are mental illnesses like anxiety and depression just self fulfilling prophecies? it feels like once you allow yourself to believe it, you can think yourself into a negative feedback loop that only makes it worse. this isn't to say that there isn't scientific evidence that proves these issues exist but just that it seems like the condition feeds on itself.
Is the only way to break the chain to "just do it"?
I am over 30 and all I know is I can't escape it, no matter how much self help I delve into. I consistently make poor choices and live a withdrawn, hedonistic life.
Have you tried therapy or medication?
I'm 27 and it's half-and-half. I believe depression itself is directly linked to a cause, IE, you can figure out they never had X trauma resolved, or they never received Y treatment, those kinds of things.
But it also is a lot of people who just succumb to negative feedback loops, squander good gifts and don't really fight back against the depression.
The problem, and perhaps the root of depression as an issue and depression as a fad, is figuring out on which side you lay-- on one side you may need therapy and medication, as well as life improvement. On the other hand, if they're just doing it to themselves then as little as proper diet and steady exercise can fix their problem-- and yes, just 'like that.'
The issue probably begs more extensive discussion, but that seems to be the basics for me.
Anxiety and depression are two different thigs but they often come together. You can't just say "hey, I think they are prophecies!". It doesn't work that way. Humans are complex creatures because they experience complex things. You could have been mistreated as a child, have trauma, PTSD, abused, bullied a million things can trigger anxiety or depression. Even a lack of vitamin B12 can make you want to kill yourseld. Or living in london without sun.
Don't be an idiot, we are body and mind not only thoughs.
>lmao be positive bro!
Is the worst advice for anyone that might have a mental illness.
In on Paxil, low dose... which helps with the depression but not the lack of motivation. I tried therapy for years but they just listened to me and it didn't do much for me.
>are mental illnesses like anxiety and depression just self fulfilling prophecies?
The short answer is absolutely not. Anxiety and depression are clinical, physiologically based disorders. Its no more unavoidable than schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. They are, simply put, caused by chemical imbalances in the brain. They even technically meet the criteria for being labeled as a disease.
The long answer is a little more nuanced. I think the piece of your idea that is true is that there are conscious, willful things you can do to help treat these disorders. Things like diet, exercise, good sleep, supplements and meditation can all contribute to developing an environment and a lifestyle in which anxiety and depression have a difficult time thriving. Through poor lifestyle choices you can most certainly make the symptoms of anxiety and depression worse. It would be inaccurate to say, however, that the power of positive thinking can free you from anxiety and depression. Therapy is a great tool to help combat the negative thinking patterns that contribute to these disorders but, again, negative thinking is not a cause, merely a contributing factor. Also understand that there is a difference between clinical depression and just feeling really shitty about something happening in your life. There is a difference between having an anxiety disorder and being under a lot of stress. One is a state of mind and the other is a diagnosed disorder with a physiological foundation.
It was an actual question, user. I know that there's a plethora of reasons why these issues can exist for an individual, however I do believe they are cyclical disorders regardless of how they began. Truly, is there any other way to break the loop other than simply "breaking" it? Of course you can't just wake up in the morning and decide to feel fine if you have anxiety or depression, if that were the case people such as myself and millions of others wouldn't have an issue in the first place. Still, in all treatment options it seems like the patient has to do SOMETHING, otherwise it doesn't seem to improve. It's not like a cold to where you can take an antibiotic and feel well again with enough bed rest and fluids.
Don't be stupid op. Being sad for a period of days/weeks/months isn't the same as having clinical depression.
This lines up with what my doctor has told me. I feel as though medication should help with the imbalance but I've seen it do so little for my mother who I have probably inherited this shit from. I guess the extra mile is necessary, which is where you have to actually change your lifestyle as well. That's the hardest part when you have no motivation.
partly, you have to be mentaly strong enough to not be a faggot who lets his emotions control him
>That's the hardest part when you have no motivation.
Exactly. The medication is really just to help take the edge off and help you get out of bed and do the things necessary to address your anxiety/depression in your life. Medication can save your life and/or bring you back from the edge of crippling depression but it won't be your source of joy or fulfillment. It won't help address the things in your life that you feel contribute to your anxiety/depression. Medication is a stepping stone in the right direction but it isn't a cure. Lifestyle changes are absolutely necessary. For me diet and exercise were crucial. When I ate like shit or didn't exercise I physically felt worse which would in turn make me feel bad about myself which would in turn exacerbate my already active anxiety disorder. As I said previously, the best way to address these issues is to live a lifestyle in which anxiety/depression can't thrive. It may be unfair but its best to look at it from this perspective. Medication can help your imbalance but it won't give you a quality life, you know?
you're an idiot you know that
>Or living in London without sun
Can confirm. The fact that there's no sun actually triggers my need to kys.
Yes / No.
Yes, as in people can think themselves sick... if I can obsess-worry that "omg am I pregnant?" then I will start having the symptoms even if I'm not. It's the same with mental illness I would think.
Some people let themselves be sick, some truly are and feel trapped.
For me, Bipolar/Schizo/Anxiety. I've been dealing with serious mood swings lately, hard depression and such... Days ago I told myself that I have "got to fuckin quit" because I knew I was driving my boyfriend down - and I guess I was lucky? Cause my mindset did change lanes, but even now I sit at my desk and feel numb to damn near everything right now. So...
It is possible to have thoughts you know you are consciously thinking but don't control. I had it happen to me before.
It;s what happens when boring, middle class nobodies have no personal obstacles to overcome, and nowhere meaningful to go in life.
>it feels like once you allow yourself to believe it, you can think yourself into a negative feedback loop that only makes it worse
Because when you have nothing worth thinking about, all you'll ever do is speculate. And when we speculate, we always arrive at the worst outcomes.
Occupy yourself.
All that shit is just weak minded ness.
Bunch of low down niggers.
Be happy senpai.
100
do people give themselves cancer or amnesia or any other disease?
you have it backwards. the body is sick so it is not behaving properly and you suffer from the symptoms of it. I know what I have, when a panic attack is happening, when compulsive thoughts are happening, but it is out of my control. I never really think how I can induce it upon myself, something triggers me or it just seems to come at random. I can only manage them when it happens not prevent it from happening.
I grew up with a lot of consistent trauma and my personality mixed with how it affected me made me act in a way that would bring more trauma. I just stopped caring about everything and everyone. Then I started to think someone who could understand would cure everything and while it helps it didn't actually cure me so I sought to cure myself. There is no cure. There is treatment, but there is no cure.
I don't think anyone chooses to live this way. I don't choose it but I'm so used to my entire life being this way I couldn't live without it so I put the emotions into art instead.
I got into depression without knowing it. Got out of it by radically changing my life (not something I did by myself, rather something already planned that came upon me).
Not "allowing yourself to believe it" doesn't let you escape the spiral (might slow it however idk).
Just doing it is often precisely what you can't do, but if you want to break the loop you have to start somewhere (diet, exercise, social life, cleanness and organisation) to at least start to feel good about yourself which is really important.
Read "Why we do what we do" by Edward L Deci.