When one is depressed is it true one turns inward. Is that necessary. Is it good to do so.

[fromderinside]

It was true for me back in the day. I contend doing so is not necessary. But whenever I'm confronted with the thought I turn inward.

 

[ruby sparks]

I think it goes with the territory, as in it’s a very common symptom.

Introspection is like most things, you can indulge in too much or too little of it, imo.

The problem with introspection during depression is that it tends to involve negative thoughts and personal judgements. I speak from experience.

As such it can reinforce the problem, because if you are depressed you are not the best judge of things.

Of course, it could be that those prone to introspection are then more prone to depression, rather than the other way around. Or perhaps it’s a two-way thing. But I don’t think a tendency for introspection is necessarily, of itself, a cause of depression.

 

[fromderinside]

By one turning inward one needn't be introspecting. One may just be looking for excuses that depression is a reality based feeling. Perhaps a cycle of deceits. As for connecting depression with introspection one is proving that introspection isn't valid research.

just sayin'

 

[rousseau]

Depends how many beers I had on the weekend. I used to be firmly in the 'you can't decide to be happy' camp, but now I'm not so much with the caveat that overcoming a depressed physical state cognitively takes solid expertise in mindfulness techniques. I spent about 6 months studying ACT and Zen, which are opposites of the same coin, and they help tremendously. Some without such mental tools don't do as well.

But then there's mild depression and there's my life is in ruins depression, or diagnosed chronic depression. I think that's an important distinction.

Lately I only experience the former, but if, for example, my wife died in childbirth along with my son I would turn inward for a long time.

 

[fromderinside]

We've got all these nice little 'good feel' drugs coursing through our systems. Might as well corral them somehow. Deciding and acting 'being happy' is one that works for many. Much better than letting the other kind dominate.

I'd expect you'd turn inward for about as much time as it takes to whistle 'blowinin the wind' then you'd steady yersef and begin 'movin on'.

again, just sayin'

I'm not predicting nature here. Just observing outcomes.
Loss, Trauma, and Human Resilience http://www.public.asu.edu/~iacmao/PGS191/Resilience Reading #1A.pdf

Many people are exposed to loss or potentially traumatic events at some point in their lives, and yet they continue to have positive emotional experiences and show only minor and transient disruptions in their ability to function. Unfortunately, because much of psychology’s knowledge about how adults cope with loss or trauma has come from individuals who sought treatment or exhibited great distress, loss and trauma theorists have often viewed this typeof resilience as either rare or pathological. The author challenges these assumptions by reviewing evidence that resilience represents a distinct trajectory from the process of recovery, that resilience in the face of loss or potential trauma is more common than is often believed, and that there are multiple and sometimes unexpected pathways to resilience.

 

[rousseau]

You may be right. It wouldn't take that long, it's a little more static and impermanent than something like being a social outcast or homeless.

My larger point is that certain circumstances may make it impossible to not think negatively. Being able to avoid turning inward may depend on your mental ability to let anxiety dissipate, as well as the severity of the depression. In some cases, physical, chronic depression warps the mind, in other cases life circumstances are so bad that it's near impossible to stay positive.

But don't forget that the feelings of solitude and isolation have a kind of survival value for many, a feature, not a bug. They force us to seek companions rather than being content with our dearth of life circumstances.

I agree with you, not necessary, and avoidable for the strong, but most of us aren't the strong.

 

[fromderinside]

My larger point is that certain circumstances may make it impossible to not think negatively. Being able to avoid turning inward may depend on your mental ability to let anxiety dissipate, as well as the severity of the depression. In some cases, physical, chronic depression warps the mind, in other cases life circumstances are so bad that it's near impossible to stay positive.

But don't forget that the feelings of solitude and isolation have a kind of survival value for many, a feature, not a bug. They force us to seek companions rather than being content with our dearth of life circumstances.

