gandhig wrote:

I believe that counselling is a far more better option than medication.

It really depends on the person but the biggest problem is one that others have referred to:

1)

oeuvre wrote:

You never know what's going on in someone's head, no matter how well you think you know them.

2)

gdjacobs wrote:

It's difficult to maintain awareness of what's going on in your own head.

2) is a prerequisite of 1). The 'more better' treatment is the one that is best suited to the individual's condition.

In the case of someone who has a chemical imbalance (e.g. caused by the gut, as mentioned) this can, in some cases, be measured and treatment can be prescribed accordingly. If depression is one of the main symptoms of this imbalance then anti-depressants are absolutely appropriate as they are managing a symptom. Hopefully then the root cause can be addressed with a view to the symptoms (depression) stopping or lessening.

In the case of someone who has suffered abuse as a child (the most common cause of depression and personality disorder that I've encountered) the symptoms (depression, anxiety, uncontrollable urges, social issues, lack of emotional control) are as a result of abnormal neural development. It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recognise - let alone treat - these symptoms when you're in a pit of despair.

I've been on anti-depressants for 2 years and have only recently gone up to the maximum dose and it's only just started making a genuine difference to my state of mind and behaviour. This has been in conjunction with individual counselling, marriage counselling and group therapy. Maybe one day I will have gained enough control over my life that the medication wont be necessary.

Some people collect money
Some people collect houses
Some people collect weapons
Some people collect pots and kitchen utilities
Some people collect cars
Some people collect ships
Some people collect clothes
Some people collect shoes
Etc, etc, etc....

I think they want just the right item for the occasion.
It’s not about collecting but about convenience.

I don’t think these users collecting old computers to play old computer games and programs is a bad idea.
In 1969 man went to the moon with much less computing power than a 286 computer.

Audiophiliacs is what I read about most. Users looking for the best computer setup to play old games.
These computers where expensive back in the 1990’s costing from $3000 to $5000 U.S. dollars

You can buy these old computers from $20 to $30 on craigslist or eBay.

A ticket to a sporting event costs $100 and up today.
A concert $100
A nice dinner for two $200
A movie theater for two $50
A pair of NEW shoes $100
Designer jeans $150

So, spending $20 for an old computer is not allot of money to spend on your education.
There is still allot of good old software around that can run on these old computers.

Next you will want to get rid of the U.S. mail service. ( Snail mail ).

Intel486dx33 wrote:

Some people collect money Some people collect houses Some people collect weapons Some people collect pots and kitchen utilities […]
Show full quote

Some people collect money
Some people collect houses
Some people collect weapons
Some people collect pots and kitchen utilities
Some people collect cars
Some people collect ships
Some people collect clothes
Some people collect shoes
Some people collect humans ( it’s called a prison ).
Etc, etc, etc....

I think they want just the right item for the occasion.
It’s not about collecting but about convenience.

I don’t think these users collecting old computers to play old computer games and programs is a bad idea.
In 1969 man went to the moon with much less computing power than a 286 computer.

Audiophiliacs is what I read about most. Users looking for the best computer setup to play old games.
These computers where expensive back in the 1990’s costing from $3000 to $5000 U.S. dollars

You can buy these old computers from $20 to $30 on craigslist or eBay.

A ticket to a sporting event costs $100 and up today.
A concert $100
A nice dinner for two $200
A movie theater for two $50
A pair of NEW shoes $100
Designer jeans $150

So, spending $20 for an old computer is not allot of money to spend on your education.
There is still allot of good old software around that can run on these old computers.

Next you will want to get rid of the U.S. mail service. ( Snail mail ).

The NOW generation wants everything today but they don’t want to work for it.
They want it for FREE !

Take a good look around !
Everything you see came out of the ground !
People dug it out of the ground !
The “Pick and shovel” dug it out of the ground !
Aluminum, steel, ore, gold, silver, copper, bronze, wood, oil, plastic, rubber, etc.
All this stuff came from the ground.

So don’t waist your time with junk.
Try to build good stuff with what has been taken out of the ground,
These things we collect are to help us find our way.

