depression was a closed book. In this, I have been led by my clients rather than by theoretical models or preconceived ideas.
Where I am entirely in agreement is that denied and buried emotions and memories are at the root of much of our present pain. A regular and deliberate meditative practice, alongside right companionship (Sangha), are deeply healing.
Once again, dear Simon, you took the words right out of my mouth. People assume that because it has a physical component that it is somehow separate and different from the mind component. Uh-uh.
Palzang
I respect your opinion on this. It seems though that many persons hear that and then do nothing with the anger or get help to let it go. The intense rage I had over what my father had done was so scary that I was afraid to let it out. On the other hand, there was a little boy inside that so wanted to be his father's little boy. I mention these things as others may be helped by them and not think it's just one thing.
@Jerbear- I agree, although I'd like to add that it was through the Buddha's teachings that I was able to come to terms with my own feelings about my mother. I actually wrote a long post exploring that at length but for some reason if you take too long writing a post the site automatically logs you out and you lose everything you said (very frustrating). However I do appreciate what you've said. Gassho.
:::::Validus runs for cover because he knows what's coming:::::
Christmas LOL
I wonder what are the stories you tell yourself about your situation. Stories we tell ourselves, can hold us even more firmly than the emotions we feel.
For example, if you firmly believe "I cannot deal with my situation", your problem is quite likely to be resistant to change. Time and experience may teach you that you could, after all deal with it or you could become motivated to make the needed push to get through the depression. Cognitive Behavior Therapy can help in this regard but may not sustain you. It does have the questioning element Buddhism does.
Another element that can help and also an important component of Buddhism, is Mindfulness. There are a few approaches that utilize mindfulness such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy(DBT) and Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy(MBCT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT).
The last three therapies have quite a Buddhist feel to them and have been called "Third Wave Cognitive Therapies". They have also been well researched and found to be effective with a number of mental health issues including depression. A Buddhist or someone exploring Buddhism should fit quite well with these therapeutic approaches. What's more, acceptance alone has been demonstrated to help with these types of issues.
I hope this has been helpful.