Belonging is a deeply rooted human drive. We are social creatures after all. We require love and physical touch to survive and thrive. We seek others not only for our evolutionary needs, but for our self-growth and altruistic behavior that provide meaning in our lives. Often times we sacrifice our own self-identity for the sake of feeling accepted by specific groups of people, rather than shining out who we are with confidence and letting others gravitate to us. The reason why we tend to do this often is because genuine belonging requires vulnerability, yet societal pressures have taught us to be cautious and protective rather than open and transparent about who we are. One of the secrets to happiness that many enlightened people have come to understand, and thankfully share with us, is knowing that in order to feel at home with others, no matter the setting, you must feel at home with yourself.
During this month of love and friendship, I challenge you to open your arms and give yourself random acts of kindness. Forgive yourself your faults and know that you do the best you can. If you find you aren’t putting your best foot forward, congratulate yourself for recognizing it, own it and know that you can make that change with intention and love of self. That is the challenge of self-growth. Accepting yourself fully is the doorway through which others can join you while also revealing their true self. Together with that interplay of openness one can generate the necessary social dynamics that opens a space for authenticity and true connections.
There are many obstacles to establishing this level of openness and vulnerability, it is a difficult task for every individual. The great challenge of creating meaning and carving out our space in an unyielding world is THE quest. If in addition to the challenges that existential living produces one is also contending with mental health concerns, it becomes almost untenable to reach a place of belonging and self-acceptance. According to national data, over 16 million Americans experience major depression disorder, with nearly one-third finding little to no relief from traditional treatment methods. Depression (and tangential epidemics such as the opioid crisis) tops the greatest public health concerns globally. It is the biggest challenge we face to establishing wellness both internally with psychological and spiritual well-being, and externally by establishing social and environmental rebalance.
Too many individuals are suffering from lack of self-love and emotional wellbeing, and other reasons that go deeper into the neurophysiology of an individual. Yet others are further suffering from the lack of effective treatments for depression. Ketamine infusion and TMS treatment methods provide much needed new approaches to healing, and have shown remarkable success with treatment-resistant patients. To date, however, one drawback regrading Ketamine infusion has been the duration of its effects. Now, there is a new development that can address this shortcoming. Esketamine is a newly developed drug derived from Ketamine that is on the fast track for FDA approval. It is a nasal spray to be administered still within a clinical setting that can provide the necessary boost between treatments for greater efficacy. Providing greater potential for Ketamine infusions to help the millions of Americans with treatment-resistant depression find their path to sustained emotional wellbeing. Ketamine Health Centers can help put you on that path. Reach out today and set up a free consultation to discuss which treatment method may work for you or your loved one.
