/mental/ - Mental Health, Illnesses and Disorders

Sounds like depression. If you can get some counselling or CBT or something then go for it. No shame in getting better and becoming happier. If not, then maybe just buy the book "Feeling Good" by Dr. David Burns. Fair warning, I've not read it yet, so do some research. It's basically a way of teaching you CBT, which could help.

In the mean time, do what you can to stay happy. Cheerie and epic music can help change your mood. If things seem really bad then maybe it's worth having a small nap. If that's not appealing, wash your face, drink something and have a meal.

>>4504
I do find happiness in things, but still the feeling after that is grey/empty.
Also is there a way to know more about yourself, like why do i do certain things or like certain things and such?

>>4505
>Also is there a way to know more about yourself, like why do i do certain things or like certain things and such?
LSD can help. Not even shitting you.

I used to feel a lot like you, just empty, and with very little enthusiasm for life - total apathy, but I wasn't sad or anything. There was just very little there in terms of actual emotions. Probably dysthymia or something like that. Anti-depressants helped a bit but they were ultimately just a band-aid rather than a permanent fix.
So then I started experimenting heavily with acid and…well, I looked into that hole. The empty grey hole.

It's a difficult and scary experience, to look at yourself. But it was worthwhile. It cured my alcoholism as well, I used to drink like a fish every day and now I only have a 6-pack of beer on the weekends.

>>4515
You described how i feel pretty well. Tough sometimes i'm actually happy, but then it's back to normal.
I'd rather not use any meds or LSD.

>>4515
Is there a way to "look into that hole" without drugs?
What did you do when/if you felt like that you kinda want to die or just vanish from this world to some other place?

>>4521
>I'd rather not use any meds or LSD.
Fair enough. It's not for everyone. Keep it in mind though, your feelings might change in the future. I never thought I'd try anti-depressants but there was only so much numb boredom with life that a person can take.

>>4528
>Is there a way to "look into that hole" without drugs?
Meditation can help, try reading some info about Buddhist thought. The best comparison between meditation and LSD that I've seen described meditation as being like a long and difficult climb up a mountain. It takes forever, it's painful, but once you reach the summit you realise it was all worth. LSD is more like a helicopter ride - you get the same view and it's fucking amazing, but you don't get to put your feet on the summit and stay there as long as you like.

>What did you do when/if you felt like that you kinda want to die or just vanish from this world to some other place?
I never felt like dying, thankfully. But I did sometimes feel like not existing. Normally I'd just force myself to keep going on with whatever I had to do, even though I didn't like it or see much point in it. During my worst spells I would just lie in bed all day and force myself to sleep.

I guess part of what got me through it all was this stubborn feeling that there must be something more to life, that this can't simply be it.

>>4515

How much truth is there in the fact that the combination between LSD and Lithium could be fatal? Do you know if there are other dangerous interactions between acids and meds?

>>4503
As far as I remember I've always felt empty. It's a lot stronger/more apparent when someone tries to be close to me emotionally.

Haven't done LSD yet. Meds make it less but it's felt never real.

>>4543
> Normally I'd just force myself to keep going on
Doing it right now and i'm kinda sure that
>there must be something more to life, that this can't simply be it.
This is the case.

>does anyone feel empty inside
I would answer that if I was someone.

Are you always feeling empty, even when you are happy. Or is that a way of describing your depression. Also that guy who mentioned meditation as an alternitive to medication is spot on. That shit really helps even if its just relaxation exersizes. It takes a couple of months of doing at least 10 min every day for you to feel much better. Also It helps to have somebody who you can get close to. Speaking of which. I need a hug.

For some reason i now feel a lot better, even tough i did nothing.
Well time to continue my empty/grey and not so shitty life.

I don't feel any drive for anything. Don't know if that's the same thing as you OP. It's like I'm waiting for something. I do nothing all day.

>>4503
Stop masturbating for a month.

>>4569
But i hardly masturbate, maybe once in two months.

