Being depressed, one is more likely to sleep long hours or while the day away passively. Binge-watching TV shows is a common "hobby" of the depressed, and I know that I tended to escape into Walter Mitty-esque fantasies to keep entertained.
Now that I'm in remission, however, I sleep like a normal person (a little less, I think). I have energy to spare and so sitting for hours at a time consuming movies and shows is not really a thing I want to do. Don't get me wrong--I can still get sucked into Top Gear for literally an entire week--but I also know that if I do this, I run the risk of becoming depressed again. The same goes for video games, too. For TV, I make sure I'm doing something at the same time (currently, that means crocheting), and for video games, I just limit them to when everyone else is asleep.
So then, what else is there to do? Try out different hobbies and pick up the ones I have during upswings, of course.
Hobbies I had before: writing and crafts. I'm still trying to get into the mindset of writing, but the internet has such a strong pull on me that it is difficult to concentrate. I have to stick with notebooks and stay away from rooms with monitors in them. Behaviorism is a bitch. For crafting, I sketch, use pastels, and generally make different things like decorations (I made the majority of stuff I hung up around Christmastime). The downside to all of this, is when I'm tapped out of ideas. I don't know what to do at that point. Plus crafting (even with my 30% discount at the store I work at) costs money.
I also like to go hiking when the weather is better, and maybe this year my husband and I will go camping...
New hobbies I have recently picked up: ...more crafting. I know, I know, it's not exactly new, but it is a completely different thing than I'm used to. I'm crocheting now, and I have just finished my first real project (a really, really long scarf). I'm also taking an Intro to Studio Art class this semester, so I'll be forced to keep up with different techniques and getting projects done. I have to maintain a blog for the class, but after the semester's over, I'll transfer all those pictures onto either this blog or to The Reachings (my writing blog that I will eventually start adding to again).
I'm also going to start reading again, starting with Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. The plan is that I'll start to compile a list of books I actually want to read, and then just keep pulling from that as I go.
My point in all this, is that depression takes your whole goddamned life away from you. You have no energy, and you get this overwhelming sense that there is just no time to do anything, no point to learning things, and in the overall scheme of things, who gives a fuck?
But I do. Especially now. Now that I have control of my life again, control of my time and energy and happiness again, I'm going to grab life by the balls and do what I can to fill up my time with things I think are worthwhile.
Part 2 is going to be about how my mindset didn't change right away, and just how...jarring...that can be.
Showing posts with label positive. Show all posts
Showing posts with label positive. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 28, 2015
Thursday, January 15, 2015
Psychiatric Philosophy
One of the things you hear said a lot from those who have depression is that it is a "disease." You usually only get the two opposing views of it; either it's a disease or "it doesn't exist." You are either crippled or you are just lazy, and neither of these views are particularly helpful.
If you are in the mindset I discussed in the previous post, then the disease model sounds the most accurate: it is crippling, you're not faking, and for many people, it feels like a "forever" thing.
Before I go any further, I just wanted to let you all know that I'm not suddenly going against the disease model just because of what my therapist told me on Tuesday. This is a question I've been struggling with since I was coached in Behavioral Activation: if depression is a disease with real, biological causes, how is it that something like getting out of the house more often can be "prescribed" by real doctors--isn't this just the medical equivalent of "just get over yourself?"
Well...the answer is a resounding kinda.
Depression, as far as we understand it, is caused by a combination of bio-psycho-social influences. This means that there is a physical (biological) component, a social component (where the people around us as well as the environment itself have influence), and a psychological component (our thinking habits, to put it simply).
It is these three things that combine to make us depressed. Once one or all of these become a little too strong or a little too "depressive" in nature, then we start to spiral down. This can happen slowly or all at once, but it is something that snowballs, meaning the individual components stack up against you if you let them.
Obviously, we can't change our genetics. If depression runs in our family, then there is a good chance we're going to become depressed. It's not set in stone exactly, but the possibility still remains. For the other components, however, we have some control.
In a perfect world, we have loving, supportive families that accept us no matter what and always have our back. We have many close friends that help us to better ourselves and see the good in the world. We have a loving significant other who it is always a joy to be around. How many of you are laughing cynically right now? Yeah, that's what I thought.
BUT we can make sure that toxic relationships (SOs who abuse us, friends who degrade us, and family who uses us) are cut out of our lives. We can also take the lead when it comes to finding new friends. This is one area where behavioral activation comes in.
This is obviously easier said than done, especially when in the middle of a depressive episode. Also, depending on how deep you've gotten, this may very well be impossible for the time being. So then, aside from getting psychotropic drugs (which I really do recommend if you need them), you have your thought patterns left.
This is where CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, comes in. This is where you take every thought you have and analyze it until it is no longer harmful in nature. I won't go too in depth about it right now, but basically you try to get yourself to stop thinking distortedly.
So how does this get you better?
Imagine for a second that your brain is a lump of clay and your thoughts are pressurized water streams. Right now, as a depressed individual, you have certain ways of thinking (depressed thinking) that are the easiest to you. These thoughts run a specific course (hypothetically) in your clay-brain, and this course is the path of least resistance, pre-carved for you by a lifetime (or whatever) of those pressurized water streams blasting away at specific spots.
Now think about if you try to get yourself to think differently, more positively. It's still a stream of water, and even at the same pressure as the depressed thinking, but it's trying to go through a pathway that's either not there at all, or at least very narrow and unused. But the more you keep at it, the more you are going to carve yourself a new way of thinking. These ways will be just as easy to use as the old, depressive ways.
This process will be made a lot easier if you make other changes: to your environment, to your physical chemistry (through drugs), to your social circle, and to your physical health (through proper diet and exercise, sun exposure, etc.). It takes a lot of work, but depression doesn't have to be the end of your life. It doesn't have to control you.
And don't think for one goddamned second that this post invalidates your suffering: this shit is real and harmful and it sucks. But just like having to relearn how to walk after an injury, you can relearn how to be happy again (or even for the first time), it just takes a shit load of practice.
I hope this helps you understand depression a little better, and maybe helps a couple of you get the help you need and set you on a path to recovery...
~ <3
Wednesday, January 14, 2015
Weird and Wonderful News
My last psychology appointment was on Tuesday the 6th, and I was told something I had never heard before: I was at a good enough place, mentally, that we could forego making another appointment until I felt I needed another.
This is, obviously, good news. But it's strange all the same. Those of you who are depressed or have been depressed will totally understand this line of reasoning: it is very hard to admit that you are getting better.
So many people (well-intentioned or not) will be quick to point out that depression is just a "phase" or just a fleeting "bad mood" that will pass just as quickly as it came. We have to fight to be taken seriously, so it is hard to show others when we have our occasional good day. A good day is very often taken as fodder for why depression really isn't a "thing" and so we should just snap out of it because we "totally did it the other day."
None of us want to be depressed, but partaking in Behavioral Activation can be misconstrued as "bucking up." The very methods for getting better are loaded situations, and this makes for an even harder recovery. It's bad enough trying to recover with someone who understands it having your back!
So to be in a situation where I have been free to try out different methods, to get better, to celebrate the good days instead of hiding them...I have finally gotten to a good place. My wonderful, fucking amazing husband has supported me and I have had an awesome, knowledgeable doctor, too, so I am indeed extremely lucky.
To those of you who are struggling to get better, know that it is possible. Know that it may take years, and so much trial and error that it all feels like a mistake, and there will be pain and hardship and idiots that stand in your way, but it is worth it, and you are worth it. Trust me, if no one else, okay?
I started this blog long into years of therapy and drugs and research and I don't want to misrepresent what a recovery looks like. Hell, that road looks different for every person anyway. And there is something else to remember, too: I can't stop here. There is a lifetime of monitoring ahead, and when (not if) that fails, the inevitable battle to get back to where I am today. I'm also still not 100%, either, I'm just good enough right now that I don't need a therapist holding my hand.
I have taken these things into consideration and, though it wasn't required, I went ahead and made an appointment for a month from the last one, just in case. I know myself enough to know that I might slip between here and then and may need some encouragement (beyond my husband's capabilities), and if there is no appointment scheduled, I'll just put it off. And put it off. Until I'm back again, hiding under a blanket, locked in my closet, wishing I were dead.
I don't want to get to that point again. But I could. Knowing that about myself is the most important step, tied with admitting that I may be on that path again. And really, that's what mental health is all about: learning enough about yourself that you can take every step possible to make sure you stay okay or are working to get there. Even those who have never had problems need to keep tabs on their stress levels.
So everyone who is reading this right now, do yourself a favor: pay attention to how you feel. What your moods are telling you, what your body is telling you, what your friends are telling you...it could literally save your life. Or at least save you a hell of a lot of money and misery!
This is, obviously, good news. But it's strange all the same. Those of you who are depressed or have been depressed will totally understand this line of reasoning: it is very hard to admit that you are getting better.
So many people (well-intentioned or not) will be quick to point out that depression is just a "phase" or just a fleeting "bad mood" that will pass just as quickly as it came. We have to fight to be taken seriously, so it is hard to show others when we have our occasional good day. A good day is very often taken as fodder for why depression really isn't a "thing" and so we should just snap out of it because we "totally did it the other day."
None of us want to be depressed, but partaking in Behavioral Activation can be misconstrued as "bucking up." The very methods for getting better are loaded situations, and this makes for an even harder recovery. It's bad enough trying to recover with someone who understands it having your back!
So to be in a situation where I have been free to try out different methods, to get better, to celebrate the good days instead of hiding them...I have finally gotten to a good place. My wonderful, fucking amazing husband has supported me and I have had an awesome, knowledgeable doctor, too, so I am indeed extremely lucky.
To those of you who are struggling to get better, know that it is possible. Know that it may take years, and so much trial and error that it all feels like a mistake, and there will be pain and hardship and idiots that stand in your way, but it is worth it, and you are worth it. Trust me, if no one else, okay?
I started this blog long into years of therapy and drugs and research and I don't want to misrepresent what a recovery looks like. Hell, that road looks different for every person anyway. And there is something else to remember, too: I can't stop here. There is a lifetime of monitoring ahead, and when (not if) that fails, the inevitable battle to get back to where I am today. I'm also still not 100%, either, I'm just good enough right now that I don't need a therapist holding my hand.
I have taken these things into consideration and, though it wasn't required, I went ahead and made an appointment for a month from the last one, just in case. I know myself enough to know that I might slip between here and then and may need some encouragement (beyond my husband's capabilities), and if there is no appointment scheduled, I'll just put it off. And put it off. Until I'm back again, hiding under a blanket, locked in my closet, wishing I were dead.
I don't want to get to that point again. But I could. Knowing that about myself is the most important step, tied with admitting that I may be on that path again. And really, that's what mental health is all about: learning enough about yourself that you can take every step possible to make sure you stay okay or are working to get there. Even those who have never had problems need to keep tabs on their stress levels.
So everyone who is reading this right now, do yourself a favor: pay attention to how you feel. What your moods are telling you, what your body is telling you, what your friends are telling you...it could literally save your life. Or at least save you a hell of a lot of money and misery!
Friday, January 2, 2015
Happy New Year!
Hey everyone! (or at least the one other person who reads this blog)
How have things been? Have you made any resolutions?
Personally, I have vowed to make this an awesome year--depression be damned, Crohn's be damned...I'm hopefully going to do things right this year. I know there is a HUGE chance this is just a silly little energy boost with another new beginning that will wane in just a few more days, so if I fail, I won't be too terribly shocked. But I do have a little bit of hope I'm drumming up for myself.
