Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts
Showing posts with label depression. Show all posts

Saturday, September 17, 2011

anti-psychotic medication

I’ve been pretty darned open on this blog about my life and my history of clinical depression. It’s been a challenge and it’s had an impact on my life.

Earlier this week I spent some time at a therapist’s office, it was my second visit to her. I have been looking to find some sort of counseling as a way to better understand my re-occurring bouts of depression.

During my first visit I was perfectly honest with this woman. I asked her how open minded she was, and then I told her about my memories and odd life experiences and how they seem intertwined with UFO related events. The implication might be that I was involved in some sort of on-going alien abduction experiences.

Just a few days ago, during our second session she asked me if I had ever considered taking anti-psychotic medication as a way to deal with my ideas about alien abduction.

Hearing that, my heart sort of sank. I explained that I didn’t feel that was in any way necessary. On one level I guess it’s fair for her to be ignorant of the subtle (and not so subtle) details of this confusing phenomenon. On another level, it felt so bleak that she would talk to me for only an hour, and come to the conclusion that I might be suffering from a of psychotic malady that might require medication.

I’ve spent the last five years (if not longer) trying to make sense of my experiences. The only conclusion I’ve reached is that something has happened. This elusive something seems to involve UFOs, synchronicities and a deep compulsion to know more.

Please note: I’m probably gunna delete this post in a few days. I know there are folks who follow this blog, and this bit of personal “gushing” might be of some value.

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TEXT added Nov. 27th 2011
I deleted this post a few days after I originally posted it. I'm adding it back into the blog now, because I figure it'll be buried within all the other posts. If anyone reads it here, it's a very real (although bleak) part of my overall experience.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2009

dialogue with "John Smith"

I’ve been in contact with five people. I’ve met all of them within the last year. All are between 46 and 48. Each have some odd life experiences, and some are, well - VERY odd. 

Of the people I’ve met, one goes by the name "John Smith." He is a materials scientist using a pseudonym to protect his identity at his work place. He had been having ongoing strange experiences that he's feels are some kind of program of alien abduction.

About John, a little over a year ago he found a small painful lump in his toe. He had conscious memories of a team of small gray aliens implanting the tiny object. He went to a podiatrist and requested an x-ray and asking for an opinion as to how to proceed. The person he went to was Dr. Roger Leir, who has been researching these extremely strange items for over a decade.

The object was eventually surgically removed with Dr. Leir assisting in the operating room. The tiny object was examined and the results were utterly bizarre. The lab report came back stating that the item was “meteoric” and upon closer examination, it was shown to contain carbon nano-tubes. 

John Smith is a scientist involved in the study and development of carbon nano-tubes.

These implants are a very strange part of an already very strange phenomenon. These are treated as quite dubious by a lot of researchers. I cannot even attempt to prove or disprove the conclusions of Dr. Leir. If his research is to be taken as genuinely legitimate, then we are dealing with a very strange mystery.

          *       *       * 

Just a few days ago, I was replying to an email from “John Smith” and while I was typing my cell phone rang. I answered, and it was him. I was working at an office, and I went outside so I wouldn’t need to worry about being guarded while talking in a room with other people.

I stood in the parking lot, and we talked for almost an hour.

He was articulating stuff that I feel at a deep level. He was just saying it out-loud, in a matter of fact tone.

I can’t do what he does, just SAY stuff. Instead, I’ll wrap any statement I make with words like “maybe” and “perhaps.” I just don’t trust myself enough to blurt out what I’m feeling. I don’t believe it in any kind of logical way, so I can’t say it.

He gently chided me on that, and said, if you know it’s so you really need to declare that, you are doing yourself a disservice by avoiding your truth. Easier said than done, for me anyway.

John makes some claims that are extremely challenging for me to believe, but - at some level - I find it’s the same thing I’m feeling. This is hard to articulate.

John and I met in person at a recent UFO conference. We had a few very intense conversations. We re-met in May through an on-line chat forum on Whitley Strieber's DREAMLAND web-site. After that we shared a bunch of emails, and I’ve assembled some of that dialog below. I’ve done a minimal amount of editing, mostly I’ve deleted anything too personal, and rearranged the order for clarity.



Mike C wrote: We met and talked at the UFO conference in Nevada in February. I’ve had a strange bit of weirdness, I've been meeting people our age (you and I are almost exactly the same age) with UFO experiences - AND - taking part in a documentary - AND - a history of depression.

John Smith replied: Hi Mike, I remember you! I'm glad you are getting your story out. I m not surprised we are the same age. There was a large "crop" of people like us in the early '60s, apparently.


