Is everyone depressed?

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Myaing

. . . ☯ . . .
#1
I have been thinking a lot. Too much in fact. And I have thought myself out of my mind. My question is:
Is everyone depressed?
I get it, It can't be... but everywhere I look people are so sad and unhappy. Once I get to know someone better, I discover that this person has attempted suicide in the past. Going through tough times. Or people just turn out to be evil and selfish. At this point, I feel like everyone is like me.... suicidal and depressed underneath. I feel like everyone is pretending. I have lost faith and am lost in this toxic world view. Maybe I have been in the wrong places all my life...
How to renew my faith in people?
 

Lara_C

Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#2
I feel there's a lot of people who are depressed but hide it very well until you start getting to know them better. We can be very secretive about our feelings, not trusting anyone could share them. We don't connect with people at a more than superficial level until we spend time with them and feel they're the same as us, an empathy.
 

BlueGreen

Well-Known Member
#3
I think the media have a vested interest in making us all angry and there is SO much going on right now, day after day after day of negativity. So yes, it feels like everyone is sad or depressed or angry but in reality horrible people may turn out to be good people who have developed a hard skin to protect themselves. There are always selfish and nasty people but there are always good and kind people too. There are probably millions of people hoping -protesting, shouting, campaigning- for a better world so that kind of gives me hope when I feel everything has gone bad. I hope you will find kinder people in your life @Myaing.
 

Daphna

Ninja of light
#4
I have been thinking a lot. Too much in fact. And I have thought myself out of my mind. My question is:
Is everyone depressed?
I get it, It can't be... but everywhere I look people are so sad and unhappy. Once I get to know someone better, I discover that this person has attempted suicide in the past. Going through tough times. Or people just turn out to be evil and selfish. At this point, I feel like everyone is like me.... suicidal and depressed underneath. I feel like everyone is pretending. I have lost faith and am lost in this toxic world view. Maybe I have been in the wrong places all my life...
How to renew my faith in people?
One guaranteed way to regain your faith in people, is to be the person you believe this world needs. Then you will see how this attitude can and will help you and those around you. The fact that you can be successful in doing this will show you that everyone has this ability. They just need to see, feel, hear this in order to believe.
 

Dots

Misknown Member
#5
Sometimes it does seem like everyone is depressed. It makes me question do meds and therapy treat the symptom and ignore root cause of the problem? which could be overarching societal issues, fall out of modern day capitalism, etc. But to be honest, their depression doesn't make me lose faith in humanity. Sometimes it overwhelms me since I deal with it too and it seems like we're all on the same sinking ship. I've been learning... or trying to learn others actions/thoughts/selfishness shouldn't bring me down perpetually. And I think disconnecting from this mindset and disengaging has really helped me as an individual not to take so much sadness on.

I just wanted to share this in case it was a helpful tool for you, but I completely understand if they are just words that look like gibberish to you.
 

Paisley

* * *
SF Artist
SF Supporter
#6
I would say no... lots of people are, but not everyone is. And sometimes sadness is just fleeting sadness, not with the intensity and omnipresence it has in someone with clinical depression. Also, I think it's fair to say that the majority of people experience a range of emotions daily.

What you're experiencing might be related to confirmation bias. As in, you feel depressed, so your brain is automatically searching for evidence from others that reinforces this belief.
 

kittykatt

Well-Known Member
#7
Myaing,

I think that we are living in a time that causes people to be depressed. There are a lot of things going on and it's hard to stay happy and upbeat when the world is closing in around you. There are times when I'd like the world to stop so that I can get off of it and find a more peaceful place to live.

I think that you have to find something to do that gives you pleasure. Considering the times that we live in, it might have to be something that can be done inside the home.

Some people are probably pretending but that's how they cope with what's going on in their life. They have probably found that life is too intense and so they pretend it's something else just to get through it Part of getting through it is to accept it for what it is. And not try to make it what it's not. Don't set expectations very high and then you can't get disappointed when things don't turn out the way that you want them to.

There are probably a lot of people out there who have learned to accept what has been given to them and be happy with it.

As to how to renew your faith in people, that comes from finding the right people. And also accepting people for who and what they are. Realize that people are people and they come in all shapes and sizes. Some good and some not so good and some that wish they could be better. Also realize that people will make mistakes. Learn how to forgive people for making those mistakes and given them second, third, and maybe even fourth chances. And hope that they do the same for you.

Good luck to you.
 

Myaing

. . . ☯ . . .
#8
Wow, once again, great answers. I really have to think about these things. Super happy to read so many points of view. Thank you all *thumbsup
 

Nick

☆☆Admin-tastic ☆☆
Safety & Support
SF Social Media
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#9
This is an interesting question. Everyone has bad days, I don't care who you are. Is everyone depressed? I don't think so. There is a difference between being sad and depression, being anxious and an anxiety disorder, liking things orderly and having OCD. If we look hard enough everyone does have a touch of each of these things. Even the messiest person you know likely has some trait that is OCD like. The difference between a diagnosis and a bad day has to do with symptoms, longevity and severity. If you meet a person who tells you they have never been angry, sad or had a bad day in their life be very cautious, because that person has a total different mental health disorder.

Do people who do not suffer from depression have a fleeting moment of suicidality? That's an age old question, but it is possible. As others have said, the world is a little upside right now. People are feeling pressure in new ways. Do those people have a mental health disorder? That's really up to the professionals to decide. No matter what you call it, people are suffering. Fleeting or not many are mentally struggling right now and could use the wisdom of those of us who have fraught this battle for many years.
 

DrownedFishOnFire

Back into the wild where I belong. Out of your way
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#10
I dont know if its filtering but when I choose to look depending on my mood I can see other people just being normal not sad looking just busy into their own lives while if I am feeling a bit down I notice more people are down too. Idk if it is my filter mode thats broken but right now I am seeing happier people, I am seeing neighbors smile more often with each other showing more kinship. Understanding of our tough predicaments on our block. All walks of life. Nicer folks getting to know them better. If that makes any sense at all. The world is more kinder in my universe than it was before
 

Deety

SF Supporter
#12
I feel the opposite. Like everyone I see irl is happy af, whilst I'm just slowly slipping under and drowning. I think a lot of people are living happy lives and only thinking of themselves and their inner circle.
 

Champagne

✯✯ Heart of an angel ✯✯
Staff Alumni
SF Supporter
#13
I wouldn't outright say everyone is ''depressed'' as in ''clinically depressed'' but EVERYONE certainly has their lows and highs in life, some worse than others, some better than others. Being ''average'' would be more accurate I think. Everyone gets sad, everyone gets excited and happy, holidays, parties, weddings, children, finishing college, opposite to severe MH issues and things like bereavement, break-ups, job loss, finance issues etc... average but everyone being depressed? No, I would not think so.

Great question though :) Certainly thought provoking.
 
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