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is one of my least favorite clichés, every time i hear it i just cringe a bit inside, because i know that it is true. depression is just a feeling and although i have never been a depressed sort of person, or at least i never acknowledged that i could be depressed, i can empathize when someone i care for and love is suffering through this feeling. truthfully, i probably self-medicated my way through depression when i was in active addiction because i was taught that depression was one of those "bad" feelings that needed to be fought with every tool at my disposal and my tools all involved using something to change my feelings. from time to time in recovery i feel depressed, and since i am ill-equipped to recognize depression for what it is, i resort to my old behaviors of fixing my feelings, usually with a shiny new toy and a greater debt load.
so this reading suggests an alternate manner for me to deal with my depression, go to a meeting, talk to my sponsor, stay active in my normal day-to-day life, and allow the feeling to pass. in other words recognize what is happening and do whatever it takes not to use until the feeling passes as it always does.
DUHHHHHH!
well the truth is i am not depressed today, the sun is returning to our northern climes, the weather is warmer than seasonal, i got what i wanted for christmas, and i am satisfied with my life in general. all of this really does not matter when i am in the throes of a feeling i do not personally understand and have been taught to deny, because all i would see was the gloom and doom.
so what does this reading really tell me to do? allow myself to feel, be present when someone needs to talk about their feelings, do my best to recognize my feelings for what they are -- just feelings neither good or bad, and hold on after all "this too shall pass!"
∞ DT&infin'