There is neither Good, Nor Ill, But Thinking Makes it So
Written by
Jake Lenders
Did you know that the way we think influences the way we feel? I know this all too well. This year I was diagnosed with major depression, but interestingly it was not the first time I was diagnosed with depression either. I was first diagnosed with depression back in 2010, I had just finished year 12 and I had no idea what I really wanted to do with my life. It wasn’t until 2014 that I sent myself off to university, I enrolled in an arts/psychology degree and would go on to graduate in 2020. When I graduated I knew that I wanted to do more, I wanted to enrol in postgraduate study, and do my honours degree in philosophy. That didn’t exactly happen unfortunately, the truth of the situation was that in 2020 the coronavirus had arrived in Australia, and I had many lockdowns to look forward to. It did not at all feel like the right time to return to do my honours degree. And then, unfortunately, I became a victim of crime – I was punched in the face and then I developed agoraphobia, and became severely depressed.
In order to make sense of my life and my depression, I turned to writing about my experience of depression. I also worked closely with my psychologist through this very difficult period in my life. Jake’s Thought Record is just that: a recording of my thoughts! Certainly, if I am being honest with you, this is not at all a recording of all my thoughts, cogitations and musings — at any rate, when you come to read Jake’s Thought Record you will find my thoughts laid bare. I hope you enjoy reading my thought record as much I enjoy updating it. I hope you can also come to learn that you too can become more aware of the thoughts that you have every single day.
Life, life and more life! 