Is there anyone here that is NOT depressed?

[CapnAwesome]

Ok, well, I'm a clinically depressed person on the forum, and I do yoga daily, hoop dance, spend lots of time outside- it's easy to do when you live where I do- and spend as much time with my friends/family as possible. Do you see why it might be offensive for you to make stereotypes like you have? And depression isn't necessarily caused by outside factors. In my case, I was born that way, just as many others were.

Again, I'm not intending to offend anyone, but there is a correlation between depression and heavy internet use. Many people on these forums are addicted to the internet, many are depressed. Of course I can't prove that it has anything to do with it because I don't feel like spending hours researching everyone's personal history just to prove a point. However I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't contribute to some people's problems.

If it isn't what's causing your depression and you are aware of your own problems and what is causing them then I don't see any reason to be offended. Some of it is also based on my own personal experiences. I just don't really talk about it because I find arguments based on myself (which could not apply to anyone else but me) to be amongst the weakest of arguments.

[tor]

Ok, well, I'm a clinically depressed person on the forum, and I do yoga daily, hoop dance, spend lots of time outside- it's easy to do when you live where I do- and spend as much time with my friends/family as possible. Do you see why it might be offensive for you to make stereotypes like you have? And depression isn't necessarily caused by outside factors. In my case, I was born that way, just as many others were.

Again, I'm not intending to offend anyone, but there is a correlation between depression and heavy internet use. Many people on these forums are addicted to the internet, many are depressed. Of course I can't prove that it has anything to do with it because I don't feel like spending hours researching everyone's personal history just to prove a point. However I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't contribute to some people's problems.

If it isn't what's causing your depression and you are aware of your own problems and what is causing them then I don't see any reason to be offended.

I think it's the other way around. Internet addiction is a consequence of depression. Atheists who are not depressed are too busy doing other things instead of posting.

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I've known of a few people that never got depressed in their entire lives. They were called "aborted fetus" or "misscarriage".

What's your point?

[CapnAwesome]

Again, I'm not intending to offend anyone, but there is a correlation between depression and heavy internet use. Many people on these forums are addicted to the internet, many are depressed. Of course I can't prove that it has anything to do with it because I don't feel like spending hours researching everyone's personal history just to prove a point. However I'd be extremely surprised if it didn't contribute to some people's problems.

If it isn't what's causing your depression and you are aware of your own problems and what is causing them then I don't see any reason to be offended.

I think it's the other way around. Internet addiction is a consequence of depression. Atheists who are not depressed are too busy doing other things instead of posting.

I think that very well could be the case or possibly the two are just a mix that contribute to one another. People start to be depressed and so they start to use the internet more, which means they spend less time outside, less time socializing, so they become more depressed, so they spend more time on the internet, and become more depressed. I mean the sad thing is the spiral. However the wrong attitude is to say 'well I'm depressed, I can't do anything about it, it's not caused by anything, feel bad for me.'

I feel mildly uncomfortable saying these things, because I don't really like making anyone feel bad and because invariably you are thrown into a major guilt trip for 'attacking the mentally ill'. However pointing out that depression maybe caused by something (it wouldn't be treatable if it weren't) isn't the same as attacking someone. I wish the best for the people on here dealing with depression, but most of the time the best would be for them to spend less time on the internet and more time outside.

[tor]

What if there is nothing interesting outside?

[No_God]

Take a walk, climb a tree, have a picnic, lay in the sun, bird watch, go to the library, plant a garden, eat some mushrooms...um...I mean pick some flowers....

[CapnAwesome]

Even better most physical activities happen outside, go for a run, hike, rock climb, do cartwheels. Exercise outdoors is just so much more natural and healthy than exercise indoors. Indoor air is also extremely polluted.

[Faith No More]

However the wrong attitude is to say 'well I'm depressed, I can't do anything about it, it's not caused by anything, feel bad for me.'

But have you heard anyone here actually say that? What I hear is people trying desperately to squash the misconception that depression is merely a matter of personal responsibility and that one person's experiences do not necessarily dictate how another should be able to cope. I have yet to see someone claim that there is nothing to be done about it, but, I have, in fact, seen several people point out that taking personal responsibility was an important factor in the recovery process.

And frankly, it's more than a little bit insulting when you state that attempting to garnish pity is the wrong attitude when the majority of people mentioning their depression here are not guilty of that.

[pocaracas]

I thought this thread was about those of us who are yet to be declared depressed, if we ever get to it.

[Whateverist]

I prefer to rely on repeatable empirical evidence. When are you free?

Kenny
Your depression would set in when your old weenie failed to inflate.

Who is Kenny and what would you know about my weenie. Sixty one years of faithful service without ever letting me down. How are you doing, youngster?

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Even better most physical activities happen outside, go for a run, hike, rock climb, do cartwheels. Exercise outdoors is just so much more natural and healthy than exercise indoors. Indoor air is also extremely polluted.

Spent the day working in the garden and had a blast. Beautiful sunny day too. Thank gawd for advil and the hot tub.

[KUSA]

Who is Kenny

You are Kenny. Kenny Rogers. Or at least a look alike.