Dr. Rothschild - The Effects of Self on the Search for Beauty
When I was in my freshman year of high school, my mom took me to see her naturalist doctor to “talk about my feelings”. I had been struggling through a depressive episode, and my mom was not equipped to help, so I went.
She was an older woman, probably in her late sixties, and her name was Dr. Rothschild. I only visited her once because her recommendation to cure my depression was to use essential oils. It left something to be desired. The important moment, however, was the diagnosis, “You might have depression.” To many, the diagnosis would be a nightmare to hear, but to me it was cathartic. My parents were worried that things would be different now that I had this term attached to me. That was not the case for me. I finally had a name for what had been going on throughout my life, and why I would go through phases of not feeling like myself. This led me to begin studying mental processes through psychology – a field in which I find purpose and meaning. I understand that not everyone enjoys labels, and I know that I am much more than any diagnosis; however, I think seeking to understand the ways in which your genetic predispositions affect your relationship with your surrounding environment can provide insight into the ways we experience beauty. While Dr. Rothschild certainly did not cure my depression with rose and peppermint oils (although I do enjoy them), she gave me a beautiful moment of clarity that was the basis for further exploration of self.
She was an older woman, probably in her late sixties, and her name was Dr. Rothschild. I only visited her once because her recommendation to cure my depression was to use essential oils. It left something to be desired. The important moment, however, was the diagnosis, “You might have depression.” To many, the diagnosis would be a nightmare to hear, but to me it was cathartic. My parents were worried that things would be different now that I had this term attached to me. That was not the case for me. I finally had a name for what had been going on throughout my life, and why I would go through phases of not feeling like myself. This led me to begin studying mental processes through psychology – a field in which I find purpose and meaning. I understand that not everyone enjoys labels, and I know that I am much more than any diagnosis; however, I think seeking to understand the ways in which your genetic predispositions affect your relationship with your surrounding environment can provide insight into the ways we experience beauty. While Dr. Rothschild certainly did not cure my depression with rose and peppermint oils (although I do enjoy them), she gave me a beautiful moment of clarity that was the basis for further exploration of self.
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