The Writer As Activist

Author Eric Shapiro in the Role of Activist Discusses Alternative Mental Health in Further Detail.
Prior to the publication of my debut novel, "Short of a Picnic," which deals with mental health, I started penning nonfiction online essays about two years ago. I prefer to say "deal" with mental health rather than "dealt" with mental health because people are still reading all of these essays—there are five or six of them. Some individuals still read them; they send me emails relating their own experiences and asking me to elaborate. The fact that the parts have sprouted up in different spots without my intervention further proves that they are not only alive, but also proliferating.

Even the back of the book informs readers that "Short of a Picnic" portrays mentally sick persons without offering cures. The focus of my nonfiction pieces, on the other hand, is on solutions. Here we have the two sides of the coin that is my mental illness. I've been down many dark alleys, yet I've also tasted relief. I had no idea that writing about the latter would captivate so many people. My thick skin is on full display here; I foolishly thought my readers would be more interested in the dramatic, darker aspects of my life (the fiction) than in the more positive, uplifting aspects (the nonfiction). Young people like me tend to lose sight of how much the general public enjoys happy endings.
The irony is high: the very writings I wrote to promote my book have become an activist by mistake since they have become famous for themselves. I failed to recognise the significance of sharing my inspiring story until I began to receive positive feedback from readers. The power, nevertheless, is now clear to me. And I will use it (both here and elsewhere) to help those who are down and out. Compared to my earlier essays, this one is far more ambitious. I will argue broadly in support of complementary and alternative medicine for mental health. I have previously promoted acupuncture, talked about the allure of spirituality, and cast doubt on the usefulness of diagnosis. Please give me a moment to gather my thoughts. Permit me to elucidate the efficacy of alternative remedies. I appreciate your time and attention, but I think you should go somewhere if you don't require persuasion. But I sincerely offer the following to you, for those of you who are suffering, for those of you who hate to wake up, for those of you who think you can't take it any more.
The author of this piece has a long history of exploring alternative medicine practices including macrobiotics, acupuncture, shiatsu, homoeopathy, massage, and reflexology. I will try my best to describe how each of these healing modalities works. Since I do not pretend to be an expert and am not, my explanations will avoid using a lot of technical terms. I am only an astonished and delighted observer.
A swift reprimand is in order for all doubters before I proceed. Those acclaimed modern philosophers Penn and Teller made a half-hearted effort to refute alternative health in an episode of Showtime's appropriately named series "Bullshit!" that I recently watched. None of their analysis went beyond having a few conventional doctors shout "It's all nonsense!" into the camera. There is no denying the obvious contrast between conventional and alternative medicine. The first one deals with diseases, whereas the second one helps people. While the latter seeks to promote overall harmony, the former seeks to eradicate symptoms. On one hand, you have the defensive, and on the other hand, you have the proactive. Both schools of thought have merit, in my opinion. Every person has their own opinion. However, alternative medicine is more appealing to me.
In addition to a plethora of additional concepts that would be tedious to list here, one is strongly advised to embrace the following two when engaging with alternative medicine: The human body has an innate capacity to heal itself, and medical intervention can activate this capacity. (2) Skilled healers can assist us in restoring harmony to our energy bodies, which are formed of very delicate substances that, when disrupted, can cause illness.
It is not necessary to have faith in these concepts in order to recover, but knowing them will help you make sense of alternative medicine. At first glance, the first premise seems more reliable than the second, as we can all agree that our own survival is dependent on some external factor. Whatever you want to call it—"God," "matter," "the flow"—the fact remains that every one of us has an inner engine that drives us forward in life. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that this engine contains a mending and sustaining component. When wounds heal into scabs and waste is expelled from the body, we observe this element at work. Constant efficiency is what our bodies aim for. Improving this inherent efficacy is the role of the alternative health practitioner.
More red flags are raised by the second principle, which states that energy must be present. Unhappily, the idea has an aura of "hocus pocus." Energy does not immediately appeal to our five senses, yet people tend to believe things based on sight, sound, taste, and smell. Then how can one believe that a healer can restore equilibrium to an insensitive part of herself? The most effective course of action is to see a practitioner of alternative medicine and "see" for oneself. The current response is that we shouldn't rule out post-sensory possibilities just because our senses connect our internal and external environments. Does it really seem that we could be able to perceive everything with just our five senses? What exactly is so fundamentally illogical about believing in energy when the majority of us believe in God? Because they have exchanged energy, most people leave a talk feeling different than when they entered. There is no such thing as energy; all things are energy. Over time, a trained healer can establish rapport with this most basic level of being.
