Seneca’s “prozac ” For Those Who No Longer Want To Suffer

El prozac de Séneca  (Seneca’s prozac) is a drug-book that, through a philosophical-psychological perspective, makes us understand how rich we are materially and poor spiritually. One proof is certainly the increase in the consumption of drugs such as Prozac or the like, which have become inseparable travel companions for millions of people.

There are those who still make extensive use of these drugs, without realizing that instead of eliminating the suffering, they do nothing but hide the symptoms. However, there are also people who think that drugs are not the solution.

And it is to these people that Clay Newman, the author of the book in question, turns, inspired by the revealing phrases of Seneca, senator of the Roman Empire during the government of Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero, whose writings foment Stoic philosophy and they are full of the wisdom needed to learn to be happy.

The source of our suffering is usually to think that our way of seeing life is the only possible one and that, therefore, those who think differently are wrong. In fact, we tend to surround ourselves with like-minded people, considering them reasonable and intelligent.

When our principles or values ​​collide with those of other people or circumstances far from our way of seeing things, we enter a phase of psychological malaise that causes us suffering.

Why don’t we question our way of thinking?

Seneca also said so, ignorance is the germ of unhappiness and unhappiness is the root from which worries and conflicts flourish. There is no human being in the world who voluntarily suffers. People want to be happy, but in general they have no idea how to do it.

Since the most common lies are the ones we tell ourselves, instead of questioning our principles and starting a process of personal change, most of us remain anchored in victimhood, indignation, helplessness or resignation..

Let’s stop looking beyond. Self-deception is a deficit of honesty. Honesty can be very painful at first, but in the long run it is liberating. It allows us to face the truth about who we are and how we relate to our inner world.

The only thing that prevents us from being happy is us

Seneca and his Stoic philosophy believed that one can achieve tranquility and freedom only by moving away from material things and external luck, dedicating oneself to a life guided by the principles of reason and virtue, by imperturbability. This vision of life has also been taken up by oriental philosophical currents and, currently, by the new generations of psychology.

Our interpretations related to our emotional reactions make us suffer and make us conflict with ourselves. In other words, we are responsible for our suffering. Repressed pain can make us susceptible and belligerent people. Choosing to take a victim attitude will make us move forward without understanding that the cause of our suffering has nothing to do with the stimulus in question, but with our reaction to the stimulus.

In reality, we are the only ones capable of upsetting ourselves, we are and will always be the cause of our suffering. Others can kill us physically, but on a spiritual level only we have the power to harm us. In addition to taking place in our minds, this illusory war causes a series of emotional consequences such as guilt, resentment, resentment, hatred, retribution and the desire for revenge.

These emotions are the result of an excessive, subjective and distorted interpretation of some facts and emotions of the past. However, past events affect our current network of relationships, preventing us from moving into the future, revealing a lack of forgiveness.

The ability to forgive develops when we get rid of the pain we cause ourselves because we don’t know how to relate in a pro-active, constructive and harmonious way.