As they used to say about Mad Stan (and if anybody knows that reference, I owe them a gluten-free cookie) once she gets on a rant, she's unstoppable.

Seriously, there is much to be said for the idea that if one is NOT at least a bit depressed when hit with chronic, painful, "idiopathic" conditions as so many of us have been, then one is far more unbalanced than one who does experience depression. The trick becomes where does one go from there--does one respond adaptively.

The sad truth is that most of the doctors we go to have litttle training in psychology/psychiatry, and are so often divorced from their feelings and intutitions by the day-to-day grind of modern medical practice, they assume that such feelings of depression are pathologic. The scandal of women entering into physicians offices and ASSUMED to be suffering from degree of clinical depression if a "smoking gun" for their symptoms is not immediately found is far too enraging for me to even BEGIN to discuss.

Life may not be a box of chocolates all the time, but I feel comfortable in asserting, especially when hit with these "no-see-um, no-know-what-they-um" conditions, that life becomes much like a septic tank--what you get out of it depends on what you put into it. And that decision to be adaptive, to be proactive, is as good an indication of mental health as there is.

So you don't think I should tie a piece of raw meat to a pole duct taped to my semi clothed body and run across the frozen tundra pursued by wolves (like on that commercial) to perhaps jolt myself out of my winter depression?

I bet it would work for me,

Am I ranting? I thought perhaps it was along the lines of raving...raving maniac.....I have cabin fever....

I do not know why they call it cabin 'fever' when you are freezing. If I got a fever perhaps I could save on my heat bill and irritate the Saudi king. Not to mention if Hugo gets in any worse of a mood, I am in real trouble....I can't even manage a hot flash right now....where are those things when you need them???

My brain is telling me to 'adaptively' curl up in a ball under 3 quilts, and six pillows and a big yellow dog balanced on top, and eat expensive Swiss chocolate bars with almonds, and stay there until it gets over 32 degrees farenheit, which at this rate could take at least 8 weeks.

I suppose I could construe that as depression. I encourage any shrink to cure this with meds...maybe ClubMed.

I love the septic tank analogy....for some reason I can really relate to that.

So you don't think I should tie a piece of raw meat to a pole duct taped to my semi clothed body and run across the frozen tundra pursued by wolves (like on that commercial) to perhaps jolt myself out of my winter depression?

I bet it would work for me,



My brain is telling me to 'adaptively' curl up in a ball under 3 quilts, and six pillows and a big yellow dog balanced on top, and eat expensive Swiss chocolate bars with almonds, and stay there until it gets over 32 degrees farenheit, which at this rate could take at least 8 weeks.

I suppose I could construe that as depression. I encourage any shrink to cure this with meds...maybe ClubMed.



Sounds pretty adaptive to me.

I also love that first image--I don't think you need to be semi-clothed, though--wild women who run with wolves should be COMPLETELY naked, so they can be captured on YouTube and eventually be given a creative development contract by a studio trolling for new talent. (If you want to make it in show biz, you gotta take some risks--like frostbite.)

You made me laugh! I have a vivid imagination and you both sure stirred it up. Cyclops you gotta find something to do. Some hobby. I know..takes so much effort, but you can do it. I'm still making jewelry. Sometimes I spend hours on the computer (days the eyes are willing) looking for 4 small pearl cabocheons (I know it's mispelled, but I'm too lazy to look it up). Seems no one makes them in a 3mm size. But this task occupies me for a couple of days. Then I decide..I can use onyx and the search is on. Occupies me for a few more days until I finally get lucky. Then I get to check the mailbox for several days until the stones needed to repair the earrings for a dear friend arrive.

You get the idea. These things keep me going. You have to have some purpose in your life, no matter how small. And I think something like this would be so much warmer and less likely to freak out the neighbors Glenn.

Billye

I have to find a hobby too. I want to learn to chrochet. As for the depression. I mean for me of course now a lot goes with my pain level. Right now my pain is very high with spreading issues and my mood is in the garbage. It is like when docs ask are you depressed about the pain. Yes of course I am. I used to be able to do so much and now its like I am just happy when my pain is tolerable and to sit in more comfort. My mom was saying though like when I have a moderate pain day and I can distract I seem to have a better mood. So I agree with silverlady about distraction though some pain of course it is impossible. Silverlady I took a jewlery class it is fun. My friend sells hers on the net. You should think of similar. I bet some people on the board may even buy.As we say in my therapy world one day at a time or even one moment. Many hugs to all and happy wishes

Its so hard - as mentioned - to "step away" from pain, etc.... and hobbies do help a lot! - my challenge has been to find new ones that dont require tons of physical exertion like my old ones - and I know when I play a bit with a hobby I've found I can do kinda at an angle so my back doesnt hurt - I forget the pain and time flys by....

Billye - know what you mean by looking for hours for one item - takes so much longer sometimes to find what you are looking for then actually making it! And I think my mailman has come to the point he's afraid I'm going to tackle him for any packages!

Can't be any worse than my mail....I get ROCKS in my mail...and he has to climb 15 stairs to deliver it! LOLOLOL

Susan did you see the tights,the arm warmer's,the well of course you did it's
youe book ,and I love it.

J er it's always good to see you,why because it is.

If I was a little girl again,wouldn't C. make a great Mommie..I mean evevytime
my teacher sent a note home,for the first time,but there wouldn't
be more then the first time..You couldn't hold her hand it would be flying
around,you would be laughing,way down in your stomach,when the spit
flys into the teacher face,I polite child would hold a big box of kleenex,
for wet face teacher..I mean by the time mommie C got done ranting
because she had to get our snowshoes on both of us,once more pick up
the mailbox,and go cross country,in our leg warmers,from Aunt Susan
and get our visors on after all that SAD is not funny,thank you Aunt
Mrs.d. Not to mention that Aunt Mel found a way to invent our interesting
snow shoes..We would wear cleaner bags over our coats to keep them
dry,monnie C would tell me about how we were making the world green
the bags looked black,perhaps that's why the teacher want's to see
mommie C because I don't know my black from green..If I was going
tp pick a Dad it would be darlek,thought you I was going to say Glen
ok our world is different,he will be Daddy Glen,hmm teachers do need a
raise..Monnie C would be ranting,Daddy d would be putting all the stickies
on the tearchers puter and anything he could think off..Best part when
we revive the teacher Daddy Glen would be passing out Gluten ffree
cookies..Now do you understand what little Sue means by green and black?
Poor underpaid teacher looks like she got hit by spit and one of Aunty
Mel's crosscountry shoes..On our way out the door Daddy darlek would
tell us to turn on visors,as not to be sad this evening...Daddy Glen
would let us have one more cookie and explain,why it was necessary
to crosscountry to school oh shoot we forgot the Triplets Bob,Brian and
Hey Joe...No wonder mommie c rants. Hugs to Family Sue