kyburg | PSA

Dancers have a way of describing pain I find interesting. There is "good" pain and there is "bad" pain.

Good pain is when you're moving in a fashion nature doesn't allow - and your body rebels.

Bad pain is when you actually doing damage and you are breaking something.

I could say much the same about mood.

Being unhappy, cranky, blue, sad...depressed...is just as much a part of life as being happy. You don't need medication to be happy. You need a realistic expectation of a normal life experience. Shit happens. You know when this is.

So there is "good" depression...and "bad" depression. The difference?

"Bad" depression gives you the jitters. Bad depression colors everything. Bad depression makes you stay home in bed. Bad depression makes you sick.

Bad depression is usually caused by an assumption you've made - whether consciously or not, in grave error to reality. You feel the effects of this. It's usually something global and very, very old.

Like - "I'm worthless. I'm garbage. I suck." Wherever or however this came about - whether is it old garbage, learned behaviors or whatnot - these assumptions are in play.

You need to sit down, be very quiet for a bit and think about this very carefully. A pad of paper and a pencil helps. Just write it down and then take a critical look at it.

You'll see very quickly that the assumption is wrong, incomplete or grossly out of line. You'll be able to pick it apart. You'll be able to put the lie to it and be done with it.

But first, you have to figure out what's bugging you. I'm only offering examples. Whatever it is, it is unique to you and you alone - and you have to figure it out for yourself.

Whatever it is, know it is false - the "bad" depression is proof of that.

And if you need to check your work, I'm here.

October is the month for depression and suicide, BTW. Y'all are starting early.