Overcoming Depression and Anxiety Through Impermanence and Interdependence

Impermanence
In life there are very few things that remain constant and stable. Birth, death and taxes is the common line. Everything else is not constant and bound to change. This principle is known as Impermanence. What this means for you is that you don't have 100% control over many things in your life (Interdependence) and that things change (Impermanence). Sure you may be able to influence things. For example, you can influence whether your boss likes you, what mark you get on an assignment but you don't have 100% control over it. The outcome also depends on other people. For example, what mood your teacher is in or what personality your boss has.

Let's really think about the principle of impermanence for a second...Look at your life. What things do you take for granted? Maybe you think that you are in a stable, constant relationship with your wife/ husband? Maybe you think that you are in a stable job? Maybe you believe that your negative emotions (e.g., your depression) is never going to "lift" or change? But you don't have 100% control over the outcome. You may be sacked tomorrow, you partner/ wife may leave you? You can't be 100% sure of the outcome.

Once you begin to appreciate that very few things in life are constant, then you will begin not to take life soo seriously, including your depression or anxiety or any negative emotion that you may be experiencing. I understand that this may be a scary thought, if you start thinking about all the things that you may lose. This principle is real and it is just part of life. Hopefully, it will help you to view the world and your life in a different manner. If you understand that "things" and "events" are impermanent and interdependent, you won't grasp and worry about negative thoughts and emotions as much. Why? Because you know that they are going to change and are dependent on a number of things/ circumstances occurring. Let's explain interdependence in a little more detail.

Interdependence
It is kind of ironic when we get upset about things not working out for us in life. In these situations, we tend to blame one person, believing that they had 100% control over the situation and are 100% to blame. This happens all the time in divorce. The law even subscribes to this point of view. They call it no fault divorce. But in actual fact most outcomes in life are interdependent. In other words, due to the interaction between two or more people or two or more circumstances in life.

Think about your life, is there any one event or outcome in your life that is completely dependent on one thing happening? For example, you might say that you are completely in control of whether you get to your doctor's appointment on time. What if there is traffic? What if the car doesn't work? What if the bus doesn't turn up? You're going to be late!

Everything in life is interdependent. Due to the interaction between two or more circumstances or people etc.

Psychologist Brisbane
Counselling Brisbane