On Life, Living and Dying
Recently I have discovered the books of Dr. Brian Weiss, a traditionally trained phychologist who stumbled into using "past life" therapy with his patients. In his first book, Many Lives, Many Masters, Dr. Weiss describes his work with "Catherine," a woman with anxiety and nightmares who sought his help. Initially their work used traditional "talk" therapy but Catherine's symptoms did not respond to treatment; they then turned to hypnosis, a technique that Dr. Weiss often used with individuals seeking treatment.
He was astonished when Catherine began to describe "past-life" experiences while under hypnosis and that these memories seemed to be key to her reoccurring nightmares and anxiety. Although Dr. Weiss had used hypnotherapy before to assist people to relax and be more receptive to therapeutic suggestions, this was the first time that anyone under his care had responded with such a memory.
A graduate of Columbia University and Yale Medical School, Dr. Weiss M.D. is currently the Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. He relates in his book how astounded he was when this patient began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable communications from his deceased son and father, and current revelations about Dr. Weiss's family.
As a emergency room nurse practitioner I see a number of individuals each week who are depressed and some who are suicidal. I am always saddened by anyone who feels that life is desperate enough to feel as though killing oneself is a solution.
I can't say that I have ever felt suicidal but I have enough life experience to understand that people with substance abuse problems are likely to feel suicidal at some point. After working as a nursing professional for 20 years I have certainly seen elders who are depressed enough about their physical limitations to consider suicide.
As a result of these experiences I have always wondered what is lacking for these individuals that helps them to remain hopeful despite the physical and emotional challenges in their lives. After all , there are many individuals with these same symptoms who aren't depressed and don't consider or attempt suicide. My observation is that people who face physical and emotional challenges and don't become depressed or suicidal have something that gives them resilience, and that "something" is often a set of spiritual beliefs. By that I don't mean that they are necerssarily "religious," but that they have a belief in a power or spirit that is greater than they are, and to whom they look for support and spiritual guidance.
Recently Dr. Helen Smith and her husband did a podcast on suicide, particularly in men. They point out that suicides outnumber homicides in the United States and that middle-aged and older men are particularly at risk for suicide. There seem to be a cluster of reasons why this is true, including the fact that men tend to have substance abuse problems in the middle years, and that older men believe that they are losing physical abilities; if depressed older men may feel that this loss disproportinately to the actual functional loss.
How do you view suicide ?
We have forgotten our true natures and it is our task to reawaken and remember. When you do understand the importance of this school we call earth and when you are truly spiritual, you do not cut classes early. - Brian Weiss
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Technorati Tags: depression, suicide, spirituality, Dr. Helen, Brian Weiss
He was astonished when Catherine began to describe "past-life" experiences while under hypnosis and that these memories seemed to be key to her reoccurring nightmares and anxiety. Although Dr. Weiss had used hypnotherapy before to assist people to relax and be more receptive to therapeutic suggestions, this was the first time that anyone under his care had responded with such a memory.
A graduate of Columbia University and Yale Medical School, Dr. Weiss M.D. is currently the Chairman Emeritus of Psychiatry at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. He relates in his book how astounded he was when this patient began to channel messages from "the space between lives," which contained remarkable communications from his deceased son and father, and current revelations about Dr. Weiss's family.
As a emergency room nurse practitioner I see a number of individuals each week who are depressed and some who are suicidal. I am always saddened by anyone who feels that life is desperate enough to feel as though killing oneself is a solution.
I can't say that I have ever felt suicidal but I have enough life experience to understand that people with substance abuse problems are likely to feel suicidal at some point. After working as a nursing professional for 20 years I have certainly seen elders who are depressed enough about their physical limitations to consider suicide.
As a result of these experiences I have always wondered what is lacking for these individuals that helps them to remain hopeful despite the physical and emotional challenges in their lives. After all , there are many individuals with these same symptoms who aren't depressed and don't consider or attempt suicide. My observation is that people who face physical and emotional challenges and don't become depressed or suicidal have something that gives them resilience, and that "something" is often a set of spiritual beliefs. By that I don't mean that they are necerssarily "religious," but that they have a belief in a power or spirit that is greater than they are, and to whom they look for support and spiritual guidance.
Recently Dr. Helen Smith and her husband did a podcast on suicide, particularly in men. They point out that suicides outnumber homicides in the United States and that middle-aged and older men are particularly at risk for suicide. There seem to be a cluster of reasons why this is true, including the fact that men tend to have substance abuse problems in the middle years, and that older men believe that they are losing physical abilities; if depressed older men may feel that this loss disproportinately to the actual functional loss.
How do you view suicide ?
We have forgotten our true natures and it is our task to reawaken and remember. When you do understand the importance of this school we call earth and when you are truly spiritual, you do not cut classes early. - Brian Weiss
Related Topics:
Technorati Tags: depression, suicide, spirituality, Dr. Helen, Brian Weiss
5 Comments:
I have dealt with many patients with chronic diseases that are so tired of "being sick and tired" that they are often suicidal but lack the courage to kill themselves. Often they ask why we can put our beloved pets to sleep when they are ill to put them out of their misery but we can't help our fellow man. It's tragic. I have never thought of taking my own life but I can see how others can get so deep in misery that it would be easy to do.
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Suicidal case is like a cliff hanger on only a rope 1/10 of the size. Any small tension on the line will result in disaster.
Each case are different in nature. No doubt on that.
By the way you describe suicide - I think you must be blessed with a robust constitution & rosy outlook - some of that is just your luck in the brain chemicals lottery, you know. Others of us have genetic legacies that are not so positive.
You can have no idea of how bad psychic pain can be even if circumstances are good - but when they are BAD - it can be excruciating & ending it all seems to be the only way out. Now, I am not saying that's a good choice - in fact - my favorite quote about this is that "it's a permanent solution to a temporary problem." But, forgive me, your naiveté about the depth of despair some people are subject to - with or without spiritual beliefs is seem enormous, despite your experience. The dark night of the soul - of being without God - is a religious concept, after all....
Hello anon,
Since I have lived most of my life with a family member with major depression, I don't think I am naive. You are correct however, that I am blessed with a resilience of spirit and a faith that the path we are on occurs for a reason. That has always been a part of my belief system and fortunately for me those beliefs have never been tied to "religion." Thanks for your comments. Laurie
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