Page 10 - PORTLAND HEALTH BEAT DEC 2020

DECEMBER 2020 VOLUME I, ISSUE II

“HOW DEPRESSION PREPARED ME FOR A PANDEMIC”
BY TIME TATE, LPC

In the summer of 2001, not only was I sinking into my first major-depression, I was also being

prepared for a pandemic. I had no idea how much the two would eventually have in common. When I

was depressed, there was little to no explanation for what was causing it to happen and my life began

to shut down. I became a stranger to everyone I knew, and I felt more than hopeless my existence

would never be normal again. I climbed into bed every night as if it were some kind of escape pod

only to wake up wondering if this would ever end. No one can tell you how long it will last. It seems
like the only thing I could do was wait.

Today, I am mental healthcare worker in the field of psychotherapy. I see people who are

anxious, angry, and depressed. They identify as broken, trapped, and quite often say how imperfect

they are to which I respond with my favorite Shunryu Suzuki Roshi quote: “Each of you is perfect just

as you are, and you can use a little improvement”.

If you have time to wait (like the rest of us), then you have time to improve yourself. That’s

what waiting time is for. The good news is you already have the essentials for personal
transformation: a mind, a body, and a spirit-Perfect!

Every day do something for each of these three parts to become whole, healthy, and balanced.

For peace of mind, we need honest communication, continuing education, and practice mindful

meditation. For the body, it’s making better choices in what we eat, get recommended amounts of

exercise, and adequate sleep.

What about spirit? What is spirit? Spirit has been defined as “the animating principle which

gives life to physical organisms”. Spirit is “power”. Basically, your spirit is your battery and I’m
pretty sure it’s located somewhere in your heart and ignites the mind and body.

Since spirit is your reason for living. Your spirit is where you will also find your motivation,

your passion, and your purpose. Your battery needs to stay connected to keep your engine running.

Human connections are relationships. Based on my personal and professional experience, I

recommend focusing on three vital connections for optimum human performance.

The first connection is the relationship with yourself. Do you listen to your higher-self or give

in to your lower-self? Your higher self always knows the right thing to do: “Go to sleep earlier”, “Eat
this/not that”, “Get up and go for a walk”. Your lower self doesn’t feel like doing those things. Your

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