• Philosophy and Spirituality
    Welcome Guest
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Threads of Note Socialize
  • P&S Moderators: JackARoe | Cheshire_Kat

Why do you think so many people are depressed today?

Gnostic Bishop said:
What will be gone?

The world or the absence of love?

Either way, I do not think I agree.

Regards
DL
Click to expand...
Sorry I didn't explain that very well. I think the cause of depression is a lack of love for each other and for ourselves. I suffered with terrible anxiety and depression for a long time, thinking there was no way out for me. But I feel a different person now, I still have social anxiety around people and I still drop into depression when things get too stressful but not like I used to and I can come out the other side quickly.
I hope depression will be a thing of the past within 50 years.
 
RomanJ said:
Sorry I didn't explain that very well. I think the cause of depression is a lack of love for each other and for ourselves. I suffered with terrible anxiety and depression for a long time, thinking there was no way out for me. But I feel a different person now, I still have social anxiety around people and I still drop into depression when things get too stressful but not like I used to and I can come out the other side quickly.
I hope depression will be a thing of the past within 50 years.
Click to expand...
Thanks for explaining.

I share your desire but thing love is just one of the issues causing our young to suicide. You might know that that is peeking at this point in time and many are working on solutions.

I think they are finding that for the few it is lack of love but the many are bored or see no future for themselves and that those causes are more common.

More love will help, of course, but other things are also required.

Regards
DL
 
cowardescent said:
Studies have shown that more people, in particular teens/young adults are reporting higher rates of depression. The suicide rate in many places has also climbed in the last 50 years.

My opinion is that the combination of social media combined with disillusion and a longer work life is fueling depression. As kids, we're told we can do anything in life. When people reach adulthood and realize this isn't the case, it's a crushing blow. This isn't made better by social media which shows as people who seem to be better than us in terms of how much money they have, how attractive they are etc...

Also having to work more hours for less money than our parents/grandparents doesn't seem great.
Click to expand...
These are just guesses but: The decline of christianity, social media allowing you to constantly compare yourself to others, financial burdens of college, the deline of people raising a family. Those probably contribute to it. The thing is is I don't think there is one answer. Its probably a bad mixture of things. Also the rates increasing is probably partly an increase in diagnosis of depression, nto incidence. Mental health awareness is increasing and so parents are more likely now to send their teen to a psychiatrist these days. Great question OP!
 
keseyhitchens said:
These are just guesses but: The decline of christianity, social media allowing you to constantly compare yourself to others, financial burdens of college, the deline of people raising a family. Those probably contribute to it. The thing is is I don't think there is one answer. Its probably a bad mixture of things. Also the rates increasing is probably partly an increase in diagnosis of depression, nto incidence. Mental health awareness is increasing and so parents are more likely now to send their teen to a psychiatrist these days. Great question OP!
Click to expand...

I don't think Christianity specifically has anything to do with it, but the general decline in a feeling of connection to (or even existence of) spirituality is certainly a part of it. Humans want and need to feel connected to something greater than ourselves.

Good point about diagnosis rates and increased awareness. Also increased willingness to talk about it (in my grand parents' generation, and even for my dad growing up, you simply did not talk about those things, it was shameful to your family).
 
Xorkoth said:
I don't think Christianity specifically has anything to do with it, but the general decline in a feeling of connection to (or even existence of) spirituality is certainly a part of it. Humans want and need to feel connected to something greater than ourselves.

Good point about diagnosis rates and increased awareness. Also increased willingness to talk about it (in my grand parents' generation, and even for my dad growing up, you simply did not talk about those things, it was shameful to your family).
Click to expand...
I disagree about your point on it not having to do with christianity specifically. Believe me there is a lot of spirituality around, it's just new age junk instead of christian junk. Christianity is more tribal and also there is a building that is right near where you life where you have connection and community not only with other humans but with "something greater than ourselves" as you call it. By the way I'm an atheist and think that religion, in any form, but especial the Abrahamic faiths, are a net negative for our species but I do lean towards my point on it being correct.
 
