From my friend Ruthie: Sarah Minkiewicz-Breunig, who I really admire, posted this today and I really appreciated it! Gang -- I experienced clinical depression for the first time three years ago, and it lasted nearly two years. Im still recovering (and doing *great* now -- WOOT!), but the one thing that stuck in my head after it all was how difficult it can be for loved ones. They want to help, only they dont know how. And that just makes everything worse, right? Looking back, Im pained to remember how awful their sense of helplessness was to them. So the first thing to know is that Clinical Depression isnt being sad. You *wish* you could be sad let alone to even have the impetus to actually make that wish in the first place. Depression is a misnomer. In fact, the English language really doesnt have a word for it, does it? Because its not about being gloomy, brooding, overwhelmed, bored, blue, grieving, melancholy, ennui, or any of that -- those are emotions! Actual Clinical depression is a total absence of emotion. Zip. Zero. Nada. Its *brain damage* induced by excessive stress or other factors that have caused the brain to recoil by detaching neural connections associated with emotions. (I provide a link below for more info on that.) And no -- this isnt hip or cool in any way. It bites. Bigtime. Its a living Hell. Why? Well, because with all your emotions turned off, your entire life and all of existence literally mean nothing. You dont even mean anything to you. Youre a drone. You dont care what lives, suffers, or dies -- including yourself. Apparently consciousness needs emotional investment to function, even to stay alive. Heck -- to take a shower! OK -- so to get your loved ones on board for their sake as well as yours, I suggest providing them with these links... ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Interesting studies: npr.org/blogs/health/2013/12/30/258313116/mapping-emotions-on-the-body-love-makes-us-warm-all-over) npr.org/blogs/health/2012/10/04/162299564/ketamine-relieves-depression-by-restoring-brain-connections ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Allie Broshs post about her experience: hyperboleandahalf.blogspot/2013/05/depression-part-two.html Shes spot on and communicates it all in an accessible, clever way. And her allusion to playing with childhood toys is about as perfect a description as possible. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This insightful vid: https://youtube/watch?v=1Evwgu369Jw ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Those with emotions cannot imagine the wasteland of Clinical Depression. Thats our path to walk. But helping them to understand -- even if by just a little bit -- not only helps them, but spins round to help you, too. Keep fighting for each minute. I mean it. Your life is worth it even though that may seem like a ludicrous idea right now. The world needs you. Your loved ones need you. And a potential *cure* is right around the corner -- just hold on! Google ketamine, depression for some really *exciting* new possibilities for treating this insidious condition. (((HUGS))) (And feel free to forward this post to anyone you wish!)
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 04:13:22 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015