Doc Meek

Archive for May, 2010

All learning involves change of some sort, and all change involves learning of some sort. As a learning specialist, I have always been intrigued by this mutuality. However I have not seen the following quotation until now.

“If you laugh – you change; and when you change – the world changes.” – Shilpa Shah

Lilly Fluger: <www.lillyarts.com/html/puzzle025.html> ………………………………………………………………………………………..

This quotation reminded me of the famous book entitled Anatomy of an Illness by Norman Cousins. Published years ago now, Norman was the first person of which I am aware that first brought to my attention the healing powers of laughter.

In Anatomy of an Illness, Norman tells us of his chronic disease from which he could not seem to get any relief from pain. Wikipedia reports that he developed a recovery program incorporating megadoses of Vitamin C along with a positive attitude, love, faith, hope, and laughter induced by Marx Brothers films.

Norman reported: “I made the joyous discovery that ten minutes of genuine belly laughter . . . would give me at least two hours of pain-free sleep.”

What has laughter got to do with learning?

Laughter not only releases people from physical pain, it also releases people from emotional pain. Many students in classrooms and children in homes may be in emotional pain of which we may not even be aware. A steady hand on the rudder and a sense of humor as we sail on in life in the classroom and in the home (or in the workplace for that matter) can go far to ease the hidden emotional sore spots and pains.

In critical situations in the classroom or in the home, many a day has been saved by the teacher or the parent seeing the humor in the heat of turmoil, threat or anger. Many an explosive situation has been defused by the adult in the case resorting to humor instead of retaliation or force. This is not easy. With kindness aforethought, it is do-able.

Sometimes, even the student or the child can be the leader, can lead the adult  in seeing the humor that can lighten the load of both.

Of course humor and laughter responses in tough scenarios need to be thought about, practiced, and developed in advance. If we are open to humor and have done some thinking about it, and practicing with it in calm seas, it may arise and bail us out when we least expect it–and most need it–in rough seas.

If good humor and laughter are used as everyday things, practiced as part of the ordinary teaching-learning patterns in classrooms and in homes, they can make a huge difference in learning, both for students and teachers alike.

“At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.”  – Jean Houston

Humor knows no equal when it is used to respond to insults.

Abraham Lincoln [a man with an ugly visage, we are told] was called a “two-faced liar” in a very public forum. He paused a moment, took a deep breath, and responded:

“I submit to you . . .  if I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?” The house roared with laughter and the danger was gone.

Blessings,

Doc Meek, May 24, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S.  And finally, for teachers and parents who bear a heavy load, Abraham Lincoln lifts our burdens with these poignant words:

“With the fearful strain that is on me night and day, if I did not laugh I should die.”

We as teachers and parents can often be found exhorting or commanding our students and children to do better in school. We may say such things as:

“Study harder!”

“Work harder!”

“Remember to do your homework every night!”

“Remember to pay attention to the teacher when you are in class!”

We know that these skills and practices  are important for their success in school now, and their subsequent success in life. This is only common sense and besides, we may feel it is our duty as teachers and parents to exhort, command or scold our students and children so that they become better people in school and at home and elsewhere in their daily life. We may fear we are failing in our proper responsibility as teachers and parents if we do not push our students constantly.

We may feel that we need to show proper leadership to our students and children.

Leadership is a skill that not many have mastered well. It is not as easy as we may think. It is more than words I think.

“We must be the change we wish to see . . . ”   – Mahatma Gandhi

Would it come softly to our minds to gently say to our students and children the following kinds of things?

“Let’s find a way together to help you enjoy your studies more.”

“Is there something I can do that will help to make your schooling more meaningful to you?”

“Let’s find a way together to help you find homework more attractive, more desirable.”

“I wonder what I can do to help you want to engage more actively in classes at school?”

Or perhaps even better:

“What can I change that will help you change?”

Because all learning involves change of some kind.

And if we are not willing to change, we are not setting an example our students and children can follow. We are simply saying, “Do as I say, ” not “Do as I do.”

“Do as I say,” works for the moment.

“Do as I do,” works for a lifetime.

A lifetime love of learning.