Ah, who am I kidding?? This year is going to suck just as much as the last one, and the two or so decades before that...but what I CAN do--what even YOU can do--is make sure this bout of hope and energy is put to good use, not toward worrying about what's around the corner, or how everything is going to catch up and you/I'll start feeling like absolute shit again. We know our pattern, so let's use it to our advantage, eh guys?
So what are your 2015 resolutions? What plan do you have in place for once your soul gets sucked out again? What's your contingency plan for in case this doesn't actually happen and you are back to being a normal human being again? TRICK QUESTION--there's no such thing. So far as I can tell, there's no such thing as normal, healthy, happy human beings. We all have something wrong with us whether mental or physical or both, it's just how we present ourselves to the world that makes the difference. It's how we put this knowledge or ourselves and others to use that makes us successful or "surviving," and slowly I'm starting to realize that each of us is actually capable of the whole "success" thing, so long as we are completely willing to change from the bottom of our souls, no matter how painful looking into those depths may be.
So hold out hope for yourself, you beautiful son of a bitch, because I have hope for you, and I'm kind of a cynical little douche.
~ML
How have things been? Have you made any resolutions?
Personally, I have vowed to make this an awesome year--depression be damned, Crohn's be damned...I'm hopefully going to do things right this year. I know there is a HUGE chance this is just a silly little energy boost with another new beginning that will wane in just a few more days, so if I fail, I won't be too terribly shocked. But I do have a little bit of hope I'm drumming up for myself.
Ah, who am I kidding?? This year is going to suck just as much as the last one, and the two or so decades before that...but what I CAN do--what even YOU can do--is make sure this bout of hope and energy is put to good use, not toward worrying about what's around the corner, or how everything is going to catch up and you/I'll start feeling like absolute shit again. We know our pattern, so let's use it to our advantage, eh guys?
So what are your 2015 resolutions? What plan do you have in place for once your soul gets sucked out again? What's your contingency plan for in case this doesn't actually happen and you are back to being a normal human being again? TRICK QUESTION--there's no such thing. So far as I can tell, there's no such thing as normal, healthy, happy human beings. We all have something wrong with us whether mental or physical or both, it's just how we present ourselves to the world that makes the difference. It's how we put this knowledge or ourselves and others to use that makes us successful or "surviving," and slowly I'm starting to realize that each of us is actually capable of the whole "success" thing, so long as we are completely willing to change from the bottom of our souls, no matter how painful looking into those depths may be.
So hold out hope for yourself, you beautiful son of a bitch, because I have hope for you, and I'm kind of a cynical little douche.
~ML
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
What's been going on lately...
So I have been handling my realization that I'll never get a degree a little harder than I originally thought. I was surprised at my ability to handle it, but it turns out I was just suppressing my feelings about it.
I am disappointed in myself and angry at the system. I feel like psychological community is missing out on someone who could have helped out a lot, and this makes me sad. And then, of course, the inevitable embarrassment at not being able to function like a normal human being...
Needless to say, it's hitting kinda hard.
I had tried to use the military as my "one last chance to not be a failure," and then once I got medically retired and emotionally worked through that train wreck, just jumped headlong into this one...I don't know what the hell I'm going to do with myself now. I had plans of writing and just working where I can for now--which I'm still planning on--but it just feels so...hollow. Pointless. It isn't, but my emotional state at the moment is making it seem that way.
So today's lesson, I guess, is that just because something seems hopeless or worthless or even good and worthwhile, doesn't mean it is--it just means that that's how we are viewing it at the given moment. Everything is in flux. This line of thinking can be humbling or uplifting, depending on how we see ourselves at the moment, knowing that--given some time--it'll change, but either way it's okay because this just means we're human. That we are alive. Things that don't change, that remain in stagnation, wither and die. So even thought that's kinda what I want to do right now I know that I'll feel differently soon because I'm still alive.
It's easy to forget how you felt when you were depressed while in remission, or the other way around, but it's important that you don't. While your head is above the waters of despair you can gather information and insight to cling to once the current inevitably pulls you back under, and that insight can help sustain you. The more you practice, the better you'll get, and maybe--just maybe--you'll break free of the cycle.
I'm mainly just rambling now and I need to get ready for work, so I'll just stop here.
Stay well, guys.
I am disappointed in myself and angry at the system. I feel like psychological community is missing out on someone who could have helped out a lot, and this makes me sad. And then, of course, the inevitable embarrassment at not being able to function like a normal human being...
Needless to say, it's hitting kinda hard.
I had tried to use the military as my "one last chance to not be a failure," and then once I got medically retired and emotionally worked through that train wreck, just jumped headlong into this one...I don't know what the hell I'm going to do with myself now. I had plans of writing and just working where I can for now--which I'm still planning on--but it just feels so...hollow. Pointless. It isn't, but my emotional state at the moment is making it seem that way.
So today's lesson, I guess, is that just because something seems hopeless or worthless or even good and worthwhile, doesn't mean it is--it just means that that's how we are viewing it at the given moment. Everything is in flux. This line of thinking can be humbling or uplifting, depending on how we see ourselves at the moment, knowing that--given some time--it'll change, but either way it's okay because this just means we're human. That we are alive. Things that don't change, that remain in stagnation, wither and die. So even thought that's kinda what I want to do right now I know that I'll feel differently soon because I'm still alive.
It's easy to forget how you felt when you were depressed while in remission, or the other way around, but it's important that you don't. While your head is above the waters of despair you can gather information and insight to cling to once the current inevitably pulls you back under, and that insight can help sustain you. The more you practice, the better you'll get, and maybe--just maybe--you'll break free of the cycle.
I'm mainly just rambling now and I need to get ready for work, so I'll just stop here.
Stay well, guys.
Monday, November 24, 2014
Sh*t People Say
Depression is one of the many, many diseases that cannot be easily seen. This simple fact enables the epic piles of ignorant shit people like to say to those of us with these "invisible illnesses." Some of these people are legitimately trying (and failing) to help, but some of them simply don't believe either:
In light of this, I wanted to take a look at a couple that I've heard, and maybe help someone out there who hears these to ignore them (or someone who says them to shut the fuck up). Let's start with my "favorite:"
Not only should you ignore this comment, you should disregard the asshat who said it to you. Obviously, this is easier said than done and our condition means we are prone to rumination, but just know that they are just. Freaking. Wrong. Seriously, though; fuck this guy.
But they are still wrong. If their "homeopathic cure" actually worked, it would simply be called a "cure." So kindly ask them to show you the result of a double-blind study, and then ask them to leave your treatment to your doctors. This person has potential to be an ally, but only if they can be made to understand their role.
I imagine this comes most often from those closest to us: parents, siblings, really close friends...someone who feels comfortable judging our current life situation enough to deem it not "depressing enough." This person--if made to understand the current scientific stance on what contributes to depression--might also be a great ally in this fight. Unfortunately, some of our worst enemies can also start off this way.
The good ones say this because they care, but don't understand. Deep down, they may feel like it's possibly their fault or that they could have stopped it. They say this because they feel comfortable enough to. The worst ones say this because they are comfortable enough to lead with this, and then end with the, "you're not depressed, you're just lazy," bullshit. These people will be one of the hardest to dismiss or avoid, and I am so sorry they are in your life.
But just because someone says it, thinks it, and/or believes it, doesn't mean it's true. Hell, one of the hardest things I had to learn was that it is the same thing when it comes to our own thoughts. Just because we say it, think it, believe it, doesn't make it true. I'll talk more on subjective vs. objective truths later, though.
The take-away here is this: people are fucking stupid. They may care, but sometimes say the stupidest shit when it comes to a topic they are uncomfortable with, so don't pay what people say much mind. Stick with those who are supportive, even if it's just an online community like reddit.
What are some stupid/thoughtless/hurtful things you've heard in regards to any of your "invisible illnesses?"
- These diseases exist, or,
- You have them.
In light of this, I wanted to take a look at a couple that I've heard, and maybe help someone out there who hears these to ignore them (or someone who says them to shut the fuck up). Let's start with my "favorite:"
- You're not depressed, you're just lazy.
Not only should you ignore this comment, you should disregard the asshat who said it to you. Obviously, this is easier said than done and our condition means we are prone to rumination, but just know that they are just. Freaking. Wrong. Seriously, though; fuck this guy.
- This person I know started taking [insert bullshit remedy here], and his'er depression was gone in a day!
But they are still wrong. If their "homeopathic cure" actually worked, it would simply be called a "cure." So kindly ask them to show you the result of a double-blind study, and then ask them to leave your treatment to your doctors. This person has potential to be an ally, but only if they can be made to understand their role.
- Don't go to therapists, they'll want to give you shock therapy and load you up with drugs!
- You don't have anything to be depressed about!
I imagine this comes most often from those closest to us: parents, siblings, really close friends...someone who feels comfortable judging our current life situation enough to deem it not "depressing enough." This person--if made to understand the current scientific stance on what contributes to depression--might also be a great ally in this fight. Unfortunately, some of our worst enemies can also start off this way.
The good ones say this because they care, but don't understand. Deep down, they may feel like it's possibly their fault or that they could have stopped it. They say this because they feel comfortable enough to. The worst ones say this because they are comfortable enough to lead with this, and then end with the, "you're not depressed, you're just lazy," bullshit. These people will be one of the hardest to dismiss or avoid, and I am so sorry they are in your life.
But just because someone says it, thinks it, and/or believes it, doesn't mean it's true. Hell, one of the hardest things I had to learn was that it is the same thing when it comes to our own thoughts. Just because we say it, think it, believe it, doesn't make it true. I'll talk more on subjective vs. objective truths later, though.
The take-away here is this: people are fucking stupid. They may care, but sometimes say the stupidest shit when it comes to a topic they are uncomfortable with, so don't pay what people say much mind. Stick with those who are supportive, even if it's just an online community like reddit.
What are some stupid/thoughtless/hurtful things you've heard in regards to any of your "invisible illnesses?"
Friday, November 21, 2014
Journaling Hows and Whys
Okay, so after having my terrible Wednesday and taking Thursday to chill (and work, admittedly), I feel like it's officially okay to attempt this again.
When it comes to the internet (and official literature that didn't have a paywall), so many people say that journaling is a good idea. It is a good idea for psychoanalysis, CBT, treating PTSD, behavioral activation, migraines, and just regular life among a million other applications as well, I'm sure. However, it's not necessarily something one is apt to do naturally. It feel silly, if I'm honest, at least until you get used to it. I only got really into it in the past year or so and even then it took awhile to get somewhat consistent about it.
I guess, technically, it was always "journaling," but it didn't feel that way. I had read somewhere that you can improve your working memory if you always write everything down. Supposedly this allows your brain to stop trying to hold on to a bunch of unnecessary information so you can focus better on what matters. So I wrote everything down. Grocery lists, schedules, room numbers, directions, idle thoughts, story ideas, complaints--everything. It was mostly on loose leaf paper in my school binder, but eventually I got little notebooks that I could carry around. This might be the beginning of my "pretty journals" obsession...Anyway, this note-taking led to journaling. Kinda. I didn't notice an increase in my mental powers, so I tapered off fairly quickly. When I switched over to journaling about my day, I completely stopped. Eventually I stopped carrying a notebook with me. I didn't really start back up until a couple years ago, and it didn't really get serious until last year, I think, when my depression bottomed-out again.
