Melancholy and the infinite sadness

[hippie37]

Woke up today with overwhelming melancholic feelings and was just thinking about how I could combat them with what I have learned through CBT. I've been questioning a lot recently about my spirituality and how these moments may not be something I can control anyway no matter how hard I try to. These are not automatic negative thoughts that I'm having that I can change anyway as I have nothing to question apart from Why am I feeling like this?. I've done nothing remotely to change the balance I have had over these last few months and I am not at a stage where I am standing still with my sobriety.

I've always had bouts of melancholy, some I've probably misdiagnosed as depression to be honest and so I know I have to ride these waves rather than get wiped out. Of course this brings me back to the question of whether there is a shift in my psyche and do I look at this from a spiritual and less scientific viewpoint.

Any comments greatly appreciated!!

Some music I've been listening to today!!lol

[ame=

]YouTube - 1979[/ame]

[ame=

]YouTube - Keane - Try again[/ame]

[Captnjack]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

Hi Hippie,
I too suffer from the spontaneous black pit of melancholy its bloody horrible. I seriously believe it to be a brain chemical thing sparking what we interpret as a deep spirtual thing. How can you go from OK to waking up in fright. I have never taken anti ds because Im not depressed all the time and when I am, I believe this emotion will pass. I think we all have bouts of melancholy its natural. Sometimes I embrace it because it is such a real emotion its scary but real and personally I love real no matter what. There is a old jewish saying about this sudden onset of melancholy its like the world has picked you for a moment to carry its woe and sadness before it moves on. Carry it for a bit and it moves on.

Any way I think its a natural thing embrace that melancholy ( the modern world tells us its not good) beautiful thoughts come from it look at your own post sparked me off on a thinking bout lol

luv captn


aLL

[betty boop]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

Hi Hippie, I think we all suffer from time to time with similar issues ........

It will pass ......... you are strong ........

Sending you a big BB Hug :l:l:l

[Guest]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

I have been reading a book by a woman called Pema Chodron called Basically she is writing about how we must live through the shit as well as the good stuff to fully understand ourselves ,she says"the usual advice for coping with pain and suffering is to sweeten it up , smooth it over ,take a pill But distraction only makes you missopportunities for happiness-when courage to live in the present can bring clarity, and even spiritual change..."She is one of the most renowned spiritual teachers in the West today.She is the resident teacher of buddism at Gampo Abbey, Nova Scotia, the first Tibetan monastery in North America. Its a very interesting book ,worth a read .From what I gather, I feel you have started your spiritual journey with your sobriety and studies and I have no doubt you will emerge triaumphant!

[Bloo Eh?]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

In my melancholy and infinite sadness moments I listen to John Martyn.

[ame=

]YouTube - John Martyn - May You Never[/ame]

[flyinhigh]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

do you like billie holiday?

hello hippie- i agree with captn and limey, we have to know the ups and downs of life and need to be with our emotions. I feel by allowing myself to be down and know what down is it allows me to be truly up and know what that truly is.

"When things are bad, don't worry they will change. When things are good, don't worry they will change."

I have friends and family that are bipolar and I watch them wrestle with sadness, but when they allow themselves to wallow for a bit, it helps.


[ame=

]YouTube - GLOOMY SUNDAY-BILLIE HOLIDAY VERSION[/ame]


take the day(s) and be with yourself. Im sure the pendulum will swing the other way soon. xo flyin'

[me145]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

when a person is sad for awhile, like myself, even after the person stops drinking for at least a few weeks, its definitely a chemical thing in your brain going on. usually depression, which needs help with antidepressants. there are some who use natural ways such as st. johns wort, 5-htp, vitamims, changing their diet, and they really claim it works. for some, not all.. try seeing a doctor about this..
being close to God really helps me too, but i dont know how you feel about God. it helps me becuase i worry so much about life and every situation that goes on, and if im going to church and being good, i feel everything that happens is in God hands,and i put it in his hands, and i feel less sad and not worrying as much.

[Captnjack]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

AHH Flyin "Billie Holiday"
Strange fruit what a song her voice sings the tones of sadness.
one of my all time favorites

luv
cap

[xtexan]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

One thing I have experienced over the last couple of years, is that my entire system is slowly adapting.

It doesn't come in a "big bang" of "Gosh, I'm sober now, and all is well". No it doesn't happen like that.

