Depression is a modern-day plague. There are shops, establishments, and organizations in the business of curing depression. Depression is a multi-billion economy. Books, therapy, yoga, mindfulness, good eating, exercises are on sale.
Few of us do need clinical help, psychotherapy, and medicines. For the rest of us depression is a modern-day self-created epidemic.
There could be two reasons :
External
We get on to the rat race of competition and fear of missing out. We are driving on our ego and intoxicated for some glory or appreciation. Passion and obsession are new persuasion keywords for overwork. The constant hyper-connected gadget and app-driven life for dopamine plays its role too. We are seeking immediate satisfaction and desire fulfillment.
Internal
We expect things to be the way we want. Our unmet expectations and unmet egos throw us to trash. We get angry. We crave for revenge and what not. In dreams, we build our perfect world – a loving partner, a high paying job, etc. We are not letting things go, not getting over past and not even trying to live in reality.
This world is a beautiful place. But it can never be perfect for us. We are humans with never-ending desires.
We can save a lot of our money by being logical, rational and by bringing self-introspection. A company of friends, healthy eating and living habits play an important role.
In the end, the choice is yours, you can be a dog trained in a kennel (therapist, mindfulness, yoga, spa) or be self-aware.
I finish the post citing Epictetus quote. This has been one of my life’s mantra.
Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions.
— Epictetus, The Enchiridion
