What is Depression
Clinical depression is a state of sadness or melancholia that has advanced to the point of being disruptive to an individual's social functioning and/or activities of daily living....
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Self-Worth
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An interesting thing happened the last time I was speaking with a councilor. She asked me what value or worth I would describe myself as having. I thought for a moment, and said that I tried to make life better for people around me every day, so that was a good quality. She responded, "What if you couldn't do that? What if you were a paraplegic and couldn't do anything for anyone anymore? Would your value as a person change then? What qualities would you say gave you worth then?"
I was stumped. I honestly had no answer. It's not that I'm down on myself or think that I'm worthless, I just can't think of anything valuable about myself to answer the question with. I've been grappling with the question every since, and I realize now that it's a paradigm I'm going to shift, that I'm going to have to discover that everybody has value and worth just for being a person. But it's honestly just not something that's happened yet. Has anyone else had a similar experience? Perhaps they could share their own revelations on the subject? Posted on 07/02/09, 02:07 pm |
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Hi -
I don't care for your counselor saying that if you were a paraplegic that you couldn't do anything for anyone anymore. I have a good friend who is & he is a musician (brings joy to people through his music) a teacher of high school children, a husband, father, son & a great friend to many people. If you think your value or worth is trying to make life better for people around you every day, then that is a noble way of life that you are living. So many people live only for themselves & maybe their immediate family. I know many more self-centered folks then not. Not sure what "answer" your counselor wanted to hear because she/he "challenged" your response with a ridiculous question. 
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that too, and many ppl are here on this earth for us just to care for, nothing else. just to love and care for and show our compassion and kindness too.
you don't have to be able to DO anything to have a purpose here on this earth xx
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This is the answer that works for me. I am not what I do. I am who and what I am. I am a compassionate, caring, empathic person. Self is not just my body and what it "does". Self, the true self, is from the heart, soul, spiritk, ka, life force, or whatever one wishes to call it. If I was blinded, deafened, paralzyed, and could do nothing exteriorly, I could still pray and meditate; I could still have human feeling for others. Helen Keller comes to mind as a person, one of many, who never gave into physical limitations. We are human beings, not human doings. So don't let the masturbations of this clumsy therapist put you in a box. My opinion of you, based only on this post,is that you are a noble person who is outer and other-oriented. There are not enough of us, and I hope this is something you are able to really hear. May there be peace in your heart.
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Great reply Bob!
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Wow, didn't expect this much response!
I don't think the objective was to in anyway belittle paraplegics or otherwise handicapped individuals, but as many have suggested to force me to look past what I can do and, more importantly, the validation that I look for IN OTHER PEOPLE and start to find it in myself. That was the shocker moment for me, because it's just not the way I think or feel typically. It's possible I didn't convey the general idea of the question accurately at first, so I thought I would clarify. I appreciate the lively debate that's come up from it, though.
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I understand the question, but think it is a stupid one..... if it is in your heart to help people, then you will no matter what..... I think that you answered both question, before she asked the second....... seems like they was pushing you to think that no matter what you matter....
Which is true...... you do matter......
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