So what do I journal about now? Anything. Everything. I write about my day, my thoughts, I bitch about people/classes, I record my physical as well as mental health (though not as much as my doctors would like). I evaluate how I handled different problems and why, I make plans for Christmas decorations...
Do you want to start? Find a notebook that you like, or bind some loose leaf together in a folder. Then...well...start. There are a bunch of different techniques you can try, but research has shown (if you read any of the six links up top) that the most beneficial way to do this is to write about potential gains from problems you face. Basically just re-evaluating shitty situations and trying to find anything you could learn or grow from. This keeps you focused on more reflexive topics while not just dwelling on the negative.
If this deeper writing isn't for you, you can try more surface things like the route I took, writing everything down. There is also even more subtle things where you simply record the weather for each day. You can even take the more CBT-focused route and just record thoughts and feelings that you have.
If you are more creatively inclined (you don't have to be good at this, just enjoy it), you can start something called an art journal, too! Basically you take a topic and you draw/paint/photograph/sculpt/modge podge/collage it. It can be something really emotional such as a break up, or it could be fairly simple like taking a concept ("freedom") and making an entry representing that. To get the most out of this, I would suggest writing something alongside these entries so you can have something more concrete to look back on.
And for the most benefit, make sure you do look back! You can compare and see how you've grown or find patterns that are destructive. And if you have a therapist, then I would suggest bringing up your journal with them and seeing if they want to go over certain things with you. Having a trained second set of eyes can help eliminate some bias that may blind you to certain defenses or faults.
I think I might start posting journal topics for you guys either on a separate page or on the side bar, I don't know.
There is now a journaling topics page! Last update to it was on 11/25 at 1:26 am.
Have you had any experience with journaling you'd like to share? Maybe pictures of your journals themselves (I'm a sucker for a nice notebook)? Please comment below!
When it comes to the internet (and official literature that didn't have a paywall), so many people say that journaling is a good idea. It is a good idea for psychoanalysis, CBT, treating PTSD, behavioral activation, migraines, and just regular life among a million other applications as well, I'm sure. However, it's not necessarily something one is apt to do naturally. It feel silly, if I'm honest, at least until you get used to it. I only got really into it in the past year or so and even then it took awhile to get somewhat consistent about it.
I guess, technically, it was always "journaling," but it didn't feel that way. I had read somewhere that you can improve your working memory if you always write everything down. Supposedly this allows your brain to stop trying to hold on to a bunch of unnecessary information so you can focus better on what matters. So I wrote everything down. Grocery lists, schedules, room numbers, directions, idle thoughts, story ideas, complaints--everything. It was mostly on loose leaf paper in my school binder, but eventually I got little notebooks that I could carry around. This might be the beginning of my "pretty journals" obsession...Anyway, this note-taking led to journaling. Kinda. I didn't notice an increase in my mental powers, so I tapered off fairly quickly. When I switched over to journaling about my day, I completely stopped. Eventually I stopped carrying a notebook with me. I didn't really start back up until a couple years ago, and it didn't really get serious until last year, I think, when my depression bottomed-out again.
So what do I journal about now? Anything. Everything. I write about my day, my thoughts, I bitch about people/classes, I record my physical as well as mental health (though not as much as my doctors would like). I evaluate how I handled different problems and why, I make plans for Christmas decorations...
Do you want to start? Find a notebook that you like, or bind some loose leaf together in a folder. Then...well...start. There are a bunch of different techniques you can try, but research has shown (if you read any of the six links up top) that the most beneficial way to do this is to write about potential gains from problems you face. Basically just re-evaluating shitty situations and trying to find anything you could learn or grow from. This keeps you focused on more reflexive topics while not just dwelling on the negative.
If this deeper writing isn't for you, you can try more surface things like the route I took, writing everything down. There is also even more subtle things where you simply record the weather for each day. You can even take the more CBT-focused route and just record thoughts and feelings that you have.
If you are more creatively inclined (you don't have to be good at this, just enjoy it), you can start something called an art journal, too! Basically you take a topic and you draw/paint/photograph/sculpt/modge podge/collage it. It can be something really emotional such as a break up, or it could be fairly simple like taking a concept ("freedom") and making an entry representing that. To get the most out of this, I would suggest writing something alongside these entries so you can have something more concrete to look back on.
And for the most benefit, make sure you do look back! You can compare and see how you've grown or find patterns that are destructive. And if you have a therapist, then I would suggest bringing up your journal with them and seeing if they want to go over certain things with you. Having a trained second set of eyes can help eliminate some bias that may blind you to certain defenses or faults.
There is now a journaling topics page! Last update to it was on 11/25 at 1:26 am.
Have you had any experience with journaling you'd like to share? Maybe pictures of your journals themselves (I'm a sucker for a nice notebook)? Please comment below!
Monday, November 17, 2014
The Project
So a while back, Dr. S looked at my activity log and mentioned that journaling is one of my "values." I kinda did a little mental twinge, but just tucked it away for later. The question lingered, though: how the fuck is "journaling" a value?
Eventually I revisited that--y'know, shower thoughts and all that--and came to the conclusion that journaling isn't a value; it is an action that expresses a value. So what is that value? I came up with a few: introspection, reflection, emotional processing, expression, and self understanding. After that I thought about what other activities express might express values that I don't even pay attention to. Yeah, that's a bit of a mouthful.
Anyway.
That's where I got the idea for The Project. Maybe there are other aspects of my life I could examine and learn from. It's a little psychoanalytical, but either way, here's the general idea:
I'm going to take every aspect of my life and dissect it. I'm not trying to find anything wrong or second-guess my every move from birth or anything, just identify patterns and associations. I'll write lists, essays, draw pie charts--however best to present my data--and then analyze the shit out of it. Like I said, psychoanalytical.
Some ideas for topics include relationships with other people--good, bad, indifferent--and how/why they got that way. The list of activities I already mentioned was the first entry. Also I've got habit, pet peeves, prejudices, thing that disgust me, defense mechanisms, hopes, dreams, and common/repeated problems. There are many other things I can/will evaluate, but this is more than enough to get me started. This is also on top of my novel, my creative writing blog, and this blog too, so it may take awhile, but in the end it'll be worth it.
Plato had written, "Know thyself." It was an admonishment of cocky young fucks, and I know this project of mine may sting--it will certainly bring up some harsh memories if I manage to stay honest with myself.
Maybe I'll post some bits from this Project, but I can't guarantee that. I will, however, post some of the topics I use with explanations of just what the hell I'm talking about. I really encourage all of you who feel fairly stable to take a shot. Those of you still trudging through the tar might want to stick to more "life-affirming" topics. In fact, I think that's what Wednesday will be about.
~Stay warm, kiddies (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere--you guys stay cool)!
Eventually I revisited that--y'know, shower thoughts and all that--and came to the conclusion that journaling isn't a value; it is an action that expresses a value. So what is that value? I came up with a few: introspection, reflection, emotional processing, expression, and self understanding. After that I thought about what other activities express might express values that I don't even pay attention to. Yeah, that's a bit of a mouthful.
Anyway.
That's where I got the idea for The Project. Maybe there are other aspects of my life I could examine and learn from. It's a little psychoanalytical, but either way, here's the general idea:
I'm going to take every aspect of my life and dissect it. I'm not trying to find anything wrong or second-guess my every move from birth or anything, just identify patterns and associations. I'll write lists, essays, draw pie charts--however best to present my data--and then analyze the shit out of it. Like I said, psychoanalytical.
Some ideas for topics include relationships with other people--good, bad, indifferent--and how/why they got that way. The list of activities I already mentioned was the first entry. Also I've got habit, pet peeves, prejudices, thing that disgust me, defense mechanisms, hopes, dreams, and common/repeated problems. There are many other things I can/will evaluate, but this is more than enough to get me started. This is also on top of my novel, my creative writing blog, and this blog too, so it may take awhile, but in the end it'll be worth it.
Plato had written, "Know thyself." It was an admonishment of cocky young fucks, and I know this project of mine may sting--it will certainly bring up some harsh memories if I manage to stay honest with myself.
Maybe I'll post some bits from this Project, but I can't guarantee that. I will, however, post some of the topics I use with explanations of just what the hell I'm talking about. I really encourage all of you who feel fairly stable to take a shot. Those of you still trudging through the tar might want to stick to more "life-affirming" topics. In fact, I think that's what Wednesday will be about.
~Stay warm, kiddies (unless you live in the Southern Hemisphere--you guys stay cool)!
Friday, November 14, 2014
Friday Check-In!
Hey everyone!
So I haven't done this sort of thing in a while, but here we are again. I have actually been through a lot, recently--not anything bad necessarily, just a lot.
Firstly, I have a new job (as I've said already). I work at a craft store, selling fake flowers to old ladies and yarn to hipsters. It's going pretty darn well: they keep their side of the Americans with Disabilities Act by allowing me to sit on a stool at the register and take breaks when I need it when I'm working the floor (there's not much else for them to do with me, really). So there's that. But then there's something else.
I think I may not finish my degree.
Just a few months ago, and I would be so ashamed of myself, saying that I'm worthless and useless and I'd never be able to amount to anything or help anybody unless I straight up got my doctorate. I do feel silly; I've been pretty proud of myself for planning on making to so long in the college game. But that's all it was: planning. I tried to take credit for something that never really happened. *cringe*
So what will I do instead, you ask? I don't have a f*cking clue (as I also have already said). But I really think I might get a kick out of trying to do this blog for realsies. This means that I'd have to write much more consistently and actually try to get readers instead of this, "I want but don't want people to read my stuff 'cuz I'm a silly little girl," crap. Either way, this could really only mean good things to come for this blog as I'll have to up the quality and actually think about what I'm posting before I do so.
Also, I have another blog that I started awhile ago called The Reachings, that is a lot more creative writing-based that I will be starting back up on. This one might actually become my job one day, so if you care at all, check it out! Right now it's a lot of old stuff, but soon after posting this, I'll be putting up some other writings and posting my plans for it there.
My goals for this next week, then:
1. Come up with "real" posts for this blog. Maybe about a month's worth.
2. Write and edit those posts (at least 2 weeks' worth).
3. Don't panic!
4. Figure out how I'm going to get through two more semesters of school while also knowing that none of it actually makes a bit of difference.
Wish me luck on these things. Maybe I can actually help people without a degree...
So I haven't done this sort of thing in a while, but here we are again. I have actually been through a lot, recently--not anything bad necessarily, just a lot.
Firstly, I have a new job (as I've said already). I work at a craft store, selling fake flowers to old ladies and yarn to hipsters. It's going pretty darn well: they keep their side of the Americans with Disabilities Act by allowing me to sit on a stool at the register and take breaks when I need it when I'm working the floor (there's not much else for them to do with me, really). So there's that. But then there's something else.
I think I may not finish my degree.
Just a few months ago, and I would be so ashamed of myself, saying that I'm worthless and useless and I'd never be able to amount to anything or help anybody unless I straight up got my doctorate. I do feel silly; I've been pretty proud of myself for planning on making to so long in the college game. But that's all it was: planning. I tried to take credit for something that never really happened. *cringe*
So what will I do instead, you ask? I don't have a f*cking clue (as I also have already said). But I really think I might get a kick out of trying to do this blog for realsies. This means that I'd have to write much more consistently and actually try to get readers instead of this, "I want but don't want people to read my stuff 'cuz I'm a silly little girl," crap. Either way, this could really only mean good things to come for this blog as I'll have to up the quality and actually think about what I'm posting before I do so.
