Learning to feel well again

 

There is a quote which goes like this: "One remains imprisoned by one's upbringing"

To me this statement holds truth to some extent but feel it is too conclusive. 

In a study it is found that childhood emotional health  is the strongest predictor of adult life satisfaction.  Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) affect mental and physical health well into adulthood. This is especially true when the adverse events are chronic and repeated.  The lasting impact of the traumatic childhood experiences follow the person like an albatross around his neck. 

When I attended a holistic counselling course, one of the modules taught us to connect with our inner child. First we listen attentively to the emotions of the inner child, acknowledging and accepting them. This can be through recalling childhood memories or journaling as a child. Then we imagine the adult self comforting and making the child within feel safe. We remind the inner child that the adult-self has grown up overcoming the challenges and has become stronger. The fears of childhood have passed. We can also remind the inner child that like all things, feelings are impermanent.

Maybe we can share with the inner child that great leaders have overcome such challengers.

"Remember in the depth and even the agony of despondency, that very shortly you are to feel well again" - Abraham Lincoln who suffered bouts of depression.

"My black dog seems quite away from me now-it is such a relief. All the colours come back into the picture"- Winston Churchill who spoke openly about his depression and who engaged in writing and painting to overcome it.

Yes one can learn to escape imprisonment and to feel well again.