One of the things that makes us feel bad is not what we have, but what we feel we don't have.
The reason this happens is because we're bombarded by advertisements and other influences (through the media, TV, the internet, magazines etc.), messages that tell us that our lives aren't good enough, that what we have isn't good enough, that to feel happier, we should buy certain products, goods, and services.
Of course, we can't afford to buy all these things (and the truth is that we don't actually need them), but nevertheless, a gap is created between the life that we have and the life that we think we should have. This gap makes us feel bad and we become unhappy and depressed because we remain perpetually unfulfilled.
One of the startling statistics is that every year, nearly 1 million people die from suicide, and Europe has one of the highest rates [1].
Europe is a developed area, yet mental health and depression are a major problem. People feel bad not because of what they have, but because of what they feel they don't have. This is a serious problem.
How can we solve this problem? How can we eliminate depression and suicide? How can we stop people from feeling bad based on what they feel they don't have?
Our internal qualities have to change from selfishness to bestowal and we have to seek to benefit others instead of ourselves.
As such, the aggressive marketing practices used by businesses will end, non-essential goods and services will disappear, people will be educated about mutual concern and responsibility and instead of seeking to benefit themselves (and thinking about what they don't have), they'll seek to benefit others.
May The One True God, The Infinite God, The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob guide us, may He lead us and may He show us the way. God is with us and to Him we shall all return.
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[1] World Health Organization, Mental Health, Suicide Prevention. This site was accessed October 28, 2013 http://www.who.int/mental_health/prevention/suicide/suicideprevent/en/
Copyright © 2013, Carter Kagume. All Rights Reserved.
