Escapism

[ardus]

So due to reading the words of a wise Elf I have come to realize I may be doing the whole escapism thing, as a measure to deal with depression.

I don't want to be a happy pill zombie, and I don't want to fill out ANOTHER 40 question paper on how I've felt the last 30 days.

I would like to get better though, I just don't know how.

Richard

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Do you have a psychologist (someone without a M.D., thus without a prescription pad)?

Therapy worked for me to deal with a lot of crap... Yes its time consuming, yes it can be frustrating, yes it can take a while to find a therapist you click with, yes it can be a heart wrenching experience do deal with ___________ (fill in the blank) in the therapist's office.

However with time, patience and with peeling your own onion (peeling a layer off, examining it, peeling the next layer, etc) Resolutions are made, positive changes are done, you walk away with working tools to cope and deal with the side effects of X.


And don't totally count out anti-depressants. I know of several people who swore by using low dose antidepressants to take the edge off, along with therapy, that they felt better and not drugged out like a zombie.

It is finding the lowest therapeutic dose that you need in order to take the edge off. Too many doctors and patients are looking for this magical 'optimal' dosage to make the patient not depressed. The reality is most people don't have a chance at getting that without becoming chemically lobotomized.

[pellaz]

never a lot of information here so just a guess; sounds like you have activities, use them:
-get a sport bike and track it, you will live through it
-autoX, safer, more expensive.

you might know what I am talking about (reading your profile) do something with people and cars, bike, running, climbing, the main ingredient being people. Take your frustrations out on something physical: A cooking class but better find a gay men's test tune track day.

Think of how good a BF and your self looks pillion?

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Oh yeah, some escapism is good. Everyone does it to one degree or another. Various things are used to escape, thus story telling, plays, music and various other forms of 'arts' were created and at the least the performers had a chance to escape from reality for a bit.

Most people also have fantastic, rich fantasy lives that they are never sharing with everyone else.

There is a line when escaping becomes a problem and when its not a problem. If World of Warcraft is your escape tool and you play it a couple hours a day, its not a problem. If you are playing it to the exclusion of all else you got a problem.

Moderation is key. If you are able to do whatever it is you do to moderation, then its most likely a healthy thing to be doing.

[MisterTinkles]

So due to reading the words of a wise Elf I have come to realize I may be doing the whole escapism thing, as a measure to deal with depression.

I don't want to be a happy pill zombie, and I don't want to fill out ANOTHER 40 question paper on how I've felt the last 30 days.

I would like to get better though, I just don't know how.

Richard

Dont they have counselors in the forces?
Or is that where this is coming from?

Escapism is nice, as long as you know you have to come back to reality.
When you start thinking your happy place you escape too is real life, THEN you have problems.

And of course, you can always talk to us.

[HomeagainNYC]

We are all escapist in one way or the other; it's our choice on how to deal with it once we are ready- if ever.

We can decide to accept - "what is" - unquestioned - not fight against it - not for the faint of heart; it's a method that bring peace to some.

We can change/mitigated the circumstance(s) that is/are causing us to escape - in so many various methods - self introspection, therapy, medication, self help, a mentor ..... and the list goes on and on ..... until we find the catalyst that work for us. This is the voyage of self discovery; then we change because we earned/own it. Hard work, but quite doable.

Or, we can remove our self's from the situation that's causing the "problem". Sometimes difficult - but possible, often the baggage is not left behind.

In my experience, it's very rarely just one of the above - it's usually a combination of the three - but that combination it a unique formula - for each of us.

Nevertheless, your combination awaits, if your want to make a change.

[ardus]

I'm so unhappy. :-(

I thought things were going well too

:-(
:-(
Richard