Posted by ayuda on March 11, 2003, at 23:57:41
In reply to can you sit at home and do nothing? , posted by cybercafe on March 10, 2003, at 22:00:36
> and have medication get rid of your depression?
>
> or do you have to go out, socialize, do things, live life?As some people have said, it depends on your personality and the quality of the time you spend alone.
I think it also depends a bit on your age -- by that I mean, I am less inclined to go out dancing and partying at age 38 than I was at age 28. I feel this is natural, and not an effect of my depression.
I am in grad school, and I have to spend A LOT of time alone studying. However, even though I do not have the kind of social life that other people have, I am content. In fact, I have about the same (or less) "social life" as I did prior to going on ADs, but now it's not because I come home from work exhausted from just making it through a day and lie down on the couch for the rest of the night and all weekend. Now it's because I have myself busy with my grad work and the three part-time teaching/tutoring jobs I hold! But I also have plenty of time to go out if I want to -- I just really don't care to deal with meeting "strangers" anymore (I move a lot, so I usually am not around familiar people), and I don't feel compelled to do much with people I know from school or work.
I think that each person knows what feels natural to them. If staying at home a lot doesn't feel natural now, then try going out. But the meds are working fine even if you decide that you are not in the mood to go out and be among people. Unless you are suffering from a social disorder and that's what the meds are for and then they are probably not working.
I guess I am trying to say that, though depression makes you less likely to want (or be able) to go out and socialize, just because you don't want to socialize doesn't mean that the ADs aren't working. It could just mean that you are enjoying some inner peace, or that you realize that reality tv is just as fun as watching people you know make fools of themselves, but the tv people don't call and tell you about it.
You know, the Psycho-Babble website is part of your social life, too.
poster:ayuda
thread:207883
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030310/msgs/208293.html