Depression: dog vs black dog

[Sea-n-sky]

Some guy elsewhere in this forum, asked the question "How would we describe depression if it were a physical creature.

What a sensible question to ask.

The guy who asked, must be an intelligent guy, a guy with a future of success.

I can answer that question, but would first like to remind everyone that many famous

and successfull persons have experienced depression. (Burton and Taylor come to mind)

Indeed it seems likely that depression is a precursor to success, even to victory, in most dramatical terms.

The late Winston Churchill himself said he had been afflicted by deep depression for much of his life.

He called it Blackdog.

Therefore I will call it that too, when considering it as the "physical creature". Most human beings can relate to the dog, and will recognise the animal as being of varying temperament according to breed. The wolf is a dog, as is the dingo. Likewise the poodle, the pekinese and the labrador.

On the one hand, we have the wild feral destructive canine, whilst on the other we have the loveable domesticated pet.

Clearly therefore, depression can be represented by the dog.(Blackdog).

It is, all dogs, merged into one.

The loveable domesticated pet today, and a destructive feral  tomorrow.

If you own a dog, you train it. If you do not do that it will not become the loveable domestic pet you may desire. It may become something different entirely. It will likely become a menace, in fact.

The first step in training the animal is to treat it in precisely the same way as you would like it to treat you.

That way, the dog will become your friend - and yes, blackdog can be that too.

In training your dog, you feed it morsels of reward, treats or titbits if you like, when it behaves/responds as you would like it to.

Blackdog is no different.

Returning to Winston Churchill, Did he win World War II ? No of course not, but he was a leader and inspirer amongst allies, perhaps guided by Blackdog, the friend.

Blackdog, is no longer my demon.

I might be again one day, and if it is, I'll just remove the cause, if I can.

My pain is now greatly reduced, because of that. I even jog a bit now, (when walking).

I have to, in order, to keep up with a friendly blackdog, which is running ahead of me. (metaphorically speaking) 

If it can be true in my case, Why not yours ?

Cheers,

Sea-n-sky.

 

[Sea-n-sky]

Hi Gopal,

Your strategy sounds a good one to me.

If it works for you, then it's fine.

Concentrating on those people around you ?

Are you also inter-reacting with them, smiling and talking to them, that sort of thing.

Project a bright personality if you can. If you can cheer them up, it will also rub off on you and you'll feel much better, for sure. Hopefully you'll  also manage a laugh.

Cheers. 

[Gopal]

Hi Sea-n-sky,

The strategy is working for me to some extent. The main problem being the consistency. You I will tell you something secret, I have always been a full of life person, I have seen ups and downs in my life,  I have never let them take over me as I always believed in living the life. The major problem which I think I am facing is GUILT. I am feeling extremly guilty, But even though I completely understand that the kind of situation and the outcome of it, for which I am feeling guilty, I was completely helpless in that situation. The person who was associated with me in that situation, she is a good talker and she made her way I think from that by holding me responsible, and I in order to give her a way to live, did such things which will help her to hate me. I think I did the right thing, but yet this guilt thing, it is becoming a bar of my life. 

if you guys kindly help me out as to how to tackle the guiltt feeling part then I would really be great ful. 

Thanks 

Gopal

[Sea-n-sky]

Hi Gopal,

Guilt complex:-

 I Can't help you with that one, although I did read somewhere that sometimes a guilt complex is used as a strategy by opposing parties.

I think you have to consult a priest, clergyman, Imam or somebody like that, about that one. It would probably be best to discuss it with your GP or psychiatrist as well.

In the interim, I would not let it worry you too much, nor loose any sleep over it.

You could be playing right into the hands of someone with malicious intent in their mind, -  with you being the target of such malicious intent. Maybe not though.

Anyhow, if you think guilt is your problem then you have to face up to it one way or the other. It won't go away if you don't, - I suspect.

You'd be able to answer that one better than anyone else, I would think.

However,

Best of luck.

Sea-n-sky.

[Neil_1]

Dear all  

Thanx Sea ‘n Sky for creating this thread/string.  It’s getting quite populated and that’s always a good thing.  So much to chat about here – I’ll try my best to raise some matters as I see them.  

First, Gopal – thanx for sharing and I agree with you, that guilt can play a massive part with our depressive state.  What is guilt for one person may not be for another person.  I’m not quite reading what exactly your guilt is though – it seems something to do with another person – was it a relationship that turned bad and are you blaming yourself for that?? 

I agree with Sea ‘n Sky – that getting to a GP and hopefully a referral to an appropriate psyche/counsellor in the first instance would be a very good way of commencing on working on this guilt.  

