oilandrealism: Miquel Carbonell Selva – Sappho Leaping into the…



oilandrealism:

Miquel Carbonell Selva - Sappho Leaping into the Sea (Safo llençant-se al mar) - (1881)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miquel_Carbonell_Selva

Depression Can Be Fatal

For me suicidal ideation has never come close to winning, because of people I love.  So far.  I never got to the point where it was stronger than love.  

That’s the thing… it could.  You never know.  

That’s why treating depression is essential.  Of course, it helps to have a social safety net that allows anyone to see a doctor, and enough doctors to see enough patients.  I think if there weren’t such barriers and such stigma, more people would get help.  For many a suicide attempt is the only way to get help.

books0977: Phèdre (1880). Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823-1889….



books0977:

Phèdre (1880). Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823-1889. Oil on canvas. Musée Fabre.

Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677. Cabanel illustrates Phèdre in despair, as evidenced by her posture which, in addition to account for the dejection and guilt she feels, sublimates her legendary beauty. She who had hitherto always shown strength of character and dignity seems very fragile and vulnerable.

A Picture of Despair

For me, the single worst component of depression is despair.   

books0977: Phèdre (1880). Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823-1889….



books0977:

Phèdre (1880). Alexandre Cabanel (French, 1823-1889. Oil on canvas. Musée Fabre.

Phèdre is a dramatic tragedy in five acts written in alexandrine verse by Jean Racine, first performed in 1677. Cabanel illustrates Phèdre in despair, as evidenced by her posture which, in addition to account for the dejection and guilt she feels, sublimates her legendary beauty. She who had hitherto always shown strength of character and dignity seems very fragile and vulnerable.

A Picture of Despair

For me, the single worst component of depression is despair.   

chloethunders:Evelyn de Morgan (1855-1919) – Night and Sleep…



chloethunders:

Evelyn de Morgan (1855-1919) - Night and Sleep (1878), oil on canvas, De Morgan Centre, London UK.

Many people self medicate when they’re depressed.

These days I use prescription medicine, correctly medically prescribed, and it mostly works.  Because of my personal backstory of an out of control childhood, mind bending drugs have never held a great appeal for me.  

That’s why the drug I used to abuse was tobacco.  As near as I can tell I was born addicted to cigarettes.   I resisted smoking until a low point in my life when I was 21, but unlike pretty much everybody I know, I didn’t turn green the first time I lit a cigarette.  In fact, on my first night as a cigarette smoker I smoked an entire 20 pack of cigarettes.  And later on, when I got pregnant, again, unlike pretty much every other smoker I knew, morning sickness didn’t stretch to smoking.  When I was so nauseous I couldn’t keep down water I could still smoke.  My doctor told me the stress and guilt in trying and failing to quit smoking was hard on me and the baby, so we worked out a compromise: I reduced how much I smoked to around 6 half cigarettes a day.   

I don’t have any evidence for this, but my mother smoked through all of her pregnancies, so I think I was born addicted.  I finally managed to quit thanks to the Patch, but I had to discontinue using the patch about half way through because of an allergic reaction.  If I ever have another cigarette I’ll be a smoker again, and the patch won’t be an option.  

And I do know smoking helped me cope with stress and depression.  Even though the physical effects are far in the past, there are times I wish I could have  a cigarette to calm down.  But I don’t.  So far.

“I’m so bad at being alive…”The whole image can be found…



“I’m so bad at being alive…”

The whole image can be found here (and it’s even worse). 

My own levels of energy are limited, and I tend to avoid talking about many of the things that are most important to me.  Part of that is surely bound up in the idea that everyone else’s troubles or needs are more important than mine. Today I’ve decided to share 4 images that illustrate aspects of depression.  

My self esteem is on very shaky ground when suffering from depression… which has pretty much been most of my life.  It’s a catch 22.  You don’t have the energy to cope so your self esteem plummets.  And when your self esteem plummets there is even less.  

What’s worse is knowing what you should do but.

just. 

can’t.  

do. 

it.  

“I’m so bad at being alive…”The whole image can be found…



“I’m so bad at being alive…”

The whole image can be found here (and it’s even worse). 

My own levels of energy are limited, and I tend to avoid talking about many of the things that are most important to me.  Part of that is surely bound up in the idea that everyone else’s troubles or needs are more important than mine. Today I’ve decided to share 4 images that illustrate aspects of depression.  

My self esteem is on very shaky ground when suffering from depression… which has pretty much been most of my life.  It’s a catch 22.  You don’t have the energy to cope so your self esteem plummets.  And when your self esteem plummets there is even less.  

What’s worse is knowing what you should do but.

just. 

can’t.  

do. 

it.