My life for about two years after we left FSU with dissertation data accumulated and writing underway is a circumstance right out of your book or horrors. Depression was so thick around me that I nearly faded into a sort of catatonic state. A meeting with a former prof at UCLA wasn't meant to be anything more than an introduction to the aerospace scientific community.

No such luck.

I met and interviewed with Marianne Olds recent widow of Jim Olds who was struggling to keep their lab going at Cal Tech. We hit it off and I joined her team there. A year later I was back in Florida writing and defending my dissertation even though about 20% of the data had been lost somewhere between FSU and Covina CA.

Unbelievable.

I always kept in touch with past academic connections is the only rationale I can come up with how this turnaround took place.

Marriage saved. Good life followed. Never returned to those thoughts again.

I don't know if it was a turning inward. The whole period is a blur now. Selective amnesia? Perhaps.

 

[DrZoidberg]

It was true for me back in the day. I contend doing so is not necessary. But whenever I'm confronted with the thought I turn inward.

I didn't. I'm an extroverted person. I just stopped doing things. Doing regular things became exhausting and I just didn't have energy. But I felt like I was in a good mood. I just didn't do stuff. According to my psychiatrist, that is also a normal form of depression. I should also add that he also said that he didn't think I had any depressive tendencies. I was just traumatised, and the depression came as a result of the trauma. Which was pretty extreme in my case. So it didn't need years of therapy to figure out that cause and effect.

I wasn't suicidal and didn't have suicidal thoughts. I was pretty happy and cheerful about life. Just incredibly mentally tired all the time.

 

[rousseau]

My larger point is that certain circumstances may make it impossible to not think negatively. Being able to avoid turning inward may depend on your mental ability to let anxiety dissipate, as well as the severity of the depression. In some cases, physical, chronic depression warps the mind, in other cases life circumstances are so bad that it's near impossible to stay positive.

But don't forget that the feelings of solitude and isolation have a kind of survival value for many, a feature, not a bug. They force us to seek companions rather than being content with our dearth of life circumstances.

My life for about two years after we left FSU with dissertation data accumulated and writing underway is a circumstance right out of your book or horrors. Depression was so thick around me that I nearly faded into a sort of catatonic state. A meeting with a former prof at UCLA wasn't meant to be anything more than an introduction to the aerospace scientific community.

No such luck.

I met and interviewed with Marianne Olds recent widow of Jim Olds who was struggling to keep their lab going at Cal Tech. We hit it off and I joined her team there. A year later I was back in Florida writing and defending my dissertation even though about 20% of the data had been lost somewhere between FSU and Covina CA.

Unbelievable.

I always kept in touch with past academic connections is the only rationale I can come up with how this turnaround took place.

Marriage saved. Good life followed. Never returned to those thoughts again.

I don't know if it was a turning inward. The whole period is a blur now. Selective amnesia? Perhaps.

Any depression I've experienced falls into the chemical imbalance type, mainly two separate responses to extreme mania. I don't recommend this at all, particularly when you're a new grad, your girlfriend isn't interested in you anymore, and you have no idea what you're going to do with your life, so decide to be a teacher of all things.

To my credit I fought through it both times and largely did what I needed to do. In first instance I pulled up my bootstraps and finished my final year of university (luckily with some financial help from my parents). In second instance I managed to find work and make it through volunteer experience to get into teacher's college.

No serious depression since then, which was about 12 years ago. But that last episode I tell ya.

The closest thing I got since was when I was a 24 year old in a small town in Quebec trying to finish a 10 month stint of teaching, with no car, no friends, and drinking heavily on weekends. Why I didn't wait a week and go to Montreal instead, only a 24 year old could answer. I lasted until October until my introversion, drinking problem, and solitude could go no further, but when I quit it was relief, not depression. I still recall walking down a road in Thetford Mines after I'd quit and feeling a sense of my life being a great unknown, liberation. No plan, not even an inkling of a plan of how I was going to support myself in the future.

A year later I was back in school happily typing functions into software IDEs, a few feet away from my future wife, living on a futon in the room I'm sitting in as I type this.

