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Depression and spirituality
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Messages: 1 - 4 (845 total)
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Ed
2/4/2000 9:11 PM
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1 out of 845 |
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A thread has been growing rapidly in the Spiritual IQ/Active Spiritual Seeker board; it concerns depression. I think this malady, which seems to be common among the spiritually inclined, deserves its own topic page.
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C.P.
2/4/2000 11:54 PM
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2 out of 845 |
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Ed, I appreciated your comments on the other board. Though I am an advocate for medication for those experiencing severe and long term Depression (at least as an option), I think there are many levels on which to explore what causes Depression and what helps one recover from it. I am also trying to explore it from different angels, as it has been a life long struggle with intermittent periods of relief. We have such a reluctance in our culture/society to look at what we consider "dark" -- sadness, dread, hopelessness, fear, grief. It seems most Americans hold "happiness" as the greatest goal and ideal, and if one isn't experiencing that, it's somehow considered a failure. But I sometimes wonder if maybe those who are experiencing the pain, are almost feeling it on behalf of everyone. Something on a soul level is saying -- something is wrong here -- notice. Be aware of it. Talk to it. Is this a part of us that needs to be embraced in love rather than rejected as simply "bad"?
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Ed
2/5/2000 1:39 PM
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3 out of 845 |
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Thanks, C.P. Good seeing you here. I hope to here more from you.
To get the ball rolling a little more, I am posting this weird, sarcastic little thing I wrote to a friend about 6 months ago. Anyone who has read my postings on depression elsewhere knows that my thoughts have evolved a bit beyond this. However, I would still like to get some feedback or reaction.
Of course, the usual disclaimer applies: These are merely the musings of a perpetually adolescent 39 year old mildly eccentric Buddhist/pagan depressive, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of my depressed sisters and brothers.
The Care and Feeding of Depression
Depression is like a houseplant, it grows and thrives if it is fed, nurtured, and cared for. Like a persistent, annoying cat, it will beg and beg, making your life miserable until you break down and feed it. What does depression need in order to flourish? First off, lots and lots of rest, preferably in the "sprawl" position on a sofa. Depression also loves TV, much TV, the more the better, best combined with the "sprawl" position. Depression also loves junk food, lots of it. Combining these three elements has a loving, synergistic effect on your depression.
Most of all, perhaps, depression loves drugs, particularly alcohol--again, the more the better! Don't skimp when feeding alcohol to your little friend. In this way, it is NOT like a houseplant--you cannot "overwater" (or over-self-medicate) depression. Also, don't overlook the importance of consuming ever-greater portions of good old caffeine--depression needs a pick up once in a while, too. Don't forget to talk to depression; and always, constantly, let it know you are thinking about it. Depression especially likes long, emotional meditations on it. But remember--don't THINK about your depression, FEEL it! (This is sometimes called "wallowing," and depression LOVES this--so go ahead and FEEL IT!)
In the other hand, there are things we need to be aware of, damaging things, things that hurt depression. For instance, depression loves rest, particularly when accompanied by gluttony and drunkenness. But depression HATES sound, natural, regular sleep. Depression also hates healthy food eaten at regular intervals in proper amounts. Another thing depression really, REALLY hates is vigorous exercise--don't do it! But perhaps the thing depression hates most is to be examined in a detached, clinical manner--after all, how much do YOU like being examined by a physician with cold hands, being poked and prodded? Depression wants to be loved ("wallowed in"), not critically and coolly examined. For example, depression hates the kind of thinking about it that went into compiling this list. This kind of analysis is cruel to depression. It turns our little friend from an all-encompassing companion that gradually but generously and completely takes over our lives into something else--a disease, an illness, an "other." Something that can be "treated."
Depression really IS generous. It loves us. It wants to be us, to occupy our souls, to make all of our decisions for us--and with proper care it will do just that. So we must be careful: The choices we make can determine if our depression grows and flourishes, or withers and dies of neglect.
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Aziz
2/9/2000 4:47 PM
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4 out of 845 |
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Ed:
What a great piece! Whereas up until now, touch wood, I have not suffered from “real” depression, there is depression in my family---even suicide. I wish I knew of a simple and effective way to apply the study of the Scriptures to the healing of depression.
One thing I have found, that might be helpful (other than the excellent advice you have already given) is that many people ---religious or not---don’t seem to realize that we are each floating on a river and the river naturally flows down hill. We cannot allow ourselves to blithely entertain just any thoughts that enter our mind. Some thoughts encourage us to just “float” and this allows the river to take us downhill. Other thoughts encourage us to feel sorry for ourselves or find some circumstance or another person to blame for our condition. When we habitually entertain these thoughts, we are, in effect, “paddling our canoe down river.” We actually accelerate the downward slide.
In the “Temptation in the wilderness” Jesus firmly rejected the devil’s proposals and relied on the words “it is written”. I have learned that I have a responsibility to reject the proposals that negative thoughts try to carry into my mind ---on a daily basis. I see the “wilderness” as our daily lives and I see “temptation” as all the tests we undergo daily. The “it is written”, (if we bother to read and understand it) can provide information to meet the daily tests of life and to “ paddle our canoe up river” (or at least over to the bank and out of the current that tries to take us down).
Another trick I try to use is to thank G-d out loud for everything that happens to me. I find it is especially important to thank Him / Her for the bad stuff---yes, I said it is important to thank G-d (through gritted teeth if necessary) for every big or small tragedy that hits us. I read a book about this practice and it really works for me. All it means is I am thanking the universe for the lesson that it knows I need. I am acknowledging that no matter how bad my circumstances appear to me, I can still trust the universe to use them for my own benefit. I can trust it to use the bad stuff to teach me something important and to increase my spiritual strength.
I feel that people who rely totally on medication and make no attempt at “thinking good thoughts” (and don’t at least attempt to reject unhealthy thoughts) miss many opportunities. They miss opportunities for healing, opportunities to learn spiritual lessons, opportunities to receive the help that the universe is willing to provide. Of course, if we reject it, the universe has no choice but to reject us.
This is because the universe really means it when it says,“ You are free. You are free to accept me and the help I can give you and you are free to reject me and do things your way without my help. The choice is yours”.
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