[Neurons] 2017 Neurons #56 --- Depression as Pressing Down

[Michael Hall]

From: L. Michael Hall

2017 Neurons #56

December 18, 2017

This Thing Called "Depression" #3

 

 

DEPRESSION AS PRESSING DOWN

 

 

Sometimes a word is highly informative and tells the story of all
experience.  This happens to be the case with "depression."  People who
suffer depression not only go through a disappointment, loss, frustration,
etc., they also "de-press" their life's energies.  They press-down their
emotions, their hopes, expectations, inspiration, physical energies,
determination, persistence, sexual desires, etc.

 

In fact, this pressing-down lies at the heart of the depression.  That is,
depression is revealed by the pressing-down, so that if and when a person
stops pressing-down, the depression lifts.

 

Because depression is not a primary state, it is not an emotion like
sadness, frustration, anger, fear, etc.  Instead it is a meta-state, a
state-about-a-state.  It may be fear of sadness, rejection of sadness, anger
at sadness, anger turned against self, surprise and shock at a
disappointment, etc.  And because it is not a primary emotion, it does not
provide information about the relationship between one's map and experience
in the territory.  Instead, because it arises as a person turns his negative
emotions against oneself, it is the result of misusing one's emotions.

 

The proper use of emotions begins by accepting that they measure the
difference between what we mapped and what we experience.  As such, every
emotion is useful and provides valuable information.  Perhaps the map was
off, perhaps our skill in the experience was deficient.  Either way, we can
change our emotion by changing either what we're thinking or what we're
doing or some combination of the two.

 

By way of contrast, we misuse our emotions and abuse ourselves when we take
our negative emotions and turn them against ourselves.  Whereas a negative
emotion tells you that something is wrong with either your mental map or the
way you are coping with things in the outside world, that negative emotion
gives you the energy to take action to change the map or the experience.
However, when you turn the emotion against yourself, the emotion's energy
has nowhere else to go but against your mind and body.  It's what I
originally called a "dragon" state- an unresourceful state.  This is the
source of all sorts of psycho-somatic illnesses.

 

The mental mapping typically goes to the expectations that we have mapped.
Given that, we can ask, "What were you expecting?"  Take any situation of
loss, disappointment, frustration, anger, etc. and ask, "What expectations
did you have as you went into that situation?"  Then, when you get the
answer, ask a follow-up question, "What is the quality of your
expectations?"  "Was it realistic, probable, impossible, improbable,
demanding, etc.?"

 

A person's expectations refer to what a person has projected into the
future.  The expectations may be coded as representations, beliefs,
understandings, and so on.  These are then projected into the future as what
we anticipate.  They become expectations when we look forward to seeing them
happen ... and if the thoughts behind the expectations are "shoulds" or
"musts" then high demands are driving them.

"I must succeed."  "Things should always be fair."  "I should reach my goals
quickly and with little effort."  "I should be approved and respected by
everybody."

 

Now if you want a good case of disappointment, here's the formula: set
unrealistic or high expectations beyond what's realistic about what will
happen.  Imagine this beautiful future as vividly as you can- in full color,
close, with the most enhancing sounds or music, then step in that movie.
Then say, "This is what I expect, what I want, and what I demand will happen
or it will be the end of the world for me."

 

 

 

 

 

                                          




 

 

L. Michael Hall, Ph.D.

               Neuro-Semantics Executive Director 

               Neuro-Semantics International

P.O. Box 8

Clifton, CO. 81520 USA                             

               1 970-523-7877 

                    Dr. Hall's email:
<mailto:meta at acsol.net\hich\af31506\dbch\af31505\loch\f31506> meta at acsol.net


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