Today I would like to share excerpts from a very insightful book that discusses the subject of ‘Depression’.
… the majority of men and women would, if asked, unwittingly prefer a physical illness to depression. This widespread attitude encourages millions to avoid facing depression in themselves and doing something about it.
Flach Md Kchs, Frederic. The Secret Strength of Depression, Fourth Edition . Hatherleigh Press. Kindle Edition.
I would like to believe that more people are more accepting of depression today compared to when this book was released in 2009. However, I must admit that many people around me have shallow understanding of what depression is really about. This observation made by Dr Flach still holds true today for most parts of the world.
What is depression?
Did you know that depression – acknowledged officially today as a mental illness – is a natural response of the human body?
…the only healthy reaction to many life situations is depression
Human beings are a psychobiological being. Any chemical change that occurs in a human being will cause emotional and thoughtful reactions. The reverse is true as well. Any feelings or thinking that a person experiences will cause a chemical reaction in him or her.
With that in mind, if a person were to face any stressful situation in their lives, the stress that is experienced will cause reactions in both the physical and psychological planes of that person. As an example; when a dear friend has just passed away, it would be natural for someone to feel grief and cry for their friend’s unfortunate passing. In this case, depression is a healthy response that should be accepted.
The graver problem lies when one does not react as expected.
The human being must react psychobiologically to stress. Too great a response, and too little, are equally problematic. If no reaction at all is apparent in the face of a critical stress, the individual should be suspected of blocking out depression. He or she runs a high risk of having a delayed reaction months later, or of entering the chronic and more insidious form of depression.
As a reflection, there were many occasions in my past where I had blocked out any form of natural and emotional response towards stressful events. I had naively mistaken ‘hardiness’ as resiliency. I had thought that I had to bear the strong feelings I had felt to not appear weak. I now realise that that was unwise.
The strong do not ignore their emotions. They embrace their emotions.
Had I had understood better the consequence of blocking my natural reactions towards stress, perhaps I would have not fallen into chronic depression. In exchange for not wanting to appear weak externally, I had diverted the stress that caused weakness internally.
I remind myself with today’s entry that being in touch with my emotions are not a sign of weakness. Instead, I ought seize my feelings wholeheartedly and grow stronger with them.
Peace,
Ruiz