Suicide.

Suicide is not commonly assumed to be a survival threat even though it is the leading cause of death to men between 18 and 34. This may be because suicide is voluntary and therefore completely under the control of the individual- but is this really true? If one becomes severely depressed then life becomes an agony that can no longer be withstood. Suicide is not really a choice in these circumstances. It is something that the individual is compelled to do.

Another common belief is that there are depressed people and 'normal' people. Depressed people are ill (or weak) and 'normal' people are not. Take a look at the commuters on any grey morning train. You will see a line of men and women with grey putty faces and dead eyes. No joy or life animates their bodies and yet these people live 'normal lives. It is not surprising there is so much depression and self harm if this is the most that one can expect from a normal life.

It may be that the real problem is not that a minority of people are acutely depressed. It may be that the majority of the population suffer a chronic and lifelong depression. One does not have to fall very far from this state before one is dead.

The way 'normal' people deal with this is to accept that life is meant to be miserable and then to take pills when they develop the symptoms of clinical depression. They do not find it strange that they are unhappy as long as they are not suicidal. I submit that this is the wrong approach.

I believe that the struggle against depression starts with what people call 'normal'. When a 'normal' person receives a blow there is nowhere to fall but into depression. When a happy person receives the same blow they are likely to become normal for a while. This sucks, but 'normal' people are capable of change and so there is hope.

Most experts on depression seem to agree with me about normal life being a mild state of depression because the recommended remedies for recovering depressives is remarkably effective at curing 'normality'.

BE SOCIAL. Get out, interact with people even if it is only at the supermarket.

GET EXERCISE. A walk in the park does wonders. I personally suspect that green living things have a mood boosting effect.

GET SUNSHINE. If there is no natural sunlight invest in a daylight spectrum lightbox. Air ionisers are alleged to help too.

DO SOMETHING. Have an achievement to look back upon every day even it is as simple as getting up at the agreed time.

Prepping index. 140

Probability 2
Severity 10
Action ability 7