An Insideous Darkness

The highest and best use of a horse in this century is to be part of a program that pulls people out of darkness. Depression and anxiety disorder are at peak levels for young people today. Fortunately, breakthroughs are being made in understanding the workings of the brain. Unfortunately, I am not aware of any breakthroughs that are causing people to apply that understanding en mass. 

Suppose that a symptom of having a broken leg was to be completely opposed to x-rays and casts. Suppose that a symptom of a cut was the belief that a band aide will not help the healing and that the best response to a wound is to simply allow it to bleed without any intervention.

Take a moment to recognize the pain caused by the fact that a symptom of anxiety and depression is often the belief that no intervention can help--that no counsellor, that no medication, that no lifestyle changes, and that no amount of social interaction can be of any use. 

Take a moment to recognize that a symptom of these paralyzing conditions is often the deep conviction that, due to the labels that we might apply to ourselves, we cannot have happy lives because we are "introverts" who are kept in a box by "my anxiety."

Take a moment to recognize that these conditions create self-proving explanations of helplessness by simply saying that "I tried that, and it did not work", when the "trying" amounted to visiting a counsellor for three or four sessions without ever opening up and discussing anything of significance with the counsellor. "Trying" medication for a week without miraculous results is not "trying" to get better. It is trying to find further evidence that one cannot get better. 

Finding "solutions" only in avoidance behavior and isolation is not "trying" to get better. Doing so spreads fertilizer on the weeds, brambles, and briers that choke out life. 

It takes less energy to succumb to suffering than to fight it, but not much less energy. "Treating" the pain with avoidance behavior is exhausting, and never invigorating. Mounting a full-fledged lifestyle assault on depression and anxiety can be even more exhausting, but, given enough time, it can be invigorating. It can be exhilarating. 

The horse can be a vital first step into mounting an effective fight against depression and anxiety. 

Go brush a horse until your hands stop shaking. Go take a horse on a long walk on a lead line until you feel like you are going somewhere.

And go ride a horse until you are exhausted. The do it again every single time that you possibly have that opportunity. Gradually you will see a candle in the insidious darkness. 

Eventually that candle will produce enough light so that you can take on other lifestyle changes that can lead to the quenching of the darkness.