Posted by Dinah on December 6, 2004, at 3:04:23
In reply to Re: I must be closed minded, posted by sunny10 on December 5, 2004, at 16:46:38
In fact I know I have been. It leads to a lot of apologizing.
Actually, although I have had bouts of depression, depression isn't my major problem. And neither is lack of curiosity. When something captures my interest I devour it whole. I drive my husband nuts because as soon as we mention that maybe we'd like to look into something I throw myself into it and have thoroughly researched it before he gets a chance to do anything.
I haven't really noticed that it's helped my mental illness at all. Although of course I have no way of knowing what I'd be like without a healthy interest in whatever captures my fancy.
But like Gabbi, I can't help but think of some of the people on this site (or people like Abraham Lincoln or Winston Churchill who sprung immediately to mind) who clearly have a curiosity about any number of topics, clearly are passionately involved with ideas, yet also suffer from major depression. If anything, I rather think that major depression and a greater than normal intensity of interest and feeling for things and ideas may go hand in hand. Some of the happiest and least depressed people I know are ones who prefer to live the unexamined life.
Then of course I have a knee jerk reaction to anything that so much as hints at blaming people for things like major depression or a finely tuned nervous system. Or that reminds me of my parents', bosses', and many acquaintances' response to emotional problems.
All that being said, physical activity has been pretty definitively linked to improved mental health, hasn't it? I know there were some references in recent threads to yoga. It's a mystery to me (smile) because I *never* feel better after exercise, but your chosen interest may have a chemical basis for making you feel better - endorphins and all that. My therapist used to recommend sex (before he got to know me).
poster:Dinah
thread:424368
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041203/msgs/425097.html