Dealing With Depression

i didnt get it how to link back to the page where I talk about depression alongside the image. thanks for your kind comment

oh tyvm…i forgot how to do it, but I can remember my kindergarten teachers name!!

Hi Janis, very interesting perspective. For many years I have been studying human nature with a motivation to find a link between creativity, sensitivity and mental illness. My belief is that many or perhaps most with mental illness have a gift of being able to sense emotions/thoughts/energy at a far deeper level than most people. However because this gift is so rarely explained most are not even aware of it’s existence. As such when we sense things that are coming strongly from spirit/energy/thought/emotion ect we are conditioned to believe that what we are sensing is not real. As such we grow to doubt our senses and our sanity. For me the answer has been to trust my sensory ability and to deeply analyse my feelings until what I am sensing becomes understood materially. As part of this I have come to the conclusion that human nature has for it’s history greatly undersold itself. That many sensitive people and artists are aware of this but mainly in their feelings rather than their rational thoughts. That once enough artists/creative people make self awareness their no 1 passion that they will inspire a creative evolution. Have developed a website that is mostly devoted to this topic.

Great article Janis. I find for myself that when I get depressed is when I am bored, not stimulating my life enough with fun and enjoyable things, and when I get in a place where I am ruminating on the negative or worries, that something is not going to work out or change. I have battled chemical depression most of my adult life as well. Depression is rampant on both sides of my family; both grandparents and parents.

Getting moving when it is the last thing you want to do and the most difficult thing to do when you are depressed is the primary help for me. If I can do one thing, it can usually get me started. Also if I paint or go work in my flowers. One of the things I do with clients a lot is try to help them identify what they love and are passionate about. I am amazed the number of people who love art, photography and writing. I encourage them to face their fears and do what they love. It is amazing how their eyes light up in session and what they come back the next week to report.

Great discussion as usual on these issues. Lesson ~ feel the fear and do it anyway ~ feel the depression and do it anyway. Those are major insights and truths I hang onto when things start to get dark.

interesting article Janis…I have never been depressed but have known people that have been through the work I do…it can be crippling..there are depressed people in all walks of life and not just artists as we all know. Art is not just a ‘means of beating depression’ for oneself as we are not all depressed….but can appreciate the fact that it plays an important part as therapy for some people. I still find his take a bit strange especially the saying ..’as a means of beating depression, some artists mention the joy of their art’! But not being depressed I am only looking at it from my point of view. There are of course depressed artists that must take comfort and much joy from their art but also those that are not depressed feel the same too? Did all that make sense….what do you think?

ah so he is just talking about depressed artists…..and reading it again it makes more sense now….:-D good to hear your opinion too….thanks so much Janis

Wht about people who are so depressed that they find it difficult even to paint even though they enjoy it

My problem is not that I am depressed.. I am quite happy when i’m left alone…
my problem is that people (family) think i’m depressed… the whole situation is really depressing, I get great joy in not even thinking about it at all…........