The Mire of Melancholy

‘Tis the season to be jolly…and ’tis also the season for melancholy.

There are few times in the year other than Christmas that generate the grab-bag of emotions now swirling through our homes and communities. Much of what we feel, we understand – if only in part. But it’s those things we don’t understand, those emotions we’d rather not be experiencing but which persistent nonetheless that can leave us feeling drained and bewildered. Worse than that we can feel both alone and lonely.

Melancholy is just that – a sadness we are feeling but a sadness that has no clearly defined cause. We just feel blue, gloomy, out of sorts. When urged by those around us for an explanation of our mood we experience awkwardness and confusion. How is it possible to explain something we are unable to understand?

The problem is that we can become mired in the moment, bogged down by the inexplicable but crippling bleakness of our mood. When we get to that stage we’re in real danger of losing our perspective; of failing to realise that where we are emotionally is not healthy and not a desirable state of mind. And the very real concern is that melancholy can be a staging point on the descent to depression. It’s one of the Black Dog’s pups.

The way to avoid the darkness is to look for the light. The way to deal with melancholy is to look for the positive. And the way to come to terms with whatever negative emotion we are experiencing is to realise that we are not alone. If that is insufficient comfort, if we find that a bit too much to grasp then it’s wise that we should seek out someone who can explain it to us.

There is good in every day.