Alex relayed his past psychological history: reasonably happy through high school at Xavier in Middletown, CT. Happy during his freshmen year at Boston College as a pre-med. Gradual onset of depression between his freshman and sophomore year stemming from his realization that he did not want to be pre-med but no other alternative. Upward mood enhancement when he decided to major in environmental science. Gradual onset of depression as he realized in his second year of a Phd program that he did not want to become an environmental science. Enhanced mood after our career counseling session when we discussed his potential move to working for environmentally focused start-ups in the Boston area.
During both periods of depression, Alex felt purposeless. During each mood enhancement, Alex felt purposeful. I see this pattern all the time through my career counseling work and my work with younger adults in the latter stages of high school and college. It is hard to be depressed and purposeful at the same time (acknowledgement to Brian Johnson’s fantastic Philosopher’s Notes in his examination of author Steven Chandler).
Find your career purpose, beat depression.
During both periods of depression, Alex felt purposeless. During each mood enhancement, Alex felt purposeful. I see this pattern all the time through my career counseling work and my work with younger adults in the latter stages of high school and college. It is hard to be depressed and purposeful at the same time (acknowledgement to Brian Johnson’s fantastic Philosopher’s Notes in his examination of author Steven Chandler).
Find your career purpose, beat depression.