The melancholy still comes, but I have learned to let it flow through me. If I resist it, then it is worse. The emotional and spiritual energy spent in resisting it just depletes my entire life source.

This is a real lesson in becoming truly sober. I got used to hammering down the emotions with booze (a lot of it) during my drinking days, and now it takes a whole different way of existing to let things flow through.

Just words, but perhaps you can identify. I seem to be getting better and better all the time at letting things just "flow through" now.

Neil
2 years 4 months AF

[Captnjack]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

Perfectly described Neil

letting things just "flow through" now.

thanks captn

[nancy]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

Hi Hippie

I think you got some good responses here. So this isn't about the negative thoughts you can work on, but a general feeling of sadness.

I think you have been through so much with geting sober and sure had a lot of success, but maybe you are on some levels wiped out by the whole experience. I think sometimes we do feel sad and need to learn to accept the feelings and that book When Things Fall Apart is great for that.

I would just be compassionate to yourself while you are having that wave of melancholy and try to be around people who make you happy and feel connected. If it persists though, you should work on it with a therapist.

Take care

[gelgit]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

"Mother Earth is pregnant for the third time...."
-come on you know the words, intone along-
"... for you all have knocked her up,
I have tasted the maggots in the wind of the universe,
I was not offended,
For I knew I had to rise above it all,
Or drown in my own shit."
A little Funkadelic from (gasp!!) 1971

Good Morning ,

Thanks for the music and the thread. I'm much more ready to tackle these thoughts today. I may go a bit over the edge for some with this, BUT somebody has got to tell us.... we don't have a clue what is going on in our food, the air, what's zapping our brains 24/7 or the "news" we read. We have so much static, pressure and speed in our daily lives that we were never created to endure. How the heck can we figure out what's affecting us and what to do about it. I guess that's why there are so many self help books available.
I got a few good rants posted yesterday that helped me to clear some of my own cobwebs, but I don't know if the contrails that crisscrossed our mostly empty skies last month has anything to do with the epidemic of local people who "got" the flu and are having breathing problems. I do know that just 2 minutes on a cellphone alters your brain's function. And, that men who carry their phones in a pants pocket are showing a 40% lower sperm count. Brain tumors WOW, all over the charts. Blue Tooth devices send out the same emissions as a microwave oven on high.
Hey, Capt. I love the old saying: very inspiring and comforting at the same time. Jewish/Buddhist? Chicken soup that spares the chicken? "Strange Fruit" is one of the saddest songs I know: but Billie sang it beautifully.
Thanx 145....I have some Sam-E I can take. I guess we can all benefit from a good music and great music...just need to turn off the evening news for a couple of days until I get my stomach back in shape g.

P.S. I'm better, can you tell:H

[Mags]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

Neil

I always think you and I are on the same journey. But you express it with such elegance. Thank you, Neil.

[Cinders]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

[pre]I've done nothing remotely to change the balance I have had over these last few months and I am not at a stage where I am standing still with my sobriety. [/pre]

Hippie,

I note you use the world "melancholy" as opposed to depressed. Even though the dictionary often defines melancholy as a state of depression, I think of it as quite a different state of being.

When I am depressed, I am literally feeling as if I am in glue or mud. I am unable to think, react or deal with my feelings of despair.

When I am melancholy, it is different. I find myself in a "slowed down" state, where I am pensive and considering. My melancholy typically means I am considering a change. I truly think it is a good thing.

I quoted a part of your post because I believe you will never be "at a stage where you are standing still with your sobriety." You may hit points in your life where you will achieve a certain balance for a while but then you will continue to evolve and grow in some new way. Often these evolutions are predated by melancholy.

Darn, I am simply not an good writer. I have such a difficult time getting what is inside my head and soul out to people. It is very frustrating.

While you are drawing breath upon this earth, Hippie, you will be evolving. Our choice to manage our drinking and become sober was a huge evolution but only a piece of us. We are so much more than just that. Without our sobriety, we are stuck in one place forever, using a chemical to keep us from becoming what we can and want to.

Enjoy your melancholy. It is what Thoreau would have said is the "YOU" leading the "you" to some new place in your life.

Love,
Cindi

[Ripple]

Melancholy and the infinite sadness

oh dear.

hippie...you are so funny..there is nothing wrong with you. Love your avatar and yes my puppys name is OLIVE.. the BLACK one though.