Depression is seen as an illness, but is it actually the human mind breaking through its superficial cloud?

Question

Depressives may question the meaning of life, and it could be argued they are right to. An endless cycle continues; birth, education, work, reproduction, death. Anti depressants seem to restore the serotonin in the brain and give meaning back to life, but the age old question still remains; what is the meaning of life? A question that has never, and can never be answered, except by the depressed: "There is no meaning of life".

Answer 1

I totally understand what your saying
Although i am suffering from very severe depression at the moment so i'm probably not the best person to answer this. But no,i don't believe there is a meaning to life. I've cant count the number of times i ran that over in my head. Ever since i was a little girl i've always been so scared of the fact that the world will go on forever. I've always wondered how long forever actually is and even after i die i would still exist in some way and i cant stand that at all :/
You'l never understand depression till you have it so just make sure you dont waste your time listening to what some of the above had said....If they ever get it, they'l be sorry they ever said those things x

Answer 2

"Human Mind" is speculative accessment. Depression has been scientifically found to have something--VERY MUCH to do with harmonal levels: serotonin and nor-epinephrine and dopamine in the nervous system. They (Johns Hopkins Medical School, et.al)found that depressed people and schizophrenics in particularl have depleted levels of the aforementioned harmones in CNS. The results of said studies were replicated and they also did Double-blinds with extensive sample sizes.
"Meaning of life." is also debatable. Here is the thing:
The real question is hidden in this parody. And it is, "Did man descend from early species (Australopithecus), or did God create man from dust and take his rib to form woman. The truth is probably somewhere inbetween.
It is logically a fallacy to argue that there is "one"
"true" god. The proposition presupposes an assumption,
which has and is not substantiated by evidence.
"Faith", as we know it is also untenable. Since it
too is based on several confabulated fallacies. The
same is accurate with respect to agnosticism and
atheism. It's not the case to say, that we do not
know one way or another, but it is also not the case
that we do not know that we do not know. The
ambiguity leaves us in a state of evidence, or the
absence thereof, because we cannot explain the
implacability of the universe, which leads us to
Existentialism Kierkegaard, Freddy Nietzsche(AKA,
hermit, whore monger and syphilitic near-do well),
Sartre, Camus and other agnostics, who wanted to
rationalize their hatred for the Stoics in way form or
fashion they could. Thus, they ruminated around and
hatched one of the most dangerous philosophies on
earth: the idea that man is essentially nothing pitted
against the implacability of the universe. If this is
so, then it also nothing to kill somebody, which as we
all know is nonsense. Rather than admit, that their
philosophy breaks down, they would rather proselytize
verisimilitude's of its vagary upon the world as being
the end all and be all of belief systems. The
evidence of the reality check on it is quite another matter. Religion: if it's organized, then pick your poison.

East of Escape, West of a Guess, North of No Such, South of a Search

Answer 3

That's refreshing.

I think you're right. In parts of the world plagued by starvation and poverty, nobody has depression, as everyone is striving to make it to the next day, and there is just no time for thought.

But in areas of the world where the majority of people have all they need on call (clean water from the tap, food in the fridge, doctor one call away, etc...), before or later, the monotony of it all seems to bring about questions, and the answers are not that great.

The great majority of the population seem to have that 'superficial cloud' that you describe.
Others don't.

The psychological view of the reasons behind depression adds something. The majority of sufferers have been the victims of some major trauma in their childhood, or early teens, which they have tried hard to forget all about - because it was too painful or shameful to remember - and that they have never, never talked about with anyone. A very painful secret locked inside.
Maybe it was witnessing something very shocking, or being badly beaten, neglected, deaths, or abuse of some kind. In some cases the whole incident, whatever it was, has been completely removed from memory, as it might have happened when they were little.

The bottled rage and resentment the depressed feels comes out in other ways, and the pain of the mind can only be relieved by being expressed, but they don't do that, they are ashamed rotten. The weird and terrifying shame felt in childhood, when one was powerless and terrified beyond an adult's understanding, fossilized in their mind, impossible to overcome, to kick out.

