For a lot of people, probably half this country, this is a depressing week with a new president being inaugurated along with a whole new plan for government. Americans vote every four years but we don't necessarily get the choices we want. Life is a lot that way.
Some say that it's never what happens but how we react to it. That depends on what you are experiencing as to how you see that.
We had a tragedy up our gravel road this week. We saw an ambulance and police car between our gate and the highway. Police cars don't usually come out here when it's just a death (I know about that from experience). We watched from the house for a long time to be sure there wasn't anything happening there that required our help. It was very quiet. The ambulance did not leave quickly, which didn't sound good. We knew there was a young man up the hill who had a serious illness, one that you are born with. We did not go out because it seemed invasive of another family's privacy. It turned out it was a suicide-- an ultimate result of severe depression but also of catastrophic illness.
People always say-- depression is temporary-- hold on and it will be better. That is certainly true of our political environment. However bad you think things will be, they can be overturned with another election. Catastrophic illnesses aren't like that. Some of them will never be better. I don't condemn anyone who opts to end their life prematurely-- when it's going to end anyway.
For the rest of us, when the dark days get to us, when we don't like how our family is treating us, when we see bad times ahead politically, depression is a temporary thing. There will be more light. We will find those who will give us comfort. Whatever happens in the world, times do change.
Find a good book to read. Watch a film. Listen to uplifting music. Take a walk in the woods or along a stream. Spend some time at the beach (something in the air there is known for helping depression). Soak in your bath for 20 minutes with a handful of Epsom salts; 10 drops of lavender oil; and 1/2 C of baking soda.
I don't believe depression is always a spiritual issue, as I remember times in my life where I went to my doctor who gave me a prescription for Prozac as a solution to a chemical imbalance. I took it for a season; and when things got better and I no longer needed it, I tapered off it.
With severe depression talking to someone medically about it is important and then letting go and releasing the expectations that are making us unhappy-- looking for new options. They are out there-- maybe closer than we think.
6 comments:
Not sure that an election could be overturned when leaders are in charge of smoke and mirrors. I predict that labor statistics will be compromised, I predict that crime statistics will be compromised, I predict that easy and fair access to digital news will be compromised. It will be a slow and behind the scenes process because we will be focusing on the collapse of Europe and even more war in the Middle East and watching a lot of global disasters instead. I know that you think I am being alarmist and I do so hope you are right.
I don't think you are alarmist at all :). I just think that has already been going on whichever president gets in. Certainly Obama's time in office has seen a lot of the statistics being used to make his programs look successful; and I am sure it happens with them all.
The tough part is what we depend on for facts-- media is compromised as they all cover what suits their agenda. Not to say they lie. Just to say they twist facts to suit their beliefs-- and leave out what does not. And people like what makes them feel good; so they stick to their bubble for news and friends.
I'm not a conspiracy nut... but it does make me wonder when we elect this one or that and in the end the same things happen with slants that differ but in the end, little changes. What I try to concentrate on is making my own little piece of the world as good and effective as I can; so that no matter who gets in, I can see us as being okay. That gets tough sometimes when I see things like education such a big deal and yet it's tanking in so many ways.
Obama promised us end to wars if possible and yet he kept them all going and led to the Middle East disasters with Arab Spring and Libya. They could have stayed out of Libya but instead did not and it turned into another disaster for its people-- and on the events have gone. I don't remotely think any of this would have been better with Hillary.
Now with the Democrats determined to make Trump fail in anything he tries, we are repeating eight years ago all over again. No matter who wins, the other side tries to destroy their work... Some of this is the question of globalism or nationalism. I read some of what Biden said with his fear the liberal World Order was going to be undone-- and have to think cynically-- that world order is exactly what the right wants undone ;). What a time! lol
I don't have strong beliefs about American politics, I do think the Trump years will be "interesting times". I agree for the most part with what you say about depression and it is sad what happened to your neighbour. I've been dealing with depression for a year now, the side effects of antidepressants are just way too strong for me to consider using them (been there done that). I think I'm in remission at the moment but it can all come crashing down at any moment. The big problem with depression is that your brain lies to you, your thoughts become untrustworthy but oh-so-believable. Suicide can start to look like a very reasonable response to an apparently untenable situation.
That is one of the drawbacks of some antidepressants, it makes 'doing it' seem more possible or so I've read. My only real drawback with Prozac was I felt it reduced my creative thinking. I didn't want to stay on it when I didn't need it and so tapered off when I felt it had been long enough to see if the depression was still there.
I have a family member struggling with depression, and it is not an easy thing, nor something one can wish away.
As for the election, I agree with what much of what you said above. I worry about globalism(just another word for communism), and wish that people would put all the energy they spend ranting and raving about Trump into making their own neighborhoods a better place, giving begins at home...
I agree, of course, Brig. I write a blog that gets more into my political thinking in order to keep this one more positive. I don't think people are doing their health any good when they get so upset over what they cannot change-- at least right now.
Post a Comment