Also, I have another blog that I started awhile ago called The Reachings, that is a lot more creative writing-based that I will be starting back up on. This one might actually become my job one day, so if you care at all, check it out! Right now it's a lot of old stuff, but soon after posting this, I'll be putting up some other writings and posting my plans for it there.
My goals for this next week, then:
1. Come up with "real" posts for this blog. Maybe about a month's worth.
2. Write and edit those posts (at least 2 weeks' worth).
3. Don't panic!
4. Figure out how I'm going to get through two more semesters of school while also knowing that none of it actually makes a bit of difference.
Wish me luck on these things. Maybe I can actually help people without a degree...
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Little Slips
Last post I wrote about the anxiety that's always there, just waiting for myself to slip back into months-long depression and hopelessness. Well, I'm still waiting for "the big one" but little ones have been cropping up here and there.
I don't even know where the last one came from, just that it happened and it was annoying (after I got over bawling my eyes out). But really, it was survivable. I wonder if that's what my life has in store for me from now on: little bouts of mini-breakdowns every once in a while for no reason whatsoever. I hope not, but if so, then I guess it is what it is...
I just have to try to remind myself that it is happening now, yes. And it sucks ass, yes. But just because I am spontaneously depressed today doesn't mean it is going to be months of a downward spiral until I want to shoot myself in the face. It could just be for tonight, and even if it isn't, I'll deal with it like I have for 20ish years prior. Just to wait it out until tomorrow and try not to get too existential about my suffering until then.
And breathe. As much as I hate admitting it (it sounds like a tree-hugging, new-age, hippie thing), breathing exercises really, really help. Just concentrate on the fact that you are breathing in, then out and all the sounds and physical sensations in between...when you start to think about anything else (good, bad, or not), just go, "nope," and breathe in again. Breathe out again. It won't fix anything necessarily, and it takes a lot of strength and practice to bring yourself back to it, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
Anyway, that's been my week.
I don't even know where the last one came from, just that it happened and it was annoying (after I got over bawling my eyes out). But really, it was survivable. I wonder if that's what my life has in store for me from now on: little bouts of mini-breakdowns every once in a while for no reason whatsoever. I hope not, but if so, then I guess it is what it is...
I just have to try to remind myself that it is happening now, yes. And it sucks ass, yes. But just because I am spontaneously depressed today doesn't mean it is going to be months of a downward spiral until I want to shoot myself in the face. It could just be for tonight, and even if it isn't, I'll deal with it like I have for 20ish years prior. Just to wait it out until tomorrow and try not to get too existential about my suffering until then.
And breathe. As much as I hate admitting it (it sounds like a tree-hugging, new-age, hippie thing), breathing exercises really, really help. Just concentrate on the fact that you are breathing in, then out and all the sounds and physical sensations in between...when you start to think about anything else (good, bad, or not), just go, "nope," and breathe in again. Breathe out again. It won't fix anything necessarily, and it takes a lot of strength and practice to bring yourself back to it, but it certainly doesn't hurt.
Anyway, that's been my week.
Monday, August 4, 2014
Self-Worth vs. Self-Esteem
This is a topic that I think is extremely important for every human being to understand. With that in mind, I am going to try to explain my views on it as best as I can.
So firstly, what are these things?
Self-Esteem is something most of us get pounded into our brains throughout school. It is how we feel about ourselves with high self-esteem meaning feeling good, and low self-esteem feeling bad. Then culture steps in (at least in my upbringing), and tells you that high self-esteem is a bad thing to have. That it means feeling cocky. What they should say is that inflated self-esteem is bad. 'Inflated' meaning way higher than it ever should be, like "I am a god" kind of self-esteem. When you start to base how you feel about yourself on how you rate other humans, you are heading in a bad direction. Any blow to an inflated self-esteem, and everything goes into disarray.
Self-worth is a concept that is usually skipped by most and those who take a shot at it make it sound like the biggest pile of Kumbaya hippie-shit ever. Because of not understanding self-worth I had a bit of an existential crisis, and because not too many even understood what I meant when asking about it, I felt a little crazy and completely alone.
Maybe because they just accepted the idea unconsciously and I didn't even understand it meant I had no worth? NOPE. But that was one of the many doubts I had about it.
Self-worth is the inherent worth you have as a human being. Note that I did not say the worth you express. Every person has the potential to do something great with their lives. It may take practice, learning a new trade, extra effort (for those with some disability), or even a complete 180 from their current life path (in the case of criminals or those who sit on the couch all day eating snacks), but EVERYONE has that potential.
Now for the hippie bullshit! I say this, but it is an interesting way to look at it in conjunction with a real definition. A self-esteem workbook I was given mentioned that most people don't question the right of existence of an animal or a plant, we just accept it. And therefore, we should just accept our own. The first part is really easy to agree with, I think. But as soon as we get to human beings, we start attaching meaning to our actions and our thoughts, and it makes sense to a degree: we are capable of much more good and "evil" than just a tree or a cat. They are inherently good, right? Well...yeah, I guess. But that doesn't mean that if we aren't another Mother Theresa or whatever that we deserve to die or don't deserve a good life. "Deserve" is a silly notion when it comes to the big picture, anyway. That's not something we should really trifle with (or its possible that I am treating that idea with the same kid gloves as everyone else treated "self-worth").
Want a shitty metaphor? Imagine, say, gold. Its actual, monetary worth is its "self-worth." How much it believes its worth is its "self-esteem" and then if you found it and sold it, that would be the expression of its worth. If you never found it and it sat at, say, the bottom of the ocean, would it still not have worth on the market? If you did find it, but thought it was a worthless chunk of rock, wouldn't it still be worth something on the market? Say you kept it as a paperweight (because you still thought it was worthless), and your imaginary geologist friend stopped by ten years later and told you that you had a huge cash cow sitting on top of some bills, didn't it still have that worth the whole time?
For a "human" example, think about good old Schindler (from Schindler's List). He was a total douche canoe by all accounts. He was a cheap, racist bastard and a grouchy one at that. If you only saw that part of his life, you wouldn't think much about his worth, right? Maybe he was a "productive" member of society, but not a very nice one. Then he changed for the better. He saved a bunch of Jewish people from the Nazis, that's pretty awesome, right? But until he did that, if he had questioned his worth as I had, he would have decided he shouldn't exist. And then how fucked would those Jews have been?
The important thing to see here is not that he was suddenly worth anything, but that he always was. It was because he had the potential to change, the potential to do something awesome, that he had inherent worth. But hindsight is 20/20, right? Not if you subscribe to the idea that everyone always has that potential. The hard part is thinking this way about people we hate. That Kony asshole, for example. Or Hitler, if you want to stay with that theme. They may do (or have done) terrible things, but while they are still alive, they still have the potential to do something amazing.
And so do you.
If you are reading my blog (which I don't think anyone but bots are at the moment), you are depressed, have been depressed before, or know someone in those first two conditions. Or you just think I'm awesome, whatever. But I know how it feels: everyday is a struggle to get out of bed, or just generally give a flying fuck about anything. And reading this may feel like I'm telling you to just stop being a total asshole and cure cancer already. I'm not. What I'm saying here, is that you have an inherent, inalienable right to be here, no matter how shitty you feel, or how little you feel you have accomplished. And it is not because you might one day jump out of bed and save little Timmy from a well. It is because you have the potential to even ACCIDENTALLY help someone. Did you know that World Wars I and II were really big catalysts to moving psychology into the realm of real science? Just saying. Shitty things happen. Shitty people exist. But it doesn't mean that it shouldn't have happened or that they should just off themselves. Because we cannot possibly know their potential--ever--unless it affects us directly. You may never know your own real potential/worth unless you are specifically told how you affected the world.
If you are anything like me, this may help clear some things up but not really make you feel better about life. This could, however, give you permission to do the things that make you feel better. Or even the extra oomph you may have needed to start practicing something that could help you express the worth you already have.
So firstly, what are these things?
Self-Esteem is something most of us get pounded into our brains throughout school. It is how we feel about ourselves with high self-esteem meaning feeling good, and low self-esteem feeling bad. Then culture steps in (at least in my upbringing), and tells you that high self-esteem is a bad thing to have. That it means feeling cocky. What they should say is that inflated self-esteem is bad. 'Inflated' meaning way higher than it ever should be, like "I am a god" kind of self-esteem. When you start to base how you feel about yourself on how you rate other humans, you are heading in a bad direction. Any blow to an inflated self-esteem, and everything goes into disarray.
Self-worth is a concept that is usually skipped by most and those who take a shot at it make it sound like the biggest pile of Kumbaya hippie-shit ever. Because of not understanding self-worth I had a bit of an existential crisis, and because not too many even understood what I meant when asking about it, I felt a little crazy and completely alone.
Maybe because they just accepted the idea unconsciously and I didn't even understand it meant I had no worth? NOPE. But that was one of the many doubts I had about it.
Self-worth is the inherent worth you have as a human being. Note that I did not say the worth you express. Every person has the potential to do something great with their lives. It may take practice, learning a new trade, extra effort (for those with some disability), or even a complete 180 from their current life path (in the case of criminals or those who sit on the couch all day eating snacks), but EVERYONE has that potential.
Now for the hippie bullshit! I say this, but it is an interesting way to look at it in conjunction with a real definition. A self-esteem workbook I was given mentioned that most people don't question the right of existence of an animal or a plant, we just accept it. And therefore, we should just accept our own. The first part is really easy to agree with, I think. But as soon as we get to human beings, we start attaching meaning to our actions and our thoughts, and it makes sense to a degree: we are capable of much more good and "evil" than just a tree or a cat. They are inherently good, right? Well...yeah, I guess. But that doesn't mean that if we aren't another Mother Theresa or whatever that we deserve to die or don't deserve a good life. "Deserve" is a silly notion when it comes to the big picture, anyway. That's not something we should really trifle with (or its possible that I am treating that idea with the same kid gloves as everyone else treated "self-worth").
Want a shitty metaphor? Imagine, say, gold. Its actual, monetary worth is its "self-worth." How much it believes its worth is its "self-esteem" and then if you found it and sold it, that would be the expression of its worth. If you never found it and it sat at, say, the bottom of the ocean, would it still not have worth on the market? If you did find it, but thought it was a worthless chunk of rock, wouldn't it still be worth something on the market? Say you kept it as a paperweight (because you still thought it was worthless), and your imaginary geologist friend stopped by ten years later and told you that you had a huge cash cow sitting on top of some bills, didn't it still have that worth the whole time?
For a "human" example, think about good old Schindler (from Schindler's List). He was a total douche canoe by all accounts. He was a cheap, racist bastard and a grouchy one at that. If you only saw that part of his life, you wouldn't think much about his worth, right? Maybe he was a "productive" member of society, but not a very nice one. Then he changed for the better. He saved a bunch of Jewish people from the Nazis, that's pretty awesome, right? But until he did that, if he had questioned his worth as I had, he would have decided he shouldn't exist. And then how fucked would those Jews have been?
The important thing to see here is not that he was suddenly worth anything, but that he always was. It was because he had the potential to change, the potential to do something awesome, that he had inherent worth. But hindsight is 20/20, right? Not if you subscribe to the idea that everyone always has that potential. The hard part is thinking this way about people we hate. That Kony asshole, for example. Or Hitler, if you want to stay with that theme. They may do (or have done) terrible things, but while they are still alive, they still have the potential to do something amazing.
And so do you.
