Don’t rely on nature or complete strangers

Sometimes it might feel like there is no remedy for what is troubling you. I’m not talking about chronic or manic depression or a psychological condition that you might have inherited from your family. Yes there are mental health issues that people suffer from and which they have inherited from a family member. There seems not to be a cure for such conditions other than, I guess, something that can only be described as drastic, such as electrotherapy maybe? Medication may help but only to a degree.

I know someone in the United States who has been on long-term diazepam. It was for depression and not really being able to sleep too well. That was more than 20 years ago and now 20 odd years on, the person seems not to be able to do anything without it. Her sleep, for example, has been disrupted. Added to that is that it does anything but calm her; it makes her more agitated. Medication is not really the answer for someone whose depressive state has manifested itself for no apparent reason.

So what is the solution for people in these situations? In fact, my question would be to ask what the solution is for people who are not only manic depressive but even those who are having a hard time coping with life’s troubles. Don’t forget, whereas one can be remedied, the other requires long-term medication.

My friend’s psychiatrist suggested she go on antidepressants. To clarify, antidepressants are not a short-term medication, it would mean she is on them for life. Moreover, their effects do not kick in immediately the way a diazepam does. She was told that it would take several months for her to feel the positive effects of the medication he wanted to prescribe for her. She declined and continues to be on the diazepam. Getting that medication is now becoming an increasing problem for her since her psychiatrist has told her that the diazepam was addictive and the amount she was taking now would no longer be sufficient and there would come a point that she would need to keep increasing an existing dose to continue feeling the same effects. I hope she can get the help she needs even if it means allowing time for an antidepressant to kick in. But the big question would then be, how does she cope in the meantime?

I didn’t know that in some countries there is something called a ‘social prescription’. Apparently, you see a doctor for your ailment and he prescribes you to go out and take in nature? I think that sounds absurd for many reasons. Firstly, studies have now shown that there is no tangible evidence that being out and about in nature reaps any benefits to the individual, especially someone with serious mental issues.

In fact, I would think that even those who are being bombarded with life’s difficulties will not benefit from going out in nature. Why? Because the issues that are plaguing them will still be waiting for them when they return from their immersion in nature. In fact, I highly doubt that someone who has to deal with multiple and serious life’s issues, some of which cannot be resolved so easily, will have forgotten about them while they are breathing in fresh air.

Take it from someone who has exactly these kinds of issues going on, even if I’m out wandering about in the fresh air and taking in the sights, the troubles are niggling in the back of my mind and I want to get back to trying to deal with them or finding out more information about how I can deal with them once and for all. Yes, being out and about might give you a temporary reprieve, but it is only temporary if it does give it to you. In many cases, it gives nothing and the individual just wants to get out of it due to sheer distraction.

People are now suggesting that talking to a complete stranger about your problems might be more beneficial than talking to people you know. To be honest, I don’t agree with this either. Aside from the fact that, unless you tell that stranger your every personal detail, that conversation is going to be a complete waste of time. They won’t understand the issue properly and will make suggestions that will probably irritate you because they don’t understand.

In fact, I’ve found talking to family members or friends who have not gone through the same thing also a waste of time. They don’t understand either because they’ve not gone through it. The only people who will understand your issues are like-minded individuals. These are people who are also going through the same issues or have gone through the same issues or know someone who has gone through the same issues.

The whole point of talking it over is not to get it off your chest because that does not solve the problem. The whole point is to seek a resolution or new information that might help you seek a resolution. So don’t just talk to anybody about your problems because, unless they’re your family, most people enjoy hearing about your horrible issues because it makes them realise how fortunate they are not to have them.