Depression According To Zen

Depression is a disease of the mind. Zen, which is about
mental state, may offer a new perspective of the disease.

Millions of people are suffering from depression. It is one
of the most common mental disorders that may adversely
affect mental health. There are several current theories
about the causes of depression: hereditary predisposition,
chemical imbalances, or hormonal changes. A more widely
accepted theory of the cause of depression is – distorted
thinking. Depression is deep internal pain initiated by
disturbed thinking, which may or may not be due to chemical
imbalance of the mind. Zen offers an interesting
explanation of this disease of the mind.

Zen is NOT a religious belief. Despite having its origin
from Buddha, Zen is not the foundation of Buddhism. Zen is
an enlightened mental state focusing on the present moment.

First of all, according to Zen, there is no such a disease
as "depression." Zen does not label an individual as "sick"
or "mentally ill." According to Zen, sickness is just a
human condition, and any "labeling" only compounds the
problem of sickness.

Many individuals suffering from depression have a distorted
perception of self-worth. Instead of accepting who they
are, they want to be what they wish they would like to
become. Their hunger for the verisimilitude of realty often
fosters delusions and a host of other mental problems, such
as confusion and distress. Zen focuses on who you are,
rather than your "desire" to be somebody else. Zen purges
the mind of any low self esteem.

Longing for something you cannot have creates pain. In
life, pain occurs when expectations are not met. In Zen,
every moment remains with that moment. For this reason,
everything is changing, and impermanent. To desire or crave
permanence from something impermanent is a disease of the
mind. This is the real cause of depression.

Once the pain is created, an individual (or the
psychiatrist) begins to seek analysis and explanation of
the pain, hoping to find a solution to the problem.
According to Zen, life is never a problem to be solved.
Life never has a problem, and if there is a problem, that
is because you have created it for yourself. Once you have
created a problem, you need a solution to the problem. In
attempting to solve the problem, you begin to analyze the
problem and examine the options available to solve the
problem, thus generating stress, which only intensifies the
problem. Compounding problems triggers depression in an
individual.

It is human instinct to avoid pain. By avoiding pain, you
subconsciously create more problems requiring more
solutions. Unlike modern psychiatry, the way of Zen is not
to question, analyze, or dwell upon pain. If you do, you
are in fact creating the setting for suffering. According
to Zen, you must accept the good as well as the bad in
life; in other words, pain is natural. Just learn how to
receive it. Pain is not avoidable in life, but suffering
is. If you dwell upon pain, you perpetuate the suffering.

----------------------------------------------------
Stephen Lau is a researcher, writing synopses of medical
research. His publications include "NO MIRACLE CURES - Only
Wholesome Self-Healing," a book on healing and wellness.
He has created several websites, including "Longevity For
You" and "Healthy Lifestyle Is The Way Of Zen" on health,
and "Golfing Success Info" on playing golf.
http://www.longevityforyou.com
http://www.zenhealthylifestyle.com
http://www.golfingsuccessinfo.com