When you lead, or are led yourself, by doing, by example, by actual behavior, not just words, you develop intrinsic or internal change. Even students and children themselves can learn to lead, if encouraged to become involved with you in active learning, in interactive learning behaviors.

Picture from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln College of Engineering. If you wish to read the whole story, copy and paste the following URL into your computer’s browser line (where you usually place website addresses for websites you are seeking):

<http://www.engineering.unl.edu/publications/ENonline/Fall06/20.shtml> …………………………………………………………………………………………..

Even very young students and children can learn to lead by example, in the classroom and at home. Motivated from within. That’s the goal.

“Do as I say” creates change from the outside in, often based on fear.
“Do as I do” creates change from the inside out, often based on love, honor and respect.

Words can be good, and inspiring even. Examples are even better.

The best? Encouraging words and encouraging examples, together, are the very best you can offer any human being.

Particularly for our students and children who rely on us for leadership.

If we don’t change, our students and children won’t find it easy to change.

If we are not willing to change, our students and children may not be able to find the way to change.

Pushing students and children to change “punches” them to act.

Pulling students and children along with our own enjoyment, laughter, humor and joy even, inspires them mightily.

It is so much easier for us as teachers and parents to just tell our students and children what they should be doing, rather than showing them what to do by having them follow our leadership, our example, our own love of learning, our own love of change (in ourselves, not just them).

It is not just our duty to exhort, command or scold. It is our sacred duty to lead by joyful example, each new day, in every way that we can do.

In every way that we can be, or be in the process of becoming.

Will we be able to do this every day, all the time, consistently, without fail?

Not at first.

Neither will our students and children.

Developing our example behavior, making our own changes, in ourselves, takes time.

Just so with our students and children as well.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu

Doc Meek, May 20, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA, right now, visiting with my 91-year-old Mom, teaching school children how to learn more easily now, and looking after other things as well; not with my beloved wife Jeannette in South Jordan, Utah, USA, right now. Hopefully soon. 😮

P.S. “What is my example showing today?” I ask myself. “What is my behavior showing right now?” Oh . . . oh . . . hmmm . . .  😮

“How can I change?” I ask myself.

“How can I make a simple start?”

Today. Right now.

Just one simple step. 😮

The monthly calendar beside each daily blog entry of THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE helps you, the reader, in four ways:

(1) Highlighted/underscored dates indicate the days on which blog entries have been written.

(2) Hovering your cursor over the date gives the title of the blog that was written on that date.

(3) Clicking on the date takes you directly to the blog of that date and title (saves you from having to scroll through several entries to find the one you want).

(4) You can also take the calendar back to previous months and click-on any previous blog entries.

I hope this is helpful to readers who have queried  the purpose of THE LEARNING CLINIC WORLDWIDE calendar beside the daily blog entries.

Doc Meek, May 16, 2010

Some readers have been wondering why I often “sign-off” my articles with the word, “Blessings . . . ”

It’s the Irish in me probably. We Celts want to tell you all the good stories, and throw all the good blessings your way. Me fah-ther was born in Ireland so I coom by it naturally, eh? 😮

There are many soft and gentle Irish Blessings, and some of you may know some. Send them in with your comments and I’ll share them with the world.

Here is an encouraging Irish Blessing about work and life that I found on a poster today at the General Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

The photo and poem below are from Covenant Health: http://covenanthealth.ca/

BLESSINGS

May your work never weary you.

May it release within you wellsprings of refreshment, inspiration, and excitement.

May the day never burden.

May dawn find you awake and alert, approaching your new day with dreams, possibilities and promises.

May evening find you gracious and fulfilled.

May you go into the night blessed, sheltered and protected.

~ John O’Donohue, in Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, from amazon.com

If “O’Donohue” isn’t a right Irish name, I don’t know what is, eh? 😮

Compassion, Heart of the Learning Brain

When we have the humility (teachableness, coachability) to listen to our compassionate heart, we will learn wisdom and even “great treasures of knowledge.”

We tend to think of compassion as distinct from the brain. And of course it is related to what we sometimes call, “matters of the heart.”

