Re: ACT and causes of depression (and other neuroses)

[Guest guest]

I have a fascination about why this happened to me and what caused it so

the idea of simply letting things be and geting on with life is not for

me. Today was really hard again and I felt lost, hopeless, and

inadequate. People might see me as unassertive and shy but no one is

really prepared to face the MINCER but now I'm am willing to go into the

dreadful thing. It not very nice but I'm fed up with avoiding distress

and lots of horrible painful things so it's time to suffer and be very

brave. This path isn't for everyone so don't try it!

Kv

..

> >

> > From what I have understood, ACT does not put much focus on

identifying causes of, say depression, and from there work on getting

rid of the causes that underlies the depression. To me, it seems that

ACT rather works with identifying the symptoms of the depression,

accepting them and from that point asks the patient to move in a valued

direction. ACT doesn't bother with the causes underlying the depression,

rather, the patient should accept the depression (WITHOUT letting the

depression controlling one's behaviour)and then move in a valued

direction. Is my understanding correct so far?

> >

> > So here's the thing that I find problematic:

> >

> > If one just accepts the depression without trying to see where the

depression comes from, I suspect that the depression will come back,

even if one's living a valued life. It just hit me as I wrote the

previous line, that it may depend on what the causes of the depression

are, in many cases the depression would probably disappear as the person

start doing things in his/hers life that is valuable to him/her. It all

seems to depend on what the causes are behind the depression.

> >

> > If the cause of the depression is a basic assumption that he/her is

worthless for example, it is that basic assumption that has to be

questioned and changed if you ask me. I mean, even if this person

accepts his/her feelings of worthlessness and starts doing things he/her

truly values, the basic assumption, underlying the depression and low

self-esteem will still be there. As long as it is there, the depression

will presumably reoccur and the person will still suffer from low

self-esteem and depression.

> >

> > Is it enough with just accepting the feelings of depression and

worthlessness and then move in a valued direction, or is it necessary to

figure out the causes behind the depression and work with them?

> >

> >

> >

> > This is just some of my thoughts running around in my mind at the

moment (I'm pretty confused!) Also, I would like to add that I'm

currently working with the willingess chapters in Get out of your mind,

so I'm not " done " with the work yet.

> >

> > Any comments are highly appreciated!

> >

> > //Leon

> >

>

[Guest guest]

I wrote this over a week ago and I was pleased when it did not turn up. That is a state of showing no compassion or mercy for yourself, but in my case it does seem to work a little, although I am now totally wrecked because of it. My drinking has increaed recentlty too as I try to kill the pain, so perhaps this is not a very effective technique afterall. But I have made great progress in what I have learnt about the technology that is used at my work recently and this seems to be paying off. But sometimes I think that it is self hatred that drives me into suffering because when I am being very brave I hate myself a little less. I think the CBT therapists would find a lot here that is wrong with my thinking.

The MINCER:

So I wake up in the morning thoroughy exhausted and in complete fear of the day ahead, I then get up and FACE IT. The work is intense and bitter without any back up. Not even the software works that well, or is helpful. I then struggle to find out what is wrong often stripping down a lot of the machine which takes hours so my bosses think I am slow and incompetent, and so I work through tea breaks and lunch. I study manuals but I can hardly read them , or understand, due to exhaustion and fear. But most of the time there are no good manuals and my company won't sendd me on courses. I ring up manufactures to ask for advice, but their technical sections often can't help either (as they have no idea too) and now they are beginning to get fed up with me asking awkward questions so they are sometimes rude which means even more stress. I'm getting the hang of it now, but it might be another six months to a year before I have mastered the new technology, but I might have perished by then too. I hardly have the energy to even tidy up when I get home, but at work it's go go go, for up to 12 hours a day, sometimes.

Perhaps I am too unassertive, but I fear I will get the sack if I keep saying I don't know what to do, or what is wrong. Amd I can see on their faces how unimpressed they are when I say I don't know, but I have no confidence and so I feel that it is my fault when I don't know enough. The neo-liberals are making loads of money out of me nowadays, and draining all the life out of my body. There is no one left in my company who can help me with my job as all the other electronic/electrical engineers have been made reduntant. There is no one to ask, and no one to turn too and I have been piled high with all their work

Sorry for the moan, but I thought I better explain the MINCER. So just don't go there! It's a disasterous way to improve your lot in life.

I'm tempted to have that pint of Ruddle's County that is sitting there beckoning in the cupboard. But that's avoidence - wow! more stress as I feel I am failing again. So I am no good at willingly suffering either. Another failure. Hmmm, everything always comes back to this. Perhaps that's depression for you.

Kv

> > >> > > From what I have understood, ACT does not put much focus on> identifying causes of, say depression, and from there work on getting> rid of the causes that underlies the depression. To me, it seems that> ACT rather works with identifying the symptoms of the depression,> accepting them and from that point asks the patient to move in a valued> direction. ACT doesn't bother with the causes underlying the depression,> rather, the patient should accept the depression (WITHOUT letting the> depression controlling one's behaviour)and then move in a valued> direction. Is my understanding correct so far?> > >> > > So here's the thing that I find problematic:> > >> > > If one just accepts the depression without trying to see where the> depression comes from, I suspect that the depression will come back,> even if one's living a valued life. It just hit me as I wrote the> previous line, that it may depend on what the causes of the depression> are, in many cases the depression would probably disappear as the person> start doing things in his/hers life that is valuable to him/her. It all> seems to depend on what the causes are behind the depression.> > >> > > If the cause of the depression is a basic assumption that he/her is> worthless for example, it is that basic assumption that has to be> questioned and changed if you ask me. I mean, even if this person> accepts his/her feelings of worthlessness and starts doing things he/her> truly values, the basic assumption, underlying the depression and low> self-esteem will still be there. As long as it is there, the depression> will presumably reoccur and the person will still suffer from low> self-esteem and depression.> > >> > > Is it enough with just accepting the feelings of depression and> worthlessness and then move in a valued direction, or is it necessary to> figure out the causes behind the depression and work with them?> > >> > >> > >> > > This is just some of my thoughts running around in my mind at the> moment (I'm pretty confused!) Also, I would like to add that I'm> currently working with the willingess chapters in Get out of your mind,> so I'm not "done" with the work yet.> > >> > > Any comments are highly appreciated! > > >> > > //Leon> > >> >>