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When You Are Depressed, Make Something

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Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#71

Post by sguav »

rangibaby wrote: post #3

The first half of the article has a lot of wisdom. The second half reminds me of well meaning people who make things worse by trying to help. "Just (go jogging, do something creative drink vegetable shakes)" I would if I could damn it! lol

When I tried to exercise to get over a depressing time, I just couldn't manage to start.

Then I one day planned to do it starting the following week and finally got it done.

And so I found that using a physical agenda is the way to keep myself out of depression, it makes me do things

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#72

Post by KeytarHero »

paulpauper wrote: post #14

The problem with trying to create something is once you begin to work hard at it, you realize that you're not very good and others have done it far better than you. I have notice this a lot with math.I will work on a problem and then a Google search later reveals that the problem is not only completely solved but in a way that is far better than I could have ever conceived. Another problem is when you run out of idea…

Yeah, creativity is hard. As Ira Glass put it:

> All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you.

(full quote: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/309485-nobody-tells-this-to...)

I really wish "just make something" was that simple, but for people who are already full of self-doubt, it might not make things any better, especially for people with high standards. There are ways to get around this (see the rest of the Ira Glass quote), but it's not the panacea the article makes it out to be.

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#73

Post by zaque1213 »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #61
paulpauper wrote: post #14

The problem with trying to create something is once you begin to work hard at it, you realize that you're not very good and others have done it far better than you. I have notice this a lot with math.I will work on a problem and then a Google search later reveals that the problem is not only completely solved but in a way that is far better than I could have ever conceived. Another problem is when you run out of idea…

Then deliberately set your standards low. I used to have a "bad art night" where I'd create something, no matter how crappy, just to say I'd done it. Perfect is the enemy of good; good is the enemy of good enough.

This is why I've enjoyed my time taking improv classes. I'm with a group of other complete beginners and failure is encouraged. It has a beginning and end, and whatever happens will only happen once ever. I go home with a sense of completion and accomplishment, but I don't have the feeling of having to show anyone else for validation.

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#74

Post by [deleted] »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #61
paulpauper wrote: post #14

The problem with trying to create something is once you begin to work hard at it, you realize that you're not very good and others have done it far better than you. I have notice this a lot with math.I will work on a problem and then a Google search later reveals that the problem is not only completely solved but in a way that is far better than I could have ever conceived. Another problem is when you run out of idea…

Then deliberately set your standards low. I used to have a "bad art night" where I'd create something, no matter how crappy, just to say I'd done it. Perfect is the enemy of good; good is the enemy of good enough.

[deleted]

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#75

Post by VinceS22 »

paulpauper wrote: post #14

The problem with trying to create something is once you begin to work hard at it, you realize that you're not very good and others have done it far better than you. I have notice this a lot with math.I will work on a problem and then a Google search later reveals that the problem is not only completely solved but in a way that is far better than I could have ever conceived. Another problem is when you run out of idea…

As someone who tries to practice CBT for depression / anxiety, this reminds me of a cognitive distortion, all or nothing thinking. Either it's the best in the world, or it's garbage.

One thing that helped me is realizing that there is ALWAYS going to be someone who does something better than me. You are still learning when doing things, you're still getting better.

It's a corny saying but it's true: winners focus on winning, losers focus on winners.

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#76

Post by HeyLaughingBoy »

6stringmerc wrote: post #24

Very good front half. The second half ruffled my feathers with conflating lifting other people's work via sampling and tossing flourishes in and suddenly feeling like an authority on creativity. I say this as both a 100% from scratch producer and frequent unsanctioned remixer of other people's work. Glad it's therapeutic for him, genuinely so. He's wrong though, not every human is "innately creative" in the sense tha…

I really think people do themselves a disservice by feeling that everything they do has to meet some imaginary bar.

I'm a terrible flute player. I go so long between practices that I sometimes forget where my fingers go, but the simple joy in making notes with a wind instrument makes me smile me every time. The "bar" is set at "just create tunes" not "be a classical virtuoso."

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#77

Post by chocolatebunny »

ohstopitu wrote: post #67

The number of times I have that I felt I could do better - and then I start working on it, get 80% done, but then I struggle with the next 20% - and then almost burnout and give up and feel depressed because I'll never be able to do anything in life, is just insane. Then I start wondering - what is all of this for? and what's the entire point of even living? Talking to people does not help either (as it is, I'm not v…

Why does living have to have a point?

I generally agree with your sentiment. Anything I do seems to fall so far short of my expectations that it makes me depressed.

My mom used to say "when you reach for the moon, at least you'll climb a tree" but to me the image of man on a tree, reaching out to the moon fills me with hopelessness instead of inspiration.

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#78

Post by benevol »

(Especially!) if your government doesn't give you access to a therapist or if you don't want to suffer side-effects due to anti-depressants, then do :

1. Mindful meditation [free] -> Daily practice (30+ minutes)

John Kabat-Zinn [0] masters the link between science and meditation and has published very valuable books (including guided/audio meditation exercises) [1]. There are a couple of scientific studies which prove effectiveness [2] [3].

2. LSD [$5-10/dose + $25/multi-use test kit] -> One-time experience (every 6 months max.)

LSD however requires one to literally read/understand/know everything about the substance before applying it (minimum literature: "The psychedelic explorer's guide" by Fadiman). Also, order a test kit and test before you ingest. Certain "edge cases"/people should not try it and educating yourself about everything will allow you to decide if it's a good idea in your case or not. In addition, you may be able to access your spiritual dimension, which increases quality of life even further (it is less immediate with meditation).

You may combine micro-dosing LSD with meditation for accessing the meditative state easier (it's quite a challenge for depressed people).

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Kabat-Zinn

[1] https://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4180277/Mindful_Way_Through...

[2] http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2011/01/eight-weeks-to...

[3] http://www.vox.com/2015/8/27/9214697/meditation-brain-neuros...

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#79

Post by nzjrs »

flippmoke wrote: post #13
rangibaby wrote: post #3

The first half of the article has a lot of wisdom. The second half reminds me of well meaning people who make things worse by trying to help. "Just (go jogging, do something creative drink vegetable shakes)" I would if I could damn it! lol

There is a very large difference between clinical depression and situational depression. The ideas and suggestions of those who have suffered from situational depression are often not very helpful for those who suffer from clinical depression. I think this article is clearly about situational depression, but I don't think people often know there is a difference.

I think the article doesn't know the difference...

Re: When You Are Depressed, Make Something

#80

Post by sixo »

When you are depressed, see if there's a serious problem in your life that is causing you to be depressed and devote as much time and energy as you can muster towards exploring solutions to that problem, even if they entail dramatic life-changing decisions, because that's the kind of problem we're dealing with here.

Examples of such problems: you hate your graduate program. You have no friends in your city and no idea where to look. You are unattractive and wish you weren't. You are skeptical of your faith. You have no activities or hobbies that involve other people and wish you did. You are not as good at software engineering as you want to be. Your job is hell. You fake a character in social situations that makes you hate yourself. You are impotent at facing injustice that you perceive in the world. You are uninspired by the prospects of the career or community available to you. Any of the above + you drink, do drugs, or play video games to avoid dealing with it. * Another: your career is pointless or selfish

Short term solutions like exercise, making friends, or talking to people, and making something will only fix the depression if they happen to address the actual problem - which there's a good chance they do. And of course, the whole situation can spiral out of control and compromise your ability to do something about it, in which case professional help + drugs can make all the difference.

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