Depression is very, very different from "feeling sorry for yourself".
I didn't say depression = feeling sorry for yourself. I said it is an unproductive activity that people who can't get back on the horse engage in.
And like I said, what's the alternative?
It's not that it was inaccurate, it's that it was redundant. If he didn't have a problem, he wouldn't have a problem? You don't say.
Lordy, we talkin semantics here or the topic at hand? If it is not inaccurate, does that mean you agree with my "daft tautology?" lol.
![:smile:](http://www.gamesas.com/images/smilie/smile.png)
I should have just quoted
Shawshank Redemption and said "Get busy livin or get busy dying."
I know I'm comin off harsh here, but it is more to light a fire under the op's butt than anything else. Honestly, I struggle with depression at times and the only thing that allows me to shake it off is to tell myself these things.
Even when I do feel depressed I know that no matter how bad it seems you really have to "keep on keeping on."
Rhetoric? Of course it is. But it is still motivational and , IMO, that's what you need when you're depressed. Motivation to change.
There are cases of people simply killing themselves because they have no one. It's a need many people have, hell sometimes it's worth more than a life. There's a term for it called social death, where because of losses in a social circle it can be just as big or worse than death. Infant monkeys have been known to die even if all their base needs are being met like food, water, sleep, and shelter. Similar features are in humans, I don't think you realize how important social life is, and how hard it can be to get. Sometimes the worst of all though is when your cast out.
SNIP
Good points there. Maybe I'm selling social acceptance a bit short because I've always been involved with various sub cultures that have always offered their own brand of acceptance.
And hey being a gamer is a subculture, so maybe start there if you're looking for a way to connect with people.
I was actually thinkin about ol' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs when making the comments about having food, shelter, incomes etc. If you have those taken care of it allows you to move on up the pyramid and look for social acceptance.
I think sometimes when a person is depressed they close themselves off to people who offer this social acceptance. Maybe there are friends, family, and co-workers who are actually accessible, but when we are depressed it seems like we are all alone. We think that "no one cares about me," but in actuality we are the ones who have created a seemingly insurmountable barrier between the very people who could offer this social acceptance.
I'll throw out another cliche and say you really have to learn how to love and accept yourself before you can allow others to do so.