If you are reading my blog (which I don't think anyone but bots are at the moment), you are depressed, have been depressed before, or know someone in those first two conditions. Or you just think I'm awesome, whatever. But I know how it feels: everyday is a struggle to get out of bed, or just generally give a flying fuck about anything. And reading this may feel like I'm telling you to just stop being a total asshole and cure cancer already. I'm not. What I'm saying here, is that you have an inherent, inalienable right to be here, no matter how shitty you feel, or how little you feel you have accomplished. And it is not because you might one day jump out of bed and save little Timmy from a well. It is because you have the potential to even ACCIDENTALLY help someone. Did you know that World Wars I and II were really big catalysts to moving psychology into the realm of real science? Just saying. Shitty things happen. Shitty people exist. But it doesn't mean that it shouldn't have happened or that they should just off themselves. Because we cannot possibly know their potential--ever--unless it affects us directly. You may never know your own real potential/worth unless you are specifically told how you affected the world.
If you are anything like me, this may help clear some things up but not really make you feel better about life. This could, however, give you permission to do the things that make you feel better. Or even the extra oomph you may have needed to start practicing something that could help you express the worth you already have.
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
For the Interim...
I have officially started school for the summer, so I am a little behind in my "real" life. However, I have not entirely forgotten about you (the, probably, one other person who reads this blog)! So, until I have time to write something a little more substantial, allow me to suggest a couple of sites for you.
First, there is freepsychotherapybooks.org. This site is 100% legit in that it is totally free and totally legal. They have a lot of books (and even a few workbooks) that have to do with therapy, disorders, relationships, creativity, and much, much more. You just download the books onto your computer and/or tablet and then read. Some books have epub files you can use for your Nook, and some are pdf. only.
The book I just recently finished and *highly* recommend for anyone dealing with this issue, is Living with Chronic Depression: a Rehabilitation Approach, by a Dr. Jerome D. Levin. It starts off really basic, talking about all different kinds of treatments for depression--most of them you probably already know, and those you don't you might want to give a try--and can kind of make you feel worse as you read it. BUT, after you get past that, it really starts to delve into causes and theories and ends up making visible that elusive light at the end of the tunnel. I actually credit this book along with a new course of therapy for my recent upswing. Even if you don't like it, check out the rest of the books, too. What's the harm?
Another site is more for a quick pick-me-up, called Boggle the Owl. Boggle is an owl, and he is worried about you! It isn't a cure for depression, but it is freakin' adorable. Boggle is really good at sending off the vibe of "unconditional positive regard" and he is ready to take your questions and concerns. Yes, it's a tumblr page, but give him a chance--he really loves you!
I hope these pages give you something to do while I work on myself, my homework, and a quality article for you.
~Be well!
First, there is freepsychotherapybooks.org. This site is 100% legit in that it is totally free and totally legal. They have a lot of books (and even a few workbooks) that have to do with therapy, disorders, relationships, creativity, and much, much more. You just download the books onto your computer and/or tablet and then read. Some books have epub files you can use for your Nook, and some are pdf. only.
The book I just recently finished and *highly* recommend for anyone dealing with this issue, is Living with Chronic Depression: a Rehabilitation Approach, by a Dr. Jerome D. Levin. It starts off really basic, talking about all different kinds of treatments for depression--most of them you probably already know, and those you don't you might want to give a try--and can kind of make you feel worse as you read it. BUT, after you get past that, it really starts to delve into causes and theories and ends up making visible that elusive light at the end of the tunnel. I actually credit this book along with a new course of therapy for my recent upswing. Even if you don't like it, check out the rest of the books, too. What's the harm?
Another site is more for a quick pick-me-up, called Boggle the Owl. Boggle is an owl, and he is worried about you! It isn't a cure for depression, but it is freakin' adorable. Boggle is really good at sending off the vibe of "unconditional positive regard" and he is ready to take your questions and concerns. Yes, it's a tumblr page, but give him a chance--he really loves you!
I hope these pages give you something to do while I work on myself, my homework, and a quality article for you.
~Be well!
Wednesday, April 16, 2014
It's okay if you talk to yourself...
I have recently just come out of a fairly deep stint of depression, and so I have only just now gotten enough energy to write anything at all. One of the things I wanted to write was a complete "re-do" of the first couple of entries on this blog. But having just looked over it, I think my best course of action would be to look at the questions I asked, and then answer them to the best to my ability.
This format is not quite what I wanted for this blog, but I think it's important to try to answer one's own questions instead of just waiting for someone else to answer them.
...it's just when you start to answer yourself that it's time to worry...
If that phrase is correct, then I guess it's time to worry! It's not, but I thought it was an appropriate aphorism to mention...anyway, I'm going to start with the first article.
"Can the same things that bring someone from -8 to 0, also bring someone from 0 to +8? (and/or vise versa?)"
This question is kind of cute, in retrospect. If you read my last article, then you know that due to a sort of unregulated immersion into positive psychology, I kind of either triggered or worsened a depressive episode. Like I said there, however, I truly believe that (if done correctly) one can be treated for depression with positive psychology, but a technique involving it would have to be carefully constructed in order to not come off inappropriately. When I say "inappropriately," I mean a few things:
Condescending. Positive psychology can come off VERY condescending--it is very similar to the whole, "you're not really depressed, you're just in a bad mood" that is so common to hear these days. It's the "just get over it" of advice. It isn't actually that, it just sounds that way when you are depressed. Especially if you have been told the other kinds of advice--it makes it much harder to accept anything positive, really.
Cheesy/Corny. Quick, tell me what you think about this phrase: "laughter is the best medicine" or: "turn that frown upside down." If you are cynical (like me), then you probably rolled your eyes. If you are almost hatefully cynical (like I can be), then you probably equated it with the above. It's slightly different than being condescending, but not by much.
Impossible. This is more along the lines of what I said in my last post about how I felt trying to apply positive psychology to my own life: How am I supposed to identify and improve on my signature strengths, when I'm just trying to convince myself that I should continue to live?
So to answer my own question, with a careful application of principles and an emphasis on patience and kindness (much with any other "learning" types of therapy), positive psychology could absolutely bring someone from a -8 to 0. This is a topic I'm going to have to really think about though, before I post too much more on it.
"Just how stable is mental health?"
This is actually a bigger question than I had realized back then! Measuring the stability of mental health requires the definition of mental health overall. The newest discussion on this I've seen (yes, still my positive psych class), has been pushing the idea that mental health is not just the absence of illness (physical health as well, by the way), but the presence of "flourishing." This is one of those things that makes a depressed person recoil a bit--ugh, what a corny word: flourishing. This is actually a great way to look at things, just so long as you allow for the state of "stability" to be in there. Flourishing, I feel, would be almost impossible to do 100% of the time, specifically when tragedy strikes.
Notice how I said "almost impossible?" It is my understanding (for now) that the true measure of mental health is not your current state, but your current ability to cope with negative events, and how that coping affects your current state. So while a tragedy may make you grieve, your ability to cope with that grief is a better measure of your mental health than the fact that you are grieving. For example:
If "Bill" suddenly had a death in the family, he would start the grieving process. Knowing that grieving is perfectly natural, he makes sure to take care of himself during this difficult time. He also keeps an eye on the rest of his family, makes sure they also know that whatever they feel is okay, and spends time with supportive persons in order to properly heal. He might laugh at this time, he might cry, he might even be angry, but whatever he does, he keeps tabs on his physical health and remembers to do the things that he has always done to make himself happy, even if he does not feel happy at the time. "Bill" is flourishing, despite the pain he feels at the loss of a loved one. He would be a great example of a +8. Now, if everyone around him starts dying off one by one, he loses his house, his job, his wife, his dog, and even his physical health--all in the span of a few months...he may just need to get some help. His number may slip a little if none of his coping techniques help, and it may slip a lot if he abandons them altogether.
Now if Bill simply couldn't cope at all with the original loss, he's not necessarily at a -8, but he sure isn't a +8. And this is okay, too. It takes a lot of work and maturity to be a +8, and most of us will never achieve this in our lifetimes.
This is fairly similar to (my limited understanding of) physical health. Right now, each of our immune systems are dealing with foreign invaders--germs--and for the most part, are killing any threats. Every once in a while, one gets through our defenses and we get colds or the flu, but if we are always taking good care of our bodies, this happens far less often than someone who does not. So practicing positive psychology as at least a 0 is a lot like remembering to eat your veggies and exercise when you are in moderately good health. Then the better you are at doing either one, the healthier and more resistant to natural detriments you become.
Finally,
"How would you operationalize this scenario?"
This question was referencing the article talking about studying a family laughing together. It is also still a question to me. I suppose any sort of research done like this would have to be more qualitative as opposed to quantitative, but either way, one would have to just be more specific than saying "studies on a family laughing together." What are you studying really? Why they laugh? How laughing helps the parents to discipline their children? How laughing strengthens familial bonds (by looking at confidence levels the children hold for their parents or something similar)? The list goes on. And I suppose any of these are relevant...so I guess it's not a question to me anymore. Hm.
Anyway, thanks for staying patient while I answered my own questions. Next time, I'll probably write an unrelated article before moving on to the second terribly written set of questions, in order to give you something of substance to read as a break.
~Deuces!
This format is not quite what I wanted for this blog, but I think it's important to try to answer one's own questions instead of just waiting for someone else to answer them.
...it's just when you start to answer yourself that it's time to worry...
If that phrase is correct, then I guess it's time to worry! It's not, but I thought it was an appropriate aphorism to mention...anyway, I'm going to start with the first article.
"Can the same things that bring someone from -8 to 0, also bring someone from 0 to +8? (and/or vise versa?)"
This question is kind of cute, in retrospect. If you read my last article, then you know that due to a sort of unregulated immersion into positive psychology, I kind of either triggered or worsened a depressive episode. Like I said there, however, I truly believe that (if done correctly) one can be treated for depression with positive psychology, but a technique involving it would have to be carefully constructed in order to not come off inappropriately. When I say "inappropriately," I mean a few things:
Condescending. Positive psychology can come off VERY condescending--it is very similar to the whole, "you're not really depressed, you're just in a bad mood" that is so common to hear these days. It's the "just get over it" of advice. It isn't actually that, it just sounds that way when you are depressed. Especially if you have been told the other kinds of advice--it makes it much harder to accept anything positive, really.
Cheesy/Corny. Quick, tell me what you think about this phrase: "laughter is the best medicine" or: "turn that frown upside down." If you are cynical (like me), then you probably rolled your eyes. If you are almost hatefully cynical (like I can be), then you probably equated it with the above. It's slightly different than being condescending, but not by much.
Impossible. This is more along the lines of what I said in my last post about how I felt trying to apply positive psychology to my own life: How am I supposed to identify and improve on my signature strengths, when I'm just trying to convince myself that I should continue to live?
So to answer my own question, with a careful application of principles and an emphasis on patience and kindness (much with any other "learning" types of therapy), positive psychology could absolutely bring someone from a -8 to 0. This is a topic I'm going to have to really think about though, before I post too much more on it.
"Just how stable is mental health?"
This is actually a bigger question than I had realized back then! Measuring the stability of mental health requires the definition of mental health overall. The newest discussion on this I've seen (yes, still my positive psych class), has been pushing the idea that mental health is not just the absence of illness (physical health as well, by the way), but the presence of "flourishing." This is one of those things that makes a depressed person recoil a bit--ugh, what a corny word: flourishing. This is actually a great way to look at things, just so long as you allow for the state of "stability" to be in there. Flourishing, I feel, would be almost impossible to do 100% of the time, specifically when tragedy strikes.
