Depression and causation

[sundowning]

I wonder if people would suffer from depression if they do exercise regularly, have great sex, and have a few Close Friends/Confidants?

If they won't, then isn't the cause of depression the lack of sex, exercise, and friends?

I think a lot of (types of) depression can indeed be distracted away by these things.

A core still remains, though, of those who suffer despite everything else being right.

[SolitaryWalker]

I wonder if people would suffer from depression if they do exercise regularly, have great sex, and have a few Close Friends/Confidants?

If they won't, then isn't the cause of depression the lack of sex, exercise, and friends?

You're thinking about this only from the S perspective..many Ns have far greater challenges in life than just taking care of their physical needs..and lack of acceptance by others (allusion to your comment for the need to have close friends in order to avoid depression)...

Think about this...psychological pains are always sharper than physical... this is why people who commit suicide have no problem physically hurting themselves just to put an end to the mental pain...

[KMCE]

For me (ISTJ) it's enough to have a great body, awesome sex life, a few close friends, a stable high-paying job, a house of my own, and a fat bank account. Life really ain't that complicated. My goals are clear, and there's not much to worry about. It's kinda hard to make me depressed since I know where I am going.

Maybe you are my opposite so you think otherwise. Your needs are probably quite different from mine.

well I don't have a great body, but my sex life is not lacking at all... it's actually quite great I have a few close friends and a good giggle buddy, my husband has a stable well paying job and works very hard for us. We 'own' a house, the bank account is alright.... yet depression is there.... damn Fi overwhelming my Ne *sigh*

(Why don't the multi-quote button work!?)

Targo,

Well I ain't no psychologist, and the world is very lucky that I didn't get into the psychology profession (I don't like getting dead patients.. they stink), but I sort of see something that seems 'problematic' in your message. I've highlighted it. You probably don't want to talk about it further, but,

You have identified Fi as the cause of your depression. But "Fi" is what makes an ENFP ENFP (It's the auxiliary function of ENFP after all). So, if you identify with the profile of ENFP, you are essentially saying that, as long as you are ENFP, you would suffer from depression. And unless you switch to another type, depression will stay with you forever.

I think it's not good. You have found a reason to justify your depression, and that very reason is something that would ‘stick’. Something that won’t go away. And there’s no helping it. So what gives?

Think about it, you really like it staying with you?

I suppose what I was meaning is that my Fi isn't fulfilled in my life. I feel (go figure) that it's empty and not noticed. Also I guess I feel that it's not accepted either, that it's more or less mocked. Everything in my life seems to boil down to well if you weren't so emotional you could get over it.... *sigh*

(I just read the ENFP profile)

I'll make a wild guess: the above sounds like your kindness to others are not reciprocated, and you need the reciprocation to be happy. And no one seems to appreciate your good characters, and they mock you because you are who you are: ‘Too’ kind, ‘too’ emotional, ‘too’ warm to others, feeling ‘too’ much, not 'tough' enough, and somewhat easily manipulated. Your outside character is a bit wild and crazy, but inside there's a gentler you that needs to be noticed by others and appreciated by others, despite what you have shown to people outwardly.

The thing about ENFP seems to be that they need other people's appreciation and encouragement to live a happy and fulfilled life (ENFP is the opposite of my type, so I can sort of understand, in a rather bizarre way).

I've no good solution to your depression problem... but if you think Fi is the problem of your depression, the solutions are, I suppose, to find people who would appreciate you for who you are (The Fi thing), those who would reciprocate your kindness, those who would notice your "Fi" without you having to explain to them. If MBTI has any value in it (I doubt it)... then it would be ESFP, ISFP, INFP, and other ENFP. Don't get anywhere near a ISTJ by the way.

And if you are a ISTJ, I would probably just tell you to suck it up and get over it. I think it won’t work for you though.

[Totenkindly]

And if you are a ISTJ, I would probably just tell you to suck it up and get over it. I think it won’t work for you though.

lol, that was a nice post, KMCE... especially the ending. Not much to add to it right now, but you've had some very good insights here and elsewhere.

[SolitaryWalker]

[QUOTE=KMCE;16220](Why don't the multi-quote button work!?)

Targo,

Well I ain't no psychologist, and the world is very lucky that I didn't get into the psychology profession (I don't like getting dead patients.. they stink), but I sort of see something that seems 'problematic' in your message. I've highlighted it. You probably don't want to talk about it further, but,

You have identified Fi as the cause of your depression. But "Fi" is what makes an ENFP ENFP (It's the auxiliary function of ENFP after all). So, if you identify with the profile of ENFP, you are essentially saying that, as long as you are ENFP, you would suffer from depression. And unless you switch to another type, depression will stay with you forever.

I think it's not good. You have found a reason to justify your depression, and that very reason is something that would

[Lark]

You know, happiness is a chemical "imbalance" too.

Interesting.

[Dareyth]

I've been depressed for a very long time, and if things like exercise could cure it, then why was I depressed when I was fit as fuck, working full time, and had the freedom to do as I wanted? I didn't lack the positive outlook, or attitude. It just made me more functional, but the feeling has always persisted.

I think there is some weight to the whole "spiritual" health thing. Your relationship with the world, your sense of purpose, and belonging. Friends, family, love, sex etc... they can only provide some comfort. But for some, those who don't think in such a here and now perspective, the feeling of futility and nihilism is extremely strong, because they can see beyond those things. I myself, struggle with existentialism on a daily basis. I don't really feel that I can do anything, because I know my limits and I know just how hard it would be to accomplish anything. I have had to "shrink" my horizons just to enjoy what little of life that I can lead.

Not everyone is cut out to be a the next billionaire. In fact, the majority of people are going to end up just barely at poverty line for the rest of their lives. It's is how you deal with that fact, that really defines how happy you will be in your life. A relationship with "god", or other spirituality, does actually help in this. Giving purpose, when ultimately there is none. It is part of the reason I found myself accepting the philosophy of Buddhism and other natural world teachings.

[Mole]

Clinical Depression is a psychosis that takes the lives of many of its victims.

Clinical Depression is life threatening in way feeling low, or depressed, or traumatised, or discriminated, is not.

A neurosis causes misery, but remains in touch with reality, while psychosis means out of touch with reality.

And Clinical Depression requires the help of a psychiatrist.

Schizophrenia is a thought disorder with delusions of thought, while Clinical Depression is an emotional disorder with emotional delusions.

It is of interest that those who are Clinically Depressed universally deny they are emotionally deluded. They believe their emotions reflect reality. But they are wrong, and are deluded.

[Lark]

Clinical Depression is a psychosis that takes the lives of many of its victims.

Clinical Depression is life threatening in way feeling low, or depressed, or traumatised, or discriminated, is not.

A neurosis causes misery, but remains in touch with reality, while psychosis means out of touch with reality.

And Clinical Depression requires the help of a psychiatrist.

Schizophrenia is a thought disorder with delusions of thought, while Clinical Depression is an emotional disorder with emotional delusions.

It is of interest that those who are Clinically Depressed universally deny they are emotionally deluded. They believe their emotions reflect reality. But they are wrong, and are deluded.

Mole there's a whole bunch of words in your post there which I suspect that, as usual, you dont wholly understand and dont even know you're misusing them or misapplying them.

I hope no one reading your posts makes the mistake of thinking you're an authority in anything other than simply being opinionated.

[Lark]

What causes depression is a really interesting question, along with how widespread is it, why it occurs at some times and places in the way it does.

Like, depending on how you define your terms depression can speak right to differences between psychiatry and psychology (even a role for sociology if you consider Durkheim and Marx), medical, social and systems theory models of mental health and illness.