Mike: When I came home from the conference in Nevada, I was in a state of deep anxiety. a weird (and unexplainable) compulsion (yes, that's the right word) to come forward with my story. I felt compelled to do something, it felt important (hard to articulate these feelings). And, like two days after getting home to Idaho - I started a BLOG where I share my experiences and memories.

John: Glad you started a Blog. That sort of thing is what the aliens want us to do these days. Yes, the main goal is the dissemination of the knowledge of the presence of extraterrestrials on Earth. They want publicity.

Mike: You spoke about a "crop" of people born in the 1960's, the implication is that there is a program (run by "them") of genetic alterations, that started back then. I've met a series of folks (you included) that seem to fit that "crop" and the checklist of similar life experiences is TOO much to be mere coincidence.

John: Yes, I have too. I seem to feel a connection to everyone I meet who is a fellow member. I think it is important that we help each other.


Mike: I've met a series of folks (you included) that seem to fit that "crop" and the checklist of similar life experiences is TOO much to be mere coincidence.

John: Yes, I have too. I seem to feel a connection to everyone I meet who is a fellow member. I think it is important that we help each other.

(a DREAMLAND forum member asks) John, what is the vintage of this "crop" that you and Mike are talking about?

John: 1955-1965

Mike: Have you met a bunch of these folks (this "crop")? Are you finding any kinship?

John: Yes, definitely. I felt a bond with you, and with all of the other people in the "crop". In my opinion, we have been genetically altered by the aliens. I have some proof of this from my own experiences
.

Mike: What are your thoughts about this "crop" that seems to be emerging - right now.

John: Our crop seemed to have the function of shaking up human society with unconventional ideas, and to change the fossilized status quo. We are (mostly) highly intelligent, creative, somewhat psychic, suspicious of authority, attracted to unconventional pursuits, and have a somewhat rebellious nature.

         (Okay, it sure feels like he’s describing me)

Mike: Recently, I had a conversation with another fellow that seems to match this crop, and he and I pondered how similar our stories were. He’s been very vocal about his experiences, and he’s been sharing them publicly.

He said, (and I'm paraphrasing from memory) "My girlfriend asks me what I want out of this, what do I want back from sharing these stories. It's not that I expect anything back, I feel like I have no control about coming forward - I simply HAVE to do it."

John: We are told, telepathically, to do it by them. It is a compulsion, put into our minds.

Mike: That is EXACTLY how I feel! And I don't understand why.

         (This is the heart of my quandary. I worry about my sanity because of this oppressive feeling)

John: As I said, they want publicity, at this stage of their agenda.

Mike: There are enormous stresses with this stuff, true enough. But, at the same time, I think society is evolving in a way that speaking about these issues is not as "marginalizing" as it might have been a decade ago.

John: Yes, I think you're right. The more intelligent people among us are starting to accept this.

Mike: That said, it can still be VERY challenging.

John: Yes. There is still the potential for career and relationship damage, ridicule, and ... harassment if one speaks publicly about this subject. It is political dynamite.

Mike: After starting the BLOG, the weirdness MULTIPLIED. I'm not kidding, it's like the internet is a giant amplifier of synchronicities.

John: I agree. What kind of weirdness have you experienced? That synchronicity thing is alien involvement, all the way.

Mike: Huge thanks for being open with this stuff. As silly as it sounds, my sanity may depend on it. It feels important to share this stuff.

You speak of your experiences with a vast amount of insight, and knowledge. It goes way beyond simply saying: "I have some faint memories." (and that's where I'm at, just some fuzzy memories)

John: Thanks, I still need to remember a lot more, consciously, though. I began to get more conscious memories after starting hypnosis sessions. Have you tried it yet? I get a lot of unconscious memories, though, where I know I know things about the aliens and the phenomenon, and stuff that they have taught me, but often do not have conscious memories to go with the knowledge.

Mike:
I have attempted hypnosis with four different hypnotherapists, and nothing has emerged. Mostly, I feel utterly blocked. I feel like the DVD player when the image gets frozen and I can't use the clicker to get past that one frame (in particular dealing with the ORANGE FLASH story).

John: You probably know some things they do not want talked about yet. I am mostly blocked from conscious memories, but not completely. If you ever do remember anything, don't be surprised if some of it disturbs you at first.

(a DREAMLAND forum member asks) Do abductees have higher rates of depression?

John: Yes, definitely. It causes all kinds of personal problems when you have a secret life, so totally unlike your normal one, which you only remember bits and pieces of.

Whitley Strieber replies to the same question: [About abductees having higher rates of depression] They almost have to. I know that, by about 1993, I was very seriously contemplating suicide, not because of the abductions but because of the way society had responded, calling me a liar, laughing at me, etc.