 

[rousseau]

It was true for me back in the day. I contend doing so is not necessary. But whenever I'm confronted with the thought I turn inward.

I didn't. I'm an extroverted person. I just stopped doing things. Doing regular things became exhausting and I just didn't have energy. But I felt like I was in a good mood. I just didn't do stuff. According to my psychiatrist, that is also a normal form of depression. I should also add that he also said that he didn't think I had any depressive tendencies. I was just traumatised, and the depression came as a result of the trauma. Which was pretty extreme in my case. So it didn't need years of therapy to figure out that cause and effect.

I wasn't suicidal and didn't have suicidal thoughts. I was pretty happy and cheerful about life. Just incredibly mentally tired all the time.

These days I feel like I may be a functional depressive like this, in some respects. I have enough energy and motivation to do very well in day to day, critical tasks, but when it comes to pushing myself beyond boundaries to experience the world in any kind of joyful way, it's difficult.

I rarely have the motivation to see friends, travel, go to movies, or really do much of anything other than hang out with my wife and read. Maybe it's just because those are the only two things I actually like doing? Who knows.

 

[fromderinside]

Being a good partner is important, most important from my experience. You've got relatively new thing in your life. No surprise it is the center or near center of what you are right now. The thing is whether she thinks your interest is is adequate and wanted. Really. That is the only thing you should be using as a compass. What you are working on will determine your life value.

There will come a time when back and leg rubs become your contact sport.

 

[Torin]

In my opinion:

Yes, people with depression naturally turn inward. They are searching their mind trying to figure out "what is wrong with me?"

However, this is unhealthy and the wrong approach. They should be turning outward and asking "what do I need to do to reach my goals?"

The first approach leads to endless rumination, which goes nowhere. The second approach leads to a plan of action based on facts.

 

[fromderinside]

Using Trump as an example I beg to differ. Random firings based on what one hears is no solution to anything. A flower following the movement of the sun would do better.

I agree rumination is at the base of my criticisms of those who call looking inward instrospection.

 

[TV and credit cards]

so thick around me

^
This is depression.

There are no goals. There are no interests. There are no desires. There is just a paralyzed existence. Depression is heavy and consuming. It's when you've gone past, given up on introspection. Turn inward? Inward is the depression.

It's swell when it goes away and you can just be down in the dumps again with the occasional spurt of ambition.

 

[rousseau]

Being a good partner is important, most important from my experience. You've got relatively new thing in your life. No surprise it is the center or near center of what you are right now. The thing is whether she thinks your interest is is adequate and wanted. Really. That is the only thing you should be using as a compass. What you are working on will determine your life value.

There will come a time when back and leg rubs become your contact sport.

Yea that's a big focus. Honestly? Completely crazy about her, and now more so as mother of my child.

I'm not really one to look outward, I know what I have and am holding on tight. Including banging on a pot near her head about breast cancer check ups. That'll likely happen.

I don't know that I'm depressed as much as in a malaise. I crave novelty like no other and find it hard to get. Fatherhood might just do the trick. Lately also embracing anyone willing to give me their attention.

 

[fromderinside]

I'm not really one to look outward, I know what I have and am holding on tight. Including banging on a pot near her head about breast cancer check ups. That'll likely happen.

Above is a point where looking inward can be counterproductive. Not a good idea to insert fear in others unwanted, especially when they are realistically concentrating elsewhere.

First law of devotion is to be devoted. Being so is definitely not being fearfully obsessive about well being of the one to which devotion is aimed. Loved one, when truly in crisis, will give clues.

For instance when bride began being fearful of going to a job she loved it was time to get her to share. Turns out all she needed was a person to shout at someone who was making things worse from a previous situation.

Donned my superman suit. Got on the horn and berated person as a professional with elegant credentials. Admonished him for sloppy and childish behavior as an uncaring administrator. Made sure she heard.

Amazing effect. Kind of like that of Mighty Mouse declaring "here I come to save the day".

He was chastised. She was supported. Both worked things out nicely. Just a little demonstration of support, caring, and sensitivity were all she needed.