A computer is deigned to help you find your way.

So these people collecting old computers are just trying to find there way.

It’s a way of living.

Education, music, art, science, medicine, etc.

Money is just an Idea !
Money did not build America, People built America.
Money did not build Europe, People built Europe.
The “Pick and Shovel” built the world.

Phycologist are a weapon of war for those that want an excuse to control people.
Language is a weapon of war !
What language do you speak ?
Do you know your way ?
What way are you going ?
Who are you fighing for ?
What are you fighting for ?
You will live to be about 70 years old and then die. this is a reality.
WHy are you fighting when the ways are set.
Just go your way !
Find your identity and language and customs and beliefs and go your way.
Religion is a book of war !
Go with your kind.
Go with your region
Go with your people.
Go with your diet.
Why are you fighting when the way is set.
Know your language and you will find your way.

Impressive...

I don't agree with everything here though.

It's pretty easy to become a hoarder and lose yourself in shiny toys when life around you is crumbling apart.

I worked in a callcentre for a few years and it fucked me up in a very bad way. I was constantly yelled at by customers to the point where I had to take heart medication because of anxiety problems. My heart was working overtime to cope with the high stress level and I felt like life didn't make sense anymore.
I heard the same things every day, did the same things every day and was yelled at because of the same reasons every day. I also mostly worked at night and/or at the weekend, so I either worked when everyone was partying or I had free time when everybody else was working. Which meant that I almost had no positive human contact to my friends anymore. I've also had trouble sleeping which got so worse that sometimes I didn't sleep for 2 nights in a row.
I was never diagnosed officially, but I felt extremely depressed. I rarely left my apartment (except for work) and only curled up myself at home. There was no purpose in my life, other than doing my "assembly line work" to get money every day.

The job was well paid, though. I had the funds to buy almost anything I wanted. Over the course of two years I bought a big pile of old cameras, notebooks, old computer games and everything that was obscure and electronic. These were the only things that made me happy. I mostly bought broken stuff to repair and whenever I successfully repaired something I felt this accomplishment inside of me and it was great. But it was only an illusion.

I didn't want to realize it back then, but I mostly bought junk that I never repaired. I filled my little apartment to the point where I had trouble walking because of all the stuff on the floor. At the end of the month all the money I had earned was already gone most of the time. Winning an eBay auction made me happy for a very short period and after that, I felt absolutely terrible and useless. Then a package arrived at my door and it was great to have something new for a day. After that, I felt useless again. I circled around doing this for almost two years.

Inevitably, I've lost my job at some point because I had a breakdown and just fell asleep at my desk. I was barely able to walk home that day and didn't leave my apartment anymore, until they fired me. I had to sell almost everything that was worth anything, threw away the rest and received financial support from my friends and family to keep going for a few months until I found another job that actually turned my life around completely.

It was the worst part of my life. When I look back now, I realize that I bought all these things to feel like a child again and get away from the horrible situation I was in. When I was a child, everything was so simple. I didn't have the worries that I have today and drowning myself in old games and hardware I've always wanted as a kid (but couldn't afford) made me happy, even if it just was for a brief amount of time. Having almost no one to talk to also played a big part in me seeking salvation in other activities than other humans. But even an introvert like me NEEDS human contact from time to time and it just made matters worse.

Today I have job that's only from Monday to Friday with a very generous starting time (=when I wake up, I go to work).
I have time for friends and time to seek out different activities that give me a sense of fulfilment (I'm learning programming and photography and it's great). I don't feel the need to collect a ton of things to feel happy anymore.

I think if you're aware that you're not in a bad life situation and you're not using your collecting habit as an excuse to escape the world around you, it's all fine. But it's very hard to realize your mistakes while you are making them.

brassicGamer wrote:

2) is a prerequisite of 1). The 'more better' treatment is the one that is best suited to the individual's condition.

Please don't consider these as suggestions or advices...just inputs, nothing else. Normally I try to put myself in other's shoes, i.e. if I know them in person, before I share any inputs to them...that could be useful in 'testing times'. But we know that doesn't work always as there are many variables involved. Since I know very little about you, of course, this could either be complete nonsense or stand a minuscule chance of being a tad useful.

