Blog Dis
The thing with depression...
2023-12-15
The thing with depression is... well... it's very depressing. I'm repeating this glib statement with a grain of trepidation because I don't want to give more power to the matter of depression than is absolutely necessary. Many have fallen into depression's vice grip. But that is precisely the expression my mom used when I was a kid, "The thing with depression is that it's very depressing." Her take is a smarty-pants dismissive to diffuse a serious situation, a state of mind that some endure daily. As an author, I fall prey to depressive moods, after the completion of a novel. Once the first draft is in the can, and before handing off to an editor, a wave of depression comes over me that I believe occurs because my brain is no longer getting a dopamine hit from the act of creating.
Depression is something I try to avoid. And then I'll get hit with an unexpected dose of depression, unrelated to writing, and I'll lapse into a pensive mood and mull over all the hurts and betrayals I've experienced in my entire life, coming to the poor me conclusion. Am I being irrational? Why yes of course, by my estimation. But that is the crux of depression, in my case, upon which my future emotions are catapulted to greater heights. When you feel depressed, you're feeling emotionally vulnerable, not only to the outside world but also to your private views on yourself and how you fit into the world at large.
Depression and disease seem to be pals. When you're feeling unwell, the desire to slip into a depressive state is strong. Take cancer, something I've personally fought and won - a fine example where depression is integral to ensuring the disease wallops you. My intent with this post is surely not to come across as uncaring to those who live with chronic depression; it's no joke, nor do I take this post lightly. However, this time of year is often cited as a culprit to foster depression. In my mom's case, a survivor of WWII, who grew up in orphanages, losing everything (some family members succumbing to a lack of nutrition), the notion of depression wasn't acknowledged in her era. She believed that if you work hard enough, you won't have the time to be depressed - enter her sarcastic quip.
There are options to combat the evils of depression: mood enhancing OTCs (L-Theanine, my personal fav), anti-depressants, sex and/or self-pleasure, laughter, music, dark chocolate, pasta, puppies, kitties, playing fun games in a group, exercise, travel, and sun lamps that illuminate to 10,000 lux, the recommended level for 20 minutes in the morning, during the dark winter months when Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD) hits. I've listed a few of the panaceas to depression. One friend has been drinking St. John's Wort tea every day for the last 40 years, without which he couldn't function. Yes, chronic depression can last a lifetime.
The reality for humans is that our moods are like an undulant dragon, never existing in a static state, always moving, going up or down, always changing. Moreover, we're not able to predict what mood we'll be in when we wake up in the morning, any more than we can predict what mood we'll be in by the end of the workday. With chronic depression, and based on some who've taken the pains to explain it to me, their thoughts are not necessarily directed toward happiness; they often wake up battling the issue to simply get out of bed. One dear editor friend had described her depression to me thusly, "It's like a heavy, wet blanket is pulled over your entire body, blocking out every ray of light. You hurt all over." My heart goes out to those who cope with chronic depression. Let us not forget too that not everyone has a loved one. Not everyone has a place to go or people to see, faced with the insurmountable blockade of dark, lonely thoughts.
I debated whether I should blog on this vital topic of mental health. I decided to do so regardless, with the aim of just being honest. I'm not in a position to offer clinical solutions on how to best to beat long-term or seasonal depression, except to say that everyone you encounter is fighting a personal battle. Be kind is the one piece of advice that comes to mind. Being kind is the one gift you have within you to give freely. For me, being kind also means practicing patience.
So, later today, I'll tick off my list of things to do, before Dec 25th, so that I don't become an annoying person, in a helluva rush, too impatient to practice patience, especially toward all the customer service personnel who deal with the mania that befalls this time of year.
Depression is something I try to avoid. And then I'll get hit with an unexpected dose of depression, unrelated to writing, and I'll lapse into a pensive mood and mull over all the hurts and betrayals I've experienced in my entire life, coming to the poor me conclusion. Am I being irrational? Why yes of course, by my estimation. But that is the crux of depression, in my case, upon which my future emotions are catapulted to greater heights. When you feel depressed, you're feeling emotionally vulnerable, not only to the outside world but also to your private views on yourself and how you fit into the world at large.
Depression and disease seem to be pals. When you're feeling unwell, the desire to slip into a depressive state is strong. Take cancer, something I've personally fought and won - a fine example where depression is integral to ensuring the disease wallops you. My intent with this post is surely not to come across as uncaring to those who live with chronic depression; it's no joke, nor do I take this post lightly. However, this time of year is often cited as a culprit to foster depression. In my mom's case, a survivor of WWII, who grew up in orphanages, losing everything (some family members succumbing to a lack of nutrition), the notion of depression wasn't acknowledged in her era. She believed that if you work hard enough, you won't have the time to be depressed - enter her sarcastic quip.
There are options to combat the evils of depression: mood enhancing OTCs (L-Theanine, my personal fav), anti-depressants, sex and/or self-pleasure, laughter, music, dark chocolate, pasta, puppies, kitties, playing fun games in a group, exercise, travel, and sun lamps that illuminate to 10,000 lux, the recommended level for 20 minutes in the morning, during the dark winter months when Seasonal Affected Disorder (SAD) hits. I've listed a few of the panaceas to depression. One friend has been drinking St. John's Wort tea every day for the last 40 years, without which he couldn't function. Yes, chronic depression can last a lifetime.
The reality for humans is that our moods are like an undulant dragon, never existing in a static state, always moving, going up or down, always changing. Moreover, we're not able to predict what mood we'll be in when we wake up in the morning, any more than we can predict what mood we'll be in by the end of the workday. With chronic depression, and based on some who've taken the pains to explain it to me, their thoughts are not necessarily directed toward happiness; they often wake up battling the issue to simply get out of bed. One dear editor friend had described her depression to me thusly, "It's like a heavy, wet blanket is pulled over your entire body, blocking out every ray of light. You hurt all over." My heart goes out to those who cope with chronic depression. Let us not forget too that not everyone has a loved one. Not everyone has a place to go or people to see, faced with the insurmountable blockade of dark, lonely thoughts.
I debated whether I should blog on this vital topic of mental health. I decided to do so regardless, with the aim of just being honest. I'm not in a position to offer clinical solutions on how to best to beat long-term or seasonal depression, except to say that everyone you encounter is fighting a personal battle. Be kind is the one piece of advice that comes to mind. Being kind is the one gift you have within you to give freely. For me, being kind also means practicing patience.
So, later today, I'll tick off my list of things to do, before Dec 25th, so that I don't become an annoying person, in a helluva rush, too impatient to practice patience, especially toward all the customer service personnel who deal with the mania that befalls this time of year.
