Dealing with depression - suicidal thoughts - Join the conversation (including helpline details)

Greenbeast

Member
Location
East Sussex
Having just finished A Guide to the Good Life by William B Irvine, i cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a comprehensive, modern, distillation of the teachings of the ancient Stoics. It is full of useful insights and wisdom. It is a worthy read for anyone that experiences excesses of anger, fear, worry, anxiety or merely not enough joy in their lives. For me, it builds on or eclipses other such recommendations i have made over the last few months.
 

Jameshenry

Member
Location
Cornwall
Having just finished A Guide to the Good Life by William B Irvine, i cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a comprehensive, modern, distillation of the teachings of the ancient Stoics. It is full of useful insights and wisdom. It is a worthy read for anyone that experiences excesses of anger, fear, worry, anxiety or merely not enough joy in their lives. For me, it builds on or eclipses other such recommendations i have made over the last few months.
What have you learnt from reading it?
 

Greenbeast

Member
Location
East Sussex
What have you learnt from reading it?

It's a lot to take in and distill further for a forum post but building on other reads (which i have mentioned elsewhere along the thread) i need to only value those things that have value, only worry about things that are in my control. One should not worry about what others say and do.

I have made progress along these lines already this year, this just gives me a further push with some wonderful logic to back it up.
I listened on audible, which i have been doing a lot of recently while driving.
 

Jameshenry

Member
Location
Cornwall
It's a lot to take in and distill further for a forum post but building on other reads (which i have mentioned elsewhere along the thread) i need to only value those things that have value, only worry about things that are in my control. One should not worry about what others say and do.

I have made progress along these lines already this year, this just gives me a further push with some wonderful logic to back it up.
I listened on audible, which i have been doing a lot of recently while driving.
Those things are all a lot easier to do when we're all feeling strong in the head, but when things get tough or we get to feeling low it's very easy to let things get on top of us , however hard we try,
I will try and find that book though sounds like it's worth a read
 

Greenbeast

Member
Location
East Sussex
Yes i agree, it's hard to know how well you are doing when everything is well and you are not being tested. But i have made progress, in the last 6 months i have been able to improve my anger situation, i am less prone to flying off the handle and being rude and inflammatory to my OH, much less likely to throw a tantrum at silly incidents on the farm, even less likely to get wound up by bad drivers, cutting me up, etc... instead preferring to laugh.

As for this book, I really truly recommend it. I was primed through reading things like 'Happy' by Derren Brown and other similar books. But i'm sure this works as a standalone start of a journey and probably eclipses the other books.
 

Juggler

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Anglesey
Having just finished A Guide to the Good Life by William B Irvine, i cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a comprehensive, modern, distillation of the teachings of the ancient Stoics. It is full of useful insights and wisdom. It is a worthy read for anyone that experiences excesses of anger, fear, worry, anxiety or merely not enough joy in their lives. For me, it builds on or eclipses other such recommendations i have made over the last few months.

I've just ordered it along with your previous recommendations.
I struggle with anxiety to the point where I worry so much about situations that have the potential to go wrong that It manifests itself physically, I realised recently that this anxiety probably causes my back pain that flares up every now and again, along with digestive problems and all sorts of other stuff relating to mood and general well being, so, enough is enough, I need to get my head around this asap!
 

Jameshenry

Member
Location
Cornwall
Having just finished A Guide to the Good Life by William B Irvine, i cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a comprehensive, modern, distillation of the teachings of the ancient Stoics. It is full of useful insights and wisdom. It is a worthy read for anyone that experiences excesses of anger, fear, worry, anxiety or merely not enough joy in their lives. For me, it builds on or eclipses other such recommendations i have made over the last few months.
I'm a good way through the book now, and i couldn't help smiling and thinking to myself perhaps the way i think about life, is somewhat stoical, probably why i don't crave to be wealthy , and enjoy the simple things in life,
I'm not sure it's a book for everyone though, i think you probably have to have a little of the stoical mindset to appreciate it, good read though
 
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Greenbeast

Member
Location
East Sussex
I'm a good way through the book now, and i couldn't help smiling and thinking to myself perhaps the way i think about life, is somewhat stoical, probably why i don't crave to be wealthy , and enjoy the simple things in life,
I'm not sure it's a book for everyone though, i think you probably have to have a little of the stoical mindset to appreciate it, good read though

It's funny you should say that. I've felt the same actually. I grew out of a heavily consumerist lifestyle in my 20s. We knew we wouldn't get rich farming pigs, i earned relatively well in IT and could have earned more if that was what I wanted. The book made me reflect that i don't search for wealth in monetary terms or in thatvof fancy objects and status symbols. This that makes my day are seeing two different species of woodpecker this morning, enjoying a well trained dog, etc...
I'm currently leafleting for pork boxes and turkeys as we speak, it is a little dull in itself but i have a good audiobook and am enjoying the rural scenery and the old buildings and architecture.

