THE BLACK DOG OF HOPELESSNESS AND DESPAIR

Some people are born with a pre-disposition to depression; others experience it at some point in their lives, often triggered by an event. Post-natal depression is probably more common than statistics suggest. Nearly everyone suffers mild depression during their lives. Most of us are more likely than not to pull ourselves out of it quickly. Depression is a universal experience and in its most severe form, can be crippling. An inability to function properly, leads to a reliance on antidepressants prescribed by a GP or Psychiatrist. There is a collective belief or opinion that unless it is truly severe, it is best ignored. Just keep busy and it will pass! Paying too much attention to it is just considered wallowing. If the individual is strong-willed and strong-minded, they can often just get on with life. However, as a result, if the depression is not dealt with, it doesnt just go away, it becomes more or less unconscious and expresses itself through the body leading to a variety of physical ailments. Grief is often a trigger, particularly if not expressed or acknowledged. If a loved one dies or a relationship ends and the individual represses all emotional reactions, they may become depressed long after the event, when there is no longer any apparent reason for it. The depression becomes a substitution for the mourning which was not worked through at the time. When grief can be experienced openly, the depression may disappear. Another type of depression is called endogenous, which means; without external cause. An individual may experience a minor trigger but which is out of all proportion to the severity of the depression. This minor event then becomes the catalyst rather than the cause. Some may bounce back quickly from this situation, others may not recover. This type of depression seems to be cyclical. Apparently bouts of depression seem to last about two years whether or not the person receives treatment such as anti-depressants. Coincidentally, this two year cycle fits in with planetary transits of the Planet Saturn. On the plus side, if it wasnt for depression and bi-polar disorders, we would not have such great music, movies, literature, operas and paintings! Great artistic and creative genius can originate from people who suffer with these conditions. During the Medieval or Elizabethan era; the age of the Renaissance and new thinking and ideas, the melancholic temperament was seen as romantic and even fashionable amongst the upper classes and intellectuals. Poets such as Byron, Shelley and Keats were known to suffer bouts of melancholia demonstrating the connection with inspired wisdom. Some people cope with basic life conflicts and challenges, and some dont. Some people who go through terrible experiences may still find richness and joy in life. Others who have had a relatively easy life can fall into depression for no observable reason. Astrology is a tool that can help identify whether someone is pre-disposed to depression and can indicate a personality which is prone to repressing natural feelings of grief, rage and despair after loss. It also has the potential to pinpoint when it could flare-up or occur later in life by those who dont have the astrological markers in their birth horoscope to start with. It can also indicate when it will end (perhaps tied into a Saturn transit) and what, if anything underlies our developmental need for this experience. We incarnate to learn lessons (as discussed in my previous article; Do we plan our life lessons before birth?). Astrology cant fix the problem, but it can save a lot of time by getting to the crux of the issue when used as a diagnostic tool. Although I say that Astrology cant fix it, I mean that in some cases, just by gaining the knowledge that you are either pre-disposed, or are experiencing it for the first time, you gain a level of understanding that can help you put things into perspective and it helps you manage the
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process without worrying if you are losing your grip on reality and whether you really need to take strong medication. Sometimes you just need to slow down and work through it knowing that this difficult period WILL end. Working with an Astrologer as well as using other holistic therapies or therapists is suggested; Meditation, Yoga, Mindfulness and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy are just a few of the options that can be considered. There are Astrologers who have studied Psychology and many Psychologists who take up Astrology. Although we have a few professionals of this caliber in Australia, it seems to be more prevalent in other countries, with degree courses offered combining Psychology and Astrology. An example of Medicine first, followed by Astrology; Mitchell E Gibson (Signs of Mental Illness; An Astrological & Psychiatric Breakthrough). In the Introduction of his book, he states that whilst he was in medical school, if someone had told him he would write a book on the correlations between Psychiatry and Astrology, he would have laughed. He graduated in 1985 and decided to pursue a program in Psychiatry at the Albert Einstein Medical Centre in Philadelphia. His girlfriend at the time (later to become his wife) was interested in Healing and Astrology. He eventually met with her Astrologer; Dr Jacob Schwartz, and that meeting changed his life. Mitchell could not believe that armed with only the date, place and time of his birth, Dr Schwartz proceeded to tell him detailed facts about his life, aspirations, dreams, what his profession was and why he chose it. From that time on, Mitchell began an exhaustive study of Astrology, and for the next 10 years, ran thousands of horoscope charts of friends, family, patients and colleagues. He also studied the works of Carl Jung who was at that time the only other Psychiatrist that he was aware of who had an interest in this ancient art. In his book, Mitchell demonstrates his astrological technique for predicting mental illness based on his study of more than 400 astrological birth charts and the use of scientific statistical research models. The 400 odd patients in his study were previously diagnosed according to DSM-IV, the gold standard of psychiatric diagnostic criteria. The average persons birth chart contains about 3 marker aspects for depression. The birth chart of someone with major depression contains an average of 10. Princess Diana had 11 markers against the control group with 3. Other famous cases highlighted in his book include; Howard Hughes, Adolph Hitler, Charles Dickens, Richard Burton and Edgar Allan Poe. Mitchell has tested and has a range of markers for a variety of disorders apart from depression such as; addiction, schizophrenia, anxiety and ADHD. Pope John Paul II was born under excellent conditions; the negative planetary elevations were unusually low in number. His temporaral index is 3.5 times more positive than that of the control group and his positive karmic index is 11 times higher than that of the control group. This combination of extraordinarily positive and unusually low negative elevations should, in theory, create an exceptional environment for the growth and development of a very special and very positive life or event. His life is a magnificent testament to one such life. Fate or Free Will? Based on Mitchells training and experience, he suggests that the planets and aspects in the horoscope are not thought to directly influence us, but merely act as signposts within the unconscious for our actions as we navigate our way along the road of life. The birth chart

