March 2016
Is depression an allergy reaction?
09/03/16 09:00
"... Depression is not an illness or a mental disorder but a defence against pain and fear, which we can use whenever we suffer a disaster and discover that our life is not what we thought it was. Depression is an unwanted consequence of how we see ourselves and the world. By understanding how we have interpreted events in our life we can choose to change our interpretations and thus create for ourselves a happier, more fulfilling life."
The way out of your prison, by Dorothy Rowe
Long ago I came across this book and her truth resonated with me big time. I never liked labels and even less medication that only covers symptoms, and avoids looking or working with what is causing it. But we live in a society where most of us need labels and illness so that we don't have to take responsibility of what is going on. So much easier to say is this illness fault or that illness or because... As long as I take this pill, I will not have the symptoms or I will have less of them, and so I might not have to think about it, or have to face it. And of course we all want to stop the pain! I hate pain! So a pill is a great magic help. But not the solution...
This week I came across two things that touched a core on me. One was an article on the Guardian about scientists realising that depression might be a kind of allergy reaction or response to inflammation in our body. And the other thing was reading someone talk about her narcissist ex partner as someone with an illness!
Since when is Narcissism really an illness? I can see it is a consequence of something, of an upbringing, as a reaction to that, as a defence to protect the real self, but illness? And then again of course it is! Because is that not what all illness are? A consequence of something (poor diet, toxins, accidents, depression), a reaction to something (rheumatism, skin conditions, arthritis, asthma, self harm), defence to protect self (allergies, anxiety, panic attacks).
And then that is exactly why it makes sense that depression might be like an allergy reaction to what is going on in your life. I always seen it as a defence mechanism, is our body/mind way to say stop, as it is in my view MS, ME, Lupus, they all ways of our body force us to stop! Because we over doing it, because we living a life for others and forgetting ourselves, because we not living or following our purpose, because we hate ourselves, because we full of guilt.... There is endless reasons and we all have to find out our own answers. But I am a big believer that most illness have their root in a psychological reason, an experience or experiences, a trauma, a choice of believe or reactions to any of that. And when any of this is not true to ours true self we feel uncomfortable, like inflammation. There is an inner fight, may that be in the mind with conflict thoughts and feeling or physically in the body.
Everything that every happen to us, was said or experiences by our body or mind has an affect on our emotions that will affect in turn our mental heath and our body heath. There is no difference from a mental illness or a physical one. They all have a cause, and more often then not they also have a connection. Covering up the symptoms can be useful for management purposes but it is essential that its root is found and dealt with.
So as you should not avoid going to the dentist and have that root canal done, by only taking pain killers. So you should get the psychological help you need with a talking therapist who will help you, and with seeking understanding through self help books and relaxation techniques that will empower your true self and heal yourself as a whole.
Plus what I am realising is that what we really need is not of making mental heath accepted but that physical heath gets to be accepted as a mental heath issue! So let's stop only treating the symptoms of any physical or mental heath issues with medication but let's invest on a more comprehensive and holistic approach of treating the causes, of avoiding the causes. Is not anymore about a heathy diet and exercise but also a heathy mental diet and exercise! Something we also struggling in a society of not just junk food, but junk interactions, mean less relationships and lowliness...
Prevention is the key! And we need to start now! Seek help, seek to a therapist, a nutritionist, join groups, meet people, make true friends, go for walks, talk, laugh! Look after yourself! Accept and love yourself as the beautiful, unique person you are! Stop worrying what others might say or think, that is their problem, not yours. Stop helping others before you help yourself. Stop, breath, relax... Live!