Is it possible to overcome depression and trauma by internalizing that we only live once ?

[-barry-]

I've had conditions such as dry eyes and voice issues that have costed me many of my best years. Now I'm in my late twenties and I have a lot of grief about not having lived my youth. I'm at a point where I just want so say Fuck it. Trauma or not. Depression or not. I'm going to make the best out of this short little time that I have on this earth.

As simple as it sounds. Has anybody ever managed to use this as a viable strategy ? By recognizing the ephemeral nature of life ? By simply not giving a f ? Or would the body resist and urge you to sove your trauma ?

 

[Northwood]

Yes, I find that the "cosmic" perspective helps me to live more fully in the moment I'm in. Reading and reflecting on our transience helps me to appreciate the "gift" that life is. I put "gift" in quotations because life as a gift is such a cliche. Finding my way to a felt sense of life's quality--to be aware of life outside of thinking about it, but actually feeling it--that energizes and enlarges me. We all have to find our own way to this experience, and there are lots of ways: many paths to the waterfall. I combine that endeavor with whatever else I need to do to keep myself on point about the psychological sources of TMS. A felt awareness of our transient nature has helped me to be more compassionate and less serious about everything. It brings me closer to the sort of person I feel that I'm meant to be. And I hurt less. Best wishes to you!

 

[Andy Bayliss]

Beautiful question and beautiful response in my opinion.

I am not sure if this fits, but my experience closest to this was extreme superego activity which began after a "spiritual opening" experience. This was basically extreme self-hate. Almost impossible to tolerate for me. Bouts of it for years, and still echoes in me.

One day, I realized that unless I stayed on this planet, I'd never find out how my story ended. I'd never know the life I was given. So I stayed around to "find out." So maybe I do have something to say to your qustion.

I'm going to make the best out of this short little time that I have on this earth.

I agree what an amazing gift this life is. It definitely does not meet all my -and I realize more and more over the years almost child-like--ideas/fantasies/libidinal wishes, and I don't meet the ideals, but it is a once in a universe experience, this being me, this life. It is basically endless variety of experience. How can we throw this away? Can't we find a way to ride along for the interest?

 

[Baseball65]

I've had conditions such as dry eyes and voice issues that have costed me many of my best years.

This has to be one of the Funniest things I have read on here.(in a good way) You made my Day!!! (LOLOL)

Men don't even 'peak' til about their mid thirties. I learned how to drop into a pool on a skateboard, play classical music and fingerpick all AFTER age 40. I got my first 3 hit game ever in my FIFTIES (against 20something year old pitchers, BTW)

Back to your question, if you really want to embrace Stoicism, which is where I think your going with this, read Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations" and "The golden sayings of Epictetus." They are usually printed together in a companion volume...In fact, you can probably read them for free on the internet. They are Wisdom statements to contemplate on the very fleeting nature of our experience in a POSITIVE manner.

I have read, and do read it all the time. Reading it is very effective at bringing you into the moment which is the only 'life' I know of out there. My thoughts and sentiments are all swirly mushy, nowhere-ism. And Yes, if you are having TMS symptoms, the solution is always going to be in trying to identify and move away from mushy sentimental, non-correlating-with-reality thinking. My symptoms are to distract me from 'reality' because my unconscious thinks I can't handle it. When I embrace it, the TMS no longer serves a purpose and goes away.

 

[Madder]

This one will seem blunt. I believe that answer to the question is yes. And I base that on my own experience. As a teenager and young adult, several years ago, I suffered with anxiety, depression and panic attacks. This went on for at least 7 years.
I remember one day my older brother looked at me, and saw I wasn't feeling well. He asked me 'what's wrong with you bro? I said, I don't know. I have this fear and dread and I don't really know why. I said I am worried that I am very sick and am going to die. He looked at me and he said, ok. And what if that is true? What can you do about it? What is going to happen, will happen either way. Those were very simple words, but I felt so much better very quickly. Almost instantly. And in fact, I was free of symptoms after that for at least 3 years.
I think it made we thing that you only live once. Exactly that, and you cannot prevent what is going to happen from happening, nor can you know or predict it. Such a simple thing. And that was decades before I found out the TMS link. And it still worked.

 

[Ellen]

I believe acceptance is the best way to minimize suffering. Which I guess Buddha figured out a long time ago.