Seems like the whole world is depressed

Is depression being overdiagnosed? Are we just hearing about it more because of technology, more research, more encouragement for depressives to come forward?

Personally it seems like it's literally everywhere. Countless family members on both sides struggle with it to varying degrees - including myself - and then there's the Robin Williams news as well as many other notable persons who deal with it. And I can think of other recent examples I've heard of lately, probably more I can't remember.

What's the deal? Are people really more miserable? Is it the result of capitalism/globalism/technology/_______?

Just thinking aloud I suppose.
 

S_Spartan

Well-known member
Yes, even in my own family I notice people are more miserable and stressed out.

My gueses as to why:

Narcissm- it's all about puffing up the ego and we become "islands of self" also we don't need each other the way we used to thus we fly solo which creates a feeling of

Isolation- which is depressing.

Speed- the post modern world moves too fast for the human mind to keep up with.

Seeing ourselves as above nature

Economy- the current economy puts tremendous strains on people(even though the news tells us all is well)

Too much information- being so universally connected means being constantly connected to the world's woes(fighting in other countries, ebola, etc) It can be too much to take in.

The idea that we are entitled to feel good all the time at all costs.
Nay! The the idea if you don't feel good and/or have your s*** together as per society's standards then you are invalid as a person.
 

WeirdyMcGee

Well-known member
The world is getting smaller and smaller since the creation of the internet and yet-- people are isolating themselves more and more.
We're made to be afraid of everyone and everything/ the news and the governments are fear mongers and profit off of it.

We're killing our planet without a second thought for the future generations who will have to live with it.
We fill our food with hormones and clone our fruit and vegetables and remove nutrients and fill our bodies with sugar and drugs... and we know everything and yet, nothing at all.
 
We're hardly abiding to our natural programming anymore, except for a handful of stubborn needs. Misalignments are bound to happen the more we move away from it, and with it a sense of not-belonging.

I don't think it's a single thing really, or even a handful.. but rather a whole lot of small things. Normally the damning risk of being eaten by something else keeps your mind from sinking into depression, if anything it keeps you in the moment provides with incentive to appreciate the simple virtues.

But most of the human population left that life behind centuries ago. It's only going to get worse before it gets better, I think. I however do believe in time it will be better, but first we must adapt to the increasing rate with which our society changes and functions.

Right now we function more or less like a structure without a solid foundation.
 

Argentum

Well-known member
Isn't depression something that can run in families?

I think some things, particularly the bad things, seem more common than they are because people tend to fixate. As a recent example, some forums I visited had a dozen Robin Williams threads with everyone wanting to be the bearer of the news prior to even checking for threads... wonder how many of them would have been so excited to talk about their idol's beautiful new child or inspirational speech?

I doubt depression is different. For every depressed person, there's more who are fine. I do consider society to have many toxic mindsets, though, and I wouldn't be surprised if people are just succumbing to the poor environment.

An example is highlighted in this article about why funny people kill themselves. It sums up my hesitance to talk about my feelings perfectly.
 
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Earthcircle

Well-known member
I read a book which says that depression is overdiagnosed because the common, and mild, condition of neurasthenia is mistaken for depression. The more severe condition of melancholia is properly treated with antidepressant medication.
 
There are many more educated people on this planet now.
Not as many who were originally persuaded to just accept the lies and propaganda of Religion, then Consumerism.

It is harder for the masses of modern educated man to be as easily brainwashed into contentment than it used to be.

Religion has failed.
Consumerism is on the wane.
They need to get creative and start thinking of something new to convince the masses they will be "happy" if they do "this".
 

S_Spartan

Well-known member
There are many more educated people on this planet now.
Not as many who were originally persuaded to just accept the lies and propaganda of Religion, then Consumerism.

It is harder for the masses of modern educated man to be as easily brainwashed into contentment than it used to be.

Religion has failed.
Consumerism is on the wane.
They need to get creative and start thinking of something new to convince the masses they will be "happy" if they do "this".

This is a VERY good point!

For many years people used religion and consumerism to define who they are but now there really are no common, mainstream codes for people to define themselves.

It's all sorta played out.

Interesting perspective.
 

Get_RektXoXo

New member
the whole world is depressed probably because it is facing a lot more problems that it used to and people who used to pretend these problems did not exist back in the day - today they simply cant ignore them
 

PugofCrydee

You want to know how I got these scars?
I think its always been there, in the masses.
But I do think Today its been given a "label" where as beforehand it was just seen as part of peoples personalities.
Imagine a blacksmith during the medieval period. He's seen as angry, moody and aggressive.
Back then he is seen as the moody angry smith.
Today he is diagnosed with depression.
As with suicide (a tragic end result of depression gone too far) depression has been present throughout history.
 

planemo

Well-known member
I think it's the need to follow ones own inclinations rather then to be directed by a higher sense of purpose that's making us depressed on a global scale.
 

