I have just returned from a trip to Belize – amazing country, and beautiful people. While in Belize I met with a couple of Mayan and Mestizo Shamans, and several people who practice healing with medicine derived solely from rainforest plants. During our many conversations, regarding the medicinal properties of plants, I asked the question: “what do you do for people who suffer from depression?” In every instance the answer was the same – we do not know this disease, no one comes to us for medicine or healing for ‘depression’. Once I explained what I meant by depression they all agreed that they knew of sadness, and grieving, but nothing that resembled the long term symptoms that I was describing.

Curious that no one recognized depression as a local disease – is this disorder then a phenomena of industrialized nations? Is it what we eat and drink, and all the chemicals we ingest – or is it a product of our insatiability for materialism? Have we finally shopped till we dropped in all aspects of our lives – ending with the realization that nothing we accumulate can account for happiness? Do our feelings of inadequacies or failures as we sink deeper into depression result from a society so entrenched in plastic ideals that we can no longer function?

Let’s take a look at the people who do not know what depression is. Is this lack of a depressive disease in their society due to the fact that there are no local psychiatrists available to diagnose such a disorder – or is it perhaps a more simple way of life? Belizeans are poor by our standards – in a top government job they earn approximately $34,000 Belizean dollars per annum. That translates into $17.000 US. No, they do not live in 2000-5000 sq foot homes, nor do most have cars. However, transportation via bus is readily available and affordable. In addition, they receive lease land from the government at a minimal cost so they can farm what they need to eat. What they have is shared with their extended families, the young people always caring for their parents/grandparents. Warehousing the elderly is another unheard of practice in Belize. The people laugh and play together, and children and the elderly are treated with the utmost love and respect. Although there is poverty among many of the villagers not one time was I approached by anyone with a begging bowl – apparently we have not yet taught them our many bad habits.

I thank the people of Belize for sharing their experiences, and understanding of community causing me to ask so many curious questions about or own way of life. What now? Perhaps we should rethink how we structure our communities and our lifestyles within the societal family. Let’s dialog in the Curious Mind Lounge and see if we can come up with some new ideals that led us to healthier bodies and minds.

Yours in Health and Happiness

Ann Marie Malden