[SeaGypsy]

I contend depression is one of the essential states of being human, as valid as laughter or tears, a natural state labelled a disease by a post post modern neo evangelist eutopian sensitivity where life is supposed to be happy all the time.

[dissident]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('SeaGypsy', 'I') contend depression is one of the essential states of being human, as valid as laughter or tears, a natural state labelled a disease by a post post modern neo evangelist eutopian sensitivity where life is supposed to be happy all the time.

[SeaGypsy]

Yup. To me a basically healthy mental baseline equals being busy achieving steps towards realistic goals, balanced with me time & family time. My barometer is- if I don't have a moment or two of bliss, usually at the first light & dawn, which i see every workday, something is out of whack. As a full time truck driver, Australia's most dangerous job, if I'm getting upset with other drivers, im not right for work. Happy all the time is of course a nonsense. Chemically impossible.

[onlooker]

Yes, good observations on the natural (normal) mood fluctuations and reactions in humans. It is similar to fear. Too much and too often in an incommensurate manner is a sign of mental health issues. Just like the total inverse of that points to a problem. In general in my opinion, moods should match circumstances that reasonably should induce such moods and emotions/moods should be under control in mentally healthy people

[SeaGypsy]

Depth of education i believe it used to be referred to. In a world full of signal overload, some very important human wisdom, fundamental living awareness skills seem to be vanishing.

[Ibon]

I don't know the origins, maybe barometric pressure or something even more esoteric, but I sense even in the wildlife mood swings shifting day to day. Sometimes the spider monkeys are animated, the air is crisp, there is an expectation in the air, other days the energy is low and morose, this is not projection on my part onto the wildlife but something intrinsic that you can feel shifting on a day to day basis. How active or subdued the birds are also shifts beyond their normal feeding and mating behavior.

I also think some depression is natural and felt by more than just humans.

[jedrider]

Whatever the cause of depression, if it affects your decision making, get help, get drugs.

The mind IS plastic. Whatever the cause, it develops reinforcements that could be harmful. Drugs are a quick way out and, maybe, in some cases the only way out.

I suffer from variety of issues, low energy, confusion, maybe I drink too much. I'm seeking to remedy these, maybe, with a dietary change currently, but I take some medications for ADHD as well. I did a bunch of stupid things from the confusion aspect. It can cost you a lot. I think monitoring ones situation is crucial, even self-monitoring is important, though difficult to recognize unless you are familar with the signs before they get out of hand. I use to think that people took medications for depression,etc that were completely unnecessary, but I've come around on that.

To me, I don't care about the happiness or sadness part of it, but if it affects your ability to make good decisions, I would take it very seriously.

[Newfie]

IMHO it's wrong to call nurse happy/was with depression. We all get expressed occasionally. "Depression" as an illness is (or should be) a chronic state where one does not have the normal fluctuations.

In my own case I was never diagnosed with depression but found that taking Ibuprophen for inflammation had a significant knock on effect on my mood. I became more patient, less irritable, I regained some emotional resilience and flexibility. Clearly a very mild form of depression but noticeable in its absense.

There may well be something to telling youngsters they need to find their dream job and follow their muse that leads them to unrealistic expectations. And perhaps some of them do feel cheated. I try to tell anyone who will listen "Work isn't supposed to be fun, that's why we pay you to do it, if it was fun we would be selling you tickets for the ride." Some folks get that intrinsically, some can be taught, others are unteachable. I see this as something different from depression, stupid or lazy maybe.

[Cog]

My father suffered from the real deal depression for a few years. The kind that incapacitates you and you curl up in bed type. Brain chemistry is a very weird thing. He didn't suffer from depression all the time I knew him until he retired. I'm thinking that he was ill-suited to retirement and the normal brain chemistry he had when working was no longer there when he quit working. After several severe bouts with depression and the appropriate medication he returned to somewhat of a normal life until he died.

I try to keep very active now that I've quit working. Walking, reading, making my daily sojourn to market to get something to cook for meals. Stay active to the extent you can, seems to work well for some.

[Newfie]

Cog,
That fits with how I understand people. Because we are a social animal it is very important for us to feel like we are doing something for the hive. If we are not, if we feel useless to others, then we tend to turn ourselves off.

There are, as always, outliers. But that seems the basic trend.

[Ibon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Newfie', 'C')og,
That fits with how I understand people. Because we are a social animal it is very important for us to feel like we are doing something for the hive. If we are not, if we feel useless to others, then we tend to turn ourselves off.

There are, as always, outliers. But that seems the basic trend.

[onlooker]

I think this sense of depression also correlates with the sense of powerlessness so many feel around the world at present. Especially, to influence the larger ongoing macro trends and the political/decision making arena. On Facebook, I am a member of what you could term spiritual groups. There, we agree that ultimately the changes that matter and will matter occur within each one of us. When I hear Newfie or Kaiser state that we are sort of pre-programmed, I tend to object. We have a range of reactions and modes of being. We can alleviate our depression by controlling what we can within ourselves and thus empowering ourselves. And each one of us doing so, could effect real positive change in the world

[AgentR11]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', 'W')hich is the ultimate purpose of communicating this, that you get off your complacent ass and start reaching out directly in your community relating to real people instead of sitting on your fat ass on the computer all depressed and sour and angry about the state of affairs we find ourselves in.

[AgentR11]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('onlooker', 'W')e can alleviate our depression by controlling what we can within ourselves and thus empowering ourselves. And each one of us doing so, could effect real positive change in the world

[asg70]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ibon', '
')where do you fulfill that social need of being part of the hive?? For many it is the media stream, the digital stream, etc.