Life is awesome - argumentum ad populum

[Angrboda]

Eh. To put it in words he might understand, I think the makyo have him.

[Vaginasaur]

And I hope nobody suffering from depression reads this bullshit and decides that the only thing they need to change is their way of thinking.

Let me explain how psychological stress is manifested.

From the age of 0-7 your brain is like a sponge and absorb all the knowledge from your environment, from then on your ability to learn slowly diminishes over your lifetime. These make up your beliefs.

Your environment includes:
- Parents/guardians/family
- Peers
- Education
- Media
- Culture
- Religion

Your beliefs are activated through priorities which is what the most important thing to you at the time is after your brain has weighed up all the pros and cons of an action. That which is very pleasurable and very painful will come into the equation also.

You experience your reality through your senses, your brain then takes this information and asks the question, "what is this?" and is answered via the information and beliefs you already have. The brain then asked another question, "what should I do with this?" or "what does this mean to me?" and is answered via the information and beliefs already there. You then make a decision, which translates into your behaviour and emotion.

Emotions are indicators of your beliefs, a reaction/response to your thoughts and they drive/stimulate action.

An action is something we do due to our thought processes based on what we belief as stated above.

Goals are something you want to achieve, they give you direction in life and they do not define your self-worth.

From our parental and societal conditioning, we learn that in order to be a valuable human being, you have to offer or contribute to society to have any value, but this is inaccurate thinking. When you attach your self-worth to your goal box (how you want your life to look, feel, have, be, involve), you start seeing life through 4 lenses:

(1) Right/Wrong Path
The indicative emotions are:
- Stress
- Frustration
- Annoyance

Your use of language and assumed roles/responsibilities includes:
My life is not going to plan
- Need to have more control

I need to get back on track
- I'm a bad person

I have to remain positive
- I've got to do the right thing

My life has gone wrong
- I'm worried thing's could go wrong

I trusted I, they or life would act to plan
- I or life needs to be perfect

I need more self discipline
- Things are out of control

I need good job, good career, good education
- I need a good partner, good family, good life

(2) Missing Out
The indicative emotions are:
- Sadness
- Sorrow
- Grief
- Loss
- Disappointment

Your use of (missing out) language includes:
On recognition
- On acceptance

On being appreciated
- On attention

On support and encouragement
- On my development

On my career - financial rewards
- On my life

My life's on hold
- My life has no balance

I don't have any friends, family, kids, etc
- Divorce, separation, etc

I'm alone and lonely
- Death, dead, dying

I'm physically limited so I can't do...
- I had to do 'this' instead of 'that'

(3) Could've/Should've
The indicative emotions are:
- Blame
- Guilt
- Criticism
- Anger
- Resentment

Your use of language includes:
Made better decisions
- Made the right choice

Angry, pissed off, etc
- Trust, loyalty was broken

Abusive, violent, aggressive
- Addicted, alcoholic, drugs

If only I hadn't...
- I wish they were...

(4) Worth Less
The indicative emotions are:
- Helpless
- Useless
- Worthless
- Inadequate
- Overwhelmed

Your use of language includes:
I feel less than...
- I have nothing to give, to offer...

I'm not good enough
- I need to prove myself, my worth, my value

I don't like/love myself
- No one likes/loves me

I'm hopeless, useless, stupid, an idiot...
- It's always my fault

I have a problem...
- Why me, poor me...

I hate myself
- I have low/no self-esteem

I'm not meant to be here...
- My life means nothing...

I failed, I'm a failure...
- Why bother, what's the point, what's the use...?

If only I was; smarter, prettier, better than I am
- I can't do it...

Doing stress:
Your core belief is that life is not going to plan, you fear missing out on your desires and this leads the feeling of no value and no worth.
Your goals are not being met, you are using goals to define your value.
To escape from this mindset, the affirmation "life is a journey" can be applied.

Doing anxiety:
Your core belief is that you must control or prevent (constant surveillance) an unfolding situation.
You have too many goals.
The affirmation "I do not need to control life in order for it to be unfolding correctly" can be used in this circumstance.

Doing depression:
Your core belief is why bother...
You have a lack of goals in one or more major areas of life.
You can use the affirmation "I'm a human being, not a human doing" or "my goals don't define my self-worth" to escape this thought pattern.

We are human beings, not human doings.
Our worth on this planet is not defined by what we do, but the fact that we are here to do it.

(1) Life is a journey
(2) I'm always learning and receiving
(3) I/they only know what they know with the information, beliefs and priorities I/they have at any given moment in time
(4) I'm 100% worthy 100% of the time

So to sum it up, it's just your thoughts that cause all of your psychological suffering, that billions of people suffer worldwide on a daily basis.
Antidepressants and anxiolytics are just a patch, they only correct your chemical imbalance temporarily and will cause you physical harm in the long run.

You don't suffer from psychological stress, you're doing psychological stress.

Sorry for the long post, I hope it helps.

And you still haven't explained why that hasn't given your life meaning.

Suffering gives my life meaning, but it doesn't justify procreation.

[Cyberman]

Apophenia: I had to Google it, but I'm sure you're right about that!