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provides the core blueprint for our choices and exerts a strong influence over our destiny, but free-will and determined effort provides the remainder of our determining factors. The harder a person works at unfolding the higher possibilities of their lives, the greater the chance that they will overcome the hardships inherent within the karmic boundaries mapped out in the birth chart. Mitchell has found that having an intimate knowledge of the latent strengths and weaknesses inherent in the birth chart can and does significantly improve ones chances of realising their highest destiny. Mitchell suggests that by seeking the guidance of a highly trained and experienced Astrologer can help one avoid pitfalls and take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves in the course of everyday life.
Ref: Signs of Mental Illness, An Astrological and Psychiatric Breakthrough, Mitchell E Gibson, Llewellyn Publications, USA, 1999

I have personally consulted with a number of people with Depression, Bi-Polar and ADHD in my practice and have had good results. Some of them gained clarity and did not need any further treatment, others went onto see Medical Specialists, but at least they had a better understanding of who they were, what they needed to do to get well and how to work through the process. I have been exposed to the birth data of others who had these disorders. In these instances, I was unable to consult with these individuals, many of whom were teenagers. Their parents were not open to Astrology as a therapeutic diagnostic tool, or the child/teenager was not inclined to have a consultation with me. In one case, this young male adult committed suicide. Although his parents wanted only the best for him, they would only take him from one Psychiatrist to another, (he was pumped up with strong medication) whilst hoping for a cure! However his birth chart indicated a great many unusual planetary connections. He just didnt understand himself and lost touch with the real world. He had a particular planetary connection which suggested self-harm and indeed this is what he did. I was just so positive that I could help him to see that if he understood his own dynamics as shown in his birth chart, he would eventually overcome his condition, or at least keep it under control. I could see him becoming a counsellor in the future, and help other youngsters going through similar drug related difficulties. Based on his birth chart, if he lasted until he turned 25, he would have turned the corner.but alas; he was obviously in so much pain, that he must have felt his only option was to end his life. Diagnosing via Astrology has had beneficial results in that the indicators are there in the birth chart. This knowledge helps self-awareness. I came across this information below on the web. I cannot re-write it to better to convey the importance within this message.so I have taken the liberty of including it in this article. Kudos goes to Dr Z - aka Anthony L Pea, JD, from his website: Zodiac Master Being Who You Are and Astrology By the time the maxim "Know Thyself" made its way to the likes of Socrates and Plato, it meant "learning how to be who you are." The Delphi task involved in "Knowing Thyself," being "complete," or "wholeness" is that of more consciously (and fully) understanding and living out all the potentials - the good, the bad, and the ugly - contained in who you are as an individual. The ancient Delphi Oracle life task of "Knowing Thyself" never has lent itself out to easy "one size fits all" answers and/or solutions to life.