>>4503
Feeling empty inside is the default of human emotions. To quote DirtyBtard-

The idea that happiness is a raison d'etre logically means that nearly everyone is unhappy (after being born a blank slate). So unhappiness is the norm -the meaning of life- and the quest for happiness is merely a by-product and not our natural condition.

You're fine OP.

>>4548
Apologies for late reply.
>How much truth is there in the fact that the combination between LSD and Lithium could be fatal? Do you know if there are other dangerous interactions between acids and meds?
As far as I'm aware (don't quote me on this though) LSD doesn't have any fatal interactions with other drugs, although if you're on an SSRI it just flat out won't work and will be a waste of acid.

I'd strongly recommend using google to check and confirm this for yourself though (same with any drug you might ever consider taking for recreational purposes). Places like Erowid and Bluelight are also extremely useful for finding out about possible interactions and general harm-reduction info.

>>4559
Aww thanks man. I hope things turn out good for you.

>>4566
Those feelings of normal happieness will come and go. Another tip to help them stay is by doing things which keep you happy. Go watch some comedy. Volenteer to help someone or a cause which you enjoy. Helping others does bring some satisfaction to most people.

>>4573

Thank you for your concern! Well, I was particularly frightened by this story https://www.erowid.org/experiences/exp.php?ID=83935 and some other rumors read in forums, but I guess this is by no means strong evidence to support the idea of this interaction being an exclusive cause for the exposed outcome (for the generality of cases and doses).

>>4570
Try masturbating more

Emptiness as you describe is a symptom of many mental disorders. I have borderline apparently (was just diagnosed with that last week) and it's one of the main symptoms - you feel empty and have no real sense of self. I'd say I definitely feel that.

>>4515
I'm a big fan of psychedelics and they can act like a therapy session for sure, they helped me work though problems in my life and in how I saw myself and others etc, but about a week after the trip, when the afterglow is gone, I'm still back to feeling like complete shit.

>>4630
>No real sense of self
what exactly does this mean because i don't know myself that well and i feel empty.

>>4633
I'm not too sure myself, after all I've never felt a "sense of self" in the first place, but I'm guessing most people, they have an idea in their minds of who they are and what they want to do. I lack that and just change personality every few months.

>>4640
Not sure if same thing, but i have been wondering things like why do i like things I like etc. I also don't know what i want to do, i sorta just like drift and do things.
Occasionally getting the feeling of happiness, but mostly it's kinda empty like when i talk to someone the words just come out from my mouth.

>>4633
Do you feel comfortable with who you are? Do you ever feel satisfied (happy)? How stable is your sexuality? How easily are your oppinions of things changed? Do your oppinions of your friends change eaisly?

>>4654
>Do you feel comfortable with who you are?
I guess i do, tough i haven't tough much about it.
>Do you ever feel satisfied (happy)?
Sometimes
>How stable is your sexuality?
Dunno
>How easily are your oppinions of things changed?
Not sure, but depends on the conversation and points in it.
>Do your oppinions of your friends change eaisly?
Like how? Everyone has good and bad sides and can also be annyoing at times.

>>4654
I'm not OP I just felt like doing this one.

>Do you feel comfortable with who you are?
Yes.
>Do you ever feel satisfied (happy)?
No.
>How stable is your sexuality?
Not quite sure what this question means. I don't wildly flip between fetishes and there is nothing destructive about my sexuality.
>How easily are your oppinions of things changed?
I have already made my mind up about most things but these opinions are subject to change at the drop of a hat.
>Do your oppinions of your friends change eaisly
Don't have friends.

>>4669
Well in my expertise. I have no fucking clue what that means. You sound like you're either abstract (the shits you give trancend this mortal plane) or that you're unnasertive. Of course these could just be bits of your personality. I'd maybe see a psychologist if you get bored and decide to drink a nice cup of milk and relax.

>>4672
The sexuality part is if you are unsure of being straight (if you are naturally attracted to the other gender) or gay (if you are naturally a flamboyant queer). For instance I am straight, but many times I question that due to my lack of sense of self. Also you sound pretty angstridden. Do you have any mental illnesses or diagnosed personality disorders?