When the learning brain combines “matters of the heart” with “matters of the brain,” you are  on the Celtic road to greater understanding, greater knowledge, greater wisdom, and hey, people will like you more. And you’ll like yourself more, too.

When you relate to yourself better, with greater compassion, you will tend to treat others better also. And then others will tend to treat you better.

What a beautiful upward spiral!

Better than a vicious downward spiral, eh? 😮

Hearken to your heart and your head will be wiser and smarter.

And your hands will serve others more willingly.

Irish Blessings On Ya!

Doc Meek, May 14, 2010, in Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA; not in South Jordan, Utah, USA, with my wise and compassionate spouse, Jeannette.                 Ah . . . soon . . . I hope.

P.S. Interview with John O’Donohue, author of Anam Cara: A Book of Celtic Wisdom, on the meaning of compassion, a distinctly human capability:

http://www.personaltransformation.com/ODonohue.html

I promised to tell you more about a remarkable book I read recently:

The Other Brain: From Dementia to Schizophrenia, How New Discoveries about the Brain Are Revolutionizing Medicine and Science, by Dr. R. Douglas Fields (2009).

Dr. Fields tells us about the two general types of cells in the brain: the neurons and the glia (glia means glue).

In a brilliant stroke, in his heading for Chapter One, Dr. Fields asks the creative question about glial cells:

“BUBBLE WRAP OR BRILLIANT GLUE?”

I have been helping kids overcome learning problems for more than 30 years, teaching them that we are all smarter than we think.

Dr. Fields tells us why.

Glial cells constitute 85% of our brain and they are thinking cells.

Glial cells are thinking cells?

We always thought that neurons did the thinking job. We always thought the glia were just there to hold things in place, to hold things together (glia means glue).

I had no idea that the “white matter” (the glial-cell brain) comprises 85% of our active learning brain, that it is an intrinsic part of our cognitive functioning.

We have been referencing only 15% all along (the neuronal-cell brain) and now we have the good news that we have more brain horsepower than we ever thought possible.

Thank you, Dr. Fields!

I am grateful that you have written about your astounding research findings in ordinary language and with incredible creativity, so that the everyday reader has no trouble following the details of your amazing discoveries.

Book cover photo from Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/Other-Brain-Schizophrenia-Discoveries-Revolutionizing/dp/0743291417/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1273644636&sr=1-1

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Hey, I’m the “brain guy.” I thought I knew a little bit about the brain, eh? [I guess the operative word is “little,” right?]

I’m dumbfounded.

We have been primarily referencing only 15% of the brain all along (the neuronal-cell brain) and now we have another 85% we can connect with for thinking purposes. This is great! Now maybe we can “smarten up,” eh? 😮

Previously we thought (we thought we thought with only the neuronal brain) that the glia were mainly for insulation and packing. “Stuffing” if you like. 😮

Now we find that glial cells not only insulate and protect, they control the electrical-firing neurons. Without using any electrical current! As the son of a Journeyman Electrician, I find this new discovery not easy to believe, eh?

– Doc Meek, May 11, 2010, Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

“Holy Moley,” as Captain Marvel used to exclaim in the comics of my youth.

Sunday again in Canada. How can it be Sunday again? It was just Sunday a couple of days ago, eh?

One day I showed up at a reunion event and my hair was combed straight back, instead of my usual  parted version. My hair looked like a small field of grass, swept back by a mighty wind. Everyone kept asking, “How come your hair is flying straight back?”

“Because time is flying past like you wouldn’t believe!” 😮

So, speeding or not, “believer” or “non-believer,” Sunday can be a great gift for us all. Everybody.  A philosophical Buddhist, a kind Muslim, a gentle Christian, a studious Jew, a meditative Existentialist, a thoughtful Secular Humanist, a contemplative Atheist, a generous  Hindu, a gracious Baha’, a melodious Sufi, and everybody else, betwixt and between, among and beyond, and all whom I did not write in here at this particular moment in time. Let me know if I missed you and I’ll remember to include you next time, OK? All are welcome.

Especially Mothers, eh?

All are welcome to DSD.

DSD?

Do Something Different.

DSD one day a week, not necessarily Sunday, the first day of the week. Pick any day. Your brain and your body need it.

