The anatomy of melancholy -- Can depression be good for you?

Good talk.

I agree with his point, that to suppress one's feelings of depression by popping a pill denies the opportunity to learn about oneself. I know people who do pop those pills for their "anxiety" or "depression". They "seem" happy, but I am guessing it might just be a numb feeling, where nothing is allowed to interfere with getting on with the daily tasks of life.

I am often sad or melancholy. My whole life, people have told me, "Smile! It can't be THAT bad!" Well, sometimes, it was bad, and sometimes it was just my usual "sad" face which couldn't be helped! In today's world, NOT being sad or depressed sometimes would be a little weird, considering everything that is happening. But I am not going to numb it. I just work through it the best I can.

Thanks for posting.
 
Our society in the west has developed a fear of depression and negativity. They treat it as if it were a contagious disease and if they subject themselves to other people's darkness then they will catch it. Part of the problem is that people are so used to blocking out their own negative emotional states that they cannot understand anothers. The label of depression has been very damaging to many people in that they aren't able to recognize the feeling as a natural state and only seek to get rid of the feeling as soon as possible and by any means.

I'm especially concerned for younger generations like my peers whose parents have become convinced that psychiatry is the new normal right beside doctors checkups. Depression and every other label created by psychiatry has been used to separate people and cause isolation and that just furthers the problem.

Thanks for sharing. It's a good one to keep in mind right along with the Ted talks on making stress your friend.
 
Thank you Joe, that was a wonderful lecture. I am definitely an anti-drug advocate! I hate to see anyone take anti-depressants or anti-anxiety drugs. They are extremely addictive and once you start taking them, they are very hard to get off of!
I totally agree with the speakers point that depression leads to self discovery and self improvement. It is a catalyst for learning and questioning of the world around us! If, we take the easy path of numbing the pain and depression with drugs we are doing ourselves more harm than good.
I've often told friends that were suffering from sadness or struggling with depression that it is not a illness if you have a reason. So first and foremost why? Melancholy is a very common state of mind for me, however it doesn't bother me to be less than happy sometimes. I know that that is real and truthful. The world is full of suffering, to deny that it doesn't occasionally get me down would be a lie.
There is something freeing in allowing your self to grieve, and not stress about it, just learn.
 
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