I agree with you about new agey bullshit being prevalent and it essentially is preying on the lost, it's predatory and gross (much of the time, I think it does legitimately bring some people fulfillment in some cases though). My point is that you only specify Christianity because it's the main traditional religion. If we had developed with some other organized religion instead, you'd be saying the same thing and replacing "Christianity" with that one. It seems like your point is really that the problem is that we've lost the cohesive community spirituality element to society, which I agree with. As much as organized religion has caused a lot of humanity's suffering, a uniform moral code, and shared spirituality, is a strong unifying and cohesive force to draw hordes of people together and provide a sense of meaning, and we have certainly lost that, as a whole (though it remains in some communities). If every Christian could be like the good Christians I know and grew up with, and not judgmental, hateful and fearful, and if it stopped being used as a political weapon, I think society would be much better off for having it still be a big part of everyone's lives.
 
Xorkoth said:
I agree with you about new agey bullshit being prevalent and it essentially is preying on the lost, it's predatory and gross (much of the time, I think it does legitimately bring some people fulfillment in some cases though). My point is that you only specify Christianity because it's the main traditional religion. If we had developed with some other organized religion instead, you'd b saying the same thing and replacing "Christianity" with that one. It seems like your point is really that the problem is that we've lost the cohesive community spirituality element to society, which I agree with. As much as organized religion has caused a lot of humanity's suffering, a uniform moral code, and shared spirituality, is a strong unifying and cohesive force to draw hordes of people together and provide a sense of meaning, and we have certainly lost that, as a whole (though it remains in some communities). If every Christian could be like the good Christians I know and grew up with, and not judgmental, hateful and fearful, and if it stopped being used as a political weapon, I think society would be much better off for having it still be a big part of everyone's lives.
Click to expand...
Ah I see what you are saying about the christianity and yes I agree with you on that.
 
I think there's a lot of factors, but one I'd like to point out is that natural selection is having an ever decreasing effect on human evolution. Genetic mutations can have a positive or negative impact on a life form, and natural selection causes the positive ones to be passed down to future generations and the negative ones to die out.
However, humans are now capable of caring for other humans who are less capable and would naturally die out, meaning the filter of natural selection has less of an impact on mutations in the gene pool. My theory is moderately depressed people would just push on and deal with it, while people with severe depression who couldn't function and contribute to society would simply die without reproducing. Now that depressed people can survive and reproduce, they pass down their genes and thus depression is more prominent
 
Some depression really is biochemical, like a lack of neurotransmitters. I've felt that one, and changing diet or taking neurotransmitter precursors helped. So did anti-depressants.

But for most people, this is not a constant state of being. Their lives are generally OK and then they enter a period of depression.

I really think the function of depression is to make a person enter a state of self-reflection to consider what they have or have not done to create the circumstances in their life that lead to self-knowledge. To put it simply, it's showing them something they're neglecting about themselves, either willfully or unintentionally. A part that is uncared for or unresolved is going to start crying out.

Change what you can. Accept what you can't. And have the wisdom to know the difference.

Depression comes from: not changing what you can, not accepting what you can't change, or not having the wisdom to know which is which.
 
Collective consciousness. It’s truly a real phenomena, and by my own, twisted logic lol, should only pick up in time as consciousness evolves and develops.

I firmly believe in at least the potential for all consciousness to be connected.

I have myself in life, in pure clean spirited mannner, tapped into our innate ability to access literally ESP and psychic, immaterial powers.

It’s the most fascinating stuff really. I’ve done it so many times, in such uncanny, amazing and natural fashion.

These days, being so energy depleted from illness, all I really manage is powerful visionary premonition dreams.

But There is so much extraordinary potential we have for extrasensory perception and communication between each other and manifestation which we have never come close to realising yet, as a whole.

So in my mind I would suggest that a world full of generally disconsented, to use a slightly happier word lol, people, We will all be feeling the affects of each other’s damp and emotions and vice versa should we have a much more beautiful world of harmony and healing and love to inhabit, Such is always my own personal dream and aspiration.

Excuse my wild philosophical mumbling. Lovely weed vaporized with a heavy, sublime kava session, it makes me philosophical and bursting with wild ideas!
 
Foreigner said:
Some depression really is biochemical, like a lack of neurotransmitters. I've felt that one, and changing diet or taking neurotransmitter precursors helped. So did anti-depressants.

But for most people, this is not a constant state of being. Their lives are generally OK and then they enter a period of depression.