Your brain will thank you forever if you DSD [is that Do Some Dancing? :o] once a week, and oftener throughout your workday world, just by grabbing small moments in time to give your brain the break it needs (however short) to do its best for you long-term.

Charter school champion with the light of his life: the mother of his children

Mothers are always the greatest champions in the world, wouldn’t you say?

I noticed in the  The New York Times, May 6, 2010, that David Levin, educational administrator, teacher trainer, and “workaholic” [it takes one to know one, eh?] takes some time on Sundays to DSD.

This time with his family is not only precious, it vivifies and refreshes his brain (and heart and soul).

So remember to TST to DSD. Take Some Time to Do Something Different. Every week.

David Levin, 40, co-founder of the celebrated KIPP charter school network and superintendent of KIPP’s New York City schools, works 75 to 90 hours a week training teachers, raising money and shuttling among six schools. Even Mr. Levin’s Saturdays tend to be consumed by KIPP, which stands for Knowledge is Power Program.

Sundays, though, are reserved for his wife, Nikki Chase-Levin, 38, a marketing consultant (they met speed-dating) and their 15-month-old son, Max. The family lives on the Upper West Side.

– Excerpt from from The New York Times story by Elissa Gootman, published May 6, 2020

Work, love, spend time with your family, eh!?

Blessings, Doc Meek, May 9, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT), or 100% oxygen supplied under varying pressures in a tightly-sealed compression chamber, has proven to be an astounding help for a host of brain problems. Side effects are minimal to non-existent. You would think the mainstream medical community would quickly make it a solid adjunct to whatever else they are doing for the healing of toxin-damaged or older brains. In reality, other countries are far ahead of North America in this regard.

Horizontal lie-down HBOT one-person compression chamber; photo from www.adventisthealthnw.com/HM-HBOT.asp

Sit-up HBOT one-person compression chambers at Canadian Hyperbarics, at the General Hospital, in Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA; Link to Canadian Hyperbarics website:  http://www.canadianhyperbarics.com

Photo by Director Gordon Ward, Director, Canadian Hyperbarics, http://www.canadianhyperbarics.com

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Despite the wide array of problems for which HBOT is effective, our Canadian and US society has managed to keep this valuable and life-saving therapy in an ongoing controversial turmoil for decades. This may be because it appears to be expensive, and governments are fearful of incurring very large costs if large numbers of people realized how useful and effective it is.

In reality, the costs of HBOT pale in comparison with the huge costs associated with the ongoing and very expensive conventional treatments for heart disease, stroke, neurological problems, diabetes, MS, etc.

Part of the problem may simply be that the Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society (who devised the hodgepodge and limited list of conditions which government and insurance-approved facilities generally use to prevent access to this priceless therapy) is an ultra-conservative organization not prone to real leadership in HBOT.

Thank heaven for the private freestanding clinics that know that hyperbarics will heal a host of brain problems and other problems, and that provide genuine and much-needed leadership in HBOT.

One such is Canadian Hyperbarics at the General Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta, CANADA. They will help anyone who is up against the barriers of the highly-limited treatment provided by government or insurance-funded HBOT.

The Director of Canadian Hyperbarics is Gordon Ward, a personable and internationally-known expert in the HBOT field. Humorous and self-effacing, Mr. Ward has unfortunately often been obliged by forced circumstances to reluctantly demonstrate greater knowledge and expertise than many government or insurance-funded facilities staffed with hyperbaric physicians. More about Canadian Hyperbarics in future posts.

For more information about Canadian Hyperbarics and HBOT, please copy and paste the following URL into your computer’s browser line, the line you use when you want to get to a specific website on the internet:

http://canadianhyperbarics.com/index.html

Mitigation of  neurological problems, including memory problems

There are more than 75 million “baby boomers” in the United States, and millions more in Canada, who could use HBOT to ward off memory problems as they age, and this would require a huge outlay of public funds if HBOT were approved for this purpose:

WIKIPEDIA – The Free Encyclopedia, graphed the “baby boomer” cohort:

United States birth rate (births per 1000 population). The blue segment is the postwar baby boom.

