Let me put it in the simplest way possible, as I view it.
Many activities can be considered pleasurable to people... Buying stuff, feeling part of community, posting on forums, eating food they like. For people within "normal ranges" they find a balance of happiness and stress or somehow just push on.
Medically though, unipolar depression and bipolar depression are quite unique cases where chemical imbalances, differences in brain structure etc. can be observed, on top of behavioural and emotional symptoms. With depression, it's not like you feel things are "sucky", it's as though the "bottom has dropped out from under you", and this feeling persists for days or weeks at a stretch. Suicidal ideation, even if philosophically considered in "normal" states, takes on an edge of more planning than usual. "What if I..." etc.
Without medication or psychological counselling, anything can help alleviate some symptoms of depression... Such as excercise, love, friends, sex, Apple products, Android products, a hike in the park, lectures, music, work, study, books, eating and so on. Recreational drugs can boost feelings but have short-term and/or unpredictable longer-term effects.
For sustainability and stability though I think medication with appropriate psychiatry and psychology form a good base from which you can then apply those things that are pleasurable.
The analogy is high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. Yes, lifestyle, diet and herbs can all help but in combination with suitable medication you get the best outcome.
I'll get off my soap box soon but mental illness is not a moral weakness, nor an excess of emotions. It is a distinct and treatable medical condition. Unipolar depression can be curable if there are one or only few occurrences and a later age of onset. Bipolar is treatable but not curable at this stage.
A million years ago, when I was in college, I was feeling depressed. I went to a local stereo store and bought a dbx compander for my sound system. I thought it would cheer me up. It was an excellent product; it did exactly what it was supposed to do. I still have it, and I have used it for various purposes over the decades.
But buying a product did not cheer me up. I learned something from that experience. Buying stuff does not make me happy. Neither would waiting in line at a retail store.
I'm sorry to hear that. Buying technology stuff always brightens my day! Waiting in line? Not so much.
A million years ago, when I was in college, I was feeling depressed. I went to a local stereo store and bought a dbx compander for my sound system. I thought it would cheer me up. It was an excellent product; it did exactly what it was supposed to do. I still have it, and I have used it for various purposes over the decades.
You're right. Possessions aren't the core of happiness, nor should they be. If you're trying to fill a hole in your life with an object, then it will fail, save for a short period at best.
Quote:
But buying a product did not cheer me up. I learned something from that experience. Buying stuff does not make me happy. Neither would waiting in line at a retail store.
Waiting in line usually irritates me. But keep in mind that getting into line with people that have some interest in common can be a social event.
Anyway, at this event, once the store was open, you honestly didn't need to wait in line for more than 10 minutes to get into the store. It was no big deal, and everyone has iPhones and iPads to pass the time.
Comments
Do you, by any chance, drink Dos Equis beer?
I don't always shop at malls, but when I do, I prefer the Apple Store.
Many activities can be considered pleasurable to people... Buying stuff, feeling part of community, posting on forums, eating food they like. For people within "normal ranges" they find a balance of happiness and stress or somehow just push on.
Medically though, unipolar depression and bipolar depression are quite unique cases where chemical imbalances, differences in brain structure etc. can be observed, on top of behavioural and emotional symptoms. With depression, it's not like you feel things are "sucky", it's as though the "bottom has dropped out from under you", and this feeling persists for days or weeks at a stretch. Suicidal ideation, even if philosophically considered in "normal" states, takes on an edge of more planning than usual. "What if I..." etc.
Without medication or psychological counselling, anything can help alleviate some symptoms of depression... Such as excercise, love, friends, sex, Apple products, Android products, a hike in the park, lectures, music, work, study, books, eating and so on. Recreational drugs can boost feelings but have short-term and/or unpredictable longer-term effects.
For sustainability and stability though I think medication with appropriate psychiatry and psychology form a good base from which you can then apply those things that are pleasurable.
The analogy is high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol. Yes, lifestyle, diet and herbs can all help but in combination with suitable medication you get the best outcome.
I'll get off my soap box soon but mental illness is not a moral weakness, nor an excess of emotions. It is a distinct and treatable medical condition. Unipolar depression can be curable if there are one or only few occurrences and a later age of onset. Bipolar is treatable but not curable at this stage.
A million years ago, when I was in college, I was feeling depressed. I went to a local stereo store and bought a dbx compander for my sound system. I thought it would cheer me up. It was an excellent product; it did exactly what it was supposed to do. I still have it, and I have used it for various purposes over the decades.
But buying a product did not cheer me up. I learned something from that experience. Buying stuff does not make me happy. Neither would waiting in line at a retail store.
I'm sorry to hear that. Buying technology stuff always brightens my day! Waiting in line? Not so much.
We were such proud owners back then. Here's a MacBottom 20 Megabyte Hard Drive, circa 1985-ish. Retail price of $1499. Don't you just love the color!
Early hard drives for Macintosh required drivers and MacBottoms driver was considered the most stable in it's brief reign.
20 MEGAbytes? That would hold, what--about 20-25 porn pictures? Maybe 4-5 MP3 songs?
For $1499? And people whine today about PC laptops costing over $1000...
Perhaps you misunderstood my comment about what happened "a million years ago".
I do understand that dbx companders were recently found at a dig site in Africa's Rift Valley. It proves that homo erectus used analog audio tools.
20 MEGAbytes? That would hold, what--about 20-25 porn pictures? Maybe 4-5 MP3 songs?
For $1499? And people whine today about PC laptops costing over $1000...
Our late 80s 11 X 17 printer cost just over $19,000... and the IIci and 17 inch monitor rang in at over $7000.
A million years ago, when I was in college, I was feeling depressed. I went to a local stereo store and bought a dbx compander for my sound system. I thought it would cheer me up. It was an excellent product; it did exactly what it was supposed to do. I still have it, and I have used it for various purposes over the decades.
You're right. Possessions aren't the core of happiness, nor should they be. If you're trying to fill a hole in your life with an object, then it will fail, save for a short period at best.
But buying a product did not cheer me up. I learned something from that experience. Buying stuff does not make me happy. Neither would waiting in line at a retail store.
Waiting in line usually irritates me. But keep in mind that getting into line with people that have some interest in common can be a social event.