Notice how I said "almost impossible?" It is my understanding (for now) that the true measure of mental health is not your current state, but your current ability to cope with negative events, and how that coping affects your current state. So while a tragedy may make you grieve, your ability to cope with that grief is a better measure of your mental health than the fact that you are grieving. For example:
If "Bill" suddenly had a death in the family, he would start the grieving process. Knowing that grieving is perfectly natural, he makes sure to take care of himself during this difficult time. He also keeps an eye on the rest of his family, makes sure they also know that whatever they feel is okay, and spends time with supportive persons in order to properly heal. He might laugh at this time, he might cry, he might even be angry, but whatever he does, he keeps tabs on his physical health and remembers to do the things that he has always done to make himself happy, even if he does not feel happy at the time. "Bill" is flourishing, despite the pain he feels at the loss of a loved one. He would be a great example of a +8. Now, if everyone around him starts dying off one by one, he loses his house, his job, his wife, his dog, and even his physical health--all in the span of a few months...he may just need to get some help. His number may slip a little if none of his coping techniques help, and it may slip a lot if he abandons them altogether.
Now if Bill simply couldn't cope at all with the original loss, he's not necessarily at a -8, but he sure isn't a +8. And this is okay, too. It takes a lot of work and maturity to be a +8, and most of us will never achieve this in our lifetimes.
This is fairly similar to (my limited understanding of) physical health. Right now, each of our immune systems are dealing with foreign invaders--germs--and for the most part, are killing any threats. Every once in a while, one gets through our defenses and we get colds or the flu, but if we are always taking good care of our bodies, this happens far less often than someone who does not. So practicing positive psychology as at least a 0 is a lot like remembering to eat your veggies and exercise when you are in moderately good health. Then the better you are at doing either one, the healthier and more resistant to natural detriments you become.
Finally,
"How would you operationalize this scenario?"
This question was referencing the article talking about studying a family laughing together. It is also still a question to me. I suppose any sort of research done like this would have to be more qualitative as opposed to quantitative, but either way, one would have to just be more specific than saying "studies on a family laughing together." What are you studying really? Why they laugh? How laughing helps the parents to discipline their children? How laughing strengthens familial bonds (by looking at confidence levels the children hold for their parents or something similar)? The list goes on. And I suppose any of these are relevant...so I guess it's not a question to me anymore. Hm.
Anyway, thanks for staying patient while I answered my own questions. Next time, I'll probably write an unrelated article before moving on to the second terribly written set of questions, in order to give you something of substance to read as a break.
~Deuces!
Monday, April 14, 2014
Dental Work, or: Why Positive Psychology Can be a Pain For the Depressed Client
Teeth cleaning. This phrase may cause some of you a little anxiety, but for the most part, nothing's wrong with it, right? You go in, someone pokes around in your mouth, and eventually does what you do every morning and night but with industrial-grade tools and a little more efficiency. Overall this is an important part of one's health. It should even be done twice a year to keep tartar under control and check for early signs of problems.
But now imagine that you have an abscessed tooth. Pain radiates every second of every day--so bad, it's literally almost deafening. Now imagine your dentist recommends that all you need to fix it is a good cleaning. If you have had the displeasure of an abscessed tooth, then you just screamed at me. The pain a cleaning would cause is probably a sufficient excuse for murder in some states, so why would any self-respecting dental patient put themselves through this?
They wouldn't! Unless they just didn't know better.
The past semester I have been in a Positive Psychology class (if you couldn't tell from everything else I've written here), and the topic is fascinating. I love the idea of improving everyone's quality of life so that mental illness is largely prevented...but what about those who are "legitimately" depressed? Those who cannot make it through an entire day without anti-depressants, or those who self-mutilate due to the numbness caused by dissociation? What about those who stare at themselves in the mirror, begging their reflection to finally give them the strength to commit suicide? Are they going to benefit from understanding the intricacies of human happiness? What about the Hedonic Treadmill?
A lot of what I learned in positive psych, as far as exercises and therapies go, are the psychological equivalent of getting one's abscessed tooth hit with a water pick. This is NOT to say that positive psychology cannot help someone with depression; I just think it would be in everyone's best interest if this somewhat new form of therapy was parsed out in such a way that it can be used by depressed individuals without doing more damage than good.
But, really, you ask. How can you be so certain that positive psychology could hurt anyone? I mean, positive is right in the name!
Well, I know because I have an abscessed tooth...of the brain. (?) Okay, so the metaphor broke down a little there, but you know what I'm saying. I am a "depressed individual" and I have just gone through months of unbridled exposure to positive psychology: its concepts, its background, its possible and future applications...and let me tell you--the days where I wasn't simply enthralled with it, it sucked.
How can I make a list of three good things everyday, when I am literally trying to find one good reason not to slit my wrists?
How can I think of ways to enter/maintain a state of "flow," when I haven't found a way to make myself shower for the past week?
And don't even get me started on the despair that can come when trying to think of someone who is a fourth degree of separation from yourself (how far someone has to be from you before their happiness stops affecting your own) when you haven't spoken a single word to someone other than your spouse in over three months.
[Disclaimer] I'm doing much better now, don't worry (hell, the biggest evidence of that is that I'm actually writing something for the first time in forever). And to my positive psych teacher (who will inevitably read this), don't you worry, either. I don't hold you nor this class responsible for any ill health I may have been experiencing. If anything, it has been my responsibility for not re-framing all the information in a way for my depressed mind to digest. Re-framing is something I'll have to master anyway, if I plan on making it through the years of learning psychology and counseling, intact.
But my point is that, while positive psychology is AWESOME at getting people from a "0 to a positive 8," getting someone from a "negative 8 to 0" is a whole other process. This process is a delicate one--so delicate, in fact, you have to go to school in order to be legally allowed to help with it. So to those who are practicing or plan to practice psychology at some point...just keep this in mind. I plan on laying out suggestions as to how to do this in the future. These suggestions will be full of assumptions and conjecture, but perhaps will help design a "test plan" for an experimental treatment of depression one day.
Thursday, February 13, 2014
The Hedonic Treadmill vs. the Eudaimonic Staircase
The hedonic treadmill model is one of my favorite concepts. I heard about it a long time ago, and ended up forgetting what my source was (probably something like cracked.com), but it stuck with me even then as an important construct. What researchers say is a "pessimistic conclusion" (Waterman, 2007), I sought refuge in: we cannot truly impact our lifetime happiness in any permanent way (Brickman & Campbell, 1971). Some see this as we will always be our same, depressing selves no matter what we do or buy, but I thought of it as a license to take risks and a comforting mantra for when life got hard.
Diener, Lucas, and Scollon (2006), wrote an article discussing the pessimistic nature of the hedonic treadmill and how to revise it, focusing more on "qualifying" certain aspects of it. The changes revolved around two main ideas: that individuals are different (coping strategies, individual set points), and that this affective adaptation is not as bad as it sounds (set points are not neutral, happiness set points can change). In the spirit of half-done classwork, I was going to stop there. I decided, however, to gather at least one or two other sources for the hedonic treadmill idea so I wasn't basing all of my ideas on one article.
I am really glad I did that.
In response to the originally assigned reading, A. S. Waterman (2007) wrote about a concept I had never heard before called eudaimonia. While hedonia is the pursuit of physical pleasures, eudaimonia is the pursuit of pleasure through the mastery of self and one's skills. To reference my precious article about "flow," eudaimonia is essentially the lifelong pursuit of flow experiences. Eudaimonic happiness is suggested by Waterman to be much longer-lasting and sustainable, and the adaptation process for it is much better understood. He was the one that used the term "staircase" in this situation, as "the opportunities for increasing levels of challenge in any endeavor are almost limitless" (2007).
This information has sent me down a rather exciting rabbit hole, but that's for a different article. In the meantime, I will still think of the hedonic treadmill as being comforting (as I currently like my happiness set point), but will also think about taking the "staircase" much more often.
References:
Brickman, P. & Campbell, D. T. (1971). Hedonic relativism and planning the good society. In M. H. Appley (Ed.), Adaptation level theory: A symposium (pp. 287-302). New York: Academic Press.
Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., & Scollon, C. N. (2006). Beyond the hedonic treadmill: Revising the adaptation theory of well-being. American Psychologist, 61, 305-314.
Waterman, A. S. (2007). On the importance of distinguishing hedonia and eudaimonia when contemplating the hedonic treadmill. American Psychologist, 62(6), 612-613.
Diener, Lucas, and Scollon (2006), wrote an article discussing the pessimistic nature of the hedonic treadmill and how to revise it, focusing more on "qualifying" certain aspects of it. The changes revolved around two main ideas: that individuals are different (coping strategies, individual set points), and that this affective adaptation is not as bad as it sounds (set points are not neutral, happiness set points can change). In the spirit of half-done classwork, I was going to stop there. I decided, however, to gather at least one or two other sources for the hedonic treadmill idea so I wasn't basing all of my ideas on one article.
I am really glad I did that.
In response to the originally assigned reading, A. S. Waterman (2007) wrote about a concept I had never heard before called eudaimonia. While hedonia is the pursuit of physical pleasures, eudaimonia is the pursuit of pleasure through the mastery of self and one's skills. To reference my precious article about "flow," eudaimonia is essentially the lifelong pursuit of flow experiences. Eudaimonic happiness is suggested by Waterman to be much longer-lasting and sustainable, and the adaptation process for it is much better understood. He was the one that used the term "staircase" in this situation, as "the opportunities for increasing levels of challenge in any endeavor are almost limitless" (2007).
This information has sent me down a rather exciting rabbit hole, but that's for a different article. In the meantime, I will still think of the hedonic treadmill as being comforting (as I currently like my happiness set point), but will also think about taking the "staircase" much more often.
References:
Brickman, P. & Campbell, D. T. (1971). Hedonic relativism and planning the good society. In M. H. Appley (Ed.), Adaptation level theory: A symposium (pp. 287-302). New York: Academic Press.
Diener, E., Lucas, R. E., & Scollon, C. N. (2006). Beyond the hedonic treadmill: Revising the adaptation theory of well-being. American Psychologist, 61, 305-314.
Waterman, A. S. (2007). On the importance of distinguishing hedonia and eudaimonia when contemplating the hedonic treadmill. American Psychologist, 62(6), 612-613.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Flow
This is a wishy-washy sounding word, with an even wishy-washy-er sounding definition. Until you actually understand what it is about.
"Flow" is the feeling you get when you do something that is just the right amount of easy and challenging and is something you enjoy doing. It is like when you can't put down a particular book, or you get lost in the moment while playing an instrument. When experiencing flow, you lose track of time, and even after hours of doing this activity you feel mentally refreshed.
Once you have found this activity and engage in it frequently, the balance starts to shift. The challenge of it starts to diminish and you must find a way to make it more challenging in order to continue the flow experience. The awesome thing is you may not even realize that it's happening (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2003).
For example:
In middle school, I played the flute. I started because I had to have an intramural class and I didn't like my other choices. When I first started, by band director had us playing with just the mouthpieces, but gradually we worked our way up to playing several notes in a succession that somewhat sounded like music.