 I too suffer from guilt – in not saving my brother in a drowning accident in a river, years and years ago.  It haunts me to this day and will forever.  Unfortunately I’ve had no luck in any counselling/psyche (cologist and chiatrist) appointments in the past.  No one blames me for what happened, and that’s kind of cool.  But then no-one else was there (bar my fiancé at the time).  But I made all the wrong decisions and I paid the ultimate price.  But I won’t go on about that at this time.  

Is there any way Gopal, that you could address the situation with this other person and perhaps bit by small bit, talk through it and work towards some kind of positive outcome – for both you and her??   Just a thought, but I’d be interested in your answer.  

Dear gmc

With regard to the pain in your chest – may I ask, do you feel it a real pain – or do you feel it like there’s a coiled spring inside your chest;  a large coiled spring that continues to get tighter and tighter and you feel like you just want to explode in some way.  But of course that doesn’t happen – humans aren’t accustomed to combusting internally – which is a good thing I think.  🙂  

There’s so much more I want to write, but I think my characters are running out.

Will love to hear back from you all on this.  

Great topic.  

Neil

[CMF]

Hi all,

Yes, great topic. I have guilt.  guilt over hurting someone by  making them believe something terrible which wasn't true all because they insisted it was true and I was forced to admit to something that I didn't do because I couldn't handle defending my self anymore so I gave up. I have guilt over not tasking our little daughter to see her grandmother because she too blamed me for things that were not correct.  Mother and son like two peas in a pod. so yes I'm depressed again. depressed because his cousins and partner are having a baby and his cousin stuck by her didn't abandon her because he freaked out, she didn't cop rubbish form his mum like I did. I went to my favourite coffee shop today.  I was so sad to have to leave I could have sat there all day chatting to the staff and having a good laugh as we do.  they don't hurt me they make me feel special we just click.  I wish I could have stayed longer as soon as I left the black dog tracked me down and followed me home.

[Gopal]

Hi neil1, first of all I would like to thank you for the care you showed like every body in this forum, another thanks to all of them. Frankly, I dont know where to start, as you can understand that my thinking abilities in a clear pattern is seriously heart and I cant arrange my thoughts any more. Its just come and go inside my head, and you have to bear with that. Let mt go straight to the main part. Guilt. Well I honestly have a lot of things to regret and to feel guilt. The major one i think 7 years back, my father having chest pain one morning and he called me up to bring a doctor, I couldnt, in time, and he left us. I was not with him when he passed away. I feel guilty for letting my girlfriend down, but to be honest I was completely helpless at the time and she consistently blamed me for the entire thing, while she made out a way for herself to clean her conscience. I feel guilty for a lots of decision which I made during the course of life and I feel guilty for letting myself down. I wanted to be a successful person and wanted a good life, but somewhere I lost that spirit completely and now when I see myself in the passage of ordinary life style with no sense of high ambition and determination, I blame myself and also feel guilty for not being able to keep myself in the track. I blame myself for almost everything, even for wrongdoing of others make me miserable and i feel guilty. I feel guilty for letting my life sliped through my fingers while I was at some other things. I feel guilty for my past decisions which did not worked out for me. But the funny fact is, I have made lots of good decesions also in my life but I cant recognize them now. You see, all my thoughts are jumping up and I can't put them together, I think I need a break and breath some air now. until next time, give me whatever you think of me....by reading the above... thanks! Gopal 

[Sea-n-sky]

Hi again C.M.F.

It seems you have found one great outlet - that coffee shop.

Keep going back there, and maybe some other places as well.

It's obviously doing you good.

Cheers,

Sea-n-sky.

[CMF]

Yep till something ruins it

[Sea-n-sky]

Hi CMF,

"Something" will only ruin it if you let it.

So don't.

Sea-n-sky.

[CMF]

Hi Sea-n-sky,

Yeah you're right but there is someone in my life who I believe is 'jinxed'.  whenever he has anything to do with anything they seem to go wrong, its just unbelievable if I told you all of them you wouldn't believe it, it freaks me out, but it is impossible not to have him  in my life.  actually its funny because that coffee shop is 'mine' I probably wouldn't go there with him.  its my little retreat where I can feel happy.  I laugh every time I am there because someone will make a joke with me or something will happen that I find funny and then we all laugh about it.  Yeah, I probably wouldn't go with him because he would find something negative about it or make a  comment about the guys that work there that they are no good blah blah blah.  It's 'my' little coffee shop.