Nowadays I'm trying to capture my thoughts and transfer them to words & useful inputs(hopefully) in this manner:
a) Under 'these' conditions or situations & 'this' state of mine, I tried doing 'this' w,r.t 'this' situation or issue and 'THIS' was what I observed. Absolutely agreed that YMMV...
b) Based on my life experiences & whatever knowledge I could gather till now & also remember, "Under 'such' situations faced by an individual & in 'such' a state(logical guess & after acquiring a 'good amount of' or at least 'some' knowledge)...what would I have done if I were in that person's shoes?

Coming back to this topic's issue, when it comes to "difficult to maintain awareness of what is going on in your own head"...Though it can't be proved objectively, I believe & also observed that "Thoughts don't appear randomly. There is a good chance that 'they' get triggered from our past countless stored memories...when the 'situation' is identical or similar to the 'one', when 'that past memory' was formed out of an experience. There is also one more angle to this but that may not be needed immediately here. So I guess that whenever an individual is under depression...seemingly without any 'source of thought' for that condition, there could be a possibility that such thoughts are deep in the subconscious and difficult to get hold of, sort of. Under such conditions, when that person engages in an activity, one that ignites a passion in that person, guess, the 'underlying' negative memories are getting overridden temporarily by the thoughts about one's passionate activity or maybe even 'lack of it', i.e. thoughts. Like it was said in the previous post, it is possible that a person under depression may not be able to realize or even think clearly in such a condition.

Extrapolating...If a person who has come out of a recent depression could gather those memories about the various conditions and situations which could possibly have triggered depression in the past, there is a good chance that the source of the issue could be identified and addressed. Notes from the already done counseling sessions could also throw some light or help make a connection in identifying the issue, if any. But there is the risk of going back into depression just by thinking about those past memories. However for a permanent solution, that may very well be needed, unfortunately, A close friend or family could help or support in such a case...

Additionally, there is a chance that none of the above is applicable and the person under depression is mainly concerned or worried about the uncertain or unknown Future. In such a case, the approach to overcome it would very well depend on the conditions and would be difficult to arrive at without specific inputs about the conditions or situations. Also, this may not be applicable in case of chemical imbalance or body anomaly.

brassicGamer wrote:

Maybe one day I will have gained enough control over my life that the medication wont be necessary.

Hoping and wishing that this happens soon...

Mister Xiado wrote:

Having a distressful job, having limited funds, having to cut back on food to pay for car repairs, relying on US military medical manuals in order to stay out of the hospital, and all of that tends to be a boot on the throat of enjoying life. Too much of that, and you start down the slope of not being able to enjoy anything for more than a few minutes. You'll still laugh at jokes, and be able to carry on conversation, but it's not lasting enjoyment.

Yeah life can be terrible for 'seemingly' no reason. Though easy to say & difficult to execute, "Not losing hope & hoping for a turnaround" is one of the directions available for pursuit. You had mentioned that it was not lasting enjoyment. From my own experience, no enjoyment lasts long, in general. Only the duration of enjoyment & such number of occasions may vary between a seemingly well-to-do-fellow and not-so-much-guy. In my case, previously, there used to be cyclic & repetitive phases related to gaming, music, reading fictions, coding etc. Thought there was enjoyment, nothing continued for long...in a sense, they were all 'incomplete' until now. I found something that worked for me giving me peace & a purpose to my life. What worked for me may not work for others, so it is for that person to work it out & find it. No matter what, one should try their best not to get stuck or go backwards under testing times...always strive to push forward. Just remember, we are the pinnacle of evolution! Let's leave the aliens out of this for argument sake...

schmatzler wrote:

Today I have job that's only from Monday to Friday with a very generous starting time (=when I wake up, I go to work).
I have time for friends and time to seek out different activities that give me a sense of fulfilment (I'm learning programming and photography and it's great). I don't feel the need to collect a ton of things to feel happy anymore.

Positively inspiring to know about the turnaround.

P.S. To be edited/deleted as per new inputs...