I’ll ask you a simple question:
If you eliminate the word “depressed” from your vocabulary can you still feel that emotion?
Back in 2013 I listened to a Tony Robbins audiobook where he mentioned depression. And paraphrasing he said depression was a shitty word we use, because there’s no direct opposite state we can quickly get into that counteracts depression.
Happy <> Sad
Energetic <> Tired
Cranky <> Playful
Depression is one of those taboo words that means something different to different people. So while I want to respect everyone’s personal relationship with this English word I want to share my thoughts on the matter.
Note: This is a very philosophical post, I usually don’t like to vocalize my opinion on things like this, but when you are traveling by yourself for an extended period of time nothing is taboo and everything eventually is pondered.
In 2013 I decided to delete the word depression from my vocabulary. And what ensued was me never saying to my self “I’m so depressed…”. Now, I definitely felt stress and sad at times, whether from work or my body image or not growing in life, but I never uttered those exact words to myself.
And so I never got so low that I could never change my state myself – watch a motivational video, listen to my pump up song, have a night socializing with good friends. So I can’t say I’ve ever lived in a depressed state.
And our minds are so powerful that what we focus un, we become. Inversely, language can limit us as well. As someone learning Spanish it’s impossible for my to philosophize on my life in Spanish. I simply don’t know enough words to express myself like I can in English. But again, I am mentally limited to the words I know to express myself. And the meaning I give these words defines my feelings.
So, simply, if I never use the word “depressed” or any variations, I have no word to describe that personal state of despair in my vocabulary. So, can I feel depressed?