[Phaedra]

Suggesting that anyone with severe depression or another serious mental illness doesn't need meds is criminal stupid. And you know what? If you don't have an MD, PhD or a PsyD with a specialty in psychiatry or psychology, your opinion in the matter means jack shit to me (obviously not referring to you here, FNM).

Studies indicate that people with mental disorders have a better chance at recovery if they never touch "meds". They also indicate that "meds" typically work no better than placebos. I'm not suggesting that you cease taking yours, some people do need them. But the majority do not.

[Jackalope]

Vag: is that your medical opinion, or are you just some tool doing a copy/ paste job?

[Vaginasaur]

Vag: is that your medical opinion, or are you just some tool doing a copy/ paste job?

I learnt this wisdom from a Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat.

[Shell B]

Studies indicate that people with mental disorders have a better chance at recovery if they never touch "meds". They also indicate that "meds" typically work no better than placebos. I'm not suggesting that you cease taking yours, some people do need them. But the majority do not.

Sorry, Phae, you're an intelligent gal, but this is wildly incorrect. Studies suggest that mental disorders like depression and anxiety can often be alleviated, if not "cured," by exercise alone. They also suggest that behavioral therapy works wonders for anxiety disorders, such as OCD and PTSD. What about schizophrenia, dissociative personality disorder, manic depression, psychosis, etc? In some cases, the placebo effect did come into play, when it came to mental disorders that can be alleviated by endorphins, which can be created by the hope a new medication brings. That's not really placebo, as there are brain chemicals reacting to the specific ailment. It's not placebo in the same regard as treating a cold with placebo, as a cold is not a mental chemical imbalance. Psych meds being overprescribed does not mean that the majority of people who have mental disorders do not need them -- not by a long shot. They may only need them temporarily. They may need them all the time or they may not need them at all. It depends on the ailment, the severity and the patient's tolerance of the medications. Give a schizophrenic a placebo and you will still have a sick schizophrenic. There is scientific evidence that specific psych meds help tremendously, but patients really have to work with their doctors to find the right meds because we are talking about brain medication here. It is not one size fits all.

[Jackalope]

Studies indicate that people with mental disorders have a better chance at recovery if they never touch "meds". They also indicate that "meds" typically work no better than placebos. I'm not suggesting that you cease taking yours, some people do need them. But the majority do not.

I don't disagree that the majority probably don't need them, at least for long-term use.

Personally, I'd be quite dead without lamotrigine. The few times I've been off it, the impact was obvious. The rest (buspirone, paxill, trazodone), I won't need them for long. I already got off the benzodiazepine wagon after 3 years - that's some shit with the potential for real harm.

Not all cases of depression / mental illness are psychological in nature. Some are biological and only manifest themselves psychologically.

In any case, discontinuing taking psychotropic drugs (or any rx) should be done under the care of a qualified doc.

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Vag: is that your medical opinion, or are you just some tool doing a copy/ paste job?

I learnt this wisdom from a Fountainhead Organic Health Retreat.

Ah, so its the latter. Good to know.

[Vaginasaur]

I don't disagree that the majority probably don't need them, at least for long-term use.

Personally, I'd be quite dead without lamotrigine. The few times I've been off it, the impact was obvious. The rest (buspirone, paxill, trazodone), I won't need them for long. I already got off the benzodiazepine wagon after 3 years - that's some shit with the potential for real harm.

Not all cases of depression / mental illness are psychological in nature. Some are biological and only manifest themselves psychologically.

In any case, discontinuing taking psychotropic drugs (or any rx) should be done under the care of a qualified doc.

It's unnecessary, our psychological stress is manifested through our parental and societal conditioning. Psychiatrists may be knowledgeable in their field, but they don't really offer any solutions to the underlying problem (your beliefs).

Ah, so its the latter. Good to know.

You're using should've/could've language, I shouldn't be posting my opinions on these matters because you don't feel I'm in a qualified position to speak on such matters. You should really get acquainted with the inaccurate lenses you see life through, because the language you use does have an effect on other people.

[Shell B]

This fucking unfounded psychobabble bullshit is why people who suffer from mental maladies are stigmatized. It's not emotional, you fuckwits. It's much more complicated. Would you tell someone with neurological damage that their lifestyle is the problem? Yes, stress exacerbates mental illness. It also exacerbates damn near everything else. A brain not functioning properly does not correct itself by listening to amateur psychiatrists rant about the natural way of doing things on a website. The reason some things like mental conditioning and exercise work is because they actually target the problem, but only in some mental illnesses. Medications can save people's lives! Recognizing mental illness for what it is, an illness just like anything else that involves a body part malfunctioning will save these people the trouble of dealing with know-it-alls who have fuckall for experience. /rant

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It's unnecessary, our psychological stress is manifested through our parental and societal conditioning. Psychiatrists may be knowledgeable in their field, but they don't really offer any solutions to the underlying problem (your beliefs).

Forgive me, because I do not usually react in such ways on here,to someone I haven't ever interacted with, but you are a fucking moron. Do me a favor and never, ever, ever, speak to mentally ill people. The tiny little adjustments that some morons seem to think will change a person's mental condition only work for psychologically healthy people. A goddamn chemical imbalance has absolutely fuckall to do with someone's beliefs.