MollyBeGood

Well-known member
I don't think we are ment to be "happy" in this modern world. It is something the few that control all want us to be pursuing till our deaths but never achieve. That is how a consumerist society is programmed to feel. You never feel good enough, happy enough, pretty enough and there's always a drug you can get from your Doc, legally, that claims to make you happy but it is all a scam.
It has become more accepting to talk about "feelings" than ever before and it is really not a shock that everyone is really not feeling that great! When you see all the lies we have been told since birth it's pretty difficult to go around smiling. The internet is really helping expose the BS too. You have to be selective in what you read and believe but there is some info out there now that was never available before and it is depressing the way the world really is run, once you see the real men behind the curtain running the show.
I have always felt I needed to get away from this mess we call society since I was old enough to reason and that feeling has only gotten stronger with age. The brainwashing didn't work on me.
I have to say too that since antidepressants generally fail that there was this whole buzz created artificially in the last 20 yrs that if you were sad at all get some Prozac, right? Well how depressing it is to see that not only does it not work it and other anti depressants can make you feel worse!
We have to live more fulfilling lives with less stuff. That's my short take on how to be happy.
I know there's brain chemistry involved that matters but repeatedly living a proper life daily will change those neuro pathways naturally IMO.

There's I believe 7 parts to this documentary but I guarantee if anyone watches this they will never look at the world the same.
The Century Of Self: Happiness Machines (Episode1) on Vimeo

If you prefer to listen to a talk by someone excellent
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Q4OGKSnhbc
 
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MollyBeGood

Well-known member
There are many more educated people on this planet now.
Not as many who were originally persuaded to just accept the lies and propaganda of Religion, then Consumerism.

It is harder for the masses of modern educated man to be as easily brainwashed into contentment than it used to be.

Religion has failed.
Consumerism is on the wane.
They need to get creative and start thinking of something new to convince the masses they will be "happy" if they do "this".

I agree BlueDays! I think that tbh it's brainwashing being done to us at such high levels now, it will be yrs before we even are aware of it. Subliminal to the umpteenth degree. I get kinda scared when I read that the tech that we use now is usually at least 10 yrs behind what the military for example is using.
"The Century of Self" link I posted really has some frightening stuff on how people are so easy to manipulate, even at a base level.

I always think it's just the best cover to the biggest lie that "they" don't know anything about the brain-really? Lies told to control.
 

Kiwong

Well-known member
I think people are more encouraged to speak up about depression as a result of the funding of programs such as Beyond Blue. So perhaps the true stats on this unseen illness are being revealed, whereas previous generations were discouraged to talk about it and it remained hidden.

I recently spoke to my cousins and told them I had a mental illness. Oh you have the Kiwong genes, meaning that it runs in my family. Both my cousins have it. That was kind of comforting. But so did my Uncle and probably my mother too, but they never spoke of it.
 
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bcsr

Well-known member
Everyone will experience depression, it's a completely natural response to tragic events in life. Most people will recover fully on their own over time. I'd venture to say close to 100% of every human that's lived on this earth has been depressed at one time in their life.

We just have a name and a diagnosis to slap on people now.
 

cosmosis

Well-known member
Yes it does. Everywhere I look I see miserable people. Some people are simply better at hiding it than others. But I know pain and see right through it. I really think its because we are all so disconnected. The internet was suppose to bring everyone together, facebook was suppose to do that, but they do the opposite. I'm old enough to remember what it was like before cell phone texting, before the internet. Things weren't perfect back then, but the acceleration into pain and disconnection is unbelievable. No one "needs" anymore when you have 600 "friends". EVERYONE I know, even my own family now avoids real connection. Too afraid of pain, too accustomed to easy superficial joy, easy fake friendships. All connection is shallow deep. Distraction is the only thing that gets people through the day. And people are needing more and more distraction, but that won't last forever.
 

Pacific_Loner

Pirate from the North Pole
Is depression being overdiagnosed? Are we just hearing about it more because of technology, more research, more encouragement for depressives to come forward?

Personally it seems like it's literally everywhere. Countless family members on both sides struggle with it to varying degrees - including myself - and then there's the Robin Williams news as well as many other notable persons who deal with it. And I can think of other recent examples I've heard of lately, probably more I can't remember.

What's the deal? Are people really more miserable? Is it the result of capitalism/globalism/technology/_______?

Just thinking aloud I suppose.

I think about this a lot too. I do think depression is being overdiagnosed because it is a very lucrative market.

I think it is not properly treated, because sick people are good for economy and natural ways to treat sickness are not.

In fact I think meds for depression generates depression, or at least addiction, the same way meds for asthma will eventually generate asthma if you give it to someone who doesn't have asthma to begin with.

I also think the modern life style creates depression. I don't think there is as much depression amongs people who are closer to nature and who lives a more simple life, as said Kihira.

So even though I'm saying I think it's overdiagnosed, I also think it's more present.
 
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