Bucket list 29 – Understand depression

April 13, 2014

We have watched over many decades as loved ones have been destroyed by a vicious mental illness. Over the last forty five years our military have returned home from killing fields with sad hearts and remorse filling their minds to the point where they became dysfunctional, struck out at their friends and family, and were declared to have Post traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. We have seen many others destroyed by this insidious maligner I believe to be all part and parcel of what we have come to casually refer to as depression.

Why would a soldier get so angry he/she would take a gun and kill others of his military group then put a bullet in his head? Why would a young mother kill her children and attempt to take her own life?
Why do we feel unwanted, uncared for, lacking purpose, unworthy of love, even God’s love?

These profound questions lie all around us. They are not for an elite few who might have been caught up in some minute segment of a subset of society. The better part of my life I have personally believed that we could rise above this debilitating illness by declaring as some used to say, “so, you are depressed, just get over it.” That is not the answer; rather the antithesis of what should be done. Telling someone to “just get over it” simply pours gas on the mental fires and generates more doubts, self-loathing, and personal spiral.

The nation has been watching Nevada this past week as Military might was brought to bear on a rancher, Clive Bundy, whose family has “ranched” an area in Nevada where he grows cattle. All kinds of reasons have been proffered for this malicious unconstitutional attack on United States Civilians. At the brink of another civil war beginning with several hundred coming to support Clive, the “government” pulled back just a bit and actually returned Clive’s cattle. Please put yourself in the position of any one of these military and police doing the bidding of the “government” under orders to take the possessions from an old man and throw a sixty two old lady to the ground and do her seriously bodily harm. Now put yourself in a military uniform in a foreign land with orders to kill civilian men, women, and children. Then, put yourself in the position of trying to make a living, feed your family, love your neighbor, care for the needy, and find yourself unable to do more than survive.

This is a call to action! For those of us who feel inclined to Call on God, the Eternal Father to bless us and those in need, I highly recommend it. This is the mightiest power in the universe. God will answer our prayers by guiding us to ways we can bless the lives of others. (These little promptings come from the Holy Ghost through ministering angels on either side of the veil.) All we have to do to find them is understand when they come and then take action. For those of you who feel God is dead, or simply myth, go to your personal strength –whatever that might be and help to bless the lives of those around you.

Double call to action to the millions of us who are plagued by PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, recrimination, or whatever else might cause us to feel less than adequate. Helping others, especially through the promptings from God, will give us more hope, healing, and purpose in living than anything else I can think of. I personally loathe medical prescriptions, but I try to dutifully take them when needed because they help me get where I need to be to grow and continue enjoying life.

Love God, love your neighbor (especially your family) and don’t forget to love yourself. This is a wonderful ride – this life we have been given. Make it count!

Duane Jacobs, grandfather, father, brother, cousin, uncle, and friend