Depression According To Zen

Depression is a disease of the mind. Zen, which ismind of any low self esteem.
about mental state, may offer a new perspectiveLonging for something you cannot have creates
of the disease.pain. In life, pain occurs when expectations are not
Millions of people are suffering from depression. Itmet. In Zen, every moment remains with that
is one of the most common mental disorders thatmoment. For this reason, everything is changing,
may adversely affect mental health. There areand impermanent. To desire or crave permanence
several current theories about the causes offrom something impermanent is a disease of the
depression: hereditary predisposition, chemicalmind. This is the real cause of depression.
imbalances, or hormonal changes. A more widelyOnce the pain is created, an individual (or the
accepted theory of the cause of depression ispsychiatrist) begins to seek analysis and
� distorted thinking. Depression is deepexplanation of the pain, hoping to find a solution to
internal pain initiated by disturbed thinking, whichthe problem. According to Zen, life is never a
may or may not be due to chemical imbalance ofproblem to be solved. Life never has a problem,
the mind. Zen offers an interesting explanation ofand if there is a problem, that is because you
this disease of the mind.have created it for yourself. Once you have
Zen is NOT a religious belief. Despite having itscreated a problem, you need a solution to the
origin from Buddha, Zen is not the foundation ofproblem. In attempting to solve the problem, you
Buddhism. Zen is an enlightened mental statebegin to analyze the problem and examine the
focusing on the present moment.options available to solve the problem, thus
First of all, according to Zen, there is no such agenerating stress, which only intensifies the
disease as "depression." Zen does not label anproblem. Compounding problems triggers
individual as "sick" or "mentally ill." According todepression in an individual.
Zen, sickness is just a human condition, and anyIt is human instinct to avoid pain. By avoiding pain,
"labeling" only compounds the problem of sickness.you subconsciously create more problems
Many individuals suffering from depression have arequiring more solutions. Unlike modern psychiatry,
distorted perception of self-worth. Instead ofthe way of Zen is not to question, analyze, or
accepting who they are, they want to be whatdwell upon pain. If you do, you are in fact creating
they wish they would like to become. Theirthe setting for suffering. According to Zen, you
hunger for the verisimilitude of realty oftenmust accept the good as well as the bad in life; in
fosters delusions and a host of other mentalother words, pain is natural. Just learn how to
problems, such as confusion and distress. Zenreceive it. Pain is not avoidable in life, but suffering
focuses on who you are, rather than youris. If you dwell upon pain, you perpetuate the
"desire" to be somebody else. Zen purges thesuffering.