I started researching stoicism quite some time ago, after a conversation with my brother about handling difficulties in life. I also looked into other schools of thought, such as epicureanism, although I probably took more from stoic philosophy.

It fit very well with what I was already trying to do - control my mind and my reactions to life. I found it quite interesting and practical that ancient people used to teach methods for doing this. Given the rising rates of mental illness in this country, I wonder if it could be helpful to revise and bring back similar teachings for modern people. Of course, I can already see criticisms ranging from 'government brainwashing' to 'stigmatizing people with mental illness by suggesting they can exert control over their minds.' As helpful as these concepts are for individuals, they could be quite controversial in large scale practice.