Depression – Getting Off The Decline

(Part 2 on a series about depression. Part one : Depression is a Monster is here. Or just scroll down.)

“A prudent man sees danger and takes refuge, but the simple keep going and suffer for it.” Proverbs 22:3

Runaway Truck Ramp

If you’ve ever driven in the mountains, you’ve seen a runaway truck ramp. On steep downhill slope, sometimes brakes fail and trucks risk losing control. Gravity won’t be denied, so periodically there are these off ramps to the side, filled with sand or gravel. They are places where a truck can pull off before they get hurt or hurt someone else. They are well-marked and  in the most dangerous places. What a powerful image!

In our lives, we all can head downhill pretty fast. Things and events spiral out of our control, taking our emotions or health with them. Depression is a monster hill that most people have to navigate at some time or another.

The application is to look for the runaway ramps in our lives, those practices that take us off the steep decline or at least slow us down till we can regain control.

For me, 2 of my off ramps are sunshine and exercise. Since a sure danger sign for me is when I start hiding from the people in my life, time in healthy social settings is also helpful. That means getting up and going out, something this introvert has to work to do under the best of circumstances. For me, intellectual engagement is also a healthy thing- I love ideas and wrestling with them. So when I am thinking deep thoughts and engaging in significant conversations, that’s usually a good sign.

When you feel depression, or a down emotional time coming on (and sensing its approach is key, as I wrote in my last entry.) what stops or slows it down for you? If you don’t know, you should probably invest some time identifying 1)what the warning signs are and 2)what are practical off ramps for you.

We can’t always see it coming, and we can’t always avoid it. But sometimes we can.

Over at DesiringGod.org, there is a good article on how Luther, a notable depressive, dealt with his trials. (Hint – partying makes Luther’s list.)

The writer of Proverbs recognized that it is so much easier to avoid danger than to get out of it once you are in it.

 

 

Photo is from

<a href=”http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/view-image.php?image=6876&picture=runaway-truck-ramp”>Runaway Truck Ramp</a>

Depression Is A Monster

“Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23

I know. This is not exactly the cheeriest of topics to write about over the holidays. But I’ve found most people come sliding in to this season on fumes, busy with tremendous responsibilities, guilty from not getting done all they had hoped, often living in dread of certain aspects of their closest relationships (which always get closer during the holidays) and exhausted, both physically and mentally. This is a perfect storm for depression. Or at least it is a dangerous combination of events that can lead to significant emotional turmoil and pain. And depression is a monster. A ruthless, heartless monster with impeccable timing and a taste for blood.

If you’ve seen the movie Monsters Inc, by Pixar, it humorously

Getting eaten.

envisions a monster under every child’s bed or in every closet, specifically geared to each child’s particular fears. It is a great metaphor. (Except these monsters, while scary on the outside, are cuddly on the inside.)

My monster hides in the ceiling. He hovers over my head, waiting for the moment when I’m tired or weak for whatever reason. Then he pounces, jumping on my back and holding on with a death grip. And he is not cute or cuddly.

My monster hibernates during the sunny times or when I am busy in a healthy way. He gets active during cold and dark weather, during relational conflict and when I’m not looking. He also likes it when I don’t eat or sleep well. Like a lion hunting antelope, he waits till I’m weak.

Over the years in my ongoing personal “monster” relationship, I have found it is easier for me to avoid him than to try to shake him off. Once he has a hold…oh my he’s strong! Since I can hear and feel him coming, there are things I can do to avoid the inevitable attack.

Where does your monster hide? For me, he hides in my loneliness, my exhaustion and my relationships.

Knowing where he lurks is a first step to avoiding him. Seeing him coming is vital! He is big, so while he is sneaky, he almost never comes out of nowhere.