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Ask HN: Are you depressed?

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31–40 of 512 posts

Re: Ask HN: Are you depressed?

#31
I'm not depressed. Shit happens sometimes, but overall, it beats a lot of things that people have gone through in History.

Anytime I start feeding bad, I either go for a walk to get the blood flowing, or I realized that in 1914, teenagers were drafted and thrown into a trench to fight and die for 4 years. After that was said and done, the survivors got to experience the Spanish Flu, which killed more people than they meat grinder war they just survived. After a nice 12 year break (0 years if they were a farmer), they got to experience the Great Depression for 12 or so years, followed by WWII, which managed to be even more horrific than the first one.

Re: Ask HN: Are you depressed?

#32

Holy crap, that's a way higher percentage than I was expecting. What are some of the reasons you all have for being depressed? Also, is this possibly a self selective poll? Are non depressed people not bothering to answer?

Personally it's the pandemic and the ensuing financial stress and isolation that came from it. I haven't hung out with any of my friends in eight months due to a combination of those factors.

Re: Ask HN: Are you depressed?

#33
I suffer from borderline personality disorder and it's rough but usually treatable with lots of therapy and learning of "skills."

The covid crisis made my issues boil over to the point of losing relationships, friendships and attempting to take my own life twice (before I found the therapist).

Re: Ask HN: Are you depressed?

#36
post #31

I'm not depressed. Shit happens sometimes, but overall, it beats a lot of things that people have gone through in History. Anytime I start feeding bad, I either go for a walk to get the blood flowing, or I realized that in 1914, teenagers were drafted and thrown into a trench to fight and die for 4 years. After that was said and done, the survivors got to experience the Spanish Flu, which killed more people than they…

This is true but it also doesn't invalidate the struggles of anyone who's experiencing depression in modern times. Not saying you were trying to do that but I just want to say that for anyone who reads this and feels like their own struggle isn't valid.

Re: Ask HN: Are you depressed?

#38
Nope... I am the opposite. Kinda calm, and enjoying NYC/Manhattan being a quitter place.

I am mostly an introvert though, but had some major FOMO before covid.

I attribute this sense of tranquility/calmness as all that FOMO is gone, since pretty much everyone is in the same boat.

I also have created a routine and I go out every day, and work outside for at least one hour. Before it was in the parks, but now that is a bit chillier at outdoors at coffee places. Many coffee places have outdoor seating, so I use that as much as I can, before it gets too cold. I bundle up, and have noticed that I can work outside up to 42-44F so far. Not sure how will it be one it gets colder. Weather in NYC has been lovely so far though.

I miss playing sports though (soccer and volleyball), and the occasional dating, but I don't feel bad at all since everyone is in the same boat.

For the winter, I highly suggest to get some good yellow spectrum lighting in your apt. and also buy a powerful projector, and project movies/games in a whole wall. I have noticed that using a 2000lumens projector daily, instead a normal TV has made a huge improvement in my mood, and almost eliminated that SAD feeling you get in November.

TLDR: 1. Develop a routine where you go outside, to work/read, for at least one hour a day. Be friendly with the local baristas. Just somme chatting and in-person interaction every day, makes a huge difference.

2. Visit/explore different parts of the city, every week. Use a bike, so you don't have to use public transportation.

3. Buy a powerful projector, and watch TV/youtube, play games on it, for those days that the weather is not good.

4. Make your apt, room ambient look and feel nice, get some good lighting.

5. Get a regular cleaner. (I usually leave the apt. for most of the day when a cleaner comes). A clean/neat apt improves your mood a lot.

6. Start new things (either projects, books, games, whatever), so you don't feel stale, and experience new things.

Re: Ask HN: Are you depressed?

#40
post #6

I want a "I don't know" tick.

I periodically suffer from what assume are symptoms of depression, but I can usually pinpoint the triggers that caused them (a lengthy social media session filled with large amounts of scrolling reviewing dozens of happy families hugging and kissing each other, a missed deadline that I'm emotionally connected to, a hangover, rainy weather, etc.)

Although I don't do this every time I suffer from the symptoms, usually a high intensity workout of some sort (a relatively fast 2 to 3 mile (or further) run, 45-60 min lifting session of fast paced lifts with super sets, etc.) will almost instantly "cure" my symptoms.

I can probably do some research or go see a doctor to confirm whether what I experience is anything potentially connected to depression, but I just haven't been motivated to and again, can usually fix what I'm feeling with a workout. Not really sure how to proceed, if at all...

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