Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

npr.org

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

51–60 of 301 posts

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#51

Post by smaddox »

JeremyBanks wrote: post #36
tabtab wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A lot of creative and successful ideas come from people of borderline/questionable mental health. That may the be reason these conditions exist in the gene pool: somebody has to ruffle feathers every now and then to keep societies from becoming stale. However, the journey may not always be pleasant.

The problem with that kind of evolutionary argument is that it requires the product of that creativity to impart a reproductive advantage to the creator and their close relatives. However, creations are often easily copied, producing a broader benefit that negates the evolutionary advantage. It's not impossible, but it's a tricky thing to argue.

A more complete analysis requires taking into account that epigenetics can allow such traits to be deactivated in most individuals and that humans are an extremely social species. These details combine to make natural selection of such complex traits both possible and beneficial to the social group.

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#52

Post by kingsloi »

avgDev wrote: post #28

The more you know about the world and tech especially, the more you will get depressed, IMO, maybe I'm wrong. Humans in general are pretty shitty, driven mostly by self-interest. I guess there are people driven by doing good but most people are capable of doing terrible things, especially when in a group. I do suffer from existential depression, I'm generally pretty happy, but as I learn more and live longer my outlo…

I just made HN account to reply to this, as I feel like I suffer with "existential depression" too. I had never heard of that before, so thanks for commenting.

As I get older, the more I read, it just seems to be always doom and gloom. The obviousness that's occurring to things around us. I'm a natural born worrier anyway, but as I get older I think more about "existence". My wife and I plan to have kids, but then I'll lay there awake at night and part of me thinks, why? I don't think we're heading to a particularly nice place.

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#53

Post by GlenTheMachine »

This was precisely my wife's symptoms when we were first married. She was angry nearly all the time. She could hold it together in public, but at home it was miserable. She would go a full day at a time, alternatively not speaking, stomping around and throwing things, and yelling.

It took a long time for her to be correctly diagnosed. It wasn't clear to me that depression was the issue, because as discussed in the article, anger isn't usually associated with depression. And it wasn't clear to her either, because in her mind all of her anger was justified. Most of it was my fault.

I had to keep telling myself that, no, it wasn't my fault. I wish I had had a support group or something but I didn't know that such things existed.

Happily, she did eventually find a doctor who worked with her to get a correct diagnosis and figure out the right meds (in her case, a specific SSRI. But everyone is different). She is a thousand percent better now - she's back to being the woman I married. But without diagnosis and treatment, we would not be married today.

If you have frequent anxiety attacks accompanied by anger, violent or not, definitely consider depression as a possible cause. If you are living with someone with these symptoms, get yourself some support. If your partner's anger turns to violence, for your own wellbeing, leave. Even if you are a man, abused spouse centers should help you.

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#54

Post by OldFatCactus »

ganzuul wrote: post #46
OldFatCactus wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Did you experience abdominal pain before cutting these items out of your diet?

I had pain everywhere. I thought it was normal.

Wow I'm happy for you that you were able to find relief via dietary changes

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#55

Post by gabriel34 »

avgDev wrote: post #28

The more you know about the world and tech especially, the more you will get depressed, IMO, maybe I'm wrong. Humans in general are pretty shitty, driven mostly by self-interest. I guess there are people driven by doing good but most people are capable of doing terrible things, especially when in a group. I do suffer from existential depression, I'm generally pretty happy, but as I learn more and live longer my outlo…

I disagree, depression is a disease, not a worldview. One can be cynical/pessimist/whatever and not have this affect his day to day, impede him from achieving goals, paralyze him or bring him to suicide. People in bad situations can have positive, active, non-depressive reactions. One can also be depressed and not care two bits about shitty people.

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#56

Post by grawprog »

Ya...I figured this out a while ago. I figure it's because it's easier to be angry than depressed, at least in the short term. When you're angry it feels like you're doing something, even if you're not. It takes your energy and attention away from whatever is making you depressed(likely something that can't really be changed easily) and focusses it on something tangible you can lash out at.

I've come to learn over the years it doesn't really help and you end up feeling worse after because you add on the regret about whatever you did when you were mad to the already existent depresseion and it ends up building up and continuing in a cycle that gets worse. The more angry you get, the more depressed you get which in turn makes you more angry next time.

This is what i've kind of learned over the years. I've also found I regret just about every decision i've ever made while angry.

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#57

Post by gbear605 »

ganzuul wrote: post #44
peteradio wrote: post #29

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Glyphosate?

Who knows. When I eat too much wheat I feel like I have a hangover for two days. Over here they started adding selenium to the soil in 60s, and my grandmother tells me no one complained about bread making them sick before that. Perhaps it's that additive that makes tractor fuel oil exhaust blue, or too much selective breeding without thought to nutrition, or some kind of preservation practice which 99% of people don'…

Or the 1% was unknown

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#58

Post by coleifer »

avgDev wrote: post #28

The more you know about the world and tech especially, the more you will get depressed, IMO, maybe I'm wrong. Humans in general are pretty shitty, driven mostly by self-interest. I guess there are people driven by doing good but most people are capable of doing terrible things, especially when in a group. I do suffer from existential depression, I'm generally pretty happy, but as I learn more and live longer my outlo…

In my head I refer to this perspective as "this toilet earth". And it's easy to get swept away by it. The antidote is in your own heart, and in the hearts of all people. An unselfish, hidden act of love. Taking actions that align with what we commonly understand to be good, kind and unselfish have literally changed the way I think and the way I see (most of the time, right?). I could never think myself into acceptance of the world, but by taking actions my perception has changed without any effort.

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#59

Post by teh_infallible »

This rings true to me. My ex was often angry, and would eventually start taking that anger out on me. Then she went on antidepressants, and became much more pleasant to live with, and easier to talk to. Then she went off them again and we broke up :)

Re: If You're Often Angry or Irritable, You May Be Depressed

#60

Post by epberry »

etrautmann wrote: post #49
amelius wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

And if you want to be really depressed, switch from tech to philosophy, and in particular the branch that is concerned with the nature of consciousness.

I'm curious why you find that depressing? Do you think the idea of lacking free will and consciousness as chaotic dynamics reduces agency or something else?

Also curious about this.
Post reply on HN