Valentine's Day is not my favorite holiday. In fact, sometimes I really hate it. Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and it was pretty crappy. Snow ruined my plan. I was supposed to go see the university's production of The Vagina Monologues and hang out with my best friend. I would celebrate with my boyfriend the following weekend due to his hackathon in Philly. Snow cancelled all campus activities for two and a half days, so my mom picked me up to save me from boredom the day before Valentine's Day. Then, I woke up late on Friday to find no promised Krispy Kreme doughnut. My sister had eaten it. The day was not a total loss, though. I had a mini-marathon of The Walking Dead. I am now almost done with season two. It is quite an interesting show.
Despite the not-so-great Valentine's Day I had yesterday, I dislike Valentine's Day for other reasons. Behavior on Valentine's Day leads one to think it was created by greeting card companies. It has become so commercialized. Chocolate. Flowers. Stuffed animals. Greeting cards. Heart-shaped decor. Conversation hearts. Elementary school valentine cards. It is ridiculous, in my opinion, to have so much stuff for Valentine's Day. Perhaps it stimulates the economy, since people spend so much money on that holiday. Also, many of the typical gifts can seem so generic. I think that Valentine's gifts are supposed to have some significance to the relationship being honored.
What is most upsetting is how people treat Valentine's Day. People feel obligated to celebrate the holiday. They have the mentality, "Oh, it's Valentine's Day. I have to send my sweetheart flowers." They feel like they must behave as though this is the sole day they get to show their love. That is not the right way to look at it. We love those special people 365 days a year, so we should be showing them that we love them every day. It obviously does not have to take the form of flowers, gifts, and chocolate every day, but they need to know we care. Special occasions and holidays are an opportunity for extra love. We really should be thinking, "I'll send my sweetheart flowers. It is Valentine's Day, after all." The holiday should be an excuse to show extra love, not the reason we show it. Not very many people treat it this way, and that needs to be changed.
Saturday, February 15, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Valentine's Day and The Doctor
It is a truth acknowledged across the United States that Valentine's Day has one of the highest suicide rates. Seeing as it is just around the corner, I thought I would post about depression.
Depression affects roughly a third of the population of the United States each year. That is a lot of people. Something that most people do not understand is that depression affects each of those individuals differently. This characteristic of the "common cold of psychology" (as my friend put it) is why it can be difficult to diagnose in teens. In teens, it often manifests itself as irritability, fatigue, and insomnia. It can be difficult to recognize that this is in fact depression and not merely teen angst and teen laziness. Teen depression is less likely to be treated since it is difficult to recognize.
Because it is less likely to be identified when the depression is relatively mild, it can get to the point where suicide seems like a viable option. I have only ever had suicidal thoughts once. It was last year over spring break. My boyfriend at the time and his dad had gotten upset with each other because he and I had been having sex. I felt very uncomfortable and overall rejected, so I left his house crying. I was also in physical pain because I have chronic joint pain. The emotional and physical pain was too much for me. I considered ending it. Later I discovered that my birth control medication switch had given me estrogen withdrawal, which led to my sudden mood swings. My experience was quite unusual.
People consider suicide for a variety of reasons. I think it all comes down to escapism. People want to escape the pain, the situation, whatever it may be. They feel like no one could ever love them and like they are isolated. Perhaps they are bullied. Perhaps they are abused. Perhaps their anxiety has gotten the best of them. Whatever the situation, the Doctor has something important to say to them:
Depression affects roughly a third of the population of the United States each year. That is a lot of people. Something that most people do not understand is that depression affects each of those individuals differently. This characteristic of the "common cold of psychology" (as my friend put it) is why it can be difficult to diagnose in teens. In teens, it often manifests itself as irritability, fatigue, and insomnia. It can be difficult to recognize that this is in fact depression and not merely teen angst and teen laziness. Teen depression is less likely to be treated since it is difficult to recognize.
Because it is less likely to be identified when the depression is relatively mild, it can get to the point where suicide seems like a viable option. I have only ever had suicidal thoughts once. It was last year over spring break. My boyfriend at the time and his dad had gotten upset with each other because he and I had been having sex. I felt very uncomfortable and overall rejected, so I left his house crying. I was also in physical pain because I have chronic joint pain. The emotional and physical pain was too much for me. I considered ending it. Later I discovered that my birth control medication switch had given me estrogen withdrawal, which led to my sudden mood swings. My experience was quite unusual.
People consider suicide for a variety of reasons. I think it all comes down to escapism. People want to escape the pain, the situation, whatever it may be. They feel like no one could ever love them and like they are isolated. Perhaps they are bullied. Perhaps they are abused. Perhaps their anxiety has gotten the best of them. Whatever the situation, the Doctor has something important to say to them:
"900 years of time and space and I've never met anyone who wasn't important."
That is just a TV show, but that is also the beauty of it. I think watching TV is also a form of escapism. We, as viewers, get sucked into the world of the show. I do not know about you, but I get attached to fictional characters. I root for them and, at some points, aggressively give them advice ("No, Callie! Don't do that! Go back home!" for The Fosters). What better show to escape into than Doctor Who? The Doctor can take you anywhere throughout time and space in his TARDIS. You get to meet so many different types of extraterrestrial beings. Do not gawk at them. Instead respond with curiosity and openness, unless it is a Dalek or Cyberman, naturally. The Doctor is an optimist with a heavy heart from all he has lost. You can share in both the joy and pain of the Doctor and perhaps learn how to cope with your own.
Whether you are single or taken or "it's complicated." have a great Valentine's Day!
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