Friday, November 21, 2008

MIND GAMES

MIND GAMES
© 2008 J Picken
Our minds are delicate things. Balance and clarity are not always predominant rulers. In fact, our minds are apt at playing games, games which convince us that we are totally alone, that futility is a foregone conclusion ,that people do not care, that we are a burden. These are then compounded by the overwhelming feeling of complete helplessness and the total depletion of our indomitable fighting spirit. Yes, the mind convinces us that we should give up because no one will care nor notice if we just disappear.

depression

depression
The mind is so very convincing in this quest to manipulate and break our tenuous grasp on the essence that keeps us all plodding on regardless…hope.
We do not always seek help, the mind plays it’s role so very well and dissuades us from seeking assistance, in fact the mind promotes isolation because then it can then win at it’s own game.

 

 

There is no purpose for attempting to do anything, much less, activities that are enjoyable, the mind ensures we have nothing to enjoy. Bottom line is ,it really does not want anything to intrude on it’s chances of winning this game of it’s own creation…this game has a name…the name is Depression.

depression

The World Health Organisation defines clinical depression as:

  • Two weeks of an abnormal depressed mood
  • loss of interest or pleasure in activities that used to be enjoyable
  • Reduced energy, or feeling tired
  • Loss of confidence and self-esteem
  • Feeling guilty and unworthy
  • Recurrent thoughts of death or suicide, or any suicidal/self-harming behaviour
  • Reduced ability to think or concentrate
  • Agitated or slow movements
  • Disturbed sleep (not enough/too much/poor quality)
  • Change in appetite (increase or decrease) with weight change
  • Decreased libido
  • Unexplained physical symptoms

Minor depression includes 2 of the first three
symptoms and at least 2 others.
Moderate depression includes 2 of the first three
symptoms and at least 4 others.
Severe depression includes all 3 of the first three
symptoms and at least 5 others.


depressed

isolation


Furthermore, depression exhibits the following symptoms:

  • lowered mood - feeling sad or unhappy most of the day, and nearly every day.
  • generalised negativity and pessimism, so that everything seems black or pointless.
  • loss of interest or pleasure in your normal activities, or being unable to enjoy things as before
  • tiredness, chronic fatigue (often not relieved by sleep).
  • loss of interest in social contact, such as avoiding friends and phone calls.
  • being less talkative than usual.
  • reduced concentration, memory or ability to think clearly.
  • reduced productivity or ability to cope.
  • tearfulness or crying.
  • impaired sleep, appetite or sex drive.
  • reduced self confidence, feelings of worthlessness.
  • anxiety and irritability.
  • thoughts of life being pointless, especially when losing hope of recovering.

Beating the mind at it’s own game needs to become the ultimate goal. Of course, the first step is to acknowledge that the game is in progress…saying “Yes I have a problem with Depression” is difficult. The mind really does not want it’s games exposed for all the world to see.


battle

trophy

How do we win this game? We develop better coping strategies, we learn new ways of handling things that cause us stress and worry, we recognise the signs and signals that the mind games are beginning. Most of all we need to seek help. In other words, we fortify our defences and out number the enemy in a show of force.

 

 

This is a link for those who may wish to learn
more about depression, the types of depression,
the signs and symptoms and what
can be done to keep well.
Access Here

wellness

For those of us who are sufferers, I provide the following link hoping to a site which contains a free cognitive behaviour therapy program for sufferers of depression which can be completed online.
Access Here

Sunday, November 2, 2008

SPIN

Spin
©2008 J Picken

money
The world is a mess. We as a race have failed. We have failed to respect, cherish, value and love not only each other, but the world we live in. Politics, media and money rule our world, no lets say dominate, because we are dominated. Millions of people world wide die, several thousand per minute, yes per minute. The simple and sad fact is we as a collective really don’t care about how the rest of the world exists.
starving people
We don’t care that people cannot access health care, let alone adequate health care. We don’t care that people are starving. Yes starving, and yes we are in the 21st century not the 12th century. Poverty should not exist; neither should death through starvation or preventable illness.
We go to war at the drop of a hat, life has no value, death prowls the innocent. We condone racism, we segregate for nominal factors, we hate too easily for trivial reasons.
change
Everyone seems hell bent on waiting for 2012 and the supposed great ascension to
solve not only their own issues, but to cure the diseased world we live in, the world we
have created. That’s typical of human nature, wait for everything to fall into our laps. Overall we really don’t like working for anything let alone for ourselves. What everyone seems to overlook is the fact that change, any type of change begins with you. Ascension will not help you if you don’t begin by eliciting the change you wish to see within yourself first.
superman
If enough people in our miserable world changed perceptive, changed attitudes and changed judgments we would have the impetuous to alter the direction we are heading. As it is we are on a path of self destruction, no aliens are coming to rescue us, there’s no superman waiting in the wings nor batman to fight for us. Who would want to when we are on this path of annihilation? Any half smart alien race would wipe us off and start again.
Spin - X~Ray Your Soul~1
So will we stay in the spin we’re in? Live in our comfy little houses, watch our TV’s, believe everything we’re told, ignore what we don’t wish to hear? I guess so…nobody cares in this day and age…