The State We're In

Is Depression Becoming the Natural State of Things?

It seems to me that more and more Americans (and presumably all Earthlings) are depressed. Perhaps it has always been so. Part of me believes it's the times we live in - this is a fast paced, go go go and bloody expensive way of life - and part of me belives it's a perfectly natural condition. What I mean by perfectly natural is that everything is not going to be ideal all of the time. Everyday things are going to get us down and Lord knows sometimes our own bodies and our own minds let us down. But having an occasional case of the blues and having deep, profound depression are quite different things.

I have been hypothesizing that the boob tube is really the culprit - and I really think it plays a part. Aside from people spending way too much time in front of their TV's the programming content is itself as depressing as it gets. How much depravity, negativity and unbridled shilling can we Americans take? Sure, there are a lot of really fine programs to watch, but people have put the clicker down and live a real life now and again.

Of course TV is only a part of it, there are natural causes like bio-chemistry, heredity and situational reasons many people become depressed. Modern medicine can and does work wonders. I do not follow the Tom Cruise line that drug therapy is a grave sin. It can literally be a life saver. Yet, I feel that we need to do all we can within ourselves to combat depression before it gets so bad that we need drugs. However, if medicine is called for BY ALL MEANS TAKE IT!

The following is a method that I have used to keep myself from sinking into the depths of depression. It is a concept originally conceived by the late Professor Julian Simon. This world renown economist and thinker suffered repeated bouts of depression through out his life.

Anatomy of Depression
and How it Can be Defeated

the depression formula: mood =

Presenting this formula for beating back depression in a graphical manner really brings it home for me. One can see that the events in your life coupled with a bad self image and unrealistic desires can drag anyone down. But those who can drain off the negatives and focus on something outside of themselves stand the best chance of living in Happy City, USA. I for one want to live there!



CW