After playing my first real song (probably something like "Hot Crossed Buns"), I was hooked. I would sit at home and play literally for hours. I moved ahead in the book to more complex pieces because I got bored of the same three notes. I used the fingering chart in the back to learn more, my parents hired a wonderful woman to give me private lessons, and I got new scores to play from. Soon, I was one of the best in the band and it became a source of great pride for me. At my peak I played an average of seven hours a day, just for fun. (I also didn't have any friends, but that's beside the point!)
That is flow. And it is awesome.
References:
Nakamura, J. & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2003). The construction of meaning through vital engagement. In C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (p.83-104). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
There is also a video I got some information from, but it was in class. I'll have to get the info from my professor so I can cite it here.
"Flow" is the feeling you get when you do something that is just the right amount of easy and challenging and is something you enjoy doing. It is like when you can't put down a particular book, or you get lost in the moment while playing an instrument. When experiencing flow, you lose track of time, and even after hours of doing this activity you feel mentally refreshed.
Once you have found this activity and engage in it frequently, the balance starts to shift. The challenge of it starts to diminish and you must find a way to make it more challenging in order to continue the flow experience. The awesome thing is you may not even realize that it's happening (Nakamura & Csikszentmihalyi, 2003).
For example:
In middle school, I played the flute. I started because I had to have an intramural class and I didn't like my other choices. When I first started, by band director had us playing with just the mouthpieces, but gradually we worked our way up to playing several notes in a succession that somewhat sounded like music.
After playing my first real song (probably something like "Hot Crossed Buns"), I was hooked. I would sit at home and play literally for hours. I moved ahead in the book to more complex pieces because I got bored of the same three notes. I used the fingering chart in the back to learn more, my parents hired a wonderful woman to give me private lessons, and I got new scores to play from. Soon, I was one of the best in the band and it became a source of great pride for me. At my peak I played an average of seven hours a day, just for fun. (I also didn't have any friends, but that's beside the point!)
That is flow. And it is awesome.
References:
Nakamura, J. & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2003). The construction of meaning through vital engagement. In C. L. M. Keyes & J. Haidt (Eds.), Flourishing: Positive psychology and the life well-lived (p.83-104). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
There is also a video I got some information from, but it was in class. I'll have to get the info from my professor so I can cite it here.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
The Value of Positive Emotions
Week two readings for my class started with:
Fredrickson, B. L. (2003). The value of positive emotions. American Scientist, 91, 330-335.
This article is also aptly named. The basic summary is that Fredrickson has done research on the short term and long term effects of emotions, both positive and negative, and looked at it from an evolutionary perspective.
According to this researcher, negative emotions have been studied more than positive ones for a couple of reasons: a) they are easier to differentiate, and b) they negatively effect humanity (imagine that). Therefore we have much more information on what these emotions do to us mentally and physically.
The theories behind negative emotions and why we have them, all come down to survival. Fear sends a larger amount of blood to the extremities, facilitating the "fight or flight" response. Disgust invokes a need to "expectorate" (such a nice word!) Anger prepares the body for an offensive attack (2003).
The big mystery was why do we have positive emotions? The leading theories had still revolved around survival, that positive emotions were just a signal that there were no threats around. But Fredrickson has conducted and studied others' experiments that give a little more insight. Inducing participants with a positive affect seemed momentarily to broaden their thoughts, increasing creativity and creating mental "room" to think about larger concepts. This would suggest that positive affect would allow for our ancestors to switch from the narrow concept of survival to broader ideas of growth, curiosity, and a pursuit of novelty. This is a lot like tracing a tree's growth through the winter and summer; the darker, thinner rings are due to slowed growth in winter as the tree merely "survives" (actually goes dormant, but you get the idea), with accelerated growth in the summer.
The long-term effects of positive emotions seem to be building a resilience against negative events in the future, protecting one from depression. I mentioned this before, kinda, in the "article #2" post:
Another long-term effect is an "undoing" of what negative affect does to us. When we are in the "fight or flight" mode mentioned earlier, the increased cardiovascular activity damages our heart and blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis. Positive emotions and experiences helps to repair ourselves (Fredrickson, 2003)--which makes a lot of evolutionary sense: get chased by tiger, harm body; outrun tiger, have a laugh with our monkey buddies, recover body and repair damage. There are, of course, a lot of other physiological problems caused by stress that can be repaired in time with a positive affect, but this is the particular example (minus the monkeys) that the article touches on.
The author ends with saying that an artificial injection of positivity with humor or something similar may be beneficial, but not always appropriate in hard times. She suggests "finding benefits within adversity, [...] infusing ordinary events with meaning, and [...] effective problem solving" (2003).
Image provided courtesy of nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Fredrickson, B. L. (2003). The value of positive emotions. American Scientist, 91, 330-335.
This article is also aptly named. The basic summary is that Fredrickson has done research on the short term and long term effects of emotions, both positive and negative, and looked at it from an evolutionary perspective.
According to this researcher, negative emotions have been studied more than positive ones for a couple of reasons: a) they are easier to differentiate, and b) they negatively effect humanity (imagine that). Therefore we have much more information on what these emotions do to us mentally and physically.
The theories behind negative emotions and why we have them, all come down to survival. Fear sends a larger amount of blood to the extremities, facilitating the "fight or flight" response. Disgust invokes a need to "expectorate" (such a nice word!) Anger prepares the body for an offensive attack (2003).
 |
| Tree rings show minimal or "narrowed" growth in the winter and accelerated or "broadened" growth in the summer. |
The long-term effects of positive emotions seem to be building a resilience against negative events in the future, protecting one from depression. I mentioned this before, kinda, in the "article #2" post:
In the first sentence of the article, it talks about preventing pathologies "that arise when life is barren and meaningless" (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).However, I do stand by Fredrickson's conclusion on this topic. She talks about resilience, not about whether or not our life has meaning. Which, by the way, I believe to be a really subjective measurement. What makes me believe my life has meaning may not at all be what you think gives my life meaning (if you even think my life does have meaning).
"Don't you mean, perceived as barren and meaningless?"
To say it any other way implies that people with meaningful lives simply cannot develop mental illness, and while I believe (and evidence suggests) that meaning in one's life can help to prevent or lessen mental illness, it still happens. Or am I just wrong about this?
Another long-term effect is an "undoing" of what negative affect does to us. When we are in the "fight or flight" mode mentioned earlier, the increased cardiovascular activity damages our heart and blood vessels, leading to atherosclerosis. Positive emotions and experiences helps to repair ourselves (Fredrickson, 2003)--which makes a lot of evolutionary sense: get chased by tiger, harm body; outrun tiger, have a laugh with our monkey buddies, recover body and repair damage. There are, of course, a lot of other physiological problems caused by stress that can be repaired in time with a positive affect, but this is the particular example (minus the monkeys) that the article touches on.
The author ends with saying that an artificial injection of positivity with humor or something similar may be beneficial, but not always appropriate in hard times. She suggests "finding benefits within adversity, [...] infusing ordinary events with meaning, and [...] effective problem solving" (2003).
Image provided courtesy of nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Doc and Chaps: Normalizing Psychology and Implementing Prevention Strategies
I've noticed quite a few articles that talk about prevention (including the first two articles for my positive psych class) and also trying to spread the word that psychology is not "just for crazies." But how do we do this?
The real life attempts I've seen have been interesting. Mental health fairs, talking posts, and advertising campaigns involving posters with a simple message: anyone can go to a therapist. But if you search for these terms, you'll see a lot about "awareness" themes focusing a lot on suicide and depression, or even just everyday stress. But these topics (while absolutely relevant and important) are the very reasons why the general public get scared away from us!
Think of all the reasons why people don't want to see a therapist:
- Freud. He is popularly known as a perverted psycho. While this may or may not be true, this is how a lot of people still see psychotherapy as a whole. They don't want to lay down on our couches and talk about how they want to bone their mother. That's just weird.*
- Avoidance. People spend a good portion of their lives trying not to think about sad or scary things. And, since this is what people think therapists are for, they try to avoid them. It's not necessarily healthy, but you can see where they are coming from, right?
- Misinformation. I'm sure that, if you are in the field of psychology or have told friends and family that that is what you are studying, someone, at some point in time, has asked you if you can analyze them or asked if you can read their mind. They feel like you are going to start probing their thoughts or some other crazy stuff (that would make therapy a lot easier, I bet).
- Finally, a big part of it is that people feel like if they are associated with a therapist, they will be judged. A big movie trope is the lunatic who starts a date off with, "well, my therapist said..."
How can we change this?
Well, my first thought goes to the Navy, and the stark contrast between Naval physicians and chaplains versus the psychologists. "Doc" and "Chaps" were like local rock stars: they would walk around high-fiving, fist-bumping, telling jokes; even in their intimidating officer uniforms, you felt safe talking to them. When they just acknowledged your existence you felt special. But the psychologists, uniforms or no, hunkered down in their offices. They were stiff and uninviting, and if you had to go see them, it was usually because you were in trouble.
So:
What if we took this route? In schools and colleges and even in larger workplaces, have a different kind of "Doc" running around? Obviously, they wouldn't be seeing patients all the time, but they would be a kind of "ambassador," if you will, to the rest of the psych department. Someone to monitor morale and spread the word about these "mental health fairs" and "talking posts." But they wouldn't have to focus just on mental health, either. They could be the ones to announce different club meetings (at schools) and occasionally hand out treats, or whatever.
The only real drawback I see is if this person can't be seen as genuine. If it's too forced, it'll be obvious; introduction of this person would have to be slow. But I think if this idea is implemented all over the country (even the world, really), psychology as both a means for healing and for prevention could truly benefit.
What do you think?
*Not judging, just sayin'.
*Not judging, just sayin'.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Article #2 - Thoughts and Questions, et cetera...
Howdy folks! It is time for round two of "What is Positive Psychology?"
Last time, I gave a bare bones summary about both articles that were supposed to be read for week one, then wrote a bit about the first article until my eyes bled (obviously not in a literal way, but that's how it felt). Now it is time for article two, "Positive psychology: An introduction" (already sourced in the previous post).
This, by the way, is still a part of the "catch-up post," and does not entirely reflect my vision for this blog. Time is a precious commodity, and I do have deadlines to meet! :)
My take on the article and my notes and questions:
This article seems to have been an introduction not just to positive psychology, but to that particular issue of American Psychologist. It has a lot of name-dropping and summaries on individual studies/articles of the past, and all-in-all seems to focus more on what psychology as a whole lacks and how positive psychology will fill that void.
Interestingly enough, for an introduction to positive psychology it is a bit on the negative side. For example:
In the first sentence of the article, it talks about preventing pathologies "that arise when life is barren and meaningless" (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).
"Don't you mean, perceived as barren and meaningless?"
To say it any other way implies that people with meaningful lives simply cannot develop mental illness, and while I believe (and evidence suggests) that meaning in one's life can help to prevent or lessen mental illness, it still happens. Or am I just wrong about this?
Beyond this article's negative tone (though I will mention it again in a bit), there is also an odd attitude toward positive emotions and qualities that I honestly had no idea still prevailed in the field. Positive features of life (courage, hope, wisdom, etc.) are explained as "transformations of more authentic negative impulses."
"So...wait. Isn't this just Freud's 'sublimation?' Besides in a historical context, who cares about Freud anymore?"
Not to hate on the man or on psychoanalytical theory in general, but the idea that we paint and stuff because we can't go out and rape each other is kinda ridiculous.
"thriving communities" and "individuals are the authors of their own evolution"
Nothing of note here--these phrases just make me happy!
