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Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

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101–110 of 132 posts

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#101
post #22

Anecdotally... I am, but I seem doomed. I'm not really antisocial. In fact, I can become overtalkative at times when in a social setting. But, given the option, I never seem to want to 'get out' and socialize. Though, when I force myself to, I am in such a better mood for a few days. Then, back to normal, and avoiding social gatherings again until the next time.

I have never related to a comment more than this one. Socializing can be exhausting at times, and even if it does make us happier at the end of the day it can become tiring.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#103
post #90
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like you have an introvert trait (in the Myers Briggs sense), which does not mean despising human interaction but that even though you enjoy it, it’s taxing at some level (but you get some benefit at another level). If this is the case, the rejection comes from energy being exhausted (no one enjoys being exhausted) and you have to recharge your social interactions batteries. At some point you may have intuitiv…

What if you don't feel social interactions bring you anything positive at all? I get exhausted _and_ depressed by meeting people. Totally not worth it.

Then you should talk to someone, because that doesn't sound healthy. There are no externalities that should be triggering depression.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#104
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sounds like you have an introvert trait (in the Myers Briggs sense), which does not mean despising human interaction but that even though you enjoy it, it’s taxing at some level (but you get some benefit at another level). If this is the case, the rejection comes from energy being exhausted (no one enjoys being exhausted) and you have to recharge your social interactions batteries. At some point you may have intuitiv…

Protip: Volunteer somewhere. Or just find people who enjoy your company. If you're treating this like a diet or exercise regimen, it will probably turn out the way most of those turn out. Instead, maybe think about the other people involved and consider them important as well. There are plenty of people that need some attention, care, resources, advice, and so on. If people come to rely on you, it is motivating, mean…

On the opposite end of the scale: go to a sporting event and cheer on the home team. You’ll be in an energetic group with common purpose, and no expectation to hold a conversation of any kind.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#105
post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FWIW, I bet that there’s a lot of hormone replacement therapy going on in that cohort.

That is... unlikely: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hormone_replacement_therapy I guess you meant this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Androgen_replacement_therapy

Ah, thanks. I was thinking both growth hormone and androgens, though there may be other hormones and factors involved as well.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#106
post #31
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Young people has way more options to enjoy life such as traveling, playing video games, watching youtube by themselves This is killing time not enjoying life.

I can understand someone thinking video games and YouTube are just killing time (although I don't agree), but traveling ? That's pretty much universally accepted as one of the best things you can do to improve yourself.

Not universally. For example, I disagree. I've lived in three countries and the experiences have been incredibly rewarding and interesting. But I've traveled to dozens of countries and while I enjoy those trips (that's why I did them after all!) it's very superficial. I know people like to be exposed to different cultures and ways of life, but I feel you just can't really meaningfully do that in only a week or two from a hotel and with no responsibilities.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#107
post #104

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Protip: Volunteer somewhere. Or just find people who enjoy your company. If you're treating this like a diet or exercise regimen, it will probably turn out the way most of those turn out. Instead, maybe think about the other people involved and consider them important as well. There are plenty of people that need some attention, care, resources, advice, and so on. If people come to rely on you, it is motivating, mean…

On the opposite end of the scale: go to a sporting event and cheer on the home team. You’ll be in an energetic group with common purpose, and no expectation to hold a conversation of any kind.

Can confirm; generally dislike going out around people, but love me a good baseball/softball game.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#108
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> NN Neural network??

Yes, nobody uses brain anymore.

This was on purpose, as "brain" is a fuzzy, complex thing whereas taking a license to use NN as a (limited) model of learning and reinforcement echoes to some much more precise concept including its behaviour and corner cases that many around here know about when playing with CUDA but fail to make the leap that our brain/mind/psychology (see? fuzzy!) works quite the same way.

Re: Are we happier when we spend more time with others?

#110
post #90

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What if you don't feel social interactions bring you anything positive at all? I get exhausted _and_ depressed by meeting people. Totally not worth it.

Then you should talk to someone, because that doesn't sound healthy. There are no externalities that should be triggering depression.

My father just died, my mother is depressed. That's a natural, normal, healthy reaction to a traumatic externality.

Being depressed as a result of meeting people that you don't want to meet seems perfectly normal to me. Talking to someone when you don't want to talk to them seems like it would only get you more depressed.

IMO, bad advice, please rethink.

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