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In Jungian psychological terms, the natural internal movement of the psyche toward "wholeness" or "completion" is called the process of "individuation." At its best, astrology (like the Oracle of Delphi) is one of many tools that can assist us in the task of becoming aligned with our destiny. Astrology's "map of the soul" (owner's manual) provides each one of us with a map of our inborn potentials and then shows how these inborn potentials will (sooner or later) seek to unfold over the course of our lifetime. As such, in our modern world - too often devoid of meaning - astrology can assist us in purposes of meaning, self-discovery, soul growth and being "brought to completion."
[ http://thezodiac.com/soul/oracle/whentheoraclespoke.htm ]

Please feel free to contact me if you would like to arrange a consultation or if you have any queries, as I would be delighted to offer personal advice or to try to put you in touch with other holistic practitioners that I feel may be able to assist you. Monika Barbour Consultation Astrologer Astrology Solutions Network www.astrologysolutions.com.au

Bibliography: Liz Greene & Howard Sasportas , Dynamics of the Unconscious; Seminars in Psychological Astrology, Volume 2, Samuel Weiser, Maine, 1988, pages 77-98 Mitchell E Gibson, Signs of Mental Illness; An Astrological & Psychiatric Breakthrough, Llewellyn Publications, St Paul, USA, 1999 Dr Z - aka Anthony L Pea, JD, Zodiac Master, Know Thyself, Part II: When The Oracle of Delphi Spoke, http://thezodiac.com/soul/oracle/whentheoraclespoke.htm Suicide and Mental Illness in the Media, Statistical Overview of Mental Illness in Australia, http://www.mindframe-media.info/site/index.cfm?display=85541#Statistics%20overview

First published: Balance On Line Magazine: October 2011 http://balanceonline.com.au/

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STATISTICAL OVERVIEW OF MENTAL ILLNESS IN AUSTRALIA

Unless otherwise stated the statistics in this section are from the 1997 National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED BY MENTAL ILLNESS IN AUSTRALIA? Mental illness is common in Australia with one in five Australians experiencing a mental illness at some stage in their lives, and many experiencing more than one mental illness at one time. Prevalence of mental illness decreases with age. Prevalence (including substance use disorder) is greatest among 18-24 year olds (27%) while prevalence among people 65 years and over is 6.1%. Mental disorders are the third leading cause of disability burden in Australia, accounting for an estimated 27% of the total years lost due to disability. Major depression accounts for more days lost to illness than almost any other physical or mental disorder. HOW COMMON ARE SPECIFIC DISORDERS? About 10 % of Australians will be affected by anxiety disorders at some point in their life. About 20% of people will be affected by depression and 6% will experience a major depressive illness. Post-natal depression affects between 10 to 20% of all new mothers to some degree. 3% of Australians are affected by psychotic illness such as schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder at some point in their life. About one in 100 Australians will experience schizophrenia. Approximately 2% of Australians will experience some type of eating disorder at some stage in their life. Most of those affected (90%) are women. Between 2 and 5% of the population are affected by Borderline Personality Disorder at some stage of their lives, with women three times more likely to be diagnosed with this disorder than men. ARE THERE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MEN AND WOMEN? Women are more likely than men to report anxiety disorders (12% compared with 7.1%) and affective disorders (7.4% compared with 4.2%). Men are more than twice as likely as women to have substance use disorders (11% compared with 4.5%), with alcohol disorders being three times more common than drug use disorders. Men are affected by schizophrenia in slightly greater numbers, women tend to experience later onset, fewer periods of illness, and better recovery. IS MENTAL ILLNESS COMMON IN YOUNG PEOPLE? The greatest numbers of people with a mental illness are in the 18-24 year age group. 14% of Australian children and adolescents aged 4-17 years have mental health problems. This rate of mental health problems is found in all age and gender groups, although boys are slightly more likely to experience mental health problems than girls. Onset of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia usually occurs in the mid to late teen years. Depression is one of the most common mental health problems in young people. Adolescents with mental health problems report a high rate of suicidal thoughts and other health-risk behaviour, including smoking and drug use. [ http://www.mindframe-media.info/site/index.cfm?display=85541#Statistics%20overview]

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