depression warriors

[firecat]

eeyore_grrl made a friends-locked post about "fighting depression," which inspired me to make this comment about my depression issues:

You wrote "fighting depression," and I suddenly had a flash of understanding of why I identify with warrior characters/archetypes, even though I am not particularly warlike in any standard sense. I frequently feel like I'm wrestling with a motivation- and appreciation-suppressing force that lives in my brain but isn't really me. And I really do need to use a lot of warrior-type tools to deal with it (the tools that are about keeping going even when you are scared or hurting, the tools about conserving your energy when you can, the tools about waiting for the right moment...)

It's a bit more melodramatic than usual for me, but somewhat apropos.

Hm, maybe it belongs on my interest list.

Comments

Warrior model in depression

[mama-hogswatch.livejournal.com]

I find the warrior model a good one to help cope myself.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

My current bout of depression/anxiety has certainly brought out my own warrior archetypes. So much so that I've been wondering if I'm chanelling the Indians who used to live on my land.

I don't know if the stuff I've been working on on learned hopefulness is useful to you or not.

[firecat]

I don't know either, but I'd like to hear more.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

You can read the post I made today. The first part of the conversation with Laura was under her journal--I don't have time to find it now. I think it was in comments on a post by her about Johnny Depp on May 28th.

One of the things I've been reading: http://mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap6/chap6f.htm

I am more lacking hope than I am depressed at this point, I think.

[firecat]

Thanks! Speaking of Martin E. P. Seligman, have you seen his new stuff? http://www.authentichappiness.org/

My depression is more biochemical than cognitive. I know how to rethink the kinds of pessimistic beliefs that the depression generates, but when I am particularly depressed, it's much harder to bother to rethink them. So I think of my depression primarily as an illness of motivation, not as a habit of thought.

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the URL.

I really appreciate this discussion with you; I've found it very useful. Partly because it's reminded me of who you are. (I never forgot, of course, but this is a really visceral conversation, and I forgot how articulate you are about viscera.)

Re: depression warriors

[pir-anha.livejournal.com]

i haven't thought of myself as a warrior per se (yup, too melodramatic :), but i definitely think and try to act in terms of fighting depression rather than suffering from depression.

[eeyore-grrl.livejournal.com]

and we get face paint and team uniforms!

you can amend or not to identify me, it's friends locked, so no one not on my list can see it anyway...

i think it's a good image though.

[firecat]

amended! I'll have to think about the costumes...

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

While it can be a melodramatic way to talk about it, I think that it's a useful, and accurate, way of looking at it... it just takes a broad definition of 'warrior'.

If a writer is able to sway public opinion on a matter, simply through words, can the satirist be said to have fought a battle (or a war), and won it?

I'd call a writer who was determined to sway public opinion, and who tried to do so, a warrior... a person who was struggling to accomplish something, and fought it with the tools s/he had available.

Maybe "warrior" isn't the best word, but I can't think of a better one. (Admittedly, I haven't tried very hard, because I *like* a broad definition of what it means to be a warrior.)

But even if it's not the right word, there are a lot of similarities between fighting depression (an internal battle) and fighting an external battle.

[firecat]

I'm ambivalent about "warrior" because I think even broad definitions of it perpetuate the worship of systemic violence, which I don't approve of. But I am drawn to warrior archetypes/stories.

[johnpalmer.livejournal.com]

Nod. I understand that, and respect that... to me, "warrior" just doesn't quite bring up the notion of violence as a primary characteristic, which I suppose is why it's easier for me to like viewing it more broadly.