Anti-depressants.
Do those really work though or do they take the edge off feeling absolute despair all the time?
Everyone’s different and some medications work better for one person than another. I can’t speak for OP, nor can I suggest that your experience would be the same as mine, but finding an antidepressant that works was a game changer for me.
It helps keep the “doom” thoughts from spinning in my head. That is, I can hear or read about something bad, but it won’t keep coming back to haunt me throughout the day. Ever lie down to sleep, but instead find your mind awake for hours with worries and anxieties? My antidepressant prevents that.
An interesting side-effect is that it also keeps songs from getting stuck in my head. Again, YMMV, but note that it does take time (usually at least 2 weeks, maybe more) for the full effects to kick in.
Dietary fiber.
My lucid dreams are unspeakably realistic, comprehensively and indistinguishable from reality. It’s like waking up each night into a horrible dystopia.
In my nightmares, there’s a global autocracy, a kind of maximalism of pain which forces people into mass slavery, but it’s not even according to their whims, it’s simply a price for existing.
I’d go on but it’s too spooky and sad.
The rest of the time life’s pretty good.
Well if you’re lucid, can’t you just like fly out of there or something?
I mean, don’t all the dream characters die when you wake up? Seems kinda
Not good
Because this is the only ride in town, might as well buy a ticket.
You never bought a ticket, you were born on the train.
Legs.
Pure stubborness and a fear of death.
Best motivation.
My wife. I love spending time with her. She’s my whole world.
The processes by which my body produces energy and keeps going haven’t stopped functioning yet.
Nicotine and spite.
Caffeine and anger.
The people I have chosen to spend my days with. My spouse, my child, a few friends. And also daydreaming about vacation…specifically vacationing with all of those people. That would be incredible.
I, like most of us on Lemmy, live a better life than almost the entirety of the rest of human history.
Life is full of wonders and joy and there’s so much more to enjoy!
I, like most of us on Lemmy, live a better life than almost the entirety of the rest of human history.
I’m sorry, I’m sorry, the world and by extension you have been so kind to me and I turned out to be just this worthless waste of oxygen, my existence a net negative of epic proportions and yet I’m too cowardly to at least end this miserable experiment.
Life is full of wonders and joy and there’s so much more to enjoy!
Life is full of putting on a face and smiling and playing a well-adjusted individual and I’m so tired.
Welcome to depression-ville, population way too fucking many.
What do you enjoy? Need some tips on what to do outside of work. :)
I’m not sure how applicable mine are but here goes:
About a decade ago, I got back into soccer as an adult. I played as a kid so it wasn’t as bad but my fitness took a couple years to get back up to snuff and I had a bunch of pulled muscles the first couple years. Now though, it’s my favourite thing and I play 3 times a week (which is admittedly, too many times) and for those three hours, I don’t think about the world, work, politics, life or anything, all that matters is keeping a ball out of our net. (And of course I’ve made some great friends along the way.)
As part of the getting back into shape, I’ve really dug swimming. It’s easy on these old man muscles and you can feel the improvement. (the hot tub afterwards is pretty nice too.)
I also got back into reading non fiction. I hadn’t looked for anything really new or interesting since the mid 00s, and reddit for all its faults had some really interesting suggestions in r/fantasy and r/sciencefiction which were a blast to read!
During the pandemic, I tried video games. Not really for me but some folks love them.
There’s an independent theatre down the street and I love just popping in and seeing what weird and wild stuff they have. Sure, at home is cheap but there’s something amazing about the big screen especially for a slower movie that would be way too tempting to bust out a phone for. I would never have made it through Lawrence of Arabia, the Good the Bad and the Ugly or Skinamarink without busting out a phone if I hadn’t been in a theatre.
There are some great little indie music venues in my city, there’s something refreshing about watching a young garage band that’ll go nowhere but is having a blast.
Some of my buddies are really into board games, which are fun. Not quite my thing but I fully get it.
I dunno, maybe some of those appeal? But really, I think the question is what are you interested in? What makes you smile? Or what has made you smile in the past?
I like making stuff. The point is that you do something where you can see something grow over time into something more than just the sum of your effort. It can be anything.
I own a house, so most stuff I make are extensions or improvements on the house. Last year I build a chicken coupe. This year I remodelled the unused hallway.
If you don’t own a house you could try volunteering somewhere. I recently started volunteer work with the theatre group my daughter is a member of.
Or maybe gardening, rent a plot at a community garden.
Even working out at the gym can have the same effect.
Playing an instrument, regularly going to a sports club and regularly doing cardio is great for me
This is how I like to think about it. There’s so many cool things I haven’t gotten to experience, both natural and man-made. Giving up would mean I never get to see them and appreciate them.
Gratitude is essential to happiness, studies show and also just duh.
And there really is good reason for it - e.g. all the literal wars fought in the past so that we could have such wonders as we do.
Happiness isn’t entirely just a choice, but it is partially one. 💞
Oh, and also chocolate, definitely chocolate.
Love for my family and friends, mostly. Aside from that, spite for the things that want me dead.
Whenever I habe to ask myself that question I remind myself I’m doing the best I can considering the circumstances of my upbringing. And that I already did a lot of good even though it often damaged myself.
Legs
My wife and my son, my hobbies, and also Bob’s Burgers, Psych and Community.
