Problems of imperfection …
One of the most important factors in the formation of depression is the desire for complete perfection in everything. At the same time, the bar of claims rises to an almost unattainable height, and the assessment of one’s own successes and achievements constantly remains underestimated.
Another fetish for people prone to depression: Fairness with a capital letter. It is of fundamental importance, and undeserved punishment can work like a detonator of explosives. A person prone to depression often compares himself with others and, of course, almost always loses, because in the world there is probably someone better than us, more beautiful, richer, etc. In addition, the nature of future depressive patient plays an important role pride, he of himself in high regard and believes that he is destined to achieve great things. The difference between “pride” and “pride”, I hope, is clear to everyone.
There are many more factors that contribute to the development of depression. The constant search for the meaning of life and the inability to find it. Painful attitude to money , as in fact the only means of pleasure … and money, how much would they not been, always small. That’s really really, people are dying for the metal!
For a person predisposed to depression, typically the desire to do everything myself ( “better because still no one will do”), all control ( “so safe”), to evade responsibility ( “can not do anything to turn”), confusion ( “What is to do? “), categorical judgments, polarity of assessments without halftones (” all or nothing “,” terrible or wonderful “), constant tension due to a sense of duty (” must “,” must “,” must “,” should “) …
An acute need for the support of other people , the desire to fulfill their expectations, and hence frequent misunderstandings and “busting” along the way, play a role . People begin to explain all their problems by insurmountable external reasons, endless blows of fate, from which they cannot be protected. Added to this is the inability to relax. Stubbornness, pride, hot temper make it difficult to seek help. An inclination towards mysticism and painful religiosity, which has nothing to do with true faith based on love for God and neighbor, and has always been condemned by the holy ascetics of the Church.
The experience of the Christian worldview is very important here. The underlying awareness of the original, insurmountable independently, without God’s help, imperfection, sinfulness of a person in itself can cause depression. In many of the works of the holy ascetics said about the danger of wrong “approach” to repentance in sins , and, as a consequence, incorrect understanding of repentance, not without reason called a sacrament.
Meanwhile, the ways worked out by Christian experience to overcome despondency and pride, which have always been considered one of the most dangerous sins, can be useful not only to sincerely and deeply religious people.
Without going into the details of the Christian science of the salvation of the soul, it is worth noting one fundamentally important principle. The resulting depression, according to the Christian understanding, is the result of pride, the complete isolation of a person on himself, on his exclusiveness. It is similar to the phenomenon when one mirror is placed in front of another – and an endless, meaningless corridor is formed, going into darkness. In this corridor, all our own shortcomings and blows from the outside are reflected endlessly and stretch to infinity. One of the outstanding Russian ascetics of the twentieth century, Hieroschemamonk Sampson ( Sivers ), who was the confessor of Academician Pavlov and President of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR Academician Karpinsky, often talked about how important it is to “stop talking with oneself” in time, and constantly reminded gnaw yourself. Self – gnawing is the fruit of demonic ̆. I just realized my sin – and calm down! ”
However, here we are already intruding on the topic of treating depression with the help of non-drug, psychotherapeutic methods. But, by the way, at the everyday, mundane level, many talented clergymen who are highly advanced on the spiritual path can be recognized as “highly qualified psychotherapists” . In particular, not only the Christian denominations. Although, I emphasize, in Christianity, the topic of depression and its psychological causes is “developed”, perhaps, the most deeply.
In today’s academic plan psychotherapists and priests look at the origins of depression and methods of treatment may be different. Usually, a psychotherapist seeks to give a person the opportunity to independently cope with depression, to teach him to control himself, not relying on God’s help.
It is curious that one of the most authoritative doctors of the past century, the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud , who held an atheistic position , saw a similar cause of depression at the level of psychological reactions. He believed that it arises from the turning of a person’s anger towards himself . Hence such her symptoms as self-accusation and self-flagellation, which, in the opinion of Freud and his followers, represent anger towards other people repressed into the subconscious .
The main sources of depression and other psychological problems, psychoanalysts call mental trauma received in childhood, even infancy. According to the theory of psychoanalysis, people who are prone to depression develop in the subconscious the confidence in the absence of love from their parents. In particular cases, this, of course, is possible, but it is hardly reasonable to make total generalizations on their basis, as the Freudians do .