Mike: The depression aspect of this phenomenon is a very real pattern (from my anecdotal observations, and personally). Have you dealt with any depression in your life? I'm genuinely curious.

John: Yes. I used to get depressed a lot, but not recently. I'm having a lot of fun these days.

(The DREAMLAND forum administrator asks) It strikes me that if they wanted implant information to come to light, they could do it totally anonymously via various methods. So I wonder if the exposure of the implant technology isn't the real goal, but rather trying to goad us to questioning who created them, what they are doing, or just the very existence of extra terrestrial life. Otherwise it would seem a pretty cumbersome way to convey technical knowledge. Thoughts?

Whitley Strieber replies: Their whole presence here seems, at least in part, to be about forcing us to face questions that we cannot bear and cannot answer. Burning questions that can't be put out! This greatly exercises the mind, for one thing.

Mike: Question to Whitley: I can't help but think (feel?) that the events surrounding "John" and his implant, you and Dr. Leir - were all somehow orchestrated. I mean, he sees a doctor about an implant in his foot, and Dr. Lear is a podiatrist doing implant research? Did this happen just so this story could come forward, in an intriguing way, with such tight fitting puzzle pieces. Does this make sense?

Whitley Strieber replies: The whole UFO-close encounter phenomenon is, to an extent, orchestrated, I think. It has a very 'on-stage' quality that induces intense questioning. What ARE these things in the sky? Why ARE people being abducted? What do implants do? Are they dangerous or not? It is intended to be this way, I feel sure.

(a DREAMLAND forum member asks)
John, do you wish now that you'd left it in?

John: No, I was supposed to have it removed. They knew I would start an investigation, and wanted this information to come to light. They are entering a phase of their agenda where they want some publicity, so that those who are ready to accept them will know they are here.

          *       *       *

Let me add that I have a small straight razor like scar on the inside of my left nostril. It showed up about 2000 (I think) and I have no idea how I got it. That’s a story for another blog posting.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

a shared pattern?

Over a year ago (February, 08) I was in Laughlin Nevada attending the annual UFO conference. At the time I was actively involved with the production of a documentary on the alien abduction phenomenon. My story and foggy memories are featured prominently in the footage. Alas, in the last year, the project has been on hold.

During the 8-day conference in Laughlin I sat and watched a presentation by Dolores Cannon, a researcher who uses hypnosis in her ongoing work with past-life regressions. I found her presentation quite intriguing, and I was bewildered by her findings. She has been receiving fascinating information through her hypnosis subjects. There has been on-going communications from, quite literally, alien spirits in other dimensions. She’s written a load of books featuring these communications.

Dolores Cannon is a past-life regressionist and hypnotherapist who specializes in the recovery and cataloging of lost knowledge.
She has been a UFO investigator for over twenty years.

Midway through her talk, she described a reoccurring theme in her research. She recounted a pattern with a specific set of similarities; men in their mid-40's who have had UFO encounters in the 1970's, have a depressive episode in their 30's and now they are coming forward with their stories in a very dramatic way.

I sat there in the audience and recognized the pattern. That was ME, and I knew it.

I fit the checklist. I was 45 at the time, I saw a very vivid UFO in the nighttime sky in 1974, and I had a missing time event, also in 1974. I spent my early 30's dealing with clinical depression - and I am involved in a documentary on the UFO abduction phenomenon, where I speak openly about my memories.

When I heard Dolores say that these men, “...are coming forward with their stories in a very dramatic way,” I felt my heart sink. My involvement with the documentary certainly seemed to fit the definition of dramatic.

After the presentation I went up to talk with Dolores at her book signing table. She is a very sweet grandmother character, and she was very easy to approach. I said hello, and then I asked her about that “pattern” of men she described during her presentation.

She was strangely dismissive, and she seemed to evade my question. This took me by surprise, and I pressed her a little bit, but her reaction made me uncomfortable. After that I backed away. I was embarrassed and I didn’t know why.

In the months that followed I was haunted by her statements during the presentation, and her odd reaction to my question. Something bugged me about it, and from that point on I kept a lookout for anyone who fit that pattern.

In October of that same year (2008) I went to another conference in New Jersey. It was put on by Jeremy Vaeni and a crew of East-coast experiencers called the CULTURE OF CONTACT.

During my time there I met David Biedny, one of the hosts of an excellent online audio podcast called THE PARACAST. I was a regular listener to the show, and I recognized David’s voice in the small crowd. We talked and shared some stories. I was very familiar with David’s paranormal experiences, because he had shared them on his show. I also guessed (from comments on the show) that we were about the same age. I told him about the Dolores Cannon presentation, and the “pattern” she described.