Another point mentioned was that people do things to feel alive. However, my thought is that they should. I have a feeling that this is not always the case, otherwise spreading the word about prevention and positive psych as a whole would not be necessary...right? And it's funny, because when I think of "prevention" I think about hand-washing. I can see why they have reminders to do so in bathrooms everywhere: it is an inconvenience. It's not particularly pleasurable (though if I don't I just feel gross), so we are not necessarily predisposed to washing our hands all the time, unless it is simply a habit. Doing things to feel alive, however...not doing them is a symptom of mental illness in of itself. I don't know, seems strange to me. (And is probably something I'm going to write about at a later date.)
A problem I have with a section of this article: it doesn't right out say that realism is pessimism, but definitely implies it. The quote:
"What is the relationship between positive traits like optimism...on the one hand, and being realistic on the other?" then, "Many doubt the possibility of being both."
...what? Does this mean there are a lot of educated people out there who really believe you cannot be both optimistic and realistic? Have they never heard the term, "optimistically realistic?" Or am I just reading this incorrectly?
Finally, the authors go on to say, "Is the world simply too full of tragedy to allow a wise person to be happy?"
My response: It is if you put it like that. I'm pretty sure that's just confirmation bias. If you are going to label the world as tragic, then you are throwing objectivity out the window. The same applied if you start with the idea that the world is beautiful, too; so don't go celebrating yet, you hippies. I'm just kidding, but seriously: that's why psychology is a science. Objectivity in observation, measurement, comparison, and deductions. If you don't like that, I have some snake oil to sell you!
Anyway, aside from my objections, I really do like the concept of positive psychology. Do you have any thoughts? Corrections? Objections to what I've said?
~[insert ridiculous-sounding goodbye here]!
Next up: Doc and Chaps, or Normalizing psychology and implementing prevention strategies.
Last time, I gave a bare bones summary about both articles that were supposed to be read for week one, then wrote a bit about the first article until my eyes bled (obviously not in a literal way, but that's how it felt). Now it is time for article two, "Positive psychology: An introduction" (already sourced in the previous post).
This, by the way, is still a part of the "catch-up post," and does not entirely reflect my vision for this blog. Time is a precious commodity, and I do have deadlines to meet! :)
My take on the article and my notes and questions:
This article seems to have been an introduction not just to positive psychology, but to that particular issue of American Psychologist. It has a lot of name-dropping and summaries on individual studies/articles of the past, and all-in-all seems to focus more on what psychology as a whole lacks and how positive psychology will fill that void.
Interestingly enough, for an introduction to positive psychology it is a bit on the negative side. For example:
In the first sentence of the article, it talks about preventing pathologies "that arise when life is barren and meaningless" (Seligman and Csikszentmihalyi, 2000).
"Don't you mean, perceived as barren and meaningless?"
To say it any other way implies that people with meaningful lives simply cannot develop mental illness, and while I believe (and evidence suggests) that meaning in one's life can help to prevent or lessen mental illness, it still happens. Or am I just wrong about this?
Beyond this article's negative tone (though I will mention it again in a bit), there is also an odd attitude toward positive emotions and qualities that I honestly had no idea still prevailed in the field. Positive features of life (courage, hope, wisdom, etc.) are explained as "transformations of more authentic negative impulses."
"So...wait. Isn't this just Freud's 'sublimation?' Besides in a historical context, who cares about Freud anymore?"
Not to hate on the man or on psychoanalytical theory in general, but the idea that we paint and stuff because we can't go out and rape each other is kinda ridiculous.
"thriving communities" and "individuals are the authors of their own evolution"
Nothing of note here--these phrases just make me happy!
Another point mentioned was that people do things to feel alive. However, my thought is that they should. I have a feeling that this is not always the case, otherwise spreading the word about prevention and positive psych as a whole would not be necessary...right? And it's funny, because when I think of "prevention" I think about hand-washing. I can see why they have reminders to do so in bathrooms everywhere: it is an inconvenience. It's not particularly pleasurable (though if I don't I just feel gross), so we are not necessarily predisposed to washing our hands all the time, unless it is simply a habit. Doing things to feel alive, however...not doing them is a symptom of mental illness in of itself. I don't know, seems strange to me. (And is probably something I'm going to write about at a later date.)
A problem I have with a section of this article: it doesn't right out say that realism is pessimism, but definitely implies it. The quote:
"What is the relationship between positive traits like optimism...on the one hand, and being realistic on the other?" then, "Many doubt the possibility of being both."
...what? Does this mean there are a lot of educated people out there who really believe you cannot be both optimistic and realistic? Have they never heard the term, "optimistically realistic?" Or am I just reading this incorrectly?
Finally, the authors go on to say, "Is the world simply too full of tragedy to allow a wise person to be happy?"
My response: It is if you put it like that. I'm pretty sure that's just confirmation bias. If you are going to label the world as tragic, then you are throwing objectivity out the window. The same applied if you start with the idea that the world is beautiful, too; so don't go celebrating yet, you hippies. I'm just kidding, but seriously: that's why psychology is a science. Objectivity in observation, measurement, comparison, and deductions. If you don't like that, I have some snake oil to sell you!
Anyway, aside from my objections, I really do like the concept of positive psychology. Do you have any thoughts? Corrections? Objections to what I've said?
~[insert ridiculous-sounding goodbye here]!
Next up: Doc and Chaps, or Normalizing psychology and implementing prevention strategies.
Monday, January 27, 2014
Catch-up Post: What is Positive Psychology?
Note: This is a post catching this blog up to the current week in positive psychology since I did not actually start posting until yesterday.
Our readings for last week included:
Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103-110.
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5-14.
A bare-bones summary:
Psychology tends to focus on what takes a person from "negative eight to zero but not...how people rise from zero to positive eight" (Gable & Haidt, 2005). That zero to positive eight part is what positive psychology is all about.
The articles also shed some light on some historical things about psychology, such as how World War II shifted psychology's focus from three major realms (pathology, talent, and how to develop a productive and fulfilling life), to just one: curing mental illness.
And then the last article highlights several other articles that touch upon different facets of positive psychology as a sort of introduction to the rest of that particular American Psychologist issue.
My take on the first article and my notes/questions:
(This part is more of what I was planning for this blog/journal...thing.)
The first article was really just a nice summary of exactly what the title says. Positive psychology seems like a really interesting topic to me, as I really do think that this could be really important for the majority of people out there (assuming that my statistics for prevalence of mental illness is correct). Not everyone is suffering from something, but everyone alive right now is, in fact, dealing with being alive. However, I am one of those who have had bouts of mental illness; so my first question I had while reading was:
"Can the same things that bring someone from -8 to 0, also bring someone from 0 to +8? (and/or vise versa?)"
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy, for those who don't know) helps to challenge thinking distortions no matter how minor; does a "0" or above have thinking distortions, or does this disqualify them, making them like a -1 or something? And, if it does disqualify them:
"Just how stable is mental health?"
This is more a pathology sort of thing. I suppose that it all comes back down to how we diagnose psychological problems--such as depression needing to be prevalent for two weeks or longer--right? So if this is the case, then those "slips" of the mind (such as a day-long bad mood or a one-off hallucination of someone calling our name) could be compared to just "feeling off" or a 24-hour bug in physiological terms, whereas major depression disorder would be like being infected with the coronavirus, and schizophrenia would be like having a more chronic disease, such as crohn's.
After reading a little more about how current psychology is lacking, the first article mentions that we've studied a lot about how families resolve conflicts, but "very few studies [that examine] them having fun and laughing together" (2005). So then, my next question:
"How would you operationalize this scenario?"
I only just got out of the research methods class, so being more aware of the challenges involved with setting up studies has me generating questions such as this. How do you measure "laughing?" Other aspects of positive psychology mentioned in the first article are awe, curiosity, and love. There were many more, but these in particular leave me wondering how one could study these other than just describing what one observes.
This isn't really a question, but I like the mention of personality types. Norem and Chang (2001) pointed out that there are people with a "defensive pessimism personality style." These people are exactly how they sound: pessimistic with the intent of defending themselves against unrealistically positive expectations, and that they should not be encouraged to just abandon this line of thinking.
This article is obviously introductory, and the depth of my questions and observations are limited by that as well as my lack of knowledge on this topic as a whole. However, as will always be the case, I encourage anyone who might have more questions or any kind of insight to speak up! I am always up for discussion, correction, and feedback.
~Happy trails!
Next up: Article #2--thoughts and questions.
Our readings for last week included:
Gable, S. L., & Haidt, J. (2005). What (and why) is positive psychology? Review of General Psychology, 9, 103-110.
Seligman, M. E. P., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2000). Positive psychology: An introduction. American Psychologist, 55, 5-14.
A bare-bones summary:
Psychology tends to focus on what takes a person from "negative eight to zero but not...how people rise from zero to positive eight" (Gable & Haidt, 2005). That zero to positive eight part is what positive psychology is all about.
The articles also shed some light on some historical things about psychology, such as how World War II shifted psychology's focus from three major realms (pathology, talent, and how to develop a productive and fulfilling life), to just one: curing mental illness.
And then the last article highlights several other articles that touch upon different facets of positive psychology as a sort of introduction to the rest of that particular American Psychologist issue.
My take on the first article and my notes/questions:
(This part is more of what I was planning for this blog/journal...thing.)
The first article was really just a nice summary of exactly what the title says. Positive psychology seems like a really interesting topic to me, as I really do think that this could be really important for the majority of people out there (assuming that my statistics for prevalence of mental illness is correct). Not everyone is suffering from something, but everyone alive right now is, in fact, dealing with being alive. However, I am one of those who have had bouts of mental illness; so my first question I had while reading was:
"Can the same things that bring someone from -8 to 0, also bring someone from 0 to +8? (and/or vise versa?)"
CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy, for those who don't know) helps to challenge thinking distortions no matter how minor; does a "0" or above have thinking distortions, or does this disqualify them, making them like a -1 or something? And, if it does disqualify them:
"Just how stable is mental health?"
This is more a pathology sort of thing. I suppose that it all comes back down to how we diagnose psychological problems--such as depression needing to be prevalent for two weeks or longer--right? So if this is the case, then those "slips" of the mind (such as a day-long bad mood or a one-off hallucination of someone calling our name) could be compared to just "feeling off" or a 24-hour bug in physiological terms, whereas major depression disorder would be like being infected with the coronavirus, and schizophrenia would be like having a more chronic disease, such as crohn's.
After reading a little more about how current psychology is lacking, the first article mentions that we've studied a lot about how families resolve conflicts, but "very few studies [that examine] them having fun and laughing together" (2005). So then, my next question:
"How would you operationalize this scenario?"
I only just got out of the research methods class, so being more aware of the challenges involved with setting up studies has me generating questions such as this. How do you measure "laughing?" Other aspects of positive psychology mentioned in the first article are awe, curiosity, and love. There were many more, but these in particular leave me wondering how one could study these other than just describing what one observes.
This isn't really a question, but I like the mention of personality types. Norem and Chang (2001) pointed out that there are people with a "defensive pessimism personality style." These people are exactly how they sound: pessimistic with the intent of defending themselves against unrealistically positive expectations, and that they should not be encouraged to just abandon this line of thinking.
This article is obviously introductory, and the depth of my questions and observations are limited by that as well as my lack of knowledge on this topic as a whole. However, as will always be the case, I encourage anyone who might have more questions or any kind of insight to speak up! I am always up for discussion, correction, and feedback.
~Happy trails!
Next up: Article #2--thoughts and questions.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)