Advice for the depressed

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

Hi everyone. I have some advice if you are depressed that I have found works and doesn't involve the use of drugs. Every human being has a talent or gift. And we humans are purpose driven creatures. If you can find a novel challenge that is right at the sweet spot of your interest you are likely to get into a state of consciousness that releases these chemicals: Norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, anandamide, and endorphins. It's commonly known as the flow state. All these 5 chemicals are pleasure chemicals the brain naturally releases. The flow state is the only time when all 5 are released.

In this state it’s possible that depression, anxiety and rumination stops. It's a concious experience where you become fully present. I highly recommend you research the flow state.

 

[MeAndMyDepression]

I find your statements to be quackery.
You say, "I have some advice if you are depressed that I have found works and doesn't involve the use of drugs." What, it works all of the time for every depressed person?" It sounds like you are peddling "snake oil."

 

[Prevailer]

My view is that depression is the direct output of being unable to firstly untangle ourselves from thoughts and also control thoughts.We can associate far to much with thoughts to the point whereby we are unable to separate SELF from thoughts.It’s as though we only consider ourselves to be a thought.We are not thoughts we just have thoughts.As thoughts cause emotions we can become a slave to thoughts.

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

My view is that depression is the direct output of being unable to firstly untangle ourselves from thoughts and also control thoughts.We can associate far to much with thoughts to the point whereby we are unable to separate SELF from thoughts.It’s as though we only consider ourselves to be a thought.We are not thoughts we just have thoughts.As thoughts cause emotions we can become a slave to thoughts.

I agree with you. When I associate too much belief to my thoughts it immediately has an impact on my emotions and I get depressed. That's why it's important to give space to your thoughts and allow time for them to pass so you can process them. Immediately assigning belief to them in my opinion causes depression for many people. Space and time help a lot.

Thoughts pass like clouds. We can't stop them but we can change the way we react to them.

I've found it's not about shutting them out as sometimes they have value but if I react to them wrongly it bypasses my intelligent mind and I immediately go into panic mode and get depressed.

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

Sometimes I just acknowledge them and let them pass on their way as they can be deceiving

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

I find your statements to be quackery.
You say, "I have some advice if you are depressed that I have found works and doesn't involve the use of drugs." What, it works all of the time for every depressed person?" It sounds like you are peddling "snake oil."

Depression is a very individual and broad term that means different things to different people because everyone's case is different and they have their own reasons for depression. I can't speak on behalf of every depressed person and I respect my post was edited to make that clear.

But what I can say is the flow state is a natural inborn ability available for every human being that does release the 5 big pleasure chemicals of the human brain including endorphins which are released during exercise and interact with the receptors in the brain that reduce the perception of pain.

There is a lot of research going into this mechanism that's why I said do research on the flow state if you don't believe me. It's been known for a really long time but the Hungarian-American Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi seems to of made it prominent again. It's a natural performance mechanism which can be triggered (when a child is lost in play they are basically in the flow state). Sports people, musicians and artists enter this state easily and perform quite well while doing some of their best work.

I think it was more accurate for me to say I tried it and it worked for me to relieve symptoms of depression for a while that's why I wanted to share my experience I didn't mean to offend anyone.

It's like a way of having a break from your thoughts to become truly focused on a task you enjoy with the result of having an emotional high. The same chemicals that are manipulated and targeted by some drugs used in Psychiatry (serotonin and dopamine).

Challenges, hobbies and personal interests, novelty are some of the ways these chemicals can be aroused. If you are depressed try and encourage the release of these chemicals naturally by your brain. It's just one thing of the many things you could try if you are depressed to raise energy levels and mood.

 

[Prevailer]

I agree with you. When I associate too much belief to my thoughts it immediately has an impact on my emotions and I get depressed. That's why it's important to give space to your thoughts and allow time for them to pass so you can process them. Immediately assigning belief to them in my opinion causes depression for many people. Space and time help a lot.

Thoughts pass like clouds. We can't stop them but we can change the way we react to them.

I've found it's not about shutting them out as sometimes they have value but if I react to them wrongly it bypasses my intelligent mind and I immediately go into panic mode and get depressed.

My view is that there are many things an individual can do when it comes to controlling/managing their minds however how does one do that if one doesn’t know where to start.It’s as though there should be an instruction manual.....however the manual has been lost.One has no option therefore to learn by trail and error....not easy.Most people remain static whereby managing their mind is concerned.One needs to become active.I call the space between self and thoughts the GAP.There is an ENGAGING element with thoughts whereby we subconsciously go somewhere within our minds when we connect with a thought.One needs to become AWARE of this mind movement as I call it because it changes ones consciousness state when we engage.Hope this makes sense.

 

[Prevailer]

SELF is a presence rather than a thought.It’s important therefore to always keep that separation between self and thoughts.