I really think the function of depression is to make a person enter a state of self-reflection to consider what they have or have not done to create the circumstances in their life that lead to self-knowledge. To put it simply, it's showing them something they're neglecting about themselves, either willfully or unintentionally. A part that is uncared for or unresolved is going to start crying out.

Change what you can. Accept what you can't. And have the wisdom to know the difference.

Depression comes from: not changing what you can, not accepting what you can't change, or not having the wisdom to know which is which.
Click to expand...
On this shortly....I took about 3500 MDMA pills 1996-2005. Incurred multiple assaults, damages, alterations on my brain.

But lasting depression, not something I see as an infliction I have tussled with overly.

I strongly believe that with neurochemistry specifically regarding depression there is a huge psychological and emotional aspect.

I have never regretted my insane and very rare level of MDMA abuse or felt as though it has ruined my chances of being happy and comfortable and functional in life.

In 2005 I developed severe Lyme disease and this basically destroyed my life, physical health and mind 100 times more than all that MDMA.

For perspective, in MY Case of course.

But my point is. The power of consciousness to override.

So I think possibly we may be making fairly similar points here but I’m too Relaxedly. stoned to gather full sense.

to sum up MY point- I do MOT personally ruminate over my past reckless, ill advised MDMA abuse.

But if my cursed Lyme immune, shit, allergies were cured tomorrow, I would jump for joy I swear.
 
RomanJ said:
An absence of love and warmth in the wotld. Hopefully in the next 50 years it will be gone.
Click to expand...
I like Your optimism and enthusiasm, but 50?

I’m hoping like 5 max, potentially 1. If neither of those, anybody’s guess I reckon.

But It’s definitely worth always holding onto hope if you can although that must be tempered with realism.
 
Xorkoth said:
Humans want and need to feel connected to something greater than ourselves.
Click to expand...
Not very much scares me, imagination and concept wise, but the thought that we could be some gigantic crop of crickets for an uncaring, Alien race, imminent for harvest....Well like you say that does destroyed my faith quite a bit.

For example, I mean.
 
I have read many arguments why people are depressed in todays world. My post didn't get much attention which is ok. Bit here is assignment for everyone: Write you own personal perfect life. For example write what kind of wife you would have, place where you would live and things that you would do. But when describing the perfect girl write about wicked mother in law that goes with the girl. Or the potential infidelity that such beutiful girl might be indulging in. Would a place where you would like live be susceptible to earthquakes or tsunamis? Is that why this place is so beautiful in the first place (high geo activity). Could some other natural disaster strike? And so on... Write the heavenly life you would want to have, to it's ladt detail , but don't forget about the things that go with that kind of life. Don't fall into trap of utopia and one sided thinking.

When you write your perfect life with all the problems that it brings, think about it. Do you want it? Is there such a thing?

Maybe you will feel less depressed.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Foreigner said:
Some depression really is biochemical, like a lack of neurotransmitters. I've felt that one, and changing diet or taking neurotransmitter precursors helped. So did anti-depressants.

But for most people, this is not a constant state of being. Their lives are generally OK and then they enter a period of depression.

I really think the function of depression is to make a person enter a state of self-reflection to consider what they have or have not done to create the circumstances in their life that lead to self-knowledge. To put it simply, it's showing them something they're neglecting about themselves, either willfully or unintentionally. A part that is uncared for or unresolved is going to start crying out.

Change what you can. Accept what you can't. And have the wisdom to know the difference.

Depression comes from: not changing what you can, not accepting what you can't change, or not having the wisdom to know which is which.
Click to expand...

I agree fully with this post. It is undeniable that some people have clinical depression that has a biological basis (the dreaded unipolar depression, major treatment-resistant depression, etc). But for most people, depression is a state that happens over time when something on your life is not working. It is situational. For example, I was severely depressed for years, but it was because I was in an abusive relationship, and also severely addicted to opiates to help cope with it. I wished to die every day towards the end. Then I finally took it upon myself to end the relationship, and took ibogaine to get off opiates, realized a bunch more stuff that was missing, started playing music again, getting out in the world, working out, getting in shape, meeting new people... and I entered into several of the best years of my life. My depression was my body/mind system telling me that I needed to figure out what was not working for me and change it. And once I did, no more depression, in fact the opposite.

