Is Spiritual Disconnection at the Heart of Your Depression?

Exploring how a disconnection from Nature, Spirit, and spiritual practices is at the core of the epidemic of depression and anxiety.

“There is an awakening underway today to many of the values of nature and the risks and costs of its loss.” — Gretchen Daily

It is perfectly normal to feel down on certain days, to be less energetic, or to want to be alone. Quiet rest does the body, mind, and soul good, and naturally, we come out of it when we are ready. Depression persists though, permeating everything in your life and clouding your relationships, your hope, and your satisfaction with anything you do.

MY EXPERIENCE WITH DEPRESSION

I know this well, having had depression for a good chunk of my life. I remember feeling depressed as early as 13 years old and it has been a familiar feeling throughout my life until now. A good portion of that coincided with a time I had disconnected myself from my sensitivities as I had been routinely hurt, humiliated, or put down because of them. This also meant I disconnected from my inherent spirituality, the connection I felt with Mother Earth, and in a sense… magic. I used to go for walks in the little forest behind where we lived and sit outside at night and stare up at the stars, feeling like there was a special, beautiful energy permeating nature. I didn’t understand why no one else around me cared. I wanted to travel the world exploring the landscapes and cultures of the world, knowing, deep down, there was more to this world than what I saw in my little town. And much more than what we saw with just our eyes.

Instead, I was told I was “too sensitive”, and “too quiet” and couldn’t relate to kids my age who wanted to go to parties while I wanted to do spells and heal animals. Life has a way of making us scared of anything that makes us feel different. In my early 20s, a bad relationship (understatement) triggered my core wounds around trusting others and self-worth and I ended up taking anti-depressants for a while as I was afraid of the deep depression I was sinking into.

THE NUMBERS

The rates of depression and anxiety have sky-rocketed around the world, and so too have prescription medications to treat them. In the U.K. anti-depressants have been prescribed at an increasing rate for the past 6 years, now totaling 8.32 million people! The numbers are higher in the U.S. with almost 25 million adults taking antidepressants for more than two years. Which is a 60 percent increase from 2010! Those that have been taking it for less time, make the number jump to over 30 million users.

Pause for a moment to let that sink in.

What’s worse, is that the prescribing of anti-depressants to youth (people under the age of 18) has also increased at sobering rates, as many of these medications have now been approved for children.

Perhaps you are the one taking anti-depressants or other medications for depression or anxiety. Likely, you know someone who is. Or, even more likely, your friends, family members and co-workers around you are taking them without anyone knowing. I stopped taking them after a couple of months because that sensitivity I had hated so much (and had tried to quiet and ignore), became utterly numb. I wasn’t feeling depressed anymore, I was feeling nothing. I couldn’t empathize with others and now I wasn’t scared of what the depression would make me do, I was scared of living a grey and numb life. But that was my experience, others have a very different one, I know and find that the medication helps them immensely.

WHERE MENTAL HEALTH AND SPIRITUALITY MEET

Now we have a lot of reasons as a species to feel depressed and anxious. I am not bypassing the heavy challenges and demands of this world in anyway. But the seeker and healer in me is asking a deep question.

Is spiritual disconnection at the heart of depression?

And I don’t mean religion. Nor, do I mean some kind of instagramable health retreat, or self-love post bathed in tight leggings while doing yoga poses for the camera. I mean real spirituality anchored in a deep connection with the Earth. A recognition of our connection to each other and our ancestors, an acknowledgment that we are in this together. Gifted life from the same stuff that makes up stars and are willing to participate in this life with an open heart and desire to take care of the world around us.

This type of connection is rarely taught or fostered. Instead, we pursue material gains, we wall ourselves off from anyone who is “different” and damage the Earth around us with an attitude of “it is here for taking, so I will take”. No care for the consequences. But we are feeling the consequences in our very being.

We are feeling the disconnection in our mental health, in our relationships with others and the world around us and it’s hurting us. It’s hurting us in a very deep way.

“There is an awakening underway today to many of the values of nature and the risks and costs of its loss.”

Anti-depressants and other drugs prescribed for depression or anxiety do help people. This post is not aimed at dissuaded medication that people need. Taking these medications can help someone begin to climb out of the darkness and see potential in their life. They can quiet the voices and the anxiety that plague a person every day so that in that respite they can look around with clearer eyes.

However, prolonged use does nothing to address the cause. If the medication is stopped or decreased, and the person has done nothing to build habits and lifelines to address their “symptoms”, then the problem will continue. Talk therapy and counseling are a good step. Anyone going through a challenging time should try this, as holding in and repressing emotions can lead to all sorts of mental, emotional, and physical health problems.

