I keep thinking about how much of medicine (especially mental health) still defaults to compression, even when we know the underlying reality is distributed and interacting.
Medicine is still catching up to systems thinking. No two ways about it.
I remember a time I felt tired everyday. I was getting enough sleep, eating “okay ish”, getting in movement, all the good things. I asked myself “why am I tired all the time?” Because it didn’t seem environmental I looked inward, toward my thoughts. I kept telling myself and others I was tired, but was I really? I shifted my mind set and started focusing on all the things I was doing that would make me have energy and after a while I was no longer tired every day. I could finally tell the difference from when I was truly tired and not just feeling tired daily.
Baird, I really like this essay and its requirement for readers to do their own personal assessment. 25 pathways for low energy seems like an astronomical number, a daunting number of possibilities. But reviewing categories of lists feel so much more easily relatable, even accessible. The ability to point towards or at least consider what may be having a low energy reaction is a milestone. The thought experiment on options for intervention - well done in the offering.
Thanks for reading and your kind comments, Stacy! I’m always a bit uncomfortable when professionals presume to know everything when they are touching just a small part of something larger. I think “shrinks” are especially guilty of this. And so the inspiration for my deep dive!
I keep thinking about how much of medicine (especially mental health) still defaults to compression, even when we know the underlying reality is distributed and interacting.
Medicine is still catching up to systems thinking. No two ways about it.
Happy Monday Baird.
So true that. All the incentives favor simple and fast, in medicine and elsewhere. When the problem is simple, that’s OK. But …
Enjoy your long weekend! ☀️
thank you very much Baird
I remember a time I felt tired everyday. I was getting enough sleep, eating “okay ish”, getting in movement, all the good things. I asked myself “why am I tired all the time?” Because it didn’t seem environmental I looked inward, toward my thoughts. I kept telling myself and others I was tired, but was I really? I shifted my mind set and started focusing on all the things I was doing that would make me have energy and after a while I was no longer tired every day. I could finally tell the difference from when I was truly tired and not just feeling tired daily.
Such a great observation, Becky! Focusing on and doing more of what GIVES us energy is the best anti-depressant. I wrote about that here if you’re interested: https://bairdbrightman.substack.com/p/energize-regenerate-rejuvenate
Baird, I really like this essay and its requirement for readers to do their own personal assessment. 25 pathways for low energy seems like an astronomical number, a daunting number of possibilities. But reviewing categories of lists feel so much more easily relatable, even accessible. The ability to point towards or at least consider what may be having a low energy reaction is a milestone. The thought experiment on options for intervention - well done in the offering.
Crikey I enjoyed this and the poll made me really think before answering. Thoughtful and interesting and useful… Thank you, Baird.
Thanks for those kind words, Bee! Very glad you enjoyed it!
There is something cathartic about a moment of really having to look at what might be self-created ...
Yes!
Thanks for reading and your kind comments, Stacy! I’m always a bit uncomfortable when professionals presume to know everything when they are touching just a small part of something larger. I think “shrinks” are especially guilty of this. And so the inspiration for my deep dive!
And I am learning from your deep dive. You paint brushstrokes that are broad and narrow which offers space for reader learning.
Never was much of an artist. But words, those I can layer on. Thanks Stacy!
::snort:: touché. Layer on.