Power of Support in Healing and Recovery
Tom’s story of dealing with mental pain after recovering from the physical pain struck a cord with me.
When I was in my early twenties and suffering through depression, I tried to deal with it alone, and as smart as I thought I was, I just couldn’t “talk myself out of it.” And believe me - I tried and tried.
Although this article is quite short, it speaks to the importance of having a support network of people who understand what you are going through, so that your recovery process is optimized. Get away from people who responds to your honesty about depression with statements like, “But you’ve got no good reason to feel depressed”!
I’ve also read a scientific review article that talks about the importance of having a strong social network to reduce our susceptibility to stress-induced infections. Social networks and feeling connected - is important for our health on so many levels.
However, this is not as easy as it sounds. For those of us who understand depression, we know we tend to self-isolate and withdraw. The last thing we feel like doing is “opening up” and connecting with people. The trick, then, is finding a group where we can feel safe enough, where we can identify with the people there, who understand what we’ve gone through and are feeling.
Hope and Mental Health
Helga Meyer introduces readers to an emerging field of psychoneuroimmunlogy in The Pueblo Chieftain and the power of the positive placebo called “hope.” According to Ms. Meyer, it is important to fulfill our three basic needs to have something to do, someone to love and something to hope for.
I went to the society’s website at http://www.pnirs.org but I still don’t understand what this discipline is about. I’ve dispatched an email to a neuroscience friend and hopefully we’ll soon find out what research studies are being conducted in this field, and perhaps more information on Hope as a positive placebo (maybe more).
Recovery or Remission?
Recently a visitor asked whether I had recovered from chronic depression. I’ve had very stressful periods, and would occasionally have low mood for a day or two. These do not come close to the type of depression I had experienced many years ago.
Cancer patients talk about remission more often than about cure. I think we can make a similar analogy with depression, at least I am very mindful of the low tides and how long I would be in a low state and how concerned I need to be. I have learned to tell the difference between response to a very stressful period or bad news - a “normal” state of depressed feelings - versus an abnormal state of depression. There seems to always be that depression “micrometastasis”, a dark seed of possibility waiting to come into full force if only it had the right combination.
For the time being, it looks like I am in remission.
The funny thing about depression is, because I have experienced how painful the depths of an abyss can be, I am thankful for ordinary things and boring days when nothing exciting happens. I am grateful I can connect with people without a wall around my heart (perhaps my mind). I am happy for being where I am today.