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I am familiar with the mitigating effects of HBOT on neurodegenerative problems, Cerebral Palsy, LD (Learning Disabilities), ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder), ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder), Autism, and a host of other brain problems and potential brain problems.

Governments typically only recognize the effectiveness of HBOT for a short list of ailments, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, gas gangrene, necrotizing tissue (“flesh-eating disease”), near drowning, decompression sickness (“the bends” to divers), crush injury, burns, exceptional blood loss (severe anemia), advanced wound care including diabetic wound care, and so on. It is a very narrow and short list of 13 conditions created by UHMS (Undersea & Hyperbaric Medical Society) and adopted by governments and insurance companies for treatments for reimbursement purposes. This protects governments and insurance companies from the large costs that would be incurred if all of the ailments that can be treated effectively were appropriately approved for coverage.

It must be said here that many countries in other parts of the world are far ahead of the United States and Canada when it comes to proper utilization of HBOT for a wide variety of conditions. For one thing, they have far more HBOT compression chambers than is the case in the US and Canada. Some countries even have mobile HBOT chambers for emergency use.

The prevailing philosophy in many countries worldwide  is to increase immediate access to a HBOT chamber in the case of heart attack and brain attack (stroke), as it has been proven beyond all reasonable doubt that immediate HBOT treatment makes a huge difference to outcomes for the victims of these common problems. HBOT is, literally, life-saving. More, it vastly increases the future quality of life of those it saves. And those it prevents from having serious brain problems.

To your brain health!

Doc Meek, May 8, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S.  If you wish to pursue this topic of HBOT further, Kathy Summers has written a top-notch article.

Thank you, Kathy! LINK: http://www.healthwriting.com/health/hbot/

Photo of statue at Carmen B. Pingree Center for Children with Autism: http://www.carmenbpingree.com/

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Toxic Exposure Disguised as Autism

Many people believe that autism is a “genetic” malady that is permanent and incurable.

This may not be so for all autistic children.

I am familiar with cases where the child labeled autistic was given, not a thorough psychological assessment, rather a thorough physical, biological and chemical screening utilizing non-routine highly specialized testing. The result of such testing revealed the presence of toxic chemicals dangerous to brain health. These chemicals were not detectable by normal blood and urine testing and so were missed in the ordinary course of events.

The reason for this is that some toxic materials are sequestered in tissues, fats, bones, organs and muscles throughout the body and are not circulating in the bloodstream (unless there has been immediately recent exposure). Since they are not detectable by the regular blood and urine tests, everyone is fooled into thinking there are no toxins that would hurt the child’s brain.

Instead of immediately “detoxifying” the child, which can hurt the child even worse as the toxic materials come out of sequestration and into the bloodstream again, there needs to be a very careful pathway to healing followed.

Careful steps that can lead to better brain health

First the child needs to be drenched with nutrients and micro-nutrients that are essential for body and brain health. This provides the ammunition necessary for the coming battle of detoxification.

Simultaneously, if there are current toxic exposures that were originally being allowed out of lack of knowledge, these must be rigorously identified, and further exposures stopped or minimized as much as is humanly possible.

Finally, with the above two vital steps accomplished, can begin very careful and very slow and safe detoxification. Safe means finding a means to remove the toxins without using methods that further damage the child, and further impair brain health. It is not always easy to find such safe methods, as this is a relatively new field and great care must be exercised.

As the above steps are brought into play, the body’s incredible intrinsic power to heal begins to engage, slowly at first. Then with increasing strength, the miracle of returning health is slowly brought into play.

We are not talking about just mitigation here. We are talking about the body’s ability to return to normality when conditions are right for it to do so. Having a child return from the seeming prison of autism is amazing and astounding. Any mother who has witnessed this would say that “miraculous” is not too strong a word.

Even though the mother and the professionals involved know that the best of the best science has been the tool for the miracle, it still seems miraculous for a child to return from a world of disconnection to the world of here and now.

Autism can be a multi-factor problem

I am not saying that every child labeled autistic will return to normal if that child is given vital micro-nutrients, is screened in specialized ways for toxins, is detoxified safely, and is kept from future toxic exposures as much as is humanly possible.