Depressed is what the severely wounded inside, who refuse to take this pent-up rage out on others, end up being. They manage to hold their anger, and the huge fear and pain that sparks anger in the first place, until it turnes onto themselves, as their lives become unlivable, a depressed struggle: trouble doing the simplest things because one is distracted every second, apathy, not finding pleasure in ANY activity, even the once favourite ones, having trouble to get out of bed, and to fall asleep, constant twirling thoughts and memories of past events and situations that can't possibly matter, no energy, finding it impossible to concentrate, or even get dressed, as the simplest decisions become impossible to take, and loosing everything.

Living this way inevitably drives a person to thoughts of worthlessness and suicide, as you see your life turning around from interesting to waste. People loose jobs, partners, friends. Everybody tells them to pull themselves together, like that wasn't already all they try to do all day! Huge social stigma on depression.

Depression is a very angry illness. Repressed anger. That's why it hits more women than men, women have a history of repressing anger (it's not feminine to show anger! lotsa disapproval).

I think the depressed frame of mind comes about more in cities, where the contact with nature, friends and family is limited by work and confusion, c?ommunity spirit is zero and stress levels high.

Answer 4

Dperession is quite apart from the meaning of life. Anti-depressants can help restore balance to the brain's chemistry, but depression itself is more a function of something that began as a defense mechanism, a way for the brain to shut out the world, conserve, and recoup psychic energy. As we moved beyond that in our evolution, we encountered greater stresses and anxieties. Depression became increasingly more dysfunctional, a way of internalizing anger we were unable to express, largely due to our actualization as social beings. It's like drawing a great grey blanket about oneself, and then proceeding to have what was described at summer camp as a "blanket party." Once we realize our part in the function and take care of physical and environmental factors we can begin to get on with the business of living rather than asking questions. Take care of business, and don't try to go it alone.

Answer 5

Depression is physiological and it's not 'in your head'. Yours almost appears to be drug-induced, but I'm not an expert. Stop smoking and drinking as much, and exercise more... exercise alleviates mild/moderate depression/anxiety and you obviously don't have it severely, or you wouldn't even be getting out of bed.

There's no general 'meaning of life'. You have to find the meaning in your own particular life. We all play different roles in life. Once you become healthy or balanced(body-excercise,mind-grow mentally, spirit), you can then find the meaning of your life.

You seem good at theorizing, which is a sign of intelligence, even though this particular theory is 'fumbled', possibly clouded by your mild, non-circumstantial depression(possibly drug-induced--you're not just smoking on the weekends, are you). You have very good grammar, as well... so you have the capability of accomplishing good things(it's in you).

Consider reading 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius...

Answer 6

Depression isn't only about questioning the meaning of life....there are many symptoms of depression, and it's difficult to know whether the symptoms lead to the conclusion that there is no meaning to life or vice versa.

To the person who said that depression is a made-up problem....as someone who's currently in the process of being diagnosed, probably with bipolar disorder, I detest your opinions with a passion, but I hope for your sake that you never have to discover just how wrong you are.

Answer 7

While your theory may have some truth and validity, the fact remains that depressives need treatment to be able to function daily without disturbance and outbreaks of fits of emotion. As the world is not a ward, it is everything, and there are rules and regulations one must follow to be in society. Besides, depressives feel quite miserable, while they may indeed have insight that others do not, it is a talent that is being wasted in the pain they are experiencing.

Answer 8

You have brought up an existential question....meaning is what you give to life.....not what life gives to you.
as to depression well it can be related to world events like when a violent dangerous unstable person has their drunken hand on the largest arsenal in human history then depression is normal..until they are impeached anyway.
The ignorance in this country about depression is highlighted perfectly by our misanthropic friend giving flip answers to accumulate points about a deadly issue that may affect him someday. Depression can be induced via myriad pathologies not all of which are genetic... I am so glad we live on a planet with karma.

Answer 9

I know it is the source of my depression. To consider all the possibilities for existing and for dying makes my brain hurt and scared and sad. There is a good chance things might not end well for us when we die. That's depressing. Asking myself repeatedly "What's the point?" and searching for the answer has left me drained and exhausted. I think I should never have done mushrooms. If I had refrained, I might have never begun to consider these things so thoroughly. I haven't done them in years, but the thoughts they provoked still linger.

Answer 10

Depression exists by maintaining certain thoughts styles and certain beliefs. Believing that life has no meaning is bound to make anyone depressed. Choose your beliefs accordingly.

Depression surfaces out of a desire to think. The mind, unsupervised, will think of a variety of topics eventually leading to a depressed state.

Of course, depression gives someone something to think about.