Comments on: Analyzing failure

By: Jessie Heaven Lotz

Jessie Heaven Lotz — Fri, 08 Jan 2010 23:45:57 +0000

@Vieux – This is very wise, and such a good practice! For me it helps that my husband is awesome… because sometimes when I’m depressed I’ll start talking to him about it, and hear what I’m saying and realize I’m doing what I call “crazy talk”… where what I’m saying is so negative and just completely down on myself (in the most intense way possible– I can’t even describe it) that I will actually interrupt myself and say “woah, I just realized I’m talking crazy talk. Sorry about that.” (Even the need to apologize for it comes from depression, I know.)

But even to be able to put a halt in these weird snowballing emotions is so valuable! It *is* possible, it’s just that we are not really trained how to do it. Maybe one day we can write a book for peeps on how to kick depression right in the teeth.

I do not think you can “bootstrap” out of depression, but there are definitely palliative coping techniques that people diagnosed with major depression may never learn about unless they find a great therapist or talk to the right person.

I shudder at the thought of writing a “self help” book… haha, maybe we could just write a zine together, called “Kicking Depression in the Fucking Teeth”.

By: Jessie Heaven Lotz

Jessie Heaven Lotz — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 01:21:55 +0000

Haha, no on that book reading, though it did sound rather wonderful.

Tell the Critic it “doesn’t get to have an opinion on that” (as a wise friend said a few minutes ago).

By: vieux bandit

vieux bandit — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 19:03:15 +0000

“Ironically, I have enough practice now to recognize that these thoughts are typical of how I think when I am depressed and anxious, and so I’m not sure if I can use them to make decisions.”

Be sure. You can’t. Man oh man do you know how long I’ve been searching for someone ELSE who can tell when it’s not “her” talking in her head but depression? I’ve reached rock bottom. More than once. But I haven’t really sunk in almost a decade now, even though the road is narrow and winding.

The solution is very, very easy, and if I could explain it properly I’d be rich and famous. All you need to do is not listen. See, I can’t explain it! It’s just that the internal monologue/dialogue sometimes uses my voice but comes from Depression. The trick (my trick) is to recognize the subtle differences in my internal voice and then–to REFUSE to pay attention. I sort of put myself on hold for any major decision/conversation.

I can accept the fact that I’ll always be a depressive person, but I refuse to be depressed, y’know? I just don’t give any weight to what depression tells me. I’m like yah yah I know you’re there–shut up!

It’s not even you being hard on yourself, sometimes–it’s the disease/imbalance/call it what you will.

By: jope

jope — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 03:30:23 +0000

That’s what I keep telling myself. Then my internal critic deadpans, “Yeah, how’s that working out for ya?” Gawd, I hate the critic. Stab-stab-stabbety stab.

Are you going to the *cough* book-reading a week earlier, same location?

By: Jessie Heaven Lotz

Jessie Heaven Lotz — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 23:35:14 +0000

Well, instead of drinking, we could channel this into painting perhaps? (”have Acrylics”)

Hey, Dr. Sketchy’s is coming up! More of all of these things!

By: jope

jope — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:49:03 +0000

Man, I feel ya there.

Meanwhile, today’s eerily prescient ReCaptcha wisdom: “Unionize Alcohols”. Team drinking, what an excellent suggestion! Or a terrible idea, especially for those wracked by depression. A little of both, I expect.