Depression

DrHickman. Easier said than done, but focus on now and not the future. The future does look bleak according to the media, but those lot revel in making us too terrified to do anything apart from hit F5 on their news site.

The cost of living is getting unaffordable and this will lead to changes in government one way or another as no one will be able to afford anything. Failing that we need to do what we can to try and cope. We've got a bit used to having excess and what we want and that stuff is in short supply at the moment. Once the government have selected a new lunatic in chief, they will need to address this one way or another and until then try and just enjoy the day as best you can.

Today, its a nice sunny day with a long weekend ahead. We can all afford access to the internet and we're doing a lot better than most of the world who can't. You can't change this current situation, but who knows what will happen tomorrow. Maybe Putin will die or we'll discover a new source of energy or aliens will arrive and save us from ourselves. One thing is certain in life is that nothing stays the same and is always changing. Often that change is for the better.

Take care of yourself and maybe keep off the internet and get outside and do something nice for yourself. Its not burying your head, its relaxing.

Life is hard and scary at times, but we're all here and to do so we've beaten loads of odds and done incredibly well.

That shit was pumped there by the sewage treatment facilities when the government decided to remove the restrictions. Look at what's wrong, figure out how to fix it, and then work together to solve it. #politics

I meant more like replace the government with one that's actually looking out for the majority of the people, instead of the corporations. But water bending, sure, whatever floats your boat. *badum-tish*

@wuntyate

The cost of living thing is certainly the current trigger, but it's just life in general.

Things are objectionably okay, I guess. But just in general, it's hard to feel much enthusiasm for the future because at best it just looks so... Grey.

I know the future isn't written, it's in my control (well, to a degree at least) but I don't really have any great aspirations left these days (as they've all turned to ash) so it's hard to focus on change when there's no particular direction.

I think I've had this midlife crisis for most of the just ten years.

Yeah, but that's what happens in a mid life crisis. You grow up and go through it all - lots of shit stuff that you have to process, and then one day (normally around the 50 mark or when some other really big bullshitty things come along) where you just think, what's the fucking point of all this etc?

Then people go out and buy sports cars, because, why the fuck not. Other people ignore it. Other people get pissed. Other people do whatever they can do.

I don't think there's supposed to be any answers to life, and I think it's around this time where you go, "oh, right, so there's no sort of plan then, and no real meaningful thing going on?" And then you think, well, fucking hell, why have I just worked like fuck to come out the other side with something and there's fuck all?

And the answers is No. There isn't. It's just life.

It's how you respond to that I think.

I've responded by reducing the amount of fucks I give about things. There's only 2 or 3 things left now, and it makes it easier. That and getting closer to nature which really helps me. Nature doesn't lie - you can see exactly how life works when you observe it.

That and having beer and smokes too.

And music. Music is everything. (to me)

I think some of it is coming to the realisation that it's OK not to be rich or famous or highly successful and just have an ordinary life. That's what most people have. That's hard to do because the rich and famous and successful are thrown in our faces by the media all the time. For most of us it's about learning to see the small pleasures and our particular unique lives as worthwhile in themselves. Not claiming I've got that nailed, but it's what I try to do.

I still recommend buying a sports car though. It's bloody good fun.

Hey. It's me again. Remember what I said?

I think what Sarfrin is getting at is that even on an unconscious level, your brain takes in all the shit you see on the internet. This in turn makes you evaluate yourself with what you're seeing online. It's inevitable when there's so much shit flying about.

Imagine instead just living in a small cabin somewhere peaceful, with a pub maybe within walking distance and you can pick and choose whenever you want to do whatever you want to do.

I also think that it's not very easy to decide what it is you want to do, when you're in this current situation. It's hard to get a clear perception with all the shit flying around.

You've mentioned about sharing households before. Perhaps looking at a plan where you can start to put that into motion might give you a bit of a focus?

There's a lot of truth in what Quadfather says. I went through a lot of "I'm a failure" and "I'm never going to do all those things I wanted to do" when I hit 50. It's taken a long time, but I'm now (mostly) okay with that.

It took a lot of adapting though and I did have lots of "if only I'd done" thoughts. However, things could be a lot worse and I'm here to moan about it and I'm probably more comfortable in my wrinkly skin now than I've ever been. Sure I'd like to be in this mindset in a body that wasn't so frail, but I'd probably just get pissed and think fuck it who wants to live forever, like I did as a kid.

Also, as Quaddy again says, we take in a shit load of information each day and it's mentally exhausting and not good for you. I read somewhere that these days we take in more information about the world in a week than a person a couple of hundred years ago would have in their lifetime. We're not built for it and it's addicting.

Talking of which I need to log off and listen to the neighbors water feature and the birds and just chill.

I would counter that and say you should think of the good that you have that some people don't, such as family, being a father, having a creative mind. All positive things dude.

I have a lot to be thankful for. No doubt there. So why can’t my brain just accept that. I don’t even know what it’s chasing.

Stupid fucking brain.

Brains are our own worst enemies sometimes. Or at least parts of them are. Sorry you're feeling bad.

Also cleans his own arse with his tongue though