Paul Krugman has finally uttered the words. We're in a Depression. His Sunday NYT piece, "Depression and Democracy," is here.
Elsewhere, Leonard Cohen has shared about Depression and Depression:
"Well, you know, there's depression and depression. What I mean by depression in my own case is that depression isn't just the blues. It's not just like I have a hangover in the weekend ... the girl didn't show up or something like that. It isn't that. It's not really depression, it's a kind of mental violence which stops you from functioning properly from one moment to the next. You lose something somewhere and suddenly you're gripped by a kind of angst of the heart and of the spirit..." --Leonard Cohen, French interview, trans. Nick Halliwell
It's hard to be hopeful about the world economic situation. But Cohen's kind of depression -- God, he's right on, isn't he, about there being different kinds? -- the kind of mental violence, the kind that stops you from functioning properly from one moment to the next, the kind that grips you and won't be shaken off without time and effort and help -- maybe you see yourself in that. Unwanted thoughts, irrational compulsions, excessive guilt.
For years, I looked to Cohen's quote and thought, well, shit, this is the condition of artist. I found out later that it's also the condition of millions of people who, in addition to being sensitive, winsome and artistic, also happen to not produce enough serotonin on their own. For many, such is the biology of general anxiety, OCD and other depressions. If that's you, please know there is help. If you don't know if that's you, please see a trusted physician and find out. A friend of mine said it best: "no one should have to suffer because of their biochemistry." We'd never suggest a diabetic go without insulin. We'd never expect a diabetic without the right help to function in healthy ways, let alone thrive. Any physician worth her salt will tell you it's the same with the way our brains process the presence or death of chemicals our bodies are making as best they can. Beloved, God has not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. A righteous mind.
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Follow Christopher Cocca on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ccocca
Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-cocca/depression-and-depression_b_1149032.html
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Music can often make or break a day. It can change your mood, amp you up for exercise, and help you recover from injury. But how does it work exactly, and how can you use it to your advantage?
You might remember reports back in the 1990s that said that studying while listening to Mozart increases the likelihood of performing well on a test, but that has been disproven, and in turn, studies have shown some music has a negative affect on fact retention if you're studying numbers or lists. Still, performing music has been proven to increase memory and language skills, but for listeners, it's better used as a means to recall memories. It has been shown in Alzheimer's patients to help with memory recall, and even restore cognitive function. It works for Alzheimer's patients in the same way it works in everyone else.
The idea that listening to music can boost your immune system might sound a little crazy on the surface, but the science is backs it up. Soothing music is known to decrease stress, and when it does that, it decreases the level of the stress hormone cortisol. It's not just soothing music though, even upbeat dance music is known to increase the level of antibodies in your system. Dr. Ronny Enk, who lead the recent research about music's effect on the immune system suggests, "We think the pleasant state that can be induced by music leads to special physiological changes which eventually lead to stress reduction or direct immune enhancement."
We've heard before that humming a tune decreases anxiety and the same goes to prevent choking. In a study of basketball players who were prone to failing at the free throw line, researchers found they could improve the player's percentage if they first listened to catchy, upbeat music. Listening to the Monty Python song, "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life," caused the basketball players to lose focus and execute their free throws with minimal involvement from the prefrontal cortex.