Of course proper staging makes things work out.

 

[rousseau]

I'm not really one to look outward, I know what I have and am holding on tight. Including banging on a pot near her head about breast cancer check ups. That'll likely happen.

Above is a point where looking inward can be counterproductive. Not a good idea to insert fear in others unwanted, especially when they are realistically concentrating elsewhere.

First law of devotion is to be devoted. Being so is definitely not being fearfully obsessive about well being of the one to which devotion is aimed. Loved one, when truly in crisis, will give clues.

For instance when bride began being fearful of going to a job she loved it was time to get her to share. Turns out all she needed was a person to shout at someone who was making things worse from a previous situation.

Donned my superman suit. Got on the horn and berated person as a professional with elegant credentials. Admonished him for sloppy and childish behavior as an uncaring administrator. Made sure she heard.

Amazing effect. Kind of like that of Mighty Mouse declaring "here I come to save the day".

He was chastised. She was supported. Both worked things out nicely. Just a little demonstration of support, caring, and sensitivity were all she needed.

Of course proper staging makes things work out.

Yea there was a bit of humor in there. We're pretty good with each other, with most things, but with cancer I've given her a few gentle reminders and prodding to take it seriously as the years roll.

 

[DrZoidberg]

It was true for me back in the day. I contend doing so is not necessary. But whenever I'm confronted with the thought I turn inward.

I didn't. I'm an extroverted person. I just stopped doing things. Doing regular things became exhausting and I just didn't have energy. But I felt like I was in a good mood. I just didn't do stuff. According to my psychiatrist, that is also a normal form of depression. I should also add that he also said that he didn't think I had any depressive tendencies. I was just traumatised, and the depression came as a result of the trauma. Which was pretty extreme in my case. So it didn't need years of therapy to figure out that cause and effect.

I wasn't suicidal and didn't have suicidal thoughts. I was pretty happy and cheerful about life. Just incredibly mentally tired all the time.

These days I feel like I may be a functional depressive like this, in some respects. I have enough energy and motivation to do very well in day to day, critical tasks, but when it comes to pushing myself beyond boundaries to experience the world in any kind of joyful way, it's difficult.

I rarely have the motivation to see friends, travel, go to movies, or really do much of anything other than hang out with my wife and read. Maybe it's just because those are the only two things I actually like doing? Who knows.

Doing things that are familiar we do, very much, on autopilot. It's less taxing for the brain. The difference is what Daniel Khanneman calls "Thinking fast. Thinking slow". The fast system uses less of the brain. When we're put in a cat scan the slow system uses more of the brain. It's exhausting. But is whaty you use when learning new things.

 

[Treedbear]

It was true for me back in the day. I contend doing so is not necessary. But whenever I'm confronted with the thought I turn inward.

I think depression is due to being frustrated in fulfilling one's perceived purpose. Transcending then. Connecting the then of the past to a then of the future. If one lacks this perceived continuity it becomes difficult to see one's path forward. The result is immobility and lack of interaction with others. Of course life's changes can result in a lack of purpose (such as loosing a partner or going into retirement) without resulting in depression. Searching for purpose isn't depressing. Having found a purpose and then not finding a way to reify and fulfill it is.

 

[Shobha]

Depression is a huge spectrum, ranging from feeling upset, hurt, or just lonely, right upto chronic and clinical depression. Obviously, if you are towards the right end of the spectrum, then it is far more serious.
Humans are social creatures, by nature. We may end up doing a lot of things online and alone, but the fact remains that we need social contact, and human interaction fairly regularly.
Yes, we don't want to be constantly bombarded by personal attention. But human interaction, especially if it is with people we like, and respect, very much can, and does, cheer us up.

Introspection, IMO, is a different subject altogether. We can do it when we are happy, when we are depressed, or when we are somewhere in between.

What we call "introspection", when we are depressed, IMO, is more like "wallowing in our misery". It is usually not productive. I would personally prefer talking it out.