I was delighted by this response to my post, “My Holistic Approach to Depression” by Beyond Blue reader Rick S.:

I am a Buddhist and have meditated for 35 plus years. I teach meditation and teach Buddhist philosophy in the advice that I give to people in daily life. No one who knows me would think that I am weak or not highly spiritual or highly motivated in my spiritual journey. 

I also suffer from severe depression and severe anxiety or PTSD, if not talking to the government, lol. I have a family history of depression and serious mental illness. I take medication for the depression and PTSD and they have definitely improved the quality of my life in all areas. Even the Dalai Lama has spoken on the value of medication for these illnesses. Since we have them available, not using them does not make sense. It is like not using other medical therapies and surgeries and practices that are available to improve our lives.

Thank you so much, Rick, for that perspective! I have often wondered how the Dalai Lama would treat a person with a serious mood disorder like mine. Now I know!