Melandread

Lest joy be lost in the mechanistic darkness

A couple of thousand years ago Greek philosopher Galen made a profound statement: Melancholic women are prone to breast cancer! To the detriment of our mechanistically-based medical profession, this observation never saw the light of day. Consequently we are relegated to plod through a landscape which takes us ever further away from one of the essences of life – that emotions play a pivotal role in wellness and longevity.

Melancholia tinged with dread, or which I shall refer to as melandread, is the core factor compromising wellness and longevity. Laid out in its essence, the mind state that emerges is one of joylessness, meaninglessness and futility coupled with fear and anxiety. Thence follows chronic inflammation which underpins many serious illnesses such as Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, most cancers and many more.

The cruel twist is that melandread begats further melandread by destroying existing redundant neural connections and suppressing the development of new ones. This is mirrored functionally by diminishing awareness and engagement with the environment which further promotes melandread.

Deep within the subjective morass of melandread lies the determining kernel that the dread of death is greater than the waning will to live. Thus is melandread fed and sustained and a joyless lingering ensues.

No elusive chemical nor fancy physiological tweaking will alleviate melandread and its consequences. The intervention for melandread is the restoration of awareness and thence personal meaning, purpose, sensitivity and ikigai – the joy derived from meaningful busyness. Anything less is futile and merely delays the dignity of death.

We are living in a time where much meaning is being replaced by meaninglessness, and where the warmth and joy of genuine human interaction is being replaced by the cold machinations of technology. Herein lies the increasing risk of a downward slide into collective melandread. Perhaps a good time to rekindle the virtues of the human spirit and let joy shine forth!

Help with alleviating melandread is offered here.