Posted by whiterabbit on May 8, 2003, at 23:26:37
In reply to Re: EXTREME BOREDOM » mmcasey, posted by Dinah on May 8, 2003, at 20:29:20
Boredom is one of the major curses of depression;
you're bored because nothing interests you and it's difficult to concentrate or focus on anything. When I was seriously depressed, nothing but trash TV would hold my interest - the really grungy stuff like Jenny Jones and Jerry Springer.
My husband thought this was appalling and I guess it was, but I couldn't follow much else.You're taking medication, yes? I know it takes an eternity to kick in but until it does, do what you have to do to get by and try to remember that you're going through a difficult but temporary phase. And hold on, hold on.
If you're a reader, I'll tell you some books that managed to hold my interest even when I was so depressed that I probably wouldn't have gotten out of my chair to look out the window at a 10-car-pileup in front of my house. I don't often read fiction; I find real life to be much more incredible. And while people are capable of great cruelty and ignorance, I never fail to marvel at the strength and bravery of the human spirit, and reading the story of others who have endured despite incredible pain and misfortune is always a lesson for me. Here are my favorites, some new and some classic:
"Darkness Visible" by William Styron. This is a short book, easy to get through, by a talented author who lived through a huge wave of crushing depression and came out on the other side.
"Terry" by George McGovern. This is a touching memoir of a beloved daughter who constantly rallied and failed against an unimaginably severe addiction to alcohol, despite an intelligent and loving spirit.
"The Tennis Partner" by Abraham Verghese. Dr. Verghese became the mentor and friend of a talented but drug-addicted young intern; this is another memoir of an intelligent but tortured soul, told with compassion and grace.
"Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt. Preserverance in the face of grinding poverty and alcoholism, this is another incredible memoir of sheer endurance, a hellish upbringing remembered with humor and honor.
"The Kiss"" by Kathryn Harrison. An extremely talented writer, she manages to describe her mother's neglect and an incestuous relationship with her father in poetic terms - no small feat.
Excellent reading.Okay, I have more, but that should get you started. You don't even have to leave your house -order a good used copy from amazon for cheap.
-Gracie
poster:whiterabbit
thread:225230
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030506/msgs/225276.html