Discussion Question

I wanted to pull Ann's discussion question out from the ADD thread comments. I must paraphrase, because now the Comments won't even show me their shy faces. Have at it:

Do you think about depression along the same lines you think about ADD? A societal symptom, victim mentality, and so on?

I've been trying to write my thoughts in the Comments, but they're still behaving petulantly. Some thoughts have made it up; some haven't. So I will look for a new and better way to do comments, but in the meantime, here all my thoughts:

Here's the thing from a Shiatsu viewpoint--or I should say, from my Shiatsu-informed viewpoint. Dis-ease always has an energetic component. To go back to ADD for a moment, one of my macrobiotics teachers thinks that ADD relates to diet adversely affecting Lung and Large Intestine meridians. Put another way, people eat too much dairy and not enough fiber, it stuffs up their noses and bowels, and then they have trouble concentrating because they can't breathe or poo. These meridians that rule letting go also rule taking in; these folks who can't eliminate waste can't take in anything new, including information. But, as I said before, I think that taking care of oneself and a bit of self-discipline can go a loooong way to treating it.

Similarly, depression has an energetic component. The Liver meridian is in charge of ensuring smooth flow of ch'i and emotions. Depression can be seen as getting "stuck" in an emotional state, not cycling through emotions as one should. Then inertia sets in, and it becomes harder and harder to cycle out of depression. But there are ways to do it. Exercise helps, for one. Stabilizing blood sugar, cultivating good relationships…I think the key to combating depression, though, lies in accepting one’s emotions and allowing oneself to experience emotions without judgment. Have a good cry or a crazed laugh or go yell at a lamppost (but please, not at work!). Then the emotions might cycle through properly.

I have to say, though, that I go easier on the depressed than the ADD-ed. Perhaps it’s hypocritical. For one thing, I have experienced bouts of depression (particularly in, oh, January). For another, I haven’t encountered people using depression as an excuse or a crutch the way I have ADD. Most people with depression, in my experience, are bravely trying to soldier through it, rather than blaming everything on it.