I’m in a quandary, but then you that know me will say “so what else is new?” I believe a re-calibration is required, ‘How’ is the question, the ‘why’ not so much.
I won’t belabor the point so I’ll cut to the chase.
I’ve been thinking quite a bit about this blog lately, in fact I talked about it a little in a previous post called Moving Forward, and a number of others. I guess the bottom line, where the rubber hits the road, is that I no longer believe I am suffering from depression. Whether I’m kidding myself who’s to say. This is my story and I’m sticking to it.
Perhaps I am deluding myself, maybe this is somewhat symptomatic of the illness where one feels healed and so takes on their previous life without medication only to find they are not as ‘well’ as they thought. I suspect a relapse may be a result, quick or otherwise.
Or, maybe, people such as myself think they are fine but their partner or those close to them indicate that the diagnosis is still valid, they are still exhibiting outward signs of the mental illness. I asked, this doesn’t seem to be the case with me.
In fact I asked me wife that very question this morning.
“Have you seen any changes in me lately, some indications that my moods or personality has changed?’
She pondered the question for a moment and then replied,
“No, I don’t thinks so. If I’ve seen any changes is you it’s been only since you’ve retired.”
Well, that supports my perception of the situation as well.
What brought that question up was a deep conversation I had with a friend a few nights ago. He, Dan, has been diagnosed with depression for more than 4 years, and has been on at least 2 different medications. After taking pills for the first year or so he determined he felt better, and as such he wanted to distance himself from the meds. To stop taking them seemed to be the logical solution. Whether he tapered off or went cold turkey I’m not sure, fact is he quit. (Interesting topic for a conversation isn’t it, not sports, not women, but depression meds. Such is my life)
Shortly after that his wife asked him specifically if he was still taking his meds. He was surprised, and answered No, he had stopped some time before. She replied that she thought so, there were changes in him that led her to think that.
Hmm, I thought, I wonder if similar changes have been seen in me? Thus the question to my wife, and in this case No, she hasn’t seen a noticeable change or regression in me.
Back to the topic at hand, is a re-calibration required? I was going to say ‘should I rethink my blog’ but that horse is already out of the barn. So what kind of changes, if any, should I undertake, or do I leave things well enough alone?
Should I even continue to blog, period? Should I continue to write but choose another topic(s), and alter the Theme, Name and/or tagline? How about starting a new blog, with a different frame of reference or mindset behind it?
Maybe a photography blog, perhaps just a blog where I can write and continue with thoughts that hold little interest to the general populace. You know, kinda like it is now LOL.
But enough of the self-important, self-indulgent prattle, I think a change is in order and it’s only a matter of How, or what.
These are the questions I am struggling with. Is a re-calibration required, and assuming Yes, then in what direction?
I’d be pleased to hear any input from followers.
Comments
I think you should continue to blog. Writing/ journaling can be a form of therapy. Not feeling that one’s life has purpose can often cause depression. That has been when I have felt down. I believe your life has purpose even when you look back and wonder if parts of it were wasted. Many people have done their best work and been the most effective when they were past their youth. Do not recalibrate alone or necessarily with meds. Instead commit your life to Jesus, ask Him to give you direction, He is waiting for you to make that decision. If you need Him to prove Himself to you, tell Him that. He’s not afraid of your questions, are you?
What? Are you saying I’m past my youth?? LOL
Thank you for your comments, and I will think about what you’ve said.
At this time I don’t expect to stop blogging. I will likely continue to write in some fashion, it just remains to be seen what. And my questions were pertaining more from this blog’s perspective, and whether I’ll continued to write about how I feel and what I think or change topics, although not writing at all is an option too (perhaps not a good one). I think I’d just like to develop the blog more, that’s all.
I guess I was thinking more of myself as “Past my youth”, although I have heard of people becoming famous artists or sculptors after retirement age. Maybe there’s more time to concentrate when the everyday work world is no longer there. I think you write very well. You are able to express your feelings so that people can relate to them.