A letter from Dr. L.J. Marx about a Monastery of Herbs case study on depression:
Editor:
Most of the people who come to me with complaint or diagnosis of depression have a physical basis for their malady. While the majority does have symptoms of depression, these symptoms are secondary to the physical disease. Those disorders that produce fatigue and disturbance of mental function will most likely lead to depression.
The patient is given a clear-cut diagnosis or explanation for their symptoms then it is more likely to be accepted by the patient and not lead to depression. These illnesses that are poorly defined and have an uncertain basis tend to lead to self-doubt and self-blame.
Sometimes, it is not clear how much of a person’s symptoms are psychologically based or due to physical causes. I suggest that the patient treat the medical problems first, since this can be done in a fairly short time. After treating the physical problems, most patients feel so well that they do not feel the need for psychotherapy.
As a general rule, when someone has a high energy level it is difficult to be depressed. The treatment is to clear the body of the causative agents that interfere with the flow of life energy.
The causative agents are mostly common infections. The Epstein-Barr virus, the Cytomegalo-virus, Infectious Mononucleosis, HTLV #4, the various hepatitis viruses, and some of the other herpes viruses can be major factors.
The spirochete bacterial infections are a frequent cause of depressive symptoms, especially if these infections are in the Central Nervous System. Liver parasites such as Leishmania and Liver Fluke need to be considered. Fungal infections can take advantage of a depressed immune system and prevent recovery.
If all else fails, then consider heavy metal poisoning. Mercury toxicity from dental amalgams is certainly the most frequent finding. Also, mercury toxicity can be the basis of chronic allergies. There cannot be well being while mercury is continually being leached into body tissues from dental fillings.
There is an alternative perspective on the dynamics and healing of psychologically based depression. Depression is generally depicted as a mood or emotional state.
However, I would define depression as not being a mood or emotional state at all, but a mental state. It is a state that lacks feelings. The pain of depression is the pain of being deficient of emotions or feelings. It is like being suspended in an empty space without connection to what gives us a sense of being. It is isolation from feelings, resulting in a sense of nothingness.
Yet there is a dread of feeling emotions because of the fear of experiencing even more pain. Little does the depressed person realize that to deny experiencing feelings is the creator of the even more intense suffering of depression?
The downward spiral of events begins with a belief system. The acceptance of a belief must lead to judgment, and this includes judgments against the self. To judge self as unacceptable in some way is denial of that part of self. This is repression.
The rejection of some aspect of self requires energy to keep that fragment of our being out of consciousness. The separation creates a space or gap. This gap is guilt. Guilt is a nothingness that swallows up our life energy. It is like a black hole in space, it takes and doesn’t give back.
Why would someone embark on such a self-destructive path? As a child he is taught early in life that he fails to live up to the standards of parents. The child chooses to agree with the parent’s judgments because it is the only way he knows how to get love and approval. He feels helpless to break free from his dependency.
He does what he thinks is necessary to become acceptable and that includes self-reflection and self-blame. He gives up self to become not self. Of course, he never gets the acceptance because the parental figures can’t love the child because they don’t love themselves. Also, acceptance is a way of freeing another while rejection is a means of controlling others.
As an adult, the depressed person blames himself for being unlovable and has contempt for all of his natural feelings that he was told are unacceptable. The energy spent on repressing the emotions has the effect of compressing his own life energy.
Compression inhibits the very vibration of life. The will is to stop vibrating, which is death — the wish to cease to exist. The more we deny, the more we die.
Therefore, the quickest way to break through a depressive state is to move the feelings. With the movement or release of feelings comes relief from the depression. The feelings coming forth can be expected to be “negative.” There is much rage to be released. Even though there is much pain, it is a great relief from the angst of depression.
Acceptance of the unpleasant emotions is an essential part of healing. Keep in mind; negative states are only negative because that is how we have judged them. The rage and pain need to be handled like an abused child or spouse.
Listen and accept all that comes forth without excuses or being defensive. Once the energies have been accepted and released, the “negative” aspect ceases and the energies are transmuted into warm loving feelings. Healing has occurred.
Along with this process it is helpful to review the person’s life and educate them as to how they developed the pattern of self-denial. We need to realize that the decisions we made in our earlier years were an attempt to solve a difficult situation the best way we knew how at the time.
Therefore, there should not be any blaming involved. Self-forgiveness is a necessary part of healing.
Nevertheless, the problems that continue into adulthood are not the direct result of what happens to us, but is the product of the decisions we make in response to our experiences.
In depression, the key decision is to try to solve the problems through others. As long as the depressive pursues this approach, there is no breakthrough.
Healing can only occur when the depressed person abandons all efforts to solve his self-esteem problem by getting the approval of others. This approach means giving away power and self-determination. We become at the mercy of others and see ourselves as helpless and dependent.
Healing comes from within. It means accepting full responsibility for our lives. Thus we become self-empowered and self-integrated. The light of understanding is the alchemy of transmutation. While judgment rejects and excludes, understanding accepts and includes. The culmination of understanding is to realize that our source of love, joy and peace is within our own hearts.
L.J. Marx, M.D.
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Monastery of Herbs Case Study: Depression