Evening star., 1927-10-09


those who are conquered by depres
sions are often people who not only
have a good mental equipment, but
whose aspirations are above the
average
Most individuals who suffer from
depressions do not realize that these
periods of hopelessness and despair
are due to sickness of the MIND
which can be cured just as bodil,
niiment is cured. BY recognition and
proper treatment, potential failure
may he turned into success.
One of the most interesting records
OF depression in the history of this
country is that of Abraham Lincoln
How near the world came to being de
rrived Of the Great Emancipator is
known only TO those who have made
a study of his mental problems from a
technical standpoint
The average student of history real.
ICES that the great Civil War President
was sad man during those rehellious
days. His sadness has been i'm
tnortaliZed by GutZon BorGlum in the
monument called The Lonely Lin
coin" Here he is pictured sitting on
one of the old stone benches in the
White House gardens, his head bowed
and his whole figure slumped in de-
lection. In this statue the artist did
more than picture Abraham Lincoln.
He chartered a torturing and danger
Gus psychological mood.
Every historian of the Civil War
has recorded Lincoln's midnight walks.
his hours of pacing the east and west
halls Of the upper floors of the White
House, his long hours OF silence in
the oval room. Many of the authors
have not recognized the fact that for
n long period Mr.. Iincoln's depression
was SO definitely p5ychopathic that it
was necessary 10 watch him every
hour of the day and night. At one
time it was considered advisable to
remove all knives, scissors and other
instruments with which he might
have taken his life. He wrote and
published an article on suicide. He
was man who had reached his high.
est ambition, man OF world impor.
tance. and despite his enemies and his
political opposition succeeded in those
undertakings he believed to be the
greatest works of his time. Yet he
AT times was burdened by the thought
that life was unbearable.
He is quoted as saying that he was
the most miserable man living, and
If what / feel were equally distrib-
uted to the whole human family,
there would not be one cheerful face
On earth. Whether or not l shall ever
ba better | cannot tell awfully
forebode that shall not live. | have
done nothing to make single human
being remember that l have lived"
Llncoln's case is not an unusual
one. 1t is repeated by the hundreds
every day in the year. But it is i'm.
portant because it offers encourage
ment to every man and woman facing
depression. in the knowledge that one
OF the best minds America has pro.
duced in century survived periods
OF depression, subsequently to do its
best work.
MILD depressions of spirits. or
blues, may be caused either by
some temporary physical disorder or
by some depressing experience, such
as the upsetting behavior of lover or
stock market. If the melancholy has
physical basis. the obvious thing is
to discover and treat the physical
cause. Many a blue Monday has
changed to rose color after a dose of
salts.
Even though the cause of the blues
may not be physical, there are still
ways to Danish it, for those suffi-
ciently clear-headed to diagnose their
own minor mental ills. Aside from
those due to physical causes. depres-
sions are apt to be brought about b.
an occasion Of inadequacy or defeat.
an enhancement of ones sense OF
inferiority, or a realization of ire
parable loss.
Once clearly recognized. such condi-
tions may be deliberately combated
Suppose ones sales record is not as
good this month as last; or one fails
to close a particularly coveted con-
tract, or loses an important law case.
or makes a bad impression on the
manager; in a word, suppose one
meets the occasional incidental fail
ure which is a characteristic feature
OF human experience--because no
one is always successful. We some
times magnify this instead of reacting
favorably to it, and feel that it is an
indication of our general incom-
petence or of lost grip. and so on.
Obviously, this is no frame of mind
for boosting next months sales or
turning the next trick more success
fully. Such reactions to failure beget
more failueos.
One MAJ often regain composure
and self-confidence in such situations
by recourse to an old trick. Every
one is a master of something. A
Harvard professor who is world
famous for his achievements and
popularity was once very self-dis-
paraging. He accidentally discovered
that he could play chess better than
any other man in his school. This
gave him a sense of assurance that
helped him to give freely to the
world some great work in the scien
tific field.
Now. not every one can be a chess
champion, but soma can excel at golf
and some at making a cake and some
az music and some in entertaining
children. It is a great gift to be able
TO recognize ones own tycellences. 1t
is said that some men don't know
when they are licked, but it is even
more useful TO know when one has
really succeeded.
And a for the Illustrations and
losses sustained. it is helpful to apply
2 revised ver~ion of the Fox and the
Grapes. Not TO call them sour. be
cause this is n id'a self deception and