Depression Usually Stems From Something We Don’t Have – Something We Want Or Something We Think We Deserve.
The word depression means – ‘feelings of severe despondency and dejection; the action of lowering something or pressing something down (a sunken place or hollow on a surface) – an indentation, a dent, a dint, a cavity, a concavity, a dip.’
If we were to draw this as an outline, yes, then all these shapes cause a suppression, however, what goes down must come up to classify it as a depression otherwise it should be called repression – the action of subduing someone or something by force; the restraint, prevention, or inhibition of a feeling, quality, etc.; the action or process of suppressing a thought or desire in oneself so that it remains unconscious i.e. the thought of death.
I sit here writing from a position that has suffered from both. I do not intend to tell you what to do for you are your own being but I intend to ask questions of myself and my existence… and perhaps that just might improve someone else’s.
So, I think to myself – if we let go of what we do not have then the burden it creates does not actually exist. If the cause does not exist then the effect does not either.
Buddhists teach/train themselves to want for nothing. They breathe, they fast, they meditate to control these urges. Now, where we cannot do that, perhaps it is worth taking a leaf out of their book to feel grounded, present and worthy.
Take our collective minds away from the ‘get’ and give to others. Make them feel grounded, present and worthwhile. Thank them for their contribution to our lives. This is one of the hardest things to do because the core of our being is animal – it wants for things – belonging, power, freedom and fun.
So, it would seem, we need to work against these internal powers, the ones that inundated the depression to begin with. We need to do the opposite because the universe operates that way – in opposites. To go up, we must go the opposite of down. To decompress, we must release the pressure of what is restricting us – of the body, the mind and the soul. Understanding what those opposites are is another complex discussion, however, it is one that can be had between two beings open to it.
Firstly, we must remove anything from our lives which is not inspiring or meaningful.
Secondly, happiness is not going to simply turn up on your doorstep. It is an experienced emotion; therefore, we must seek out experiences that make us happy. Experiences we are grateful for are the best ones; which is why when we place ourselves in new environments we seem to marvel at all the magic of life.
Then, thirdly, we must place ourselves in a new environment so we can marvel at that which we have not seen before, or seen before in that light. We feel life in the nature and people that surround us, so if we wish to feel new, we must experience new. From a closed position of depression, we begin to expand ourselves to new nature, and new people. People – connection – it’s what began this in the first place and we said we were working in opposites. When something is subtracted, we must seek to add it…
Then, last, but certainly not least, talk to people – gain new opinions, similar opinions, differentiating opinions; in a hope to gain a new perspective.
