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

[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.)