>>4672
>The sexuality part is if you are unsure of being straight (if you are naturally attracted to the other gender) or gay (if you are naturally a flamboyant queer).
I am definitely heterosexual.

>Do you have any mental illnesses or diagnosed personality disorders?
I have not been professionally diagnosed, but suspect schizoid personality disorder.

>>4642
Describes me perfectly.

I was abused and molested by my dad as a kid. And he'd take me to the pub and I'd have to sit with him for hours as he got drunk.
There were no smiles and no tears. Just complete boredom and apathy. That's how I was and still am most of the time.

>thousand yard stare face

All the time and more frequently now too.

Even with my mates, I just feel empty and alone whilst we're all chilling together.

So what causes this, is it a problem and if yes, then what can we do about it?

>>4503
anyone who isnt is either lying to themselves or ignorant to their own lives

>go to the best job you can
>keep working until you are either disabled or old in either case you can collect welfare because you are no longer useful to the world
>produce one or more children to repeat the cycle
people find meaning in this

>>8662
I met a true Scotsman once, I think you would like him.

There are plenty of reasons why people find meaning in those things. Why? Because it actually matters to them. If living the average life doesn't matter to you, that doesn't necessarily mean it is meaningless to everyone else.

Sure, you could rationalize and spout all day how everything is meaningless to you, but frankly people who have found a meaning do not care for those opinions once they have found it.

Also the summary of going to work until you can't anymore is false as you assume that people have nothing outside of the job. But, there is some truth to what you say as so many people have too much of their life consumed by materialism that just doesn't satisfy that 'void' they will feel. This is why you keep seeing all this new age spiritualistic junk popping up everywhere.

C.S. Lewis summed this 'crisis of meaning' up quite well: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

>>8667
Lewis is a hack and Christian apologist. At least Tolkien knew his elven fantasy bullshit wasn't real.

>>4503
The other day I was feeling like that. I felt like I was just… floating, like a ghost. Nothing but absolute indifference. Not even talking to my friends seemed to put a smile on my face. I was just laying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. The next morning I was back to the usual "I'm worried about everything and everyone hates me" though.

>>8677

>Lewis is a hack and Christian apologist.
So this immediately makes him wrong? Look past what the man believes and look at the quote itself.

The point I am getting at is that we are at a point in time where the world is so unsatisfying, a world where no one can take pride in what they do unless they are absolutely extraordinary, that they simply turn away from everything material to find a greater meaning. In older times simply going out on a hunt to put food on your table was something you could find satisfaction and meaning in because it was the way you lived. Nowadays everything is so accessible that there isn't really anything meaningful to work for.

If you don't find meaning, it obviously means there is nothing you are doing or can see that you find fulfilling. So instead of just staying in the hole, you should seek out meaning. Have to admit that it is far easier said than done.


>At least Tolkien knew his elven fantasy bullshit wasn't real.
I'm pretty sure the Chronicles of Narnia aren't regarded as real to Lewis either. They may be allegorical to what he believes, but they themselves aren't regarded as real. As for Tolkien, you may be surprised that he himself said: "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like 'religion', to cults or practices, in the imaginary world. For the religious element is absorbed into the story and the symbolism." You will also find that Tolkien's devotion to Catholicism is one of the major things that influenced Lewis converting from atheism to Christianity.

sage because this is getting off-topic.

>>8686
>As for Tolkien, you may be surprised that he himself said: "The Lord of the Rings is of course a fundamentally religious and Catholic work; unconsciously so at first, but consciously in the revision. That is why I have not put in, or have cut out, practically all references to anything like 'religion', to cults or practices, in the imaginary world.

Interesting I've heard Tolkien was more trying to create his own mythopoeia, obviously influenced by Christianity but also its own distinct and separate piece of art.

Anyways, onto the topic of:
>C.S. Lewis summed this 'crisis of meaning' up quite well: “If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”

I think that assuming that we can in fact find true happiness is a huge assumption that is not necessarily actually true. Personally, I think a much simpler explanation is that it is just evolutionarily advantageous for a species to always be unsatisfied and to always be searching for more food, more sex and more territory.

