In Need of Advice (ritual, doom, spiritual, charity)

[soulful]

The last couple of months have been tough on me. I just haven't been very motivated. I am looking for some good books or some advice to help me get out of the quicksand.

[Sunstone]

Originally Posted by soulful

The last couple of months have been tough on me. I just haven't been very motivated. I am looking for some good books or some advice to help me get out of the quicksand.

I'm not a doctor by any means, but it's my understanding that a down period lasting more than a couple of weeks can be a symptom of depression. If so, you might want to check with a doctor or psychiatrist. Especially if your down continues. Depression can be very destructive -- it's nothing to mess around with.

Having said all that, maybe the problem isn't a neurochemical depression after all. If that's the case, a book or advice might help. But to recommend either to you, I would need to know more about you and your wants and needs.

[arthra]

Originally Posted by soulful

The last couple of months have been tough on me. I just haven't been very motivated. I am looking for some good books or some advice to help me get out of the quicksand.

Hi Soulful...

I'd recommend reading some of the classics.. but you need of course to take the time to enjoy them and appreciate them... Reading books these days I've enjoyed reading the Thousand and One Nights.. these are stories within stories and provide some amusing situations. Also I've read some Russian Folk Tales.. Short Stories by Leo Tolstoy are brief and provide that extra dimension. We need to find ways to transcend the daily life that can be so humdrum and dull at least in seeming to be... Take a walk around where you live and see if there are not some forms of life around there like birds that you have been neglecting.

If you're into spiritual classics try reading the Hidden Words, the Tao te Ching or others..

In friendship,

- Art

[Willamena]

Something that works for me is going to a section of the bookstore and just choosing something that 'feels' right. It might be a book about something you're into or something totally new and foreign, but learning is what's helpful.

[Troublemane]

Sometimes depression can be caused by overstimulation of the neurons. Maybe physical activity? Sunlight can help?

Another thing to consider is whether the depression is caused by something specific (e.g., job loss) or a multitude of things (series of "bad days"), or just a general malaise (feeling of impending doom)?---If any of these are the case then the suggestions are different. If caused by something specific, then direct action to fix it may help; if a multitude of little things, then just a good sense of humor may be the best medicine; general malaise i'd say go see a doctor, it may be something chemical. These are just ideas, but I will send positive energy, hope it helps!

[Charity]

Originally Posted by soulful

The last couple of months have been tough on me. I just haven't been very motivated. I am looking for some good books or some advice to help me get out of the quicksand.

I agree with what Sunstone told you, If this has been going on for a while, perhaps you need to see your physician and get started on an antidepressant. Take it from someone who has battled with depression....After about 4 weeks on this medication you feel like joining the world again.....

Hope your feeling better soon
Charity

[Quagmire]

1. Don't panic.
2. Stop struggling (you'll only sink deeper).
3. Lay back and let your body's natural bouyancy take over.
4. Enjoy the squishy feeling between your toes and decide which direction you want to go in from there.

This works for psychological quicksand as well (I'm hoping anyway. I'm in kind of a bog myself these days).

[3.14]

Major depressive disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

if its not so bad try eating lots of chocolate and icecream it stimulates release of "happyness hormones"

[michel]

Originally Posted by Quagmire

4. Enjoy the squishy feeling between your toes and decide which direction you want to go in from there.

Does it mean that if I have no "squishy" feeling between my toes that my depression will never improve?

Originally Posted by soulful

The last couple of months have been tough on me. I just haven't been very motivated. I am looking for some good books or some advice to help me get out of the quicksand.

Hi Soulful!; I notice that this is your first post on the forum, and I therefore wish to welcome you. Normally, we would suggest that you introduce ytourself to the other members in the "Are you new to Religious Forums" forum, but I guess you might not feel up to that at the moment.

All the advice given to you by other members is good......

I notice though that you posted this in "Abrahamic Religions"; does that mean that you belong to one of these religions, and wish for spirital advice as well as physical advice?.....maybe you could answer that.

The priority really needs to be "Go to the doctor", and I would be failing in my duty to you not to be forceful about that; the rest is very open, and is dependent on why you are depressed.

Do you know why? - has something nasty happened in your life, or has this lethargy and depression just crept up on you unaware?

1 Go and see a doctor
2.Be kind to yourself; Imagine that you are (say) your own child, and tell yourself the things you would think of to say to a child of yours (whether or not you have one), if he came to you with the question you have asked us.........
3. Don't put pressure on yourself, and - even more important - don't, for a minute, feel that you are "weaker" than you thought - these things happen to the strongest of characters.

I hope we hear from you again. If it is of help to you, these people can and will listen to you (you can even e-mail them; despite the sound, it is a secular organisation and will only talk "Church" if that is what you want to talk about).