Just a Random Obsevation: Being Idle=Depressed/Being Active=Positve?

[Tyjos]

Lately I just happen to notice one thing is well sitting around you get more depressed if you're not doing anything....but when you're active doing something you're in a better mood for some reason.

Just seems odd to me at times [I've been dealing with that more often lately....actually busy now getting to working more with my photography than sitting around browsing the net cause the net's actually starting to depress me at times] but anyone else deal with that?

But it's just something I notice.

[maneth]

Depends on why you're idle I guess. If you're idle because you're tired and need a rest, then no, I've never been down for that. But if you're idle because you're unemployed or because nothing seems interesting enough to do, then it's probably a self-fulfilling prophecy. Although I wouldn't advise telling a clinically depressed person to "get up and do something", since for a truly depressed person just getting up in the morning may seem like too much.

I think people use the word depressed far too lightly. Feeling down occasionally for whatever reason is a part of the human condition. Serious depression can lead to suicide.

[Tyjos]

One thing I find doing new things helps with me now, that seems to get me out of the down moods I have lately. Better to be creative than idle probably, or do something enjoyable....After all been in a Job Training Program the past 6 months and that was DRAINING enough as it is[Plus it was a Rehab Program as well since it's for Disabled Individuals good thing I met others with my disability plus made a friend or two there] That was at the beginning of the month when I finally finished that....I am self employed though...couldn't find a job and I'm a natural merchant so did a lot of that the past couple months... along with the job training program.

Kinda actually miss going to work [there were some pretty attractive girls there]

[jeri]

Actually, when our brain is actively engaged in something that interests us or is challenging, it is stimulated and our mood is usually elevated. I don't know the technical terms and such but there have been many studies on this.

So yes, we do feel better when we are doing something, even if it's just writing this post to you.

[jeri]

One thing I find doing new things helps with me now, that seems to get me out of the down moods I have lately. Better to be creative than idle probably, or do something enjoyable....After all been in a Job Training Program the past 6 months and that was DRAINING enough as it is[Plus it was a Rehab Program as well since it's for Disabled Individuals good thing I met others with my disability plus made a friend or two there] That was at the beginning of the month when I finally finished that....I am self employed though...couldn't find a job and I'm a natural merchant so did a lot of that the past couple months... along with the job training program.

Kinda actually miss going to work [there were some pretty attractive girls there]

I am on a disability pension from my job, 9 years now, because of cancer. I spent a few years getting better, but lately I have been wondering what to do with myself now that I'm not planning on dying any time soon. It's really devastating to lose one's ability to work at the career one loves. I went back to school to learn digital photography and graphic design, which has been difficult but very rewarding. It has been incredibly uplifting mentally.

[DigiFluid]

Yeah I'm fairly sure there's been studies that prove this.

But even from a common sense angle, it makes sense. If you're busy, you're engaged in what you're doing--effectively, you're actively distracted. If you're idle, your brain has little else to do but stew on all the little things bothering you (particularly if you're depression-inclined to begin with).

[Sue_Jackson]

As the saying goes..."An idle brain is the Devil's playground." Which is true...your brain was meant to be challenged, and if you don't use that muscle in your head it gets weak. Dementia is usually the result of a weak brain.

Keep challenging your brain....do puzzles....play games...do tasks that involve your brain to pay more attention.

[Tyjos]

I got a huge enough collection as it is of plenty of items for my photography and I'm now ready to jump into War For Cybertron...now THAT's fun...why be depressed when you can blast away at Decepticons?

My friends always recommend Gaming for that reason, especially some of the FPS games. After all having to keep track of targets running about and keep an eye out for your stupid team mates that want to run across your line of fire is fun at times.

[The Urban Spaceman]

I've found that for me, physical and mental stimulation makes me more positive. If I'm feeling down for any reason, then doing something which stimulates me mentally or physically -- watching a documentary on TV, working on a story, going out for a run, hitting the gym, reading a book -- is likely to decrease any ill-mood that I feel. I tend to feel down/bored/depressed when I truly have nothing to do. Like if I'm ill and have to take a day off work (rare, but it happens) then I'm stuck in the house (sometimes stuck in bed) with little to do. When I was made redundant several years ago it was great for the first month or two because I bought a new computer and was able to relax (having spent the previous 10 months working 48-60 hour weeks in preparation for losing my job, the relaxation was welcome) but I quickly became bored of the free time. To compensate, I helped to fix up a local factory that my martial arts club was moving into, and spent the whole of November in -5 to -10C temps painting window frames, laying floor boards and putting up plasterboard. just as we'd finished renovating the place, I got a job, which was an improvement.

But on the whole, I think your sentiment only holds true for people who are suffering the sort of depression that is not known as bi-polar, which is a genuine medical condition caused by a chemical imbalance of the brain. Not to suggest that people with non bi-polar suggestion don't have an altered brain chemistry, but I find that in general, the less meaning or purpose a person can find to their life, the more isolated they feel, the more powerless to control their own lives, the easier it is for them to become depressed. That's one of the reasons why alternative therapies such as animal therapy and various group therapies are explored by organisations ranging from prison services to mental health services and hospitals. Sometimes, it's not just about filling somebody with chemicals to make their problems go away, sometimes the holistic approach is much better in the long run.