Thoughts on a certain "kind" of depression?

Just wondering what peoples thoughts were to this article:
theunboundedspirit.com...

In summary, it talks about an existential depression that is found in young adults and children. It deals with the hopelessness and futility of possibilities in ones life. Here's a brief quote from it:

"Existential depression is a depression that arises when an individual confronts certain basic issues of existence. Yalom (1980) describes four such issues (or “ultimate concerns”)–death, freedom, isolation and meaninglessness. Death is an inevitable occurrence. Freedom, in an existential sense, refers to the absence of external structure. That is, humans do not enter a world which is inherently structured. We must give the world a structure which we ourselves create. Isolation recognizes that no matter how close we become to another person, a gap always remains, and we are nonetheless alone. Meaninglessness stems from the first three. If we must die, if we construct our own world, and if each of us is ultimately alone, then what meaning does life have?"

Just want to know what you all think about this article. Significant? Anyone relate to it? I personally have my share of connections with this article but I would like to hear what others think before I share my own thoughts and scramble up judgement.

reply to post by linknumbernine

Ultimately I believe the end point in this existence is to continue and by that reproduce, then let nature determine if that is viable and valuable.

I am a spiritual person but practical as well....it's about continuation all of nature is, it's when we deviate that trouble begins.

Cheers

reply to post by Treespeaker


Deviate as in what? I feel like the deviation has already occurred and some people are trying to put things back on track.

reply to post by linknumbernine


By deviate in this context I mean move away from shaping and interacting on our environment from a sustainable way to raping for a generation what one can get.

From my perspective mankind/womankind have deviated from the path that the earth set for us wether you ascribe to evolution or creationism or a Buddhist way.

The betterment of all, or enlightenment of all in unity. This reality is based on cycles, and to try to remove ourselves from cycle we forget who we are...at least in my experiences.

In short I think we can learn much from the ants....or even the dirt which gives everything a place to be we demand respect and give little as a combined entity which is what we are in my opinion.

Cheers to you

reply to post by linknumbernine


Can I relate to it? Yes, I have felt this way all my life. During the good times and bad times. I've come to believe this is the result when biological organisms reach a certain level of self awareness within a universe that will consistently do one specific thing: grind us back to the dust we came from.

The perception of time and space is also a factor. When we see how fleeting our time really is and get a glimpse of how truly miniscule we are within the expanse of the universe it can be more than humbling.

Finally add to it that billions, just like us have come and gone without leaving a single worthwhile mark or any evidence they even existed... that is takes it from humbling to depressing.

It's easy to get wistful and contemplative around the holidays. However, if it lingers for any length of time, it might be a good idea to try medication.

reply to post by Bassago

The only important "mark we leave" may be more spiritual than material.

The existential depression of many young people is gradually erased as they find people to love and meaningful work to perform.

The lack of hope of having an eternal spirit/soul can also be a large part of this depression. The provision of this hope is one of the virtues/graces of many religions.

While confronting the major issues of life and death as a youngster might be a sad issue, it's even more depressing to confront the psychopathic "Happy" people who don't care weather we all live or die anyway.
Some people care and some don't and the one's who don't are the ones who want to take control of the lives of those that do. They want to set standards and regulations and tell you how far and fast to go. When motivation disappears it does it thoroughly you can't just magic it back.

It will never change. There's assholes running around playing knockout games because they don't care and this gives depressed people a reason to not go out anymore. The panic attacks and frustration and explosive maniacal behavior is caused by extroverts who cant refrain from throwing their non caring # at people.

And finally we can rely on the destruction of the world thanks to our most intelligent people.

Personally i am not seeing the spiritual marks anywhere all i see is constant warfare weather it's official or not. What kind of prize is life when lucky people are so limited, if you can even reply to this crap you're lucky to not be a starving african or unwanted female baby in china.

reply to post by Blue Shift


I agree, if it's a pervasive depression caused by events then medication is helpful, but not a cure only a treatment. More than half of North America in total is treated for similar symptoms. It's just a baby step by this method.....but treatment can often lead to further success.

Knowing and accepting one's self is always a path to good things as is loving what you are to the core of your being, before things, and others, then it starts to seep out.

But hey, that's my opinion only


Cheers

Oh and btw I and a lot of other people genuinely love who u are. Peace.

It really depends on who disconnected you feel from where you are. I am one of those souls who feel extremely disconnected from life on earth and being human. I am what I am because of what has happened to me that made me an introvert almost hermit like person who notices to much.

I do not know much about the next stage of being but I know to much to not feel like this so called life is a black and white movie with crappy audio compared to the surround sound high definition that comes later.

But then I am not the only one who is going thru this.

Personally i am not seeing the spiritual marks anywhere all i see is constant warfare weather it's official or not.

