How to Be Anxious, Depressed or Worse

I have been in the counseling field a very long time. Long enough to learn that Anxiety and Depression are the two great causes of mental dis-ease and pain in life. And, unfortunately, they are not decreasing. Despite the growth in America's wealth and comfort over the past fifty years people are increasingly suffering from minds that are unquiet.



Since WWII America has experienced unbelievable growth in the basic necessities of life. Abraham Maslow developed what he called a "Hierarchy of Needs" way back in the Fifties. At the bottom were things like food, clothing, shelter, safety and security. In every one of those areas we in America have become incredibly secure. Even the poor in America have free health care, plenty of food and more clothes than we can wear.



Why, then, are we such a nation of anxious, depressed people? Why are people not satisfied, happy and peaceful? Why are counseling centers and Pastors' offices filled with people who are what we call, "The Worried Well"?



Both anxiety and depression are symptoms of Pessimistic Thinking. Read the works of Martin Seligman if you want to learn more about these issues but hang on a bit longer to read more of my ideas.



I have come up with a short acrostic to explain how we can think ourselves into a frenzy of Anxiety/Depression. It is APART.



A=Adversity

P=Pessimistic Thinking

A=Anger

R=Rumination

T=Total Thinking



Adversity: When adversity comes along, as it always does, some of us slip into anxiety, panic, pain and depression while others slough it off and deal with the problems effectively. Pain is inevitable but Misery is optional. Some people seem to assume that all pain is automatically a disaster.



Pessimism: this is the key ingredient to joy or misery; elongated suffering or shortened discomfort and time in the slough of despair or moving through life with equanimity. So, how do we make ourselves miserable?



Repeatedly think: This is a Personal Flaw. The reason this Adversity is happening to me is that I am deeply broken as a person. I am the problem. Karma from the past has come upon me and I am suffering because of my flaws. God is punishing me. I am unlucky, unchosen and unloved by the universe.



The Personal Problem is Pervasive. It covers all of life and all of my concerns.



The Personal Problem is Permanent and will never change.



I could be/should be Perfect yet I am imperfect.



Pessimism=Personal Problems that are Pervasive and Permanent.