Let’s face it; we all get depressed at some point in our lives. Stress from work, our education, interpersonal relationships–these things all add up and start to drag us down. The things we used to enjoy are no longer interesting. All we want to do is sleep. Or we can’t sleep.
The Western way of dealing with these situations seems to be to dump pill after pill down our throats. Specifically, Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs). With the exception of some very rare cases, I think SSRIs are a crock of shit. No, I’m not a doctor (and I sometimes wonder about the quality of education most psychiatrists have to experience before getting their license). I’m just asking what we did before we had these magic little happy pills.
Was everyone just… depressed? If you go by the massive profits being reaped by the major drug companies, you’d think so. Of course, you’d also think that everyone had Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS), too.
Pills aren’t the answer (at least for the vast majority of people).
Supportive friends, meditation, psychotherapy–these are the answer. Talking about how you feel with someone who cares about you is the answer. Start writing a journal. Go exercise. Do something. It may be harder to be motivated depending on the level of depression (I’m speaking from experience); however, it only takes one thought to break free and move towards happiness. As cliche as it sounds, “I Can“, even once, can begin to pull you out of that rut.
Depressed about your job? Get a new one. Depressed about your relationship? Get a new one. Depressed because you think you’re fat? Go exercise. Yes, I sound harsh, and that’s because I am. We live in such a wussified society that everyone expects to take the easy way out. All the time. You think your life is hard? Compare it to an Iraqi’s life in Baghdad. I’m sure the Iraqi would be glad to trade your depression for his life of dodging suicide bombers.
If you deal with the root cause behind your depression (which I feel is typically environmental, not physical), then you will no longer have to treat the symptoms.
Reflect. Think about what is making you so damned sad. And then do something about it. It doesn’t have to be anything big, as long as you’re taking that first step.
-Russ