There is harmony in my energies and inspiration from my "inner physician" thanks to the following healing modalities. To put it more simply: the following healing modalities have all contributed to transforming my mind from a painful and uncomfortable realm into one of relative tranquilly (though, of course, I still experience times of agony, just like everyone else). I am overwhelmed with hope and peace knowing that I have access to these medicines whenever I need them. If you're sick of living under constant mental stress, get out your Yellow Pages, find a skilled practitioner, and enjoy the relief that follows. But if that doesn't work, I'll have to borrow a line from a 'Glengarry Glen Ross' salesman: 'Your excuses are your own'.
Japanese acupuncture. In my experience, acupuncture has been quite effective. Needle phobia? Not to worry; acupuncture needles are so thin that you can hardly feel them. Several places on the patient's body are carefully targeted by the needles, which can number as few as three or four. Acupressure has a real effect on the patient's energy; it has moved me to tears, as it has for many others. Floating on a cloud is a typical reaction after visiting an acupuncturist.
The Shiatzu: From what I can tell, shiatsu is essentially needle-free acupuncture. Fingers used in shiatsu massage target certain spots on the body. When it comes to energy, I actually think shiatsu is kinder and gentler than acupuncture. That is to say, compared to acupuncture clouds, shiatsu clouds are even more delicate.
the homoeopathic approach: Relaxing on a table is not a part of homoeopathy, unlike the previous two. Homoeopaths often give patients sweet-tasting mixtures called "remedies." Medications have the appearance of small white pills and the flavour of exotic sweets. You just need to wait a little bit after sprinkling a cure under your tongue. It's really that easy. The trained homoeopath will have carefully considered your medical history, made extensive notes, and then chosen the most suitable medicine (from a catalogue of thousands) to treat your condition. After a few of weeks of trying it, if it still doesn't help, you try something else. In my own experience, homoeopathy has only yielded moderate results. On the other hand, my childhood seizure-afflicted relative has been seizure-free for more than ten years after taking just one remedy. Homoeopathy is a religion to him and his immediate family. Because these are respectable individuals with generally good judgement, I'll include homoeopathy on this list.
Therapeutic massage. I count myself among the select few who have the good fortune to be married to a massage therapist. I will try not to boast about her, but it is great when she alleviates my headache in just 90 seconds. For those suffering from moderate mental health issues, such as occasional anxiety, shallow depression (meaning "shallow" in the literal sense, not the superficial sense!), sleeplessness, transitional stress, etc., massage therapy is an excellent choice. Within thirty minutes of beginning massage therapy, I was calmed down during a five-alarm panic attack I had once. A good massage might help you fall asleep more easily and dream more vividly. Rumour has it that Bob Hope got a massage every single day for the rest of his life. This entire century.
A study of reflexology. Penn and Teller may be wrong, but your feet really do serve as a blueprint for your body. Each section of your foot represents a different component of your body. Because of this, all my girlfriend (who is a reflexologist!) has to do to alleviate my sinus pain is massage my toes. Relaxing and incredibly effective, reflexology is a must-try. Anyone who is about to have their first taste of it is about to be envious of me.
What is a macrobiotic diet? "What could my diet possibly have to do with my mental illness?" Following my acupuncturist's advice to eat better, I found myself asking that same thing. I wish I had listened to her counsel three years ago. Nothing could have stopped me from indulging in my pasta, burgers, potato chips, and bologna sandwiches. Meat, dairy, sugar, coffee, and alcohol are no longer part of my diet. In my case, I've adapted the classic macrobiotic diet to my specific needs. Soy, tempeh, veggies, and fruit have helped me cleanse my body (and, more crucially, my brain) of harmful pollutants. Almost no obsessive thoughts have troubled me since I started practicing this. Am I prone to having bad days? The way things are, my darling. My energy level is over the roof, my body feels lighter, and my thoughts are clearer than ever before.
Because of my limited familiarity with these healing modalities, I have omitted yoga, meditation, energy healing, reiki, herbs, aromatherapy, somato emotional release, magnet therapy, and others. However, my trust in alternative medicine allows me to have faith in each of them. It has been quite respectful to me. It has transformed my thinking into a more positive, healthy, and secure space. I can't just chalk this up to luck. Also, it's not because I'm naive. Simply put, it is effective. Suffering readers have a choice: believe my account or stay mired in despair.
Typically, I prefer to end my pieces with strong, concise one-liners, which are like punchlines in nonfiction. Since I am not interested in this essay, I will not do that with it. You own it. Take it, put it aside, or ignore it. That's all I can say. Yes, it is yours.
Oh my goodness!

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