Also, there is the question of why should one strive to be happy in the first place? Many people dedicate themselves to causes that bring them material pain. Why shouldn't others dedicate themselves to causes that cause them mental trauma as well? Why should one strive to be satisfied with one's actions?

Also, is obtaining true happiness a good thing? If one obtains true happiness might one then stop trying to change the world around him to be a better place?

Is true happiness actually something important to value over other motives such as justice or is it something that's only a nice to have and not really that important in the grand scheme of things?

>>8698
Just to summarize my thoughts:

Why be happy?

>>8698
>>8699
The question to ask here is "Why be happy" but rather "Why not be happy?"

>I think that assuming that we can in fact find true happiness is a huge assumption that is not necessarily actually true. Personally, I think a much simpler explanation is that it is just evolutionarily advantageous for a species to always be unsatisfied and to always be searching for more food, more sex and more territory.

On the contrary, happiness is the reward for finding such things. For humans it is a bit different since we are actually able to think in depth and question our nature, but happiness is basically a reward chemical. I'm not a biologist, but that is the way I have heard it summed up.

Sadness, disappointment, despair. All of that seems like something to remind us of the price of failure. I see such negative things as responses to evolutionary failure as opposed to a drive to do good. The problem here is also that these emotions are 'addicting' in a crude sense as they affect your logical thought process and make you think as if there is no point in getting out of it.

>Also, there is the question of why should one strive to be happy in the first place? Many people dedicate themselves to causes that bring them material pain. Why shouldn't others dedicate themselves to causes that cause them mental trauma as well? Why should one strive to be satisfied with one's actions?

The people who subject themselves to physical pain, I assume you are talking about people who practice self harm(there is also asceticism, but I don't think that is what you are implying), do it because they hate themselves at first but bleeding can actually release endorphins causing a temporary 'feel-good' mental state. Mental trauma could cause physical pleasure but not emotional pleasure, if that makes sense. In any sense, it isn't necessarily a good thing as it is purely decadent. It is called self 'harm' for a reason. As for why should one be satisfied, I ask you again; why shouldn't they?

>Also, is obtaining true happiness a good thing? If one obtains true happiness might one then stop trying to change the world around him to be a better place?
They might, but not if making the world a better place is what makes them happy. And, as surprising as it may seem, a lot of people find making a difference to be great thing to give their life meaning.

>Is true happiness actually something important to value over other motives such as justice or is it something that's only a nice to have and not really that important in the grand scheme of things?
What motivates justice? A sense of right and wrong, correct? Bringing justice makes those who agree with the right decision happy. If there was no happiness in such decisions, the idea of justice would be obsolete. Almost everything people do stems from both emotion and reasoning, sometimes one side being more influential than the other.

It seems that you are looking at things in a one-sided worldview. Have you ever taken a moment to consider alternatives to this sort of outlook you have? I'm not talking glance over them, be actually greatly consider other alternatives. Those alternatives have to exist for a reason, if they didn't, that would just be silly would it not.

Besides, the fact that you are talking with someone who has found meaning, kind of disproves the idea that everyone is lying to themselves if they claim to have found meaning. Do you think me a liar? Do you think I would go to such lengths to defend a lie? Think about these things.

To summarize my thoughts: Why "not" be happy?

>>8700

>The people who subject themselves to physical pain, I assume you are talking about people who practice self harm(there is also asceticism, but I don't think that is what you are implying), do it because they hate themselves at first but bleeding can actually release endorphins causing a temporary 'feel-good' mental state. Mental trauma could cause physical pleasure but not emotional pleasure, if that makes sense. In any sense, it isn't necessarily a good thing as it is purely decadent. It is called self 'harm' for a reason. As for why should one be satisfied, I ask you again; why shouldn't they?
Oh no. I didn't mean self-harm (or more exactly I didn't consider it or consider against it). I meant things like fighting in a war to save your people or trying to be a hero and saving one's life at the risk of your own. I also did in fact mean ascetism.

You also seem to be assuming I am somehow against happiness. I have no problem with people who want to be happy themselves and I think having a little happiness on the side if I can spare some time for it would be nice but (hypothetically for this argument only) I don't consider happiness particularly important for myself.

>>8701
>Oh no. I didn't mean self-harm (or more exactly I didn't consider it or consider against it). I meant things like fighting in a war to save your people or trying to be a hero and saving one's life at the risk of your own. I also did in fact mean ascetism.

Ah, alright then. My point in the latter half about people find happiness in feeling they are making a difference applies here, then. At least in the fighting wars part. Glory/revenge is also another thing common in the horrors of war. War, in a broad sense, is a blood sport where soldiers prove who is the better fighter and, frankly, that makes some feel good about themselves. Some others fight wars to exact vengeance on a group of people who have brought them great misfortune.

As for asceticism, that is more of a spiritual thing. To understand why someone would shun all worldly pleasures, you must understand what they are doing it for; to get closer to their spiritual side. For these people, the most important thing in their life is their religion/spirituality/philosophy so practicing ways to get close to that makes them happy. To ascetics, worldly pleasures distract from the pleasures of the spirit.


>You also seem to be assuming I am somehow against happiness. I have no problem with people who want to be happy themselves and I think having a little happiness on the side if I can spare some time for it would be nice but (hypothetically for this argument only) I don't consider happiness particularly important for myself.

Forgive me, it is just the general atmosphere many of the posts in this thread(this board in general, no offense to the board owner) may have influenced my judgment.

If you do not find happiness important itself, then what do you find important? And why do you find it important? If you can answer these, you may be able to find that happiness is attainable to you albeit it may not be the average way of life. Maybe the average life that you see all around you is meaningless to you, but you may just need to carve your own meaning. For instance, I realized a long while back that the average life isn't the life for me; it didn't bring satisfaction. We all have different ways to find meaning and not all of them are the same. Like ascetics, they find meaning and satisfaction in their seemingly bizarre and counter-natural ways.

I doubt that happiness means nothing to you, I simply feel you haven't found a source for it yet which has led you to believe that you don't need it…and I hope you do find it one day.

>>8702
Personally, I do find happiness means more than nothing to me but I don't find it means more than a lot of other things like justice and ethics and logic (if I can't reason about what I want to do how can I even decide to it in the first place?). Also, I'm also mostly just asking the question for the sake of the conversation and because I find it an interesting question.

>If you do not find happiness important itself, then what do you find important? And why do you find it important?

I strongly feel justice and ethics are very important. However, I dispute that it possible to ever construct a perfect moral system or feel totally satisfied with one. I think self-perfection must be continuous and life-long. I think yes that one can be satisfied that one has tried one's best but I think that one will always have doubts and that that is not a bad thing. Why should it be bad that man always strives to be a better man?

>As for asceticism, that is more of a spiritual thing. To understand why someone would shun all worldly pleasures, you must understand what they are doing it for; to get closer to their spiritual side. For these people, the most important thing in their life is their religion/spirituality/philosophy so practicing ways to get close to that makes them happy. To ascetics, worldly pleasures distract from the pleasures of the spirit.

Would you deny it would be possible or meaningful for an atheist to be an ascetic? I question if there might be stronger motivations for the pursuit of quiet contemplation and self perfection than the pursuit of god?

>>8704
>Would you deny it would be possible or meaningful for an atheist to be an ascetic? I question if there might be stronger motivations for the pursuit of quiet contemplation and self perfection than the pursuit of god?

Meditation and contemplation? Probably. It allows you to clear your mind and just focus peacefully. That alone is beneficial and there are plenty of people who will tell you so.

As for atheistic asceticism, I think there are a few Buddhist teachings on this given that there are parts of Buddhism that are atheistic yet practice the sort of thing. I'm not really the one to ask when it comes to eastern teachings, though. It is also possible for one to just live as a hermit out in nature. There are a few people who do this not because of a spiritual journey, but because they are just fed up with the modern world and want to live a simpler life. There was a show on national geographic about these types of folks a while back, can't remember the name, but they seemed fairly happy with their relatively primitive lifestyle.