[_David_]

Hello guys,

During the last weeks I've started to get depressed and anxious about some philosophical ideas that I've read. And even thought I've found pretty solid refutations about them, it seems like I can't stop searching informations and reading discussions.

What is the best thing that I can do about it? Should I stop completely to read philosophical stuff and try to focus my attentions on other things? How can I do that?

Thanks!

[Frankbtl]

Hi David,

Welcome to PC!!!
I'm sorry you're struggling with this right now
But do you think part of it, is that it's edging on the obsessional side???
I mean it's great that you have an active mind, you're looking for answers, looking to make sense of things, to validate things.........but when it's taking over and having this sort of influence over your life/your feelings..........

And this "and try to focus my attentions on other things" absolutely you could try. You may need to find the right things for you to focus on but yes, it could work.
For example maybe you want to list/schedule what you want to try, and a variety of things..........so they may include something else challenging you can exercise your mind on, something more physically active, something more relaxing, some (maybe social?) time with others??
And maybe some of that discipline you've been putting into what you have been studying, you could try applying to some new/different routines???

And maybe you're right in needing to completely stop reading philosophical stuff...........I don't know, it's kind of about what might work for you personally........but perhaps if stopping completely deprives you of a genuine passion/the possibility of turning it into a more "healthy" interest, or just makes more and more questions/thoughts go around in your mind you could try compartmentalizing it to set times when you're going to allow yourself to read/research..............and adapting to/accepting those set times with focus on other things outside of those times.............???
But for now..........it certainly sounds like you need some "time out" if you can push yourself to take that??

Alison

[vital]

Originally Posted by _David_

Hello guys,

During the last weeks I've started to get depressed and