I am saying that all children, autistic or otherwise, must be afforded this window of tremendous opportunity, and must not be denied this great gift simply because of  parental or professional disbelief, lack of knowledge or prejudice.

I am saying that all children, autistic or not, greatly benefit when they are given needed nutrients and micro-nutrients, are allowed to have brain-damaging toxins safely removed, and are protected from future toxic exposures.

Even if the child does not return to perfect normality, the child is much better off when given needed nutrients, and is not burdened with the toxic residues of our chemicalized world.

There are other supportive therapies, adjunctive to the above, that also help restore children to better functionality. Of which, more later.

To the greater health of our children!

Doc Meek, May 7, 2010; at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA

P.S. One relatively recent study of “healthy” newborns revealed that more than 200 industrial toxins were resident in them at birth. This is shocking to say the least. And this was counting only the chemicals being tested. There were doubtless more chemicals for which there was no testing done.

I know a highly qualified MD who works with children who have been labeled ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) and ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). He affirms in his writings, and in his private practice, that the only effective method for treating ADD and ADHD is the use of pharmaceuticals. Many school personnel agree with his opinion.

Image courtesy of:  http://www.mychildourfuture.org

Since pharmaceuticals are all that he uses, and about 65% of his patients receive almost immediate help in the form of better attention and focus in the classroom, short-term, he feels he is right. So do the school personnel.

Are drugs really the only answer?

Let’s take a second look.

The help that drugs can provide to children labeled ADD or ADHD can be a “quick start” for some children if that is what you are after.

Long-term, the effects are seriously problematic if steps are not taken to capitalize on the “quick start” by also empowering these drugged children with personal strategies that will help them know they can develop self-managing patterns of behavior and thinking, pill or no pill.

I have been working with children labeled ADD, ADHD, ODD (Oppositional Defiant Disorder) and other attentional and learning problems for over 30 years, and I have always had success with children and parents who follow a multi-factor approach, and whose ultimate goal is permanent self-management (pill or no pill):

(1) If the child has not yet been drugged, we show her or him that s/he has the power to beat the “squirmies” for example. Or whatever else the presenting problem is.

(2) We also look at numerous confounding factors, all the way from nutritional deficiencies/needs through to allergies and toxic exposures, many of which are disguised as ADD, ADHD, ODD, Autism, etc.

(3) We engage the child at the level of taking responsibility for self-management and self-improvement, one baby step at a time.

(4) Progress not perfection.

(5) We show parents innovative ways to work with their child to avoid the “never-ending battle of wills.”

(6) “A pill for every ill” is not necessarily the only answer.

(7) If the child is already drugged, we work with the child and the parents to develop personal self-management strategies such that dosages may be reduced or even eliminated.

(8) Learning problems that have been transformed by labeling into seemingly intractable diseases are not as easy to treat as learning problems that are maintained at the level of personal problems to which personal solutions can be discovered with imagination and good will.

(9) It’s a great day when a child learns and knows: “Hey, I can do it!”

To hope and work and self-determination, and more than one single answer,

Doc Meek, May 6, 2010

At Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA; not at South Jordan, Utah, USA

Picture from “The Scientific Method Today”: http://scientificmethod.com/

My friend had suffered from severe depression for many years. One day he came to me and asked for advice.

“I have tried everything out there,” he said, “and nothing works.”

“What have you tried?” I asked. He got his fingers out, and started in with his list.

The first five fingers

“First, I tried antidepressants, several different kinds; gave it a good sincere try for many months. No help. Gave them up.

“Second, I tried vitamins and minerals, many different kinds; gave it a sincere try for many months. Didn’t work. Stopped taking them

“Third, I tried exercise, many different kinds; sincere try; strenuous; many months. Felt better immediately after workouts. Didn’t seem to last long-term. Seemed no real point in continuing that huge effort.

“Fourth, meditation. Have you any idea how many different kinds there are out there? Really went at this. Long effort. Tried really hard. Didn’t help. No point in going on with no results, eh? I did find some comfort in the stillness and quietness of the mind sometimes. Didn’t last.

