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

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

#131

Post by 0x8BADF00D »

gabriel34 wrote: post #55
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.

There is a degree of correlation between circadian rhythm dysfunction (i.e. sleep disorders) and depression. Worldview is separate, but trauma is definitely an input to that function. The more trauma one has, the more likely they are to have a comorbid mental disorder.

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

#132

Post by ozzyman700 »

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…

>Humans in general are pretty shitty, driven mostly by self-interest.

Water takes the path of least resistance,

Humans take the path of least expected effort expenditure to accomplish their desires

Both are just doing as nature does, being themselves. Why be sad that every person will do the least amount of work to satisfy their desires, when it is an inevitability, but your sadness is not.

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

#133

Post by coleifer »

ganzuul wrote: post #88
coleifer wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 acceptanc…

When depressed you do good deeds and feel nothing.

Well, I wasn't talking about being kind in order to feel good about myself. That would be the same old turd (selfishness) just wrapped up in a nicer package. Like when I'm sitting on the airplane that's been parked outside the gate for an hour, my ass is killing me and I'm ready to go home and I start silently cursing everyone and everything that stands in my way -- YET, when I disembark, I still smile and thank the stewardess, and let the antsy types cut in front on their way off the plane. I go to bed with a feeling of dignity and peace.

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

#134

Post by badpun »

LeifCarrotson wrote: post #112
smaddox wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to think like this. Then I read "12 Rules for Life" by Jordan Peterson and "Daring Greatly" by Brene Brown a few times, and I realized I was making an implicit choice to see the world that way, and that it is a completely counter productive viewpoint. A shift in perspective can change everything.

Didn't downvote you, but while I've heard similar recommendations before, that's not a reasonable response to existential depression. On the one hand, you're correct, one's outlook on the world does impact your mood. Humans are emotional and easily confused, and shifting your viewpoint can change your mood in powerful ways. Perhaps those books present a position from which to view the world that's useful in lifting o…

I haven't read the other book, but "12 rules for life" is not at all about self-deception. In fact, I'd say it's the opposite - it stresses the fact that life is often dark and difficult and depressing, and teaches the reader ways to better handle the difficulties. Judging by the size of the Jordan Peterson phenomenon, the book must be doing something right.

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

#135

Post by magduf »

kingsloi wrote: post #109
magduf wrote: post #77

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Do you live in the US? That's probably a big part of the problem. Everything in the US is doom and gloom, and everyone in the US is horribly paranoid. People are constantly paranoid about someone attacking them, and kids aren't allowed to run around outside because "someone might kidnap them". People that do get a visit from the police and CPS for "child abandonment". If you're planning to have kids, doing it in the…

You actually hit it nail on the head. I'm a British guy who married an American woman and I've been in the US about 3 years now. I live in Gary, IN (the nice beach community, south of Lake Michigan) but the I hear the daily horror stories of things that occur here. I doesn't bother me too much, I think shit happens everywhere and we're good people (as in, we're not looking for trouble), and I was raised to have my gu…

I've seen YouTube videos of American expats coming back home and saying the one big thing they noticed, after spending significant time in someplace like Europe, was how utterly paranoid Americas are. I've felt this myself just after having a short vacation out of the country. It's not really unsafe here (unless you're in downtown Baltimore or Detroit or something), but everyone is just so paranoid that it feels like you're living in a war zone.

You should definitely move back to the UK if you have kids. The education alone is worth it: American public schools are absolutely horrendous, and the worst in the developed world. The healthcare is also an important factor.

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

#136

Post by kempbellt »

ozzyman700 wrote: post #132
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…

>Humans in general are pretty shitty, driven mostly by self-interest. Water takes the path of least resistance, Humans take the path of least expected effort expenditure to accomplish their desires Both are just doing as nature does, being themselves. Why be sad that every person will do the least amount of work to satisfy their desires, when it is an inevitability, but your sadness is not.

I have to say, this is the best way I've seen this explained. And it takes no sides. Good comment

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

#137

Post by thisisit »

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 was in the same place sometime ago. There are still days,like today, when I regress but slowly taking that into stride.

Here's what has helped:

1. Cut down on the habit of "knowing" more. Nothing happens if I skip news and tech for a day or two. 2. Meditation - I started with Calm app but then moved to Insight timer and now I do it with music alone. 3. Add a hobby in life. I took up reading big time. Mainly some light fiction and YA books.

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

#138

Post by onemoresoop »

rhspeer wrote: post #98

Yup, this was me for 18 years. Doctor had me fixed in about 45 minutes. Massive life improvement all around. Feel dumb about waiting 18 years, so I talk about it to break down the stigma associated with mental health.

How did your doctor had you fixed in 45 minutes?

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

#139

Post by saulrh »

cloakandswagger wrote: post #42
kec wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Depression isn't "feeling any way other than perfectly fine", it's feeling so continuously for an extended period of time such that your mental state begins to prevent you from living a normal life. Depression is a real issue for some people, and by trivializing it and blaming big pharma all you're doing is reinforcing the stigma around mental illness which makes it harder for people who really need it to seek help.

17% of the US population self-reported taking some form of psychiatric drug [1]. We're way past the point of truly disturbed people not seeking help due to the stigma of mental illness. Instead, it's cheerfully celebrated and encouraged in a way that I imagine will only stop once 100% of the country is zombified by mind-altering drugs. The pendulum needs to swing back towards self-help and the idea that some discomfo…

Systemic use is not a counterargument when there may be a systemic problem. Half of humanity uses corrective eyewear (closer to 90% above the age of 70), everyone should be vaccinated, and a huge chunk of the population needs iron supplements. The brain is composed of dozens of modules that are each as complex as entire other organ systems in your body. The probability of something not going wrong in that mess is vanishingly small, same as you'd expect in any other codebase with such a horrifying level of complexity and tech debt. To be completely honest, I wouldn't be surprised if the true positive rate for psychiatric medication, the rate at which a real neurochemical issue could be root-caused and addressed for real human benefit satisfying the most idealistic and loftily philosophical of human values, is substantially higher than 17%.

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

#140

Post by sjjshzvuiajhz »

coldtea wrote: post #115
sjjshzvuiajhz wrote: post #108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People do good things and bad things. If in the presence of a combination of good things and bad things, you focus on the bad things and the bad things dominate your subjective experience of existence, you are probably suffering from depression.

Or, you know, not all periods have a balance of "good things and bad things".

Sure, if you’re sad because you’re starving in a drainage ditch, or your best friend just died, that doesn’t mean you’re depressed. But if your basic needs as an organism are met, you have great latitude to occupy your brain with thoughts that make you happy or sad.
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