Emotional baggage, where did it all start?
Our first lot of baggage comes from being part of a fallen race, being born separated from God. Adam and Eve had all their needs met by God. They had security, a sense of belonging, a sense of worth and felt completely loved by God. They didn’t know what it was like to be needy or rejected. All that changed at the time of the fall. All these things that they had taken for granted became needs.
People’s behavior then became motivated to get their needs met, like our need for security, our need to belong and our need to feel of worth. Our need for food and shelter became work. This drive to get our needs met is what we inherited from Adam. Think about it – Why do we work? Why do we get married? I could make a long list … But it makes sense, doesn’t it? All the things we do are motivated by a need, often in the unconscious.
Sometimes the way we get the need met isn’t so healthy. For example, a young girl who becomes promiscuous is often searching to get a ‘need for love’ met. But she’s searching in the wrong place, unaware of the underlying need for love. Getting involved in a drug type sub culture probably has more to do with a need to be accepted, to have a sense of belonging than really enjoying the drugs.
What next?
Start becoming aware of your underlying needs. Examine your behavior. Do some detective work to find out what the underlying need could be that you’re trying to get met. This is particularly the case when the behavior is really unhelpful.
Frustration at being unable to get one’s needs met can get one down. Examining your underlying needs can help your on the journey of overcoming depression.