I've also come round to thinking that nothing i would have typically got worked uo about matters, it is all in one's head whether you are bothered or not. Noone and no thing causes that unrest.

I wonder if you might feel differently about it's suitability for others if you had read the same or similar string of books first as i had.

Anyway thanks for your opinion
 
Not too bad at the moment but I was very very tired last night, after a round trip from Liverpool to Tamworth; returning home in the dark. I no longer enjoy night driving and I also lament the loss of the hard shoulder on our motorways.

Felt pretty bad about missing the opportunity to help a stranger last night! Zipping along at 70 ml/hr we suddenly spotted dark shadows hard over in the nearside lane (which was at one time the hard shoulder). As we all zoomed past I spotted a young Asian guy struggling to change a wheel in the dark, surrounded by his family. Had I been a fraction slower, or quicker thinking, I could have stopped behind them with my headlights illuminating his work and turned on my hazards to warn all those following behind us. All a bit like life and depression, I suppose! How many times do we all get carried along by the speed of daily life and miss the opportunity to lend a hand to those who have broken down and fallen by the wayside?

As for the closeness of Christmas, I was thinking about that very thing just a moment ago and it occurred to me...………..even if we dismiss all the religion that surrounds that baby that was born in a stable two thousand years ago, he certainly became one of the best psychologists that we could ever wish to meet.

For all who may be feeling lost, lonely, or depressed, may this Christmas find you blessed, and comforted; remembering that the Old English word 'comfort' means to build up and strengthen.

Chris :)
 
Doctor has prescribed me some "Sertaline". Been on them for 8 days or so now. No side effects as of yet, but tired but seem to be doing more stuff out side of work. Little things like tidying etc etc that I had no enthusiasm or energy for. Working all way through Christmas so not especially festive here but hopefully children will enjoy themselves.
 
Some of the little clues that depression could be creeping up on us can be...…..waking up in the early hours, disturbing dreams, loss of appetite, loss of interest in personal hygiene, grooming, and normal interests. Not to mention irritability!

Early recognition that there may be a problem evolving and seeking assistance and advice may be just the intervention required to head off the likelihood of major problems.

Suppression of our angers, fears, and bitterness's ofttimes manifests it's self as depression but also so does an imbalance in body chemistry or immobilisation due to illness.

Recurring dreams can sometimes give us the first clues that something is, perhaps, amiss and talking them through with a trusted friend can help us understand what our subconscious is trying to tell us.
 

onthehoof

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
Cambs
Really down in the dumps at the moment.
Had year from hell and can’t wait for it to end.
Started with floods in spring followed by summer drought, had to sell cattle early because no grass. Dad died suddenly in October and a couple of weeks later we were informed we have been put on 6 month testing for Tb, we normally keep about 90 cattle out all winter so are having to bring them in for testing not really got enough shed space so sold some of older cows to make space even though they were in calf.
To top it all some total loser set fire to our barns on Monday so we have lost all of our straw and most of the hay, luckily managed to save one barn.
Just feeling crap at the moment can’t even think about Xmas, feel sorry for wife and kids.
 

czechmate

Member
Mixed Farmer
Really down in the dumps at the moment.
Had year from hell and can’t wait for it to end.
Started with floods in spring followed by summer drought, had to sell cattle early because no grass. Dad died suddenly in October and a couple of weeks later we were informed we have been put on 6 month testing for Tb, we normally keep about 90 cattle out all winter so are having to bring them in for testing not really got enough shed space so sold some of older cows to make space even though they were in calf.
To top it all some total loser set fire to our barns on Monday so we have lost all of our straw and most of the hay, luckily managed to save one barn.
Just feeling crap at the moment can’t even think about Xmas, feel sorry for wife and kids.


Very sorry to read all that. Classic “it never rain but it pours”. Wishing you all the best for next year and I hope you can make something out of Christmas with your wife and kids(y)
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

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  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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