 

[Prevailer]

The presence of SELF needs to fill the whole body a bit like treating one’s body like a pair of overalls.One needs to wear the overalls fully and not just live in our head all the time.This is a good AWARENESS starting point.This active awareness can be termed GROUNDING of self.

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

I kinda get what you mean. In addition to this today I slept really well and I've noticed my thoughts are less sticky. So I do agree there are many things we can do to manage and control our internal worlds.

Also healthy happy people who are free from there minds are out there in the world socializing and active. Although seclusion is tasty until it becomes too much.

 

[Prevailer]

The point I reiterate is that we tend to put far too much emphasis on thoughts and our relationship to them ...so much so that we can’t differentiate and therefore separate SELF from our thoughts.AWARENESS is the key.AWARENESS sits above thoughts.Remember AWARENESS.The thing is there has to be someone who has the ability to be aware.That someone is SELF (the i am).If SELF never thought again ever,then SELF would still be....because self is a PRESCENCE rather than a thought.I know this is a contentious issue for some because it opens up bigger questions that some feel very uncomfortable with.However one will never understand the workings of the mind without a grasp of this basic concept.There is a hierarchy.The SELF has the ability to be AWARE of many things including the GROUNDING concept mentioned above.SELF has the ability to be aware of thought types (inward/outward).SELF has the ability to be aware of consciousness types as in SELF can ask the question ...am I in synch or out of synch or translated means...am I in the moment or not in the moment.SELF definitely has the ability to be aware.Once more aware,SELF has the ability to take CONTROL and change things like bringing oneself back in synch...or back into the moment as just one example.If one can just grasp even a little bit of the above then this provides HOPE for the individual.

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

The point I reiterate is that we tend to put far too much emphasis on thoughts and our relationship to them ...so much so that we can’t differentiate and therefore separate SELF from our thoughts.AWARENESS is the key.AWARENESS sits above thoughts.Remember AWARENESS.The thing is there has to be someone who has the ability to be aware.That someone is SELF (the i am).If SELF never thought again ever,then SELF would still be....because self is a PRESCENCE rather than a thought.I know this is a contentious issue for some because it opens up bigger questions that some feel very uncomfortable with.However one will never understand the workings of the mind without a grasp of this basic concept.There is a hierarchy.The SELF has the ability to be AWARE of many things including the GROUNDING concept mentioned above.SELF has the ability to be aware of thought types (inward/outward).SELF has the ability to be aware of consciousness types as in SELF can ask the question ...am I in synch or out of synch or translated means...am I in the moment or not in the moment.SELF definitely has the ability to be aware.Once more aware,SELF has the ability to take CONTROL and change things like bringing oneself back in synch...or back into the moment as just one example.If one can just grasp even a little bit of the above then this provides HOPE for the individual.

Where did you get this information from?

 

[Prevailer]

Where did you get this information from?

This information comes from personal experiences.If one doesn’t genuinely experience something then one will NEVER be persuaded by it.This is why one needs to be active in managing ones mind rather than passive.In my opinion the biggest problem people have when it comes to understanding/managing their minds is the wrong belief system that we are just a lump of meat with electric signals for thoughts.This is LIE.There is more to us than that.Modern day psychology has run out of ideas and is now turning to the Buddhists belief system presumably because it suits the secularist view.The problem with Buddhism is that it also teaches that SELF is an illusion as well.There is another pathway however that does make sense and recognises SELF.

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

This information comes from personal experiences.If one doesn’t genuinely experience something then one will NEVER be persuaded by it.This is why one needs to be active in managing ones mind rather than passive.In my opinion the biggest problem people have when it comes to understanding/managing their minds is the wrong belief system that we are just a lump of meat with electric signals for thoughts.This is LIE.There is more to us than that.Modern day psychology has run out of ideas and is now turning to the Buddhists belief system presumably because it suits the secularist view.The problem with Buddhism is that it also teaches that SELF is an illusion as well.There is another pathway however that does make sense and recognises SELF.

Your information was interesting. In my religion Islam we have something similar. We say we have the SELF and the source of all negative non-physical perceptions such as thoughts and hallucinations are from Shaytaan (Satan in english). I don't exactly know how it works but we believe everyone is assigned a constant companion on the good side and on the bad side which is where these positive and negative experiences happen but you are separate from them and have some awareness. The SELF makes choice. If the SELF fuses with the negative perceptions they can be impacted negatively but at the end of the day all these are just thoughts/hallucinations/voice that can do no harm unless you let it. We believe it's important to develop awareness of the negative companion so you don't get overwhelmed by him/her.

Wow thanks for that.

 

[TheHeartHasAVoice]

I also agree with your comment about experience. Experience doesn't lie and speaks for itself. People resonate with experience.