David was 46, the same age as me, he had a dramatic UFO sighting in Venezuela in 1974, he has a history of depression - and - he was coming forward in a dramatic way, by sharing his stories on his podcast.

I asked him when he got inspired to do the audio program.

He replied, “About two and a half years ago.”

That was the same as me, I was inspired to begin the documentary about two and a half years earlier. We both told curious stories about actual the genesis of our projects. It was strange, and I felt like we bonded in a really nice way.

A little while later at that same conference, we all went into the main theater to watch a documentary. The lights went down, and I sat in the dark for the next 90 minutes watching a very insightful overview of the UFO abduction phenomenon.

As the film unfolded I became more and more bewildered. This film was almost exactly the premise that I proposed for my documentary project. I had written a 2-page proposal that I gave to the producer in 2006 describing my vision for the film. Later, the producer convinced me to change the focus from the points in the proposal. He was adamant that the narrative of the film should focus on me - and my memories. (That’s a story for a future posting)

The documentary looked like it was created using the bulleted points from my 2006 proposal. Here is an excerpt from that document:
The vision of this project would be to avoid any temptation to present the people involved within the framework of a scary movie. The presentation should be serious and respectful to the subjects, they should tell their story in the full light of day. The narrative must unfold with the idea that something is happening, and to simply let people tell their story.
This was exactly the respectful tone in this excellent documentary. I was enormously impressed, and the film managed to include a lot of information that isn’t normally covered in the standard exploitative TV productions we see late at night on cable.

I’ll add that David Huggins gets interviewed in this movie.

The documentary ends and lights come up in the theater. I was shocked, it felt like a mere 15 minutes had elapsed, but the documentary was an hour and a half long.

I went into the lobby, and there was the film maker (I’ll call him Joe, not his real name) and I went right up to him. I feel like some of my social niceties had faded away, and after I introduced myself, I simply blurted out some questions.

I asked, “How old are you?”

Joe replied, “47.”

“Have you had any of your own experiences with this phenomenon?”

“Oh yes.”

“Any history of depression?”

“Yes.”

Right then, I felt like I had fallen down the rabbit hole.


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


Okay - I had just met two men, in the same room, who matched the “pattern” that Dolores Cannon described. (and yes, I know, it was at a UFO conference) But there was something nagging at me about that presentation in Laughlin, and what she said. It bugged me, and I needed an answer.

In January of this year (2009) I went on-line and found that I could easily order DVD’s of the presentations from the Laughlin UFO conferences. I put $19.95 on my credit card and a week later the disc arrived in my mailbox. I opened the envelope and put it in my DVD player and watched all 90 minutes of it. And then I watched it again.

And - She NEVER says it.

Huh? Okay, this wigged me out. She does NOT tell of the pattern I remember vividly her saying. She does described other patterns, but nothing that matches what I recalled.

Oh jeeez, what do I make of this?

The DVD is definitely the same presentation I sat through. As far as I can tell, no dialogue was edited out, and I recognized people in the audience that asked questions at the end. This was, most assuredly, from the exact same 2008 conference.

Am I insane? I asked myself that repeatedly. I’m still not sure how to answer that.

The story continues.

At this year’s 2009 Laughlin conference I met a fellow named “John Smith” (a pseudonym) and he was 48 years old, and he’s been dealing with ongoing abduction events, and he is the subject of a documentary. He told me, "I used to get depressed a lot." His story involves the surgical removal of an extremely strange implant by Dr. Roger Lear.

I'll add that he is a scientist working at the cutting edge of nano-technology, focusing on extremely tiny carbon-tubes. And the implant that was removed from his toe was shown to reveal advanced nano-carbon-tubes.


Later, after I started this blog, I began an e-mail dialogue (and a phone call) with fellow blogger Michael MacDonald. He’s 47, he directed a documentary on the alien abduction phenomenon in 2007, he began a blog in 2009, he’s experienced curios paranormal incidents and occasional bouts of mild depression. Okay, this is the WEIRDEST thing to me - Michael and myself started our BLOGs (before meeting each other) less than 24 hours apart! And, we both have beautiful Scottish last names.

I posted a story about the funny similarities between myself and Michael MacDonald, and less than 24 hours after that went on-line I received a comment from a fellow named Dave (a pseudonym).

His note to me starts with, “I must say I'm LITERALLY shaking from the synchronicity.”

Dave goes on to explain that he is 47 years old, he has started a documentary project on crop circle (and abduction) researcher Barbara Lamb, he’s beginning a pod-cast in 2009 interviewing abductees, he’s had on-going experiences that seems to imply some sort of abduction events, he has a history of depression - and - he has a beautiful Scottish last name.

