Find the ‘gold’ in depression

Dr. Gary Toub, a Jungian analyst from Eureka Springs who works with people on dream analysis and spiritual guidance, said a lot of people are down and discouraged this winter. In addition to colder temperatures and shorter days with less sunlight, the political situation is disturbing to many people.

Toub said winter blues tend to affect almost everyone to some degree, but some more than others. He looks at it as a continuum. If someone already has a depressive condition, winter can make them feel much worse.

“What I would call getting the blues, feeling down, that wouldn’t necessarily be diagnosed as clinical depression, whereas someone with significant depression would be advised to go and get professional help, particularly if they are feeling suicidal,” Toub said. “In severe cases, medication might be prescribed. With Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), people get chronically depressed in the wintertime. It might be triggered by the shorter days and more darkness. I’ve had clients use a special artificial light that mimics daylight. Some people seem to find that useful.”

When people are feeling down in the winter, it is generally good advice to increase activities.

“People can become more isolated because they are not going out as much,” Toub said. “It helps some people to make an extra effort to get together with friends and join in group activities, maybe pushing themselves to get past the inertia of feeling depressed. When you overcome this initial inertia, you will likely be glad you got out. In general, engaging in meaningful activities is usually a good antidote for depression. Exercise is often good.

“I usually go for walks every morning, but I’m not going out as much because of the weather. Nevertheless, exercise is almost always recommended, especially aerobic exercise. It is a good remedy for being down. And we are fortunate now to have activities at the Community Center. I’m in an art class right now and I’m enjoying that. And I know there are a number of physical outlets at the Community Center.”

One of the more unique things about his approach as a Jungian analyst is that he differs from the general opinion of our society that it is always bad to be depressed.

“I went to a whole workshop on depression where the instructor said he thought we are a pathologically manic society,” Toub said. “We are supposed to be upbeat. In contrast, the Jungian perspective says there may be gold in the depression that could be mined. Just because you are down, it doesn’t have to be seen as bad. It might be time for deep self-reflection or journaling, using the time you are feeling low to go into that experience and learn about it. It might be triggered because it is dark outside, but if we go into a darker side of ourselves, we can get in touch with things we need to integrate.”

Typically, when people who are depressed come to him, he advises them to pay particular attention to their dreams. Instead of just popping pills or going into manic activity, try going into the down place and see what is inside you. There could be unresolved issues from the past, for example. What is the nature of your sadness? What are you missing? What does the sad part of you need?

“When I told my analyst I was feeling down or lonely, he would say, ‘Good, now you can learn something about that,’” Toub said. “I found he was right because I didn’t know that much about it because I was always trying to make myself feel better and more upbeat.”

Carl Jung said that oftentimes a depression is a forced introversion – making you “be” within yourself. Our culture tends to encourage or reward us for being more socialized by joining some clubs or groups. That could be especially good for extroverts, Toub said, but there is nothing wrong about delving deeper into your own self.

“I am always working with people to help find the gold in their depression,” he said. “If you are feeling down, do it consciously. Put on some music, sit down, get your journal out, sit quietly and see what is going on with yourself.”

One of the approaches he uses with people is using dreams for individual guidance. You may find your own inner wisdom is in the dream.

“If you are starting to feel blue, what does your psyche have to say?” Toub asks. “What does your dream maker tell you about it? This line of inquiry can lead to insight and understanding. It can resolve problems. It can lead to creativity. In fact, I encourage people to craft artwork out of their dreams. Sometimes you learn more about what the dream means when you start drawing it or making a sculpture out of it, for example.”