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In my case, it felt like nothing. There is no "feeling". I was simply existing in darkness.
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Originally Posted by imcurious
but if you tell yourself that this is your lot in life . . .there is little hope . . .
WAY oversimplified. You cannot talk yourself into or out of clinical depression.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imcurious
If you investigate other avenues, you MIGHT be able to find healing. That is my basic premise.
Sure. If you are able to recognize that your perceived reality is not true reality, in which case you are already a step ahead. Your brain chemistry is off, and everything has changed. Your reality has changed. Yes, this is because of faulty wiring in your brain, but you can't know that because of...faulty wiring! Your synapses are not firing correctly. Nobody wants to feel there is no hope, but if that's what you see around you, then you will naturally feel hopeless. Trying to think of another way to put it in perspective:
You are facing a blue wall. Your family, friends, therapist, forum posters tell you it is orange. "No", you insist. "It's blue. This is not an opinion, it is a fact. That is a blue wall." The others shake their heads in frustration, saying if you'd just try harder, try to look at it a different way, maybe see a different therapist, you'd realize the wall is undeniably orange. And if you can't see that, you must not really want to.
The wall is actually orange, of course. But how can you convince yourself of that, when you have a massive blue wall in front of you? Because everyone else says so? The wall isn't changing colors. It's blue.
It's your brain chemistry fooling you. And even though all sources say it's orange, and in reality it IS orange, YOUR reality is it's blue.
If you can theoretically understand what is happening inside your brain, then you're you're a step closer to knowing you have to do something about it. Otherwise, or until that point, the wall remains blue, and a "fact" is a fact.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imcurious
I think some people are very attached to their stories and resistant to letting go and healing, for some reason.
Well, yes, I am "attached" to my story. It was my personal struggle, not some expert's, therapist's (traditional or otherwise), or forum poster's. And I DID heal.
Has anyone heard of "spiritual emergence" or read Thomas Moore's chapter on Depression in Care of the Soul? Both are alternate ways of viewing depression, which don't pathologize it. In other words, there is a reason for it . . .and the reason might not be "bad" but a wake-up call.
There are books on spiritual emergence on Amazon if anyone is interested in exploring the subject.
I agree with you. I am going to read that book, very soon!
I was diagnosed as bipolar (along with a few other things), and have been on every antidepressant under the sun..nothing helped me..
I also self-medicated for about 20 years with nicotine and alcohol, well, beer, since I never got into hard liquor.
I haven't had any nicotine or alcohol in about a year and have not had any major depressive episodes. I started to LOVE my life..I mean really love it..not just a fleeting feeling of happiness. I still get a bit manic and feel like doing crazy things, but not as bad. I started to really love myself..forgive myself..accept myself..and become much more spiritually aware and I am no longer EVER depressed anymore, and somehow I can feel it coming on and I am able to focus on other things and do other things that get me out of it..
I agree with you. I am going to read that book, very soon!
I was diagnosed as bipolar (along with a few other things), and have been on every antidepressant under the sun..nothing helped me..
I also self-medicated for about 20 years with nicotine and alcohol, well, beer, since I never got into hard liquor.
I haven't had any nicotine or alcohol in about a year and have not had any major depressive episodes. I started to LOVE my life..I mean really love it..not just a fleeting feeling of happiness. I still get a bit manic and feel like doing crazy things, but not as bad. I started to really love myself..forgive myself..accept myself..and become much more spiritually aware and I am no longer EVER depressed anymore, and somehow I can feel it coming on and I am able to focus on other things and do other things that get me out of it..
What a wonderful outcome.
A lot of people have so many toxins in their body, it is no wonder they feel awful.
There is a big black book on Amazon called "The Detox Book," which is also wonderful.
The work on Spiritual Emergence is amazing, from my point-of-view . . .
It all comes down to your world view.
If you view life from a strictly material perspective, and believe all of the RX drug hype that people are spoon-fed from TV ads, then you are going to have a very limited perspective of "depression."
From a post-modern, constructivist point-of-view, "depression" is a made up word for something very vague - everyone describes it differently. The "special" designation of "clinical depression," seems to give it some authority (it "must" be real - "scientists" have anointed it with a "special" term).
The fact that some people don't even question the "brain chemistry" gone awry theory is disturbing, to me - but as you can see, I hold an alternate viewpoint of what is going on.
Some people are extremely identified with their labels - and many have a "victim" mentality ("I can't do anything, because after all, I am 'clinically depressed' - it's "official," a DOCTOR (god) to me so, so it must be "true.")
Back in the 60's the saying was "question authority." I think some people are just too intellectually lazy - as a psychology professor said, "Some people foreclose early" (meaning they don't grow after a certain point).
I am happy you have regained your health and happiness.
A lot of people have so many toxins in their body, it is no wonder they feel awful.
There is a big black book on Amazon called "The Detox Book," which is also wonderful.
The work on Spiritual Emergence is amazing, from my point-of-view . . .
It all comes down to your world view.
If you view life from a strictly material perspective, and believe all of the RX drug hype that people are spoon-fed from TV ads, then you are going to have a very limited perspective of "depression."
