Article: The Secret to a Productive Depression

I learned a long time ago that the secret to having a productive depression is approaching it correctly and with perspective. Let me qualify this by saying that the type of depression I'm talking about is what's known as a reactive or situational depression. This is different than a clinical depression. A reactive/situational depression is caused by one's conscious or unconscious reaction to life events or situations, such as career or marital problems, death or divorce, or major life transitions. In other words, in a reactive depression life is temporarily tough and your depression is a natural reaction to that situation. If life kicked you in the gut or gave you more that you can handle, a reactive depression is nature's way of getting a time to recoup and regroup.

On the other hand, if life is fine and you're still depressed or have" always" been depressed and it doesn't let up, it's likely you have a clinical depression. In simple terms, your brain chemistry is out of whack. This occurs because it "runs in the family" or because an untreated reactive depression took up permanent residence. I see this a lot with people who have been abused as children. In the case of clinical depression, medication is often the only thing that will start to shift the mood. Counseling well help once the mood lifting.

So let's talk about the ways to handle a reactive depression and make it into productive depression. First, don't fight against it and pretend you're fine. That will prolong it. Depression slows us down on purpose. One way to look at it is as an inner call to a personal reflective time. It's time to withdraw from the world, your usual activities and delve into an exploration of the inner realm. I find a metaphor of descent and return helpful when thinking about reactive depression. Something in your life is passing away to make room for something new to come. What is required of you is to hold vigil, listened, wait, mourn, and gnash teeth for what is dying while watching with hope and expectation for what is about to into your life. Depression is a" descent into the underworld" like in the myth of Persephone who was abducted by Hades, Lord of the Underworld, and who also returned from that dissent with great wisdom that she shared in the upperworld.

The second part of having a productive depression is to watch for the signs of what's trying to come into your life. These signs may arise spontaneously in dreams or through meaningful events called synchronicities. You can use art to evoke unconscious material or guidance. Try a drawing or doodling with no attempt to create or make something art-worthy. Get a set of colored pens or pencils and a sketchbook and draw what you're feeling. Like a dream, your drawings may not "make sense" at conscious level, but if you post them where you can see them, they will work on you. Or share them with a friend or your therapist. Tell the story of the drawing and ask for feedback from others.

If you are more kinesthetic than visual, try dancing or moving your body to explore and express your depressive feelings. Select music that fits your mood or dance without music. Gabrielle Roth, creator of The Five Rhythms and author of "Sweat Your Prayers," uses music and free-form dance to evoke catharsis and transformation at a body level.

If you slow down, descend into the unconscious, pay attention, consciously evoke the wisdom from the unconscious, eventually you'll return to the upper world. Gradually you will return to feeling normal -- having acquired the wisdom and confidence that will help you move into the next age of your life. Confidence comes with knowing the path of descent and return and the process -- should you have to travel that way again.

You may contact Dr. Vaillancourt at
(618) 549-5935 when stress bites and you need to bite back!
Please visit my website at http://www.GotStressGetHelp.com
Email address: DrAnnette@hughes.net

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 Copyright © 2007 Annette Vaillancourt, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved.