Quote from ElectricSavant:
Is depression chemical?.... is perception mental? Is their an escape mechanism being suggested in the posts so far?
nothing is entirely dependent on one thing.. and everything is interrelated on the human state..
perception is definately a state of mind and our senses.. but it can also greately dictate our state of depression (if any). depression comes in many forms, but if one changes his or her perception of life, he may fully alter his state of depression too. our mind can influence everything.
chemicals. it may be true that chemical inbalance may cause depression but not entirely. I personally beleive this is a cliche, and in circles of people who don't truly understand cause of depression. depressed people actually tend to eat more at times than others (esp. sugary food) - which stimulates the mind - which in turn aleviates their depression to some degree. but it may not fully cure. so it can be said that perception dictates our state of feelings too. eating alot to achieve chemical balance may aleviate depression - BUT it certainly won't change our perception. on the other hand, a pessimistic form of perception view of life can certainly motivate depression.
perhaps we should discuss what shapes our perception? I beleive it is shaped by our personal expereinces and everything we learn in life - our environment, the people we interact with and meet in our society. religion is very important too.
how the world looks has little to do with how smart u are. it really is based on ur personality and perception of what u make of life here.
if u are thinking of a way out i recommend:
1. eating good food - have 1 banana a day - it helps ur state of mind which in turn improves everything else.
2. be very picky with the people u get close to and the environment u socialise in.
3. read Viktor E. Frankl's Mans Search for Meaning. accept suffering is a integral part of life. do not fear it. cherish it.
4. if u really really feel smart, then use it to ur advantage. work hard and achieve big goals. if the world looks that bad, maybe u can do ur part to change it.