Depression Is Cured By Spirituality
There are more and more people feeling depressed in a variety of different ways yet research is saying that understanding spirituality can help uplift you like never before
Depression is meant to happen.
Because life has too many ups and downs for you to avoid it. For when you think you`re up and nothing can touch you then bang, suddenly before you know it you`re down.
And if these opening lines haven’t brought you down at this stage then you’re in an extremely positive place. Still, if you believe those couple of sentences and feel you`re on the up then you`ll know that your feelings about life are suddenly going to swing the other way and before you know it you`ll be looking down again.
Although these are the thoughts that I`ve written down for you to read today I have to admit that they aren’t things I`d have written without having first read a book by Dr. Lisa Miller entitled The Awakened Brain: The New Science of Spirituality and Our Quest for an Inspired Life. For when I read the results of her research it got me thinking in a different way. I mean, there is ever-growing depression in the world and there must be a reason for this, right?
Yet much of the problem with depression is that too many people in the world don’t understand it. And that includes those that are suffering from it. Heck, if I`m honest, I too have to admit that although I have a lot of expertise in the mind and the brain I too begin by struggling with understanding some people’s perceptions of their own depressive thoughts when quite clearly their external world is a dawdle in comparison to many others in our world who live through more clearly defined depressive environments.
But even though I don’t understand everyone in the world when they share their struggle with depressive thoughts it doesn’t mean I don’t have an intrigue to find out more and a willingness to try to help that person in their time of need.
I mean in the past I’ve dealt with men and women who tell me they are depressed one minute and the next minute they’re kidding and joking about the term. I’ve also helped children and young people who mention that they are depressed but upon further probing it seems that they are only confused about a certain issue they have in their life. But when I read through Dr. Miller’s thoughts I began to think about things a little differently.
Because for her spirituality and depression are the two sides of the same coin. And if you`ve flipped a coin over then you can`t see what’s on the other side as it’s impossible to view what’s on one side if you`re focused entirely on the other. Dr. Miller believes if you are a spiritual person then you`ll avoid depression in many ways as for her spirituality protects against depression.
This is great news for those that have depression.
Because if you`re reading this right now and feeling glum and wondering how you can get more upbeat then all you have to do is become more spiritual, right?
Sure.
But then the question becomes ‘how do you become more spiritual?’ and more so ‘what is spirituality?’
So to answer those two questions you`ll have to do your research and also go on a journey of self-discovery. Because it seems to define what spirituality is for you may be different for many others as a commonly used definition of spirituality will say that it’s a:
“nonphysical part of a person that is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.”
And when we think of the nonphysical part of a person it’s clear that it is how the person thinks and feels about themselves and the world around them. And that’s why neuroscience has pinpointed the part of our human brain where depression is most obvious for those that suffer it.
For science shows that those that have more depression have less gray matter volume in their hippocampus which is a neurological area that allows for better memory and emotional control within a person. But depression also shows up in the prefrontal cortex where higher-level thinking and planning are death with.
And the data is also clear as it shows depression can arise from faulty mood regulation, stressful life events, and genetics.
So depression is not that easy to pinpoint because there are different areas of the brain that are affected and it can come from a variety of reasons too. And as not every person is a neuroscientist or self-aware enough that they can diagnose why they feel so then that’s why at times it’s difficult or delayed for people like me to figure out the complexity that is occurring for an individual human being who is experiencing demise.
And if I can’t do it straight away then how can others who haven’t got my education and experience hope to help another during their time of feeling down?
Yet the answer to that is not that clear cut.
Because little things and moments of joy from ordinary people who don’t know they are making a difference can both figure out when a person is feeling depressed or trigger them to be more upbeat.
That’s why if you do feel depressed and even the so-called experts aren’t helping you right know that all is not lost and much can be improved if you begin to connect with your sense of spirituality and be careful who you let into your thoughts every day.
