When is depression a good thing?

by Maverick 8 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Maverick

  The last five years I was a Dud I suffered chronic depression. Not debilitating depression, but a low- grade constant dissatisfaction with whatever! The one saving grace for me was my job. I love what I do and have almost celebrity status in my field, both in Fla. and Mich. I firmly believe that if I had a low paying job I hated, I would have thrown a rope over a beam in the garage and hung myself in 1997.

  The day I realized the J-duds were full of shit, my depression ended. It never came back. I feel good about me, my life, and my place in the universe!

  I content that just as phyical pain tell the body something is wrong, mental pain tell the mind and heart the same thing. On some level my subconscience knew I was living a lie. The longer I fought it the more miserable I felt inside. And this is why so many J-duds are unhappy. Am I full of shit or what? Maverick
• 

  Scully

  Depression has been defined as "anger turned inward". In its milder forms, it can compel someone to do some introspection and re-evaluation of their life and circumstances and this, in turn, leads them to a decision-making point in their life. From what you've described, that's how it worked for you, and yes, in that case, it was a good thing.

  However, some people can have chemical imbalances that cause them to be depressed, and no amount of introspection, self-evaluation, reflection, positive self-talk, empowerment, etc. is going to fix their depression. They need medical attention.

  You have to be careful about making generalizations, because every situation is unique.

  Love, Scully
• 

  Francois

  Scully you have again nailed the nail right on the head. Depression is a terrible illness and it's amazing how many people are being treated for it right this very minute. And along with depression usually comes anxiety. These two phenomena together are paralyzing; they rob a life of any form of joy; everything, no matter how trivial, becomes impossible to perform. I have been depressed, severely, a couple of times in my life. I'd rather be dead than have to experience it again for any length of time.

  francois
• 

  nowisee

  glad you are here, maverick.

  best wishes, nowisee
• 

  DJ

  Hi Maverick,
  I agree with your deduction that emotional pain is the mind's way of telling us that something is wrong, just as the body tells us of our physical pain. Good thinking.

  Francois,

  It is actually a biblical proverb that "anxiety causes depression and what cures it is a good work" I have personally found that to be a true.
• 

  confuzcious

  Maverick's post above hit it right on the head.

  If you are truly honest hearted about the truth, I don't see how you could possibly NOT get depression somewhere along the way.

  The whole system is built upon "activity by guilt feelings."
• 

  gumby

  Depression has been defined as "anger turned inward".

  I wonder how much truth there is to this scully? This is news to me but very intresting.

  Gumby
• 

  AlanF

  : I content that just as phyical pain tell the body something is wrong, mental pain tell the mind and heart the same thing. On some level my subconscience knew I was living a lie. The longer I fought it the more miserable I felt inside. And this is why so many J-duds are unhappy. Am I full of shit or what?

  You're dead nuts on, Maverick! That was my wakeup call that something was very wrong in La-La Land. A couple of years after 1975 failed to bring Armageddon, I was extremely agitated and, I now realize, depressed. It was like someone had punched me ever so slowly in the stomach. It didn't go away until I decided a few years later, privately in the innermost depths of my soul, that I was not going to pretend to be a JW any longer.

  AlanF
• 

  LyinEyes

  I was very depressed the last few years as a dub, burdened down by things I didnt want to do, just doing enough to get by as a JW. I had two sick babies to deal with and no understanding from many in our congregation.
  

  I also suffered a bit of PTSD after the birth of my last child, I never really let it hit me for three years after he was born, how close we came to losing him. I think for me,,,,,,,,,,so much finally hit me.

  When we started to find things out about the WT and the religion we had been raised in, I really flipped out...........basically that is the best way to describe it. I felt the last string holding me together was burning on both ends now.

  Once we decided to never go back,,,,,,,,,,,,I began to enjoy life. Just little things at first, like no committments to meetings, no faking it any longer.

  My conscience felt better instead of worse, I started reading anything I wanted, spent a whole 2 months at the swimming pool with my kids, basically just goofed off.

  I have always had depression and mood swings my whole life, but I can tell you , I handle it so much better now. The deep dark lows havent hit me in over 2 yrs now. I still have ups and downs,as I imagine everyone does. But the difference is like, life and death. Literally, it was for me life and death.