Posted by roo on October 20, 2000, at 16:08:33
In reply to Re: Pass on the CNP, posted by noa on October 19, 2000, at 21:08:59
Interesting thread! I definitely think depression
is a disease, like diabetes. It has been hard to
distinguish myself from my depression at times--it's
so consuming (and I'm in the camp of those who have
had it from an early age, which probably does make
a difference in your perspective.) I don't know...
I think we are spirits, pure spirits, and we know
when we experience that pure part of ourselves...
depression affects our _perspective_, the lens from
which we look out from our spirits into the world. I think depression
is not who I am, but the symptoms I feel when the symptoms
move in and become so strong that they are all I can
feel and see. When I treat the symptoms, I get relief,
and then the pain lifts so I can feel my true spirit
again. It's been there all along, it's just that the
pain of the depression made it impossible to experience.
I used to feel (and sometimes still do in a blue
mood) that I was "damaged goods" and unlovable because
of my depression--that's when I was viewing it more as a
part of who I was. Now I take depression less personally...
I think of it as an ailment that flares up and I have to
watch out for. If I start feeling the symptoms (mood, feeling
like shit about myself, etc) than I need to start taking
care of myself, and making sure I'm getting the right
meds, balance of self care, spirituality, etc.
poster:roo
thread:990
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20001011/msgs/1373.html