Depression : Stage 4

I didn't think I would really suffer through this stage, and if I hadn't had 3 vaccinations the day before I might still be stuck on stage 3. From having two flu vaccines and a tetness shot I woke up this morning shaky, nauseous, sore, and with a splitting headache. As I lay in my bed, shivering despite more than adequate insulation, my mouth hanging open, I realized just how similar my plight was to that of my fathers. Except that I knew I would get better, and I still have my mind. He has neither. I lay there thinking about how he must be feeling, perhaps only down in the very core of his being, and I was moved with empathy. And with my empathy came the bitter taste of depression at acknowledging my fathers mortality. In the case of depression, the best way to get through it is to have a rock, an anchor. Be it a person or an ideal, you need to have a sturdy element with which to whether the storm. Stay tuned my faithful readers for the eventual conclusion to this 5 part series.

Bargaining: Stage 3

Finally, the anger subsides and reality starts to creep from behind the turbulent clouds of the now ebbing storm of emotions. Your thoughts begin to invent what-if scenario after scenario of how things could have been avoided or averted. If only you had known sooner, if you had seen a specialist, and many other like stories dance through your imagination. These daydreams of a better life are only an escape measure from reality, though, so don't dwell on them. This is the shortest lived stage for most people, in part because you know that your fantasies aren't helping anyone and time is just passing you by. It is my belief that not everyone experiences these stages exactly the same way, perhaps even skipping or repeating a stage or stages. In any case I sympathize with those who suffer the next stage.

Anger: Stage 2

Following close behind Denial, we have Anger.It occurs when when the deflecting barrier of Denial and Isolation wears out and the first bits of reality begin to permeate soul and body. In a frantic effort to expel the invading truth we vent. Yelling, pacing, and perhaps even violent behavior can be expected. This torrent of anger may be directed at almost anything, animate or inanimate whether it is the offending element or not. In the case of loosing a loved one, you may even direct your anger at the one you are losing or have lost. As time passes you know and remember that you love them, but you blame them for being weak, perhaps even going as far as to wish that you had never known them so you wouldn't have to suffer so. Knowing that what or who you are focusing your anger on is blameless only makes you more angry. The only way to get past this stage is to let it out. Try to vent your anger in the least destructive way possible. Screaming into a pillow and then punching it a few times is a personal favorite of mine. It sure beats letting it fester inside you and destroy your appearance and mood. After you have expunged the anger from yourself, feel free to lay on your bed and stare up at the ceiling and move on to the next step. The most important thing to remember is not to repress your anger, you just need a constructive outlet. Or at least one that will not be overly destructive.

Denial: Not a River in Egypt

Stage 1 of the 5 stages in dealing with grief or loss. Ironically, many if not most people in this stage are in denial of the fact that they are. Funny how out of reflex, when we are faced with a problem, we first pretend that it doesn't exist or that it will simply go away. I know that I did when I found out about a tragedy that would inevitably befall my family. I didn't believe it, ignored it, attempted to outsmart it, but there was no beating it. Life would play out like it was meant to and there was no way I could change it. All that being said, I know it doesn't sound like the way to go, but in all likely hood you'll end up there anyway. Just be sure that when you do, that you get a move on quick, because ignoring a problem doesn't make it go away. Things will only get worse during your time in dream land.

How To Lose Friends And Alienate People

A phrase the children are indoctrinated with early on in life is "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all." But if you're reading this blog, you're not a child and you know that sometimes it can be a greater disservice to someone to hold your tongue than to speak a harsh truth. Phrases that once gave the world clear blacks and whites have little significance in a world made up not only of shades of gray, but wild and unpredictable flashes of color. In this world, the black and whites are the accepted laws and extremes that govern us. Shades of gray are the subtle and slight variations and exceptions to those laws. The bouts of color represent the beliefs of man and their will to follow through with them. Like colors, we are all different, though some of us are more similar to one another. To disregard the subtle variances and say what you will is the surest way to incite anger, jealousy, and every other undesirable characteristic imaginable. Words are powerful tools, but they also make deadly weapons. Take great care just which ones you use and how.

Depression - The Green Eyed Beast

All over the world, millions of people suffer from depression. Psychiatrists would define depression as a condition of general emotional dejection and withdrawal; sadness greater and more prolonged than that warranted by any objective reason. A good friend showed great trust in me by confiding that she had been struggling with depression for many years and began listing off what she perceived were her shortcomings. As she gave her summation of how she was living a thoroughly unremarkable and entirely unsatisfactory life, I couldn't help but see the similarities of what all she had related to me. Unemployed, not attending school, barely able to attend church regularly, romantically stonewalled, and socially awkward. With each point she named specific examples of who out shined her and in what ways. My ultimate theory, and I told her thus, is that simply put depression is an overactive bout of jealousy. Jealous of the inability to conform and/or stand apart socially, jealous of others abundance of material goods that they take them for granted. Being, at least in my opinion, very similar I would suggest similar methods of conquering depression as one would use to combat jealousy. Take these steps:

• Admit you have a problem, at least to yourself. Denying feelings leads not only to shame and guilt, but also to sadness, helplessness, anxiety, and low self-esteem. The traits depression patients most exhibit.
• Once you have admitted to your worldwide jealousy, start to fight back against it. They say the best revenge is living well and I know that when the chips are down you hate hearing that, but when your enemy is yourself, such a vengeance is mutually beneficial.
• The best way to eliminate jealousy, and by that I mean depression, is to take steps to attain what it is you desire. If even that is beyond you, take solace that you didn't spend time and resources on a fad that can only last so long.

I have always hoped that my little bits of philosophy add a bit of comfort to those who read it, but with this post the message is doubly so. The Declaration of Independence states that all are entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. With that in mind, go live life, enjoy your freedom, and pursue some happiness.

A Cynic, A Pessimist, And A Realist...

Cynicism is, for good reason, almost a taboo belief. Its bottom line is that everyone has ulterior motives for everything they do every day. Ergo humans by nature are untrustworthy. These are the people that believe the waiter intentionally only half filled their glass. Pessimism is when one focuses on all the negative aspects of a given subject, forgetting or denying the positive. These are the "half empty" type. Finally, there is Realism. Realism is, potentially, the coldest of the three. They see the glass just as it is. They know that though it is unlikely that the waiter has a vendetta against them, they allow for it. They see their glass as the first of many potentially glasses of varying volume, because life by nature is consistent only in being inconsistent. There are no miracles, only what can happen will happen. Every day we meet these characters, sometimes when we look in the mirror in the morning. Each is passionate about their belief may often attempt to force them on you. At each encounter, after analyzing the argument you must decide what type of person you are. Pessimist or Optimist? Realist or Idealist? It may surprise you just how inconsistent you may be. An optimist with a run of bad luck may begin to develop pessimistic thoughts of his future. Similarly, an idealist may be forced to come to grips with the reality of his situation or be condemned to be trapped in a dream world. As you trudge through the balmy marshes of everyday life remember this truth: Nobody but you decides how you react to each situation. You are the master of your mind and you are free to change it or not whenever you like.