Since then, whenever I start to feel depressed, I try to figure out why, and then do something about it. I have never once seeked out antidepressants or other pharma solutions, other than opiates but that was more to cover the pain of being abused on a near-daily basis and numb myself out, that was more for the trauma than the depression). I think most people don't need to go on antidepressants when they're depressed, or anti-anxiety meds when they're anxious. Instead, they just need to make some changes.

However like I said, some people have mental imbalances and do in fact need medication to live more normal lives.

And my earlier points I made in a previous post in this thread still stand, I think our society is set up in such a way as to cause a sense of disconnection from the magic and wonder of life, it's set up to make people strive for something illusionary and feel like a failure if they don't keep pushing towards being a cog in the machine. If our society valued different things and had a cohesive spiritual fellowship with each other, I think the incidence of anxiety and depression would start to go way down.

But even so, there is usually something you can do to improve your situation. Look at depression, or anxiety, as a wake-up call that something isn't working for you, and use that to change, and you'll leave the depression/anxiety behind, if you're like most and do not actually have a mental imbalance or deep-seated childhood trauma (which is extremely difficult to get past in life, tragically).
 
Xorkoth said:
I agree fully with this post. It is undeniable that some people have clinical depression that has a biological basis (the dreaded unipolar depression, major treatment-resistant depression, etc). But for most people, depression is a state that happens over time when something on your life is not working. It is situational. For example, I was severely depressed for years, but it was because I was in an abusive relationship, and also severely addicted to opiates to help cope with it. I wished to die every day towards the end. Then I finally took it upon myself to end the relationship, and took ibogaine to get off opiates, realized a bunch more stuff that was missing, started playing music again, getting out in the world, working out, getting in shape, meeting new people... and I entered into several of the best years of my life. My depression was my body/mind system telling me that I needed to figure out what was not working for me and change it. And once I did, no more depression, in fact the opposite.

Since then, whenever I start to feel depressed, I try to figure out why, and then do something about it. I have never once seeked out antidepressants or other pharma solutions, other than opiates but that was more to cover the pain of being abused on a near-daily basis and numb myself out, that was more for the trauma than the depression). I think most people don't need to go on antidepressants when they're depressed, or anti-anxiety meds when they're anxious. Instead, they just need to make some changes.

However like I said, some people have mental imbalances and do in fact need medication to live more normal lives.

And my earlier points I made in a previous post in this thread still stand, I think our society is set up in such a way as to cause a sense of disconnection from the magic and wonder of life, it's set up to make people strive for something illusionary and feel like a failure if they don't keep pushing towards being a cog in the machine. If our society valued different things and had a cohesive spiritual fellowship with each other, I think the incidence of anxiety and depression would start to go way down.

But even so, there is usually something you can do to improve your situation. Look at depression, or anxiety, as a wake-up call that something isn't working for you, and use that to change, and you'll leave the depression/anxiety behind, if you're like most and do not actually have a mental imbalance or deep-seated childhood trauma (which is extremely difficult to get past in life, tragically).
Click to expand...

My question is... how do I learn to accept core human needs not being met? Lack of identity, meaningful work, human connections, human touch (a big one for me), material stability and security, safety, etc. I think about this year of covid19. There is so much grief and depression in the world. This isn't working for a lot of people! But there's only so much that can be done about it. My physical disability... how it has stripped me of so much... I have fewer choices.

I'm depressed and suicidal regularly and I know the exact reasons why, but what can you do when you have an incurable disease???

I don't expect you to know the answer but this is what I'm struggling with.
 
Foreigner said:
My question is... how do I learn to accept core human needs not being met? Lack of identity, meaningful work, human connections, human touch (a big one for me), material stability and security, safety, etc. I think about this year of covid19. There is so much grief and depression in the world. This isn't working for a lot of people! But there's only so much that can be done about it. My physical disability... how it has stripped me of so much... I have fewer choices.

I'm depressed and suicidal regularly and I know the exact reasons why, but what can you do when you have an incurable disease???

I don't expect you to know the answer but this is what I'm struggling with.
Click to expand...
I think a lot of people are asking that same question. If only any of us could solve that puzzle. Love and solidarity though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top