Depression

[pokerman]

pression

A friend of mine wrote to me a few days ago and this is what he had to say….. “As somebody who has dealt with clinical depression both as a caretaker and as the result of PTSD, it seems kind of simplistic to say that people choose to be depressed. Myself and those that I have cared for did not choose to be depressed and only professional counselling and powerful prescription medications benefitted myself and continue to enable many people to function and lead normal lives. Clinical depression can be chronic and a life-long affliction.”

In this weeks Blog, I’ll do my best to answer this very serious subject. It’s just my own thoughts based on my own experiences and study. In NO WAY am I demeaning or judging anyone who is or has suffered from depression.

'Clinical depression': What does that mean? Depression ranges in seriousness from mild, temporary episodes of sadness to severe, persistent depression. Doctors use the term "clinical depression" to describe the more severe form of depression also known as "major depression" or "major depressive disorder."

For a diagnosis of clinical depression, you must meet the symptom criteria spelled out in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM is a guidebook used to diagnose mental illness in the United States.

Clinical depression symptoms may include:

• Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most activities
• Significant weight loss or gain
• Sleeping too much or not being able to sleep nearly every day
• Slowed thinking or movement that others can see
• Fatigue or low energy nearly every day
• Feelings of worthlessness or inappropriate guilt
• Loss of concentration or indecisiveness
• Recurring thoughts of death or suicide

To meet the criteria for clinical depression (called major depression in the DSM), you must have five or more of the above symptoms over a two-week period. At least one of the symptoms must be either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or pleasure. Keep in mind, some types of depression may not fit this strict definition.

Clinical depression causes noticeable disruptions in daily life, such as work, school or social activities. It can affect people of any age or sex, including children. It isn't the same as depression caused by a loss (such as the death of a loved one), substance abuse or a medical condition such as a thyroid disorder.

Clinical depression symptoms usually improve with psychological counselling, antidepressant medications or a combination of the two. Even severe depression symptoms usually improve with treatment.

from Daniel K. Hall-Flavin, M.D. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/clinical-depression/AN01057

Depressed mood most of the day, nearly every day!

I’m depressed! What does that mean?

I don’t feel happy; I do feel sad, gloomy and miserable!

Mood…..is your frame of mind

So your mind feels sad, gloomy and miserable!

It’s our own thoughts that create our own reality.

We have to realise and accept this.

This is the 1^st step in healing yourself.

You really have to understand and realise that it is YOU doing it to YOU.

Nobody else is thinking for you…..JUST YOU!

You choose to think the thought and the thought becomes a feeling or emotion.

If you think a happy thought you feel happy.

If you think an angry thought you feel angry.

If you think a sad thought you feel sad.

You choose to do it all to yourself with your own mind, your own thoughts.

You’re not aware of it because you’ve developed a habit of thinking in the same patterns.

If you can accept and realise this, become aware of this, you are well on the way to happier healthier life!

Let’s look at a scenario where someone could develop clinical depression and another where you are very happy: Twins, Gordon and Gordina had worked for the same company, packing biscuits, for 5 years. They were both made redundant one month ago! Gordon’s thinking and response’s Gordina’s thinking and response’s I don’t know what I can do. How can I survive? There are no jobs out there. Shit always happens to me. There’s nothing to get out of bed for. Daytime TV is crap I can’t sleep for worrying about money. What’s the point of going on, it’ll always be the same. Might as well kill myself…nobody cares anyway! At this point Gordon goes to the Doctor who tells him he’s depressed and prescribes medication. I wonder what I can do. I have somewhere to live, I get some money from the government, I have food…I will survive. With all this time on my hands I can start to exercise and learn how to cook healthy food, which will help me lose the weight I’ve been meaning to do. I can go to the library and read up on subjects that interest me. I can take a training course in IT. At last I have time to learn meditation and yoga. “WOW, I just met this person when I was out exercising. We got talking and he offered me a job doing something I’ve always wanted to do, for twice the money I was getting at the biscuit factory.”

Now maybe you’ll think that this is a bit simplistic….BUT…it’s you that’s thinking it!

I understand that it may be difficult to get your mind round this but I urge you to consider it, to ponder it.

You don’t have to believe me but I do know this for a fact:

IT’S YOUR THOUGHTS OF TODAY THAT MAKE YOUR TOMORROW!

AND….there are far wiser and better teachers than me out there:

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.

“Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.” Buddha

So I say to you, Ask and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you.

Jesus Christ

Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behaviour. Keep your behaviour positive because your behaviour becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny.

Mahatma Gandhi quotes

We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.

Albert Einstein

[sms747]

Jesus was talking about the pub I think, after all his first miracle was turning water into wine, not a bad bloke to have around.