From a post-modern, constructivist point-of-view, "depression" is a made up word for something very vague - everyone describes it differently. The "special" designation of "clinical depression," seems to give it some authority (it "must" be real - "scientists" have anointed it with a "special" term).
The fact that some people don't even question the "brain chemistry" gone awry theory is disturbing, to me - but as you can see, I hold an alternate viewpoint of what is going on.
Some people are extremely identified with their labels - and many have a "victim" mentality ("I can't do anything, because after all, I am 'clinically depressed' - it's "official," a DOCTOR (god) to me so, so it must be "true.")
Back in the 60's the saying was "question authority." I think some people are just too intellectually lazy - as a psychology professor said, "Some people foreclose early" (meaning they don't grow after a certain point).
I am happy you have regained your health and happiness.
This is interesting, from many different perspectives.
Tom Cruise is an "unlikeable" person - on this clip, he comes across as very arrogant - I think that is why his message gets lost.
He says things like, "You don't know and I do" and he believes in a religion that has to do with aliens, jumps on couches, is seen as a very controlling person with his former wife, etc. People do not LIKE him . . .
But what is the argument with what he is actually SAYING . . . he was criticized for saying that vitamins and exercise help . . . because it sounds so simplistic . . . but guess what? Diet and exercise CAN help . . .
He is right about Ritalin now being a street drug - he asserts that there aren't studies for how much is helpful (I don't know about any of that - but Ritalin is supposed to be helpful when the kid is a certain age and then it becomes an "upper" - If you are a parent and the schools are telling you your kid needs Ritalin or will fail . . .you might become so scared of your kid failing that you might put him on Ritalin and hope for the best . . .and all the while the drug companies get richer and richer because now little boys who can't sit in their seats for six hours straight (does anyone question how the school system is set up?) anyway, these little boys who are full of energy now must be drugged to sit in their seats like good little Zombies . . .and their parents are so stressed from working and taking care of the household, they can only trust the so-called "experts").
Anyway, Tom Cruise is considered a nut - but what he says has absolute merit. It's kind of a "shoot the messenger" thing . . .he isn't popular, so throw the baby out with the bath water.
Sadness are moments, depression is there all the time. As far as sleep goes a depressed person might have a hard time sleeping, but often they sleep for long hours, much longer than someone would normally sleep. It is an escape from the world. There are a lot of medications for depression and they are coming up with new drugs all the time. Have your family member evaluated by a psychologist or a psychiatrist.
I know depression feels bad - but if you tell yourself that this is your lot in life . . .there is little hope . . .if you investigate other avenues, you MIGHT be able to find healing. That is my basic premise.
I think some people are very attached to their stories and resistant to letting go and healing, for some reason.
thats the lazy view , that depressed people enjoy being how they are , i always reply by saying , very few people are masochists , most people will not choose to inflict pain upon themselves
trust me , if a person could let something go , they would
This is interesting, from many different perspectives.
Tom Cruise is an "unlikeable" person - on this clip, he comes across as very arrogant - I think that is why his message gets lost.
He says things like, "You don't know and I do" and he believes in a religion that has to do with aliens, jumps on couches, is seen as a very controlling person with his former wife, etc. People do not LIKE him . . .
But what is the argument with what he is actually SAYING . . . he was criticized for saying that vitamins and exercise help . . . because it sounds so simplistic . . . but guess what? Diet and exercise CAN help . . .
He is right about Ritalin now being a street drug - he asserts that there aren't studies for how much is helpful (I don't know about any of that - but Ritalin is supposed to be helpful when the kid is a certain age and then it becomes an "upper" - If you are a parent and the schools are telling you your kid needs Ritalin or will fail . . .you might become so scared of your kid failing that you might put him on Ritalin and hope for the best . . .and all the while the drug companies get richer and richer because now little boys who can't sit in their seats for six hours straight (does anyone question how the school system is set up?) anyway, these little boys who are full of energy now must be drugged to sit in their seats like good little Zombies . . .and their parents are so stressed from working and taking care of the household, they can only trust the so-called "experts").
Anyway, Tom Cruise is considered a nut - but what he says has absolute merit. It's kind of a "shoot the messenger" thing . . .he isn't popular, so throw the baby out with the bath water.
WOW!! I just watched that video and I agree 100% with Tom Cruise! I LOVE how passionate that he is also! I loved it when he jumped on Oprah's couch!! I love him! I have a similar personality in so many way and is probably why a lot of people find me so overwhelming and overbearing in real life..
BUT..there are those really important people that love me just the way I am and that's all that matters !
I feel very passionate in my search for what is good what is right what is true happiness.. I actually feel as though I have found it too!
thats the lazy view , that depressed people enjoy being how they are , i always reply by saying , very few people are masochists , most people will not choose to inflict pain upon themselves
trust me , if a person could let something go , they would
You have to wonder why some cultures like the American culture has so much more depression than others. I don't think it's brain chemistry as much as not being in harmony with yourself. I also think you can control your brain chemistry at least to some extent.
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