topic Depression...a ship on the high seas in Depression

Depression...a ship on the high seas

white knight — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 11:44:46 GMT

Imagine it. You are a ship in the ocean. 'Normal people' live on land and you visit there often but you are drawn back to your ship at the docks only to be sent off again on a trip to the high seas (depression)

But there is no destination and no adventure In the ocean all alone you shut down the engine because- well there is no sense in proceeding when you have not directional control - no rudder (medication). Perhaps your parents were also born without one, or you had an incident or your construction is made of soft wood.

So you go into the dry dock. Here you are dried of all control where others can evaluate you, ask you questions and repaint you. They install your rudder then put you out to sea. You head off with complete control but you have no map (therapy) nor do you have any contact with others (land) and others feel "out of sight out of mind". Land is not life on the high seas- they wont understand. Only sailors do.

You search through to find comfort to find a map but this map has missing pieces (consultations), much searching is needed to find the missing bit to join them together.(therapy sessions). During this voyage your rudder is unreliable, the linkages are fragile. Your direction is always vague. You stand on the bridge with waves drenching your face often. You often want to kiss the world goodbye as you feel irrelevant, often adrift without energy. Some ships make it to shore but have to use anchors to land so they repel the forces that drag them back out to sea.

Being a ship you will never be thrown onto land like most. But you do get some people waving at you from the shore. Lovely but not enough to call it support. And you do get the odd ship passing by throwing a rope ladder to connect you so you dont feel all alone, nice, but they also have their own problems as they are ships themselves.

You accept that you are indeed a ship and always will be. You also realise that you can let out all of your emotions when ever you want,in your own hull. The echoes are deafening.

The dock managers (psych's) know your struggle but when at sea if you have no rudder (meds) they cannot help you.And if you do not have therapy (maps) you cannot find direction.As you are a ship you will never get to be on land and return to the docks.

You must fix your rudder,you must find all parts to your map and piece them together,you must make the interior of your ship seaworthy (caring for yourself).

Then you can be repaired so you can anchor yourself to shore. A safe ship

Depression...a ship on the high seas

CrashCoyote — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 12:05:19 GMT

Great piece, Tony. Great use of metaphors. Find your lighthouse, my friend.

Depression...a ship on the high seas

Jo3 — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 20:39:40 GMT

Hey Tony

Another great post - it makes so much sense. I get it!!

Depression...a ship on the high seas

JustTiffanyxo — Wed, 12 Nov 2014 22:31:09 GMT

This is such a great piece of writing!

I can empathise greatly with this.

Thanks for sharing!

Tiffany

Depression...a ship on the high seas

Phoenix76 — Fri, 14 Nov 2014 12:42:28 GMT

Hi Tony,

I am new to the forum and I must say, I really enjoyed reading your post. Such a great way of explaining how those with depression can feel lost at sea, without the right equipment!

Although, I think I began to feel too connected as I am sure I began to feel sea sick! 🙂

Depression...a ship on the high seas

Grunt — Mon, 13 Feb 2017 22:29:20 GMT

This is brilliant! Such a perfect way of explaining the somewhat tiresome journey to those who are lucky enough to not understand. Thank you!

Depression...a ship on the high seas

white knight — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 11:25:51 GMT

Hi Grunt, welcome

And thankyou for your response. Such a reply from a thread now a few years old is giving me a good feeling.

Cheers.

Tony WK

Depression...a ship on the high seas

Grunt — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 14:06:24 GMT

Hi Tony,

I was reading through a post in the introduction section I think and another member posted the link to this. It's obviously resonating. Well done and once again thank you!

Do you mind if I ask ... after all these years, are you still at sea?

Depression...a ship on the high seas

Neil_1 — Tue, 14 Feb 2017 22:14:14 GMT

Hi there Grunt,

That was actually awesome of you to re-invigorate this brilliant post of Tony’s … a couple of years on now, and brilliant that another person shared you with this post.

But also now because you’ve got this post “out there” again on the boards for all to see, a lot more newbies will see this, where they otherwise might not have trawled (got my sea word linked in here myself ) through to find it.

Cheers,

Neil

Depression...a ship on the high seas

white knight — Wed, 15 Feb 2017 05:27:28 GMT

Thankyou Neil1, nice to hear from you again

Grunt, yes I'm still at sea and always will be. We ships will never be on land 100% but we can do our best to dry dock as often as we can and mingle.

I've had self help though. Please google

Topic: want to be a hermit- beyondblue

Topic: he helped me for 25 years, Maharaji- beyondblue

Maharaji the perfect instrument youtube

Maharaji sunset youtube

There are many more ways I've enlightened my life as much as humanly possible but regularly I'm reminded I am at sea. Being at sea isn't all negative. Google

topic: how natural is our depression?- beyondblue

Topic: depression, is there any positives?- beyondblue

But all this positive attitude originated in 1982 at the age of 26yo. Fully covered in this thread

Topic: 30 minutes can change your life- beyondblue

That was many years before my illnesses (bipolar 2, dysthymia, depression and anxiety) began to emerge. So when the problems began and the challenges mounted, I had an underlining foundation of positivity that remains till this day.

glad to be chatting

Tony WK

Depression...a ship on the high seas

white knight — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 12:10:46 GMT

"A ship on the high seas"?

Im pleased to declare Ive found calm waters. That smacks in the face of this thread.

So I'm pleased if only I can find out what is the secret to how the still waters came about. No doubt in my mind the chemical imbalance of bipolar is neutral currently.

More research needed.

But its good news

Have you found calm waters in your journey through mental illness ?

Tony WK

Depression...a ship on the high seas

blondguy — Sat, 19 Aug 2017 16:26:13 GMT

Hi Tony

Like yourself I have also found some calm peaceful waters

Its a relief to know that there are others like yourself that acknowledge that there is a chemical imbalance happening that can lead to us disagreeing with our brain or vice versa

I have found calm waters through my GP seeing me every four weeks for a fine tune and some peace of mind

Thanks Tony...I like this thread. Paul

Depression...a ship on the high seas

white knight — Sun, 17 Dec 2017 06:40:17 GMT

Are you a "ship on the high seas"? This xmas.

Remember, some community champions like myself will be here if you post.

Ships among ships

Tony WK

Depression...a ship on the high seas

Ggrand — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 10:16:35 GMT

Hi Tony,

You are so clever the way you write and put your words together, you really do amaze me with your insight and knowledge of depression and sadness and they way you can describe them.

What your saying is with proper professional care we can dock for longer periods of time...I am docking occasionally, an hour here and there. Would be nice to be able to dock and put my anchor down for at least a day. One day I will.

Thank you very much Tony for guiding me here.

Kind and caring thoughts.

Karen.

Re: Depression...a ship on the high seas

white knight — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 03:29:52 GMT

Hi Karen

I'm sorry I missed your post some 5 years ago now!!!

Have you docked recently?

TonyWK