Hidden in plain sight like they should be. . If the ones who have woken up where not here, I would not have been here since I would have thought it a waste of time.

reply to post by Tusks

The only important "mark we leave" may be more spiritual than material.

The existential depression of many young people is gradually erased as they find people to love and meaningful work to perform.

The lack of hope of having an eternal spirit/soul can also be a large part of this depression. The provision of this hope is one of the virtues/graces of many religions.

Maybe so if you believe there is a spiritual world. When I was young I (somewhat) believed in such things and as I got older tried to embrace those paths. They were still hollow no matter how much I hoped in them.

I've raised two families and held meaningful positions as well but they do not change the facts as I see them. Believing in figments of imagination and hope of them to me is not possible. Sometimes I wish they were just so I could trick myself into believing anything in this world actually has any meaning other than that it exists.

Depression is typically separated into 3 types: Melancholic, Non-Melancholic and Psychotic.

I'm getting a 403 error trying to hit the link in the OP, but I would suggest (without further reading) that this "existential" depression would fit into one of the existing categories listed above.

reply to post by cartenz
I got the same Error and didn't even know if my post was going to be relevant. Just type some thoughts and hope for the best lol.

ahh.... the cosmic angst. I know this well... In my most clear and insightful mind-states, I have come to feel that this is both the primal and final state of being. The void longs to be filled, sometimes it seems as though it has been, but its always fleeting. The void is ever expanding, driven by a desire to be fulfilled, yet it knows, there will always be a gap, a crack, a shadow of darkness and chaos at the edge of it all. The primal abyss is chaotic in nature, longing to be ordered... I know this is nonsensical, the infinite cosmos cannot feel angst... I'm speaking in metaphor, maybe you see where I'm coming from

"love can be seen as the answer, but nobody bleeds for the dancer.... It goes on and on and on, it's heaven and hell"

Say for example a person wants to learn a language of a job opportunity. Because of how this person I credentialed, the company is question is wiling to give him 6 months to learn Russian. This person (lets call him Frank) learns Russian though with his native accent (Frank was born in Manhattan). Frank is hired and during the first year he working in Russia he is accused of a crime he did not commit and is sentenced to 10 years, in what is acknowledged as the worst prison in the Russian Republic.

He is the only American in that prison and his accent is a real problem for him as the majority of the prisoners and guards hate Americans. Three months have passed and Frank can now speak Russian like a native.

What happened?

Larry who is 12 years old decides he wants to become a fighter pilot. His father buys him Microsoft flight simulator and works with his son to learn to use the program, only using the keyboard. 6 months later his son receives, for his
birthday the jet fighter programs he has been hopping for as the child no understands the basics.

What happened?

Essentially what occurred is that each individual developed neural connections to master the tasks in question.


To be clear thinking about something for a long time reinforces the validity of that experience.

Human beings are predators that is obvious and it is unlikely mankind could have reached this point if it were not for that fact. Being sad about the current condition of our world implies things should be better.

Why?

Why should a world that had government sanctioned slavery as little as 100 year ago, could have somehow been turned into some kind of paradise 100 years later?

What we experience of reality is totally based upon internal representations. Meaning that when I look at a Tree? I
can only see what my common senses allow me to see of that tree.

Humans are just beginning to explore beyond what can be defined as mediocre by humans.

Perhaps the development of neural connections related to the idea that we are better than animals is a delusion that will not actually be realized for another 100 million years.

Any thoughts?

reply to post by cartenz


Thats interesting. The link is down for me as well. Why??? It worked fine for me earlier today. It had some really awesome facts and interesting perceptions...

reply to post by Tasmanaut


Its the crack that can never be filled, like the many religions that have risen, they all attempt to fill the void that is unfillable in the soul. that brings me to the concept of the oroborous and Pi. Infinite occurrences, meaning there are infinite numbers of holes and loops. In a cycle there is no point of reference, meaning that we will never fully understand where to even start looking. The only point of reference is oneself, so begin to look inward and maybe then you will begin to feel a sense of outwardness.

reply to post by Blue Shift


Clinically that may be prescribed... but is it necessary?? What if people enjoy this feeling for the sense of detachment and insight fullness?

reply to post by Kashai


Im doing my best to grasp parts of this. It seems that only when presented with true necessity do humans take the initiative to learn the skills that they need. Similar to how (if youre an evolutionist) early man learned to hunt and run to survive. Is this just the next step in an evolutionary process? Humans are not simply "maxed" in their evolutionary state. We are in fact at the beginning of our race, with much more room to grow and many MANY more years to do it.

reply to post by Kashai


as for the tree, I agree that its only based on what you see. It is impossible to see what another sees at this point. For all I know, I am the only thing real and you could all be representations of my mind. Crazy theory? Perhaps but it would definitely change the game quite a bit