Bless You…

If you are suffering from mild to severe depression with a non-medical cause, — Bless You!!

(I know, I know, “Say What??!!!”)

Well, first of all, even though I am not a medical professional, nor do I pretend to be, and even though none of the things that were effective in my case may help YOU at all, my experience has led me to believe that simple depression CAN be deleted with nothing more than a consciousness shift!

A friend of mine, who had extensive nursing experience in a respected “Psyche Ward” once described to me the horrors suffered by those with severe depression caused by medical/genetic issues.  At the time I was struggling with my own issues which were nothing more than erroneous thought patterns as I like to call them now.  That’s when I realized how blessed I was to have a problem I could actually do something about!

I was NOT helpless!

Suffering is, of course, a normal part of the human experience, but there is no need to suffer unnecessarily!  With all the technology and vast store of information available on the subject today, Depression is a VERY unnecessary condition!

If you are just beginning to realize you might have a problem with Depression, your first step should be to get evaluated by a mental health professional!!!  DO NOT ASSUME YOU CAN SELF-DIAGNOSE AND/OR MEDICATE!!

If your doctor recommends medication, by all means follow his recommendations!

The purpose of this blog is to merely give you a different perspective, and a few tips that helped me.

One of those tips, given to me by a Doctor friend of mine was this:  “You cannot count your blessings and be depressed at the same time!”

Of course, being my ususal hard-headed self, I tired to prove him wrong, mainly because at the time, I had not yet realized that my depression was largely a result of thought patterns I had chosen.

Yes, I should have known better!

At first, I couldn’t think of a single blessing.

My next thought was: “Ok, that’s ridiculous, being alive to think, even if it is something negative, has to be a blessing doesnt it?”

Then I realized that I was basically healthy, at least physically.

And that I had a lot of friends who cared deeply about me.

Oh, and a good set of job skills…

a wonderful childhood…

Parents….

Sister…

OH! And Dang It!  I’m Smiling…. (That’s not supposed to happen while I’m busy being depressed!)

I Challenge You!!

Count your blessings and be depressed at the same time!  If you can, You REALLY DO need to see a health professional.

In any case, BLESS YOU!

David.

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It’s All Perspective…

I thought maybe it was a good time to update this blog, as the overall response to the previous posting’s has been very positive.  Nothing is quite as satisfying in the blogging world at least, as to read a comment from a total stranger expressing gratitude for sharing my experience.

Depression is such a major part of our world today, that Millions are affected by it.

It’s also true that this blog is a minuscule, infinitesimal speck in an ocean of information available on the subject.  But from my perspective, if I affect a positive note in the life of only ONE person, I have made a difference, and have passed on just a little of my experience in a positive venue.

That’s important somehow.

One of the things that made a difference for me, was to “step outside myself” and do something for others.  That’s harder sometimes than it sounds!  Depression is debilitating in part, because even though you quite often know things you could do to help yourself, at the same time you don’t really care!

So you have to be honest… “Am I somehow, on some level, enjoying my feelings of depression?”

If your hair was on fire, would you need anyone to tell you to do something about it?

Be VERY, VERY, Clear about this one thing– Until you decide you are “…Mad as Hell, and are not going to take it anymore…” you are not going to escape.  Period.

The turning point in my experience was when I decided that I was NEVER going to hurt again, as bad as I was hurting at that point, No Matter What Happened!!!

Habitatus Interuptus

Saturday Night was Interesting to say the least!

The same storm system that killed 21 people in Missouri and Oklahoma, and several in Arkansas, eventually found it’s way eastward to Mississippi.
About 2:am Sunday morning it grazed our house lifting the roof and ceiling, allowing several hundred gallons of rainwater to pour in.

It also dropped the front porch which wraps around 2 sides of the house.

We were blessed,  in that no one was harmed, the house is still standing, and Karen’s brother John is a contractor. He and his crew got the roof and porch mostly repaired by yesterday evening.

So, now we are sorting through the interior damage, ordering new flooring, and looking to see what survived and what didn’t. I am afraid my $3,000 Mitsubishi wide screen TV may have drowned, as it was directly beneath the largest stream of water pouring through the ceiling.

However, insurance will replace all these things. The irreplaceable things, our lives, are still intact!

I have done a lot of thinking in the days since this all happened, and have wondered…. Was this a bad experience or a good one?
Most people would describe it as an ‘awful’ experience, but I have been considering an alternative perspective.

To illustrate, let me use an old Chinese proverb about the poor farmer and his son, who had one horse:

One night while the farmer and his son were sleeping, the horse broke out of the corral and ran away.
The next day, the neighbor came by to console the farmer regarding his misfortune. Wisely, the farmer replied: “Yes, but who knows what is good, and what is bad?”

