Depression, and I'm no expert - just a sufferer as my wife is, comes in many forms and we are all in different circumstances. That includes work, school, married, single, unemployed and the endless other differences.
What I have noticed in my last 20 years of life is the connection of being busy to less periods of depression. I've had interests in the past of vintage car restoration, gardening, building my own home and model airplanes. Clearly, the worst period of depression were during the times I was not involved in any of these interests. And when not involved I was also, among many reasons, not financially strapped enough to be involved....eg broke.
This is not including the traumatic times of broken marriages etc.
I've noticed some posters mention boredom as being their arch enemy and thought I'd make a topic out of it. So what can we do? I feel very sorry for sufferers of depression when they have zero hobbies, zero interests in sport and even basic activities like walking or cycling. I cant conceive why anyone wouldnt like to go on a daily walk. But then I dont live their lives and we, as compassionate human beings should accept that we are all different. However, what is there to achieve on a walk? Back to nature, fresh air, saying hello to passer bys, watching birds and the unexpected happenings.
Depression though, is a state of mind that, regardless of the listed positives, has you firstly in a mood that wont get you to even place your runners on let alone walk the 3-4 kms to make the walk worthwhile.
Ok, hobbies. I flew radio controlled model airplanes with a club. I spent countless hours building and repairing them. Flying was fun. For insurance purposes I needed to be a member of a club. The **** committee members always threw their weight around even if you didnt do wrong. The nature of the narcissist. Hence a reason I hate clubs. Very few people know how to approach a grown adult with a simple request without an authoritarian voice.
It was one of many reasons I left the hobby. But now, my interest is in motorcycles and tinkering with them, in my own shed with limited stranger contact. I'm happy as I've found the happy medium. Bit of gardening, bit of tinkering, bit of camping.
If you are bored, if you havent filled your mind with thoughts of a hobby or sport then seriously consider the change it could make. Many times when you are depressed might have been different with....mind diversion. Hope this is of value to some.