But what if the so-called “problem” is not the symptoms in the first place but is actually the disconnection from each other and the natural world around us?

Ecopsychology looks to understand and explain this. How our mental health is affected by the disconnection from nature, from Mother Earth and from the cycles of the natural world. Researchers have been studying this with zest and the results continuously show a promising trend.

“Psychiatric unit researchers found that being in nature reduced feelings of isolation, promoted calm, and lifted mood among patients.”

Some health practitioners are taking this concept to a new level.

“To decrease the burden of chronic disease, increase health and happiness, and foster environmental stewardship, by virtue of prescribing Nature during the routine delivery of healthcare.”

Forest Bathing is one of the more recent trends in the health and wellness world, which involves walking in forests to calm the mind, nervous system, and troubles of our mental state. But this Japanese practice has been around for decades. It directs us to the wisdom of our natural connection to the natural world. If we want to explore why we feel harmed, hurt, ignored, or attacked, why we feel lost and unwell, we can look at how we treat the environment around us. The way we interact with nature and animals. This may seem like it has nothing to do with how you feel, but spirituality rests on the web of our interconnection.

The long-term harm of taking medication to alleviate anxiety and depression is it suppresses the natural healing journey. Repressing emotions and their expression. Meaning next time something happens that triggers anxiety or depression, the symptoms and reactions are going to come back, in full force. Similar to the painkiller rebound effect, overuse of these medications can exacerbate the issue. A person may benefit from moving through the natural processes of life and loss (in situations like grief from a loved one passing away, losing a pet, or from a relationship ending). Mental health issues could be considered an inability to cope with the challenges of life, draining away a person’s chance at true joy. Yes, the process is painful. But taking a lesson from nature is one way to understand our connection to everything around us and how we can gather strength from it.

THE ENERGY OF SPIRIT

Earth-based spirituality is at the heart of my work, and the center of so many healing modalities, spiritual-based faiths, and practices and of many Indigenous traditions and ancient knowledge worldwide. That we are not alone, we are one with the Earth, the Air, the other beings around us, and with the Universe itself. This adds an important layer to simply “prescribing” a nature walk to someone experiencing mental health challenges.

When walking outside in green spaces, one can take notice of the birds, of the way the sky moves, or how the trees are growing, and from that gather all kinds of information about their existence and connection to the Universe. One of the habits that has helped me with my depression, or when I am feeling irritated and overwhelmed, is this simple practice.

I go outside. I breathe and feel the air. I remember that Spirit (God, Universe, Creator), is all around me, all of the time. I put my hands on my stomach and feel into that and tap it into my body.

Does it make life challenges go away? No. But what it does do is remind me that at any given time, all I need to do is remember who I am, a spiritual being, a soul, living a human experience of life, and I am not alone. Not ever.

Nature does not stop because tomorrow fall is coming, and their blooms will wilt and die. Nature goes into slumber and re-charges, knowing it will bloom again. Depression signifies something is out of balance. It can tell you where in your heart, your life, or your relationships you are missing something vital.

Spirituality does not erase grief, sadness, anger, or pain. It does not make life “perfect”. Spirituality teaches resiliency, wisdom, and strength. It teaches how what we experience now, is not forever and we can choose what we will do with any situation, challenge, event, or feeling. Connecting with nature is integral to this, as nature lives in challenge. Plants, animals, water. All are evolving, responding, dying, and being reborn.

Seasons change and hold a special wisdom for us to learn from. Winter asks us to rest, restore, and re-evaluate, spring calls us to awaken and dance in our dreams. Summer brings us to run, play, and bask in the sun and light, while fall reminds us to be grateful, to nourish ourselves, and prepare.

How can you apply these lessons to your life?

At the core of most anxiety and depression is a lack of trust in oneself and in our inherent worth. The symptoms often involve self-hate or self-criticism, a blocked-off heart to protect from being hurt. There may be a focus on material objects, success based on the standards of others, a feeling of never being good enough. Those with prolonged anxiety and depression are often grieving or hurting over a loss, over loneliness, and don’t see a way out of it.

Spiritual practices and rituals teach you how to let go of the criticism and loneliness from a place of love and acceptance. Mental health naturally improves when we know we have more control over our state of being and that we trust we have practices that will help us when we are feeling down. Connecting spiritually with the energy of the Earth and Spirit around us is one way to do that, and it is accessible to anyone.

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