Wednesday, August 20, 2008

You've Got to have Hope

A growing body of research suggests that there is a potent way to fight symptoms of depression that doesn’t involve getting a prescription.

This potent weapon? Hope.

“We’re finding that hope is consistently associated with fewer symptoms of depression. And the good news is that hope is something that can be taught, and can be developed in many of the people who need it,” said Jennifer Cheavens, assistant professor of psychology at Ohio State University.

Cheavens and Laura Dreer of the University of Alabama at Birmingham discussed some of the latest research on how hope can battle depression during a symposium Saturday Aug. 16 in Boston at the annual meeting of the American Psychological Association in Boston. More here

My question is this: What do all of these depressed people do when they find out that Hope didn't come through? That hope turned out to be just another word (like typical white people, clinging to guns and bibles) and there is really no way to turn Hope into anything concrete? Hope won't pay the bills, keep you healthy or safe, put your kids through college. You can't trust hope to protect what you've worked so hard for or protect the values you believe in. In fact, in the end, Hope will make you more depressed for believing in him, er, I mean it. Hope is just an empty suit with hollow words, who sucked you in. You've been waiting forever and nothing has changed. How depressing is that?

No comments: