A non-prescription approach to managing depression: debauchery
A version of this post first appeared on my older, now-defunct blog, Blessed Depth. Reading Nancy Mitford's bio of Louis XIV, I came across this description of Louis' cousin, the Prince de Conti, who had the misfortune to outshine the King's son and heir in just about every way. The King got jealous and threw roadblocks in de Conti's career for the rest of his life."...as the years dragged on uselessly and his hopeful youth was succeeded by a disillusioned middle age, the Prince de Conti became embittered and gave himself up to debauchery." Which led me to wonder: why don't mental health professionals ever suggest this? What depressed patient wouldn't want to hear his therapist say, "We've found that wallowing in all the vices at once has had promising…