Two weeks

Two weeks today since I started this, and almost one since the last post.

I'm feeling better today than at any time since the experience that inspired me to start writing on this topic, two weeks ago yesterday. Then, it was the optimism I felt having read the first third or so of the Human Givens book on lifting depression (see Day 1). This time, the cause is not so clear.

I was out last night, seeing friends. We met in one of their local pubs, had a drink, moved to another pub, had another drink, then went back to their place. They're a married couple with grown-up kids, one of whom still lives with her parents, but she was out last night.

Now, people who suffer from depression should not drink alcohol. It stimulates the production of seratonin, which makes you feel good at the time, but when the effect wears off, the pendulum tends to swing the other way. Some of my worst times have been when hung-over.

But not today! Not that I drank all that much last night, but in the past it would often have been enough to make me suffer in the morning, and quite likely the afternoon too. Now, I can't tell you all the facts that might be relevant here. But here's something of interest: meditation as a hangover cure!

I first experienced this quite a long time ago, maybe 20 years or more. Back then I practiced Transcendental Meditation, and had done since 1977. This is a powerful technique, but, as I eventually realised, not suitable for depressives. One morning I was meditating, with a hangover, and I suddenly felt it lift.

Now I think about it, this is sufficiently significant that it deserves some research. (There was no web back then, and no other convenient way to do such research, and I've not experienced it much in recent years.) So I think I'll need to revisit this topic. Suffice it for now to say I believe the main reason (though not the only one) I feel so good today is basically the same as on Day 5, with the added benefit of a hangover cured. (I got some good philosophical writing done early this morning as well.)

I'll probably be back with more words of wisdom, or not as the case may be, later today or tomorrow.