Oddly enough, the next day the horse returned, leading with it 3 wild horses! The farmer and his son now had 4 horses! The same neighbor rushed over, this time to congratulate his friend on his good fortune! After he subsided, the wise farmer merely replied, “Yes, but who knows what is good, and what is bad?”

The following day, while trying to break one of the wild horses to ride, the farmer’s son was thrown to the ground, breaking his leg. Again the neighbor returned, bemoaning his friend’s misfortune! “It is so terrible, you will never be able to harvest your crop by yourself!” The farmer’s reply was still the same: “Yes, but who knows what is good, and what is bad?”

The next morning, the army passed by conscripting young men to fill their ranks, and excused the farmer’s son because of his broken leg. When the neighbor appeared breathing exclamations of relief for his friend’s good fortune, the answer was still the same: “Yes, but who knows what is good, and what is bad?”

Where does the story end?

Yes we were traumatized, had to spend 3 nights in a motel, and had major structural and interior damage to our residence.

But also, our lives were spared, our awareness of how much we love each other, and our family was deepened, we are getting a new interior and nicer porch for the front of the house, and new roofing!

But to me, the best part is the personal enrichment and growth that comes with another one of life’s experiences, deepening my awareness and understanding of reality in all it’s infinite permutations.

C’est La Vie Mon Ami!

David

Overcoming Depression with St John’s Wort

In my ongoing research into Natural methods for overcoming depression, I have found a lot of useful information.
The Black Dog Institute is attached to the Prince of Wales Hospital and affiliated with the University of New South Wales.

One of such is their fact sheet on the use of St John’s wort, and it’s effects. (read it here)
Personally, I have used St John’s Wort  for several years with varying benefits.  It is no ‘cure-all’, but it does have some beneficial effects.
However, like any other herbal medication, it need to be used with some caution.  It apperars that mixing it with doctor -prescribed medications may have adverse effects, as it can amplify the side-effects of certain pharmaceuticals.
Basically, St john’s Wort acts as a Serotonin Uptake Inhibitor, but is not beneficial to people with Melancholic (or genetic) Depression.
Consult with your Doctor for more information on whether this treatment would be beneficial to you or not.


Why NATURAL Anti-Depressants?

     When I understood I had to begin overcoming depression, one of the first things I bean to look for, was a method of overcoming depression naturally. 

     One of the biggest controversies today is ‘Natural vs. Pharmaceutical’.  Of course there are well educated, well respected, advocates on both sides of the fence.

     I am not an expert or professional in either field.  My intention is solely to share with you what worked for me, and why I made the choices I did.  If you are on a doctor-prescribed medication, and you are achieving the results you desire, by all means – continue it!

However,  if you are still searching for more information, perhaps there will be something you can use in my story!  To get a better understanding of what happened to me, it would be helpful to start with the post “Overcoming Depression”.

One of the primary reasons I began to try vitamins, herbs, and other supplements, was the side effects connected to the prescription my doctor gave me.  Mine were relatively mild, but if you read the list of ‘adverse reactions’, they range from the unpleasant to the downright scary!  Another reason I didn’t like the SSRI the prescribed for me was the seeming lack of effectiveness.  I have lately discovered that this feeling was more than imagination!  Read the Article!

Aside from the physical reactions, I hated the disconnected feeling I had everywhere I went.  I had progressed from mental distress to no longer caring.  Neither is a state that adds anything to the quality of your life, and my search was about finding a joyous and peaceful state of mind.

 I understood that on a cognitive level, my depression was a pattern of thoughts leading away from the state of mind I wanted to achieve, but that there was a physiological aspect also.  Just because I wanted to experience a joyous mental state did not mean it was possible to ‘will’ it into existence.  And, I wanted to overcome depression naturally, rather than walk around like a living zombie!

A friend of mine in the medical community suggested I try a herb known as St. John’s Wort.  I had heard of it’s positive, mood enhancing properties for some time, but hadn’t personally experienced them.  At first, they helped, but I sensed there were other times when they merely amplified my sadness.  That was just MY particular experience.  One thing about ANY product, is that everyone’s experience is different.

I DID find that St. John’s Wort used in conjunction with Omega-3 oils had a more positive effect on my mental state than either used alone.

I had some success drinking green tea, and taking green tea extract in capsule form.

However, the most benefit of any one particular experience has been in the form of a Bi-directional herbal tonic.

That’s when I discovered a whole new field of research involving Herbal Remedies. 

There are lots of natural way to overcome depression, but one of the best ways I have found to date is through the use of bi-directional herbs.