Mental Health, Acedia, and Melancholy

“Acedia is not a relic of the fourth century or a hang-up of some weird Christian monks, but a force we ignore at our peril. Whenever we focus on the foibles of celebrities to the detriment of learning more about the real world- the emergence of fundamentalist religious and nationalist movements, the economic factors endangering our reefs and rain forests, the social and ecological damage caused by factory farming - acedia is at work. Wherever we run to escape it, acedia is there, propelling us to 'the next best thing,' another paradise to revel in and wantonly destroy. It also sends us backward, prettying the past with the gloss of nostalgia. Acedia has come so far with us that it easily attached to our hectic and overburdened schedules. We appear to be anything but slothful, yet that is exactly what we are, as we do more and care less, and feel pressured to do still more.”

                       Kathleen Norris, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer's Life

Last Sunday the new CBC radio program The Sunday Magazine with host Piya Chattopadhyay included an interview with classics professor, Peter Toohey about a state of mind and spirit called acedia. Since the early days of Christianity acedia has been the term to describe the emotional state which includes anxiety, lethargy and apathy and more. 

You may know that one of the Seven Deadly Sins is sloth, which is sometimes defined as laziness.In fact, in ancient times this supposedly deadly sin was known as acedia and described the indifference of religious persons to obligations and commitments to God. Along the way Toohey also spoke of melancholy, another word which is rarely used anymore. The discussion caused me to think of a book by Kathleen Norris, quoted above

This was fascinating because we are more inclined to use the term depression than either of those old-timey words. This is Mental Health Day, an important occasion to consider the debilitating effects of mental illness and the importance of honesty and societal support for those experiencing it. We can be grateful for all the famous entertainers and athletes and others who have come out of the shadows of stigma to identify their mental health challenges so that others can realize they are not alone.

I wonder if it would be helpful to use the clinical language to describe mental illness,  and at the same time return the terms acedia and melancholy to our vocabularies? I find that the twin pandemics of COVID and the Climate Emergency have been demons which affect me deeply even though there is lots I do to stay healthy in body, mind, and spirit. I exercise almost every day, usually outside, and I pray in both formal and informal ways. In recent weeks I've returned to in-person worship, which is uplifting. Just the same my spirit has been battered by periods of separation from our children and grandchildren. it seems that much of what seemed to be foundational in my everyday life is the same. 

Am I depressed because of this unsettled season in my life and the life of the planet? Perhaps I am, by times,although melancholy or acedia might better describe this sense of dis-ease I experience. I do think that recognizing that this may also be a profound and even paralyzing spiritual malaise is important. 

In the end, though, this isn't an either/or situation.  Mental Health Day is the reminder of how important it is to support each other and to seek clinical help, if necessary. This year's theme of kindness is certainly timely, especially in a year of finger-pointing and polarization.  

Thoughts?