Why I Don’t Want To Prevent Depression

Please, don’t take my depression away from me. If that sounds strange coming from a guy who’s written over 300 posts, mostly about how to get out of or avoid depression, I’ll explain. I do not want you to suffer one minute longer than necessary. I am not anti-medication. I am pro-humanity. One day, veryContinue reading “Why I Don’t Want To Prevent Depression”

What’s The Difference Between A Mental & Physical Illness?

“I think Barry has a little bit of that … that bipolar.” That’s an actual comment I heard, with the name changed. It is true that mental illnesses have degrees of severity, but, that sounded like the description of a virus. Unlike a stomach flu or a sore-throat, Barry’s bipolar will not pass after forty-eightContinue reading “What’s The Difference Between A Mental & Physical Illness?”

Depression Doesn’t Fit In A Box

Our brains are hardwired to label things as quickly as possible. ‘Adam the conservative accountant‘ is easy to remember. ‘The guy on the news was on meth‘ makes the story safe for me to quickly file away. ‘Tiffany has a chemical imbalance‘ and that’s why she’s depressed. Labels are extremely helpful most of the time.Continue reading “Depression Doesn’t Fit In A Box”

Why Taking Medication Is ‘Natural’

The following is paraphrased from an NPR interview with Barabara Ehrenreich about her new book Living With A Wild God: The world is a living thing, and everything in it is inherently a living thing. When we look at a car, lamppost, or plastic bottle sitting on the side of the road, we tend notContinue reading “Why Taking Medication Is ‘Natural’”

Medication Isn’t Natural, Right?

If you take medication for a mental illness, it doesn’t feel ‘natural’. Except, if your arm was going to be amputated because of an infection, you wouldn’t hesitate to take an antibiotic. Antibiotics have side effects, but, they’re rarely worse than losing a limb. Anti-depressants have side effects too, and, they’re not worse than losingContinue reading “Medication Isn’t Natural, Right?”

Cyber-Security & Suicide: Post 2 – Dispatch Treatment

I am not suggesting that LEO (law-enforcement officials) bang down your door and lock you up every time you post something sad. For the mentally ill, hospitalization is a less than ideal solution, and incarceration is rarely helpful. Mentally ill people need treatment. They need medication, therapy, and a support group in place for whenContinue reading “Cyber-Security & Suicide: Post 2 – Dispatch Treatment”

Emotional Growth

At the age of thirteen, the onset of depression diverted my emotional growth. For the next ten years, I grew, but not on the same path as most. Mine path was more like a branch growing jagged from the side of a bush. Physically  I looked the same as all the others, but emotionally, I wasContinue reading “Emotional Growth”

Elements Of Recovery

Elements Of Recovery: A Simplified Diagram   This is a slightly more in-depth follow-up to yesterday’s post on ‘resolve’ and more specifically, a question posed by Matthew Brun: What works for you now? Yes it’s true that I have not been depressed for a long time. Yes it’s true that I have repeatedly posted thatContinue reading “Elements Of Recovery”

Weed VS. Alcohol

Watching a two-hour movie, eaten frozen yogurt, 4 ounces of paleo chocolate, nuts, and two enormously meaty left over St. Louis smoked pork ribs bring me down enough since smoking a bowl to write my first post while ‘high’. Not something I’ll make a habit of, but an experiment, if you will. I only smoke betweenContinue reading “Weed VS. Alcohol”