“Fifth, tried music. Gentle  music. Kept this up for a long time. I did enjoy listening to the music. Didn’t lift my depression permanently though. Stopped listening. Kinda sad, eh?

The second five fingers

“Sixth [he had to switch to his other hand], enzymes. I had heard that dysbiosis can cause brain problems. Gave it a proper trial. Did settle my gut down a lot. I enjoyed eating more. Didn’t help my depression though. So I stopped that. Enzymes can be expensive if you take as many of them with every meal as you are supposed to do.

” Seventh came positive thinking and repetitive self-affirmations. Looked on the bright side of everything even though things were really awful. Kept telling myself that I was OK endlessly. On and on and on. Know what? I didn’t believe that crap. After an interminable period of time, I stopped. What a relief!

“Eighth, socialization. I was told I had too few friends and that I didn’t get out and socialize enough. That was why I was so morose all the time. So I gave it the old college try, eh? Found a few new friends. Really enjoyed their friendship. Tried to go out every week and socialize. What agony! I think it  made me even more depressed, although I don’t think that’s possible. Finally, after doing this like what seemed forever, I finally realized that this was definitely not lifting my depression, so I stopped the agony and stayed home where I was more comfortable, eh? I was less depressed at home. What’s the matter with solitude anyway?

“Ninth came EFT [Emotional Freedom Technique]. The big Kahuna. This guy said it would fix me up in no time. So I started in with this, even though I didn’t think it would help. You tap your head and body in various places and repeat the same boring words over and over again. This is supposed to get your energy moving and clear out your depression. Stupid technique. I kept at it for awhile and got no results. No point in going on if you don’t get any results, eh?

” Tenth. I tried punching a bag and yelling a lot. Get the anger out, eh? Felt good. Really good. I pounded the living daylights out of that bag for weeks. Didn’t help. No real value in yelling at a bag if you go back to being just as depressed as you were before, right?

Running out of fingers

“Eleventh . . . ” [he ran out of fingers, and was still going to plow on . . . ]

I raised my hand as a signal for a possible pause . . . he sighed deeply . . . and let his long list die a premature death. I was proud of him. He had suffered unspeakable agony and it really wasn’t my place to deny him the full list of things he had tried without success.

“Do you want to hear about my experience with depression?” I gently queried.

“Yes.”

“Depression is the natural result of unwanted circumstances.”

“What!?”

Science and the one variable approach

“The scientific  method has a tendency to teach us to look for one variable that will resolve the riddle we are grappling with . . . uh . . .  the riddle with which we are grappling. [Gotta follow the rule about a sentence not ending with a preposition, eh? :o]

“We tend to work pretty hard to find the ‘one magic bullet’ that will permanently resolve the presenting issue.”

I went on: “If you had continued on with some of the things that you tried, and added some new ideas (like dancing, say, or maybe walking in the woods) and continued on with some of them, you would probably be well ahead of yourself by now, maybe even well.”

This butterfly was once a caterpillar. Photo from: http://www.files32.com/Free-Butterfly-Screensaver-i68639.asp

Forest Waterfall. Photo from: http://free-beautiful-nature-screensaver.smartcode.com/screenshot.html

Placid Lake. Wander in the woods and along the streams and lakes . . . see them . . . feel them . . . smell them . . . drink them in . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Photo from: http://www.filetransit.com/screenshot.php?id=26272 …………………………………………………………………………………………….

I decided to take another tack:

“Let’s put it this way. I think it was Justice Brandeis who said something like this:

‘If we would just realize that life is difficult, things would go a lot easier for us’.”

“Whatcha mean?”

So I suggested he put in place–permanently–this “medical model”:

Step one: Start low.

Step two: Go slow.

Step three: Don’t stop.

Step four: Add new ideas.

Step five: Repeat above steps.

[Five steps is all the fingers on one hand, right?] 😮

Depression is a many-splendored thing. It’s a multi-variable problem. It yields to a multi-factor approach.

Would it surprise you to learn that my severely-depressed friend got better?

Gradually . . . step by step . . .  over time . . . glorious time.

To your happy health!

Doc Meek, May 5, 2010, at Sherwood Park, Alberta, CANADA; not at South Jordan, Utah, USA