Okay - I’m trying to keep this all clear, not just to you the reader, but to myself.

In less than a year I've met FIVE people, each under curious circumstances who fit that elusive Dolores Cannon checklist, a list that was plainly spoken in my imagination.

I clearly heard her, but she never said it.

Somehow this defined pattern entered my memory through a cute grandmother who channels information from alien spirits in other dimensions.

I share a bunch of other curious similarities with these five men. I feel like I should make up some sort of flow chart to try and quantify and list the weird overlapping of identical factors.

I recently told this (long winded) story to two pals in a tent in Alaska. At the end I asked, "Does this seem weird to you? Because it seems weird to me." They both treated me as ridiculous that I would even ask that question.

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* David - Age 46, began pod-casting about his experiences in 2007, he had a vivid UFO sighting in 1974, life-long experiencer of high-strangeness, history of depression.

* “Joe” - Age 47, directed a documentary on the alien abduction phenomenon in 2007, life-long experiencer, history of depression.

* Michael - Age 47, directed a documentary on the alien abduction phenomenon in 2007, began a paranormal focused blog in March 2009, life-long paranormal events, occasional mild depression. Beautiful Scottish last name.

* "Dave" - Age 47, began a documentary project on (alien abductee) Barbara Lamb in 2008, beginning a pod-cast in 2009 interviewing abductees, on-going contact events, history of depression. Beautiful Scottish last name.

* And, "John Smith" - Age 48, subject of a documentary project in 2008, on-going contact and abduction events, history of depression.

* Mike Clelland (myself) - Age 46, began a documentary on the alien abduction phenomenon in 2007, began a paranormal focused blog in March 2009, on-going paranormal events, a vivid UFO sighting in 1974, history of clinical depression. Beautiful Scottish last name.


Text added Jan 2013
I have been keeping an on-going list of people who fit this pattern. I really haven't been digging to find them, they just seem to appear as I proceed forward into other parts of my research. Presently, I am up to 44 people.

And, here is an essay (linked HERE) written by one someone born in 1962 and it involves meeting someone born in 1962.
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Text added Feb 23, 2013
This was originally posted on June 2, 2009. June 2nd reads as 6/2 or '62.
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Saturday, March 21, 2009

trying to capture a memory with a pen

This image was drawn as a quick little sketch in about 1994. I added the grey tones, using a computer, in 2008. Click on the drawing for a hi-res view.


This drawing represents the same 1993 memory in the posting below.

Here's the story of this drawing. For obvious reasons, that faint memory out my window bugged me. And, maybe about a year after the 1993 night-time event (maybe more) I doodled this little drawing on a page with some other scribbles. I didn’t dwell on it, I just quickly sketched it, and I remember thinking, "Ewww, that's kinda creepy."

And, I promptly put the drawing away in a drawer and forgot about it.

About a year ago, I found it again. It had been well over ten years since I had drawn it. It was just a little sketch, merely black ink lines on a piece of white paper. The memory was of a dark room, and the drawing didn't capture that. So I scanned it onto my computer and added some B&W tones. Using photoshop to create the darker image, with the bight light outside, seemed to accurately capture my dim recollection. The memory was of five spindly entities, I am sure of that, but the drawing only shows only two.

The much more precise follow-up drawing (in the post below) was created last summer in a sort of compulsive flurry.

After coloring in the little sketch, I realized I simply had to finally draw up another more detailed picture. It had been bugging me, and I've avoided doing it. But I needed to do this drawing. So, I forced myself to sit at my desk and I finally drew this more detailed image. Please understand, this was not an easy process to draw, I felt anxious and obsessive as I put the ink on the paper.

The final illustration feels pretty close. I clearly remember five entities, and they were lined up in the snow. But this drawing seems a little TOO tidy, I don't think it was so orderly, they weren’t standing in such perfect sync. And, I feel like I saw them walking, but I can't be sure.

The back lighting is pretty much the way I remember it. It seemed to flood into the room.

* * *

I’ll add that there have been a series of comments from people who have read the post below. They (quite correctly) point out that this could be some sort of dream state that I am confusing with reality. Sleep apnea or a hypnogogic hallucination are appropriate terms. Please know, that I recognize that potential, and my logical mind would agree completely. But, the “metaphysical” side of my mind is quite conflicted. I simply can’t allow myself to declare this memory as real or imagined. It seems weirder than either.

I’ll also add that I never looked in the yard for any evidence. It would have been very easy to just walk outside and look at the snow. I didn’t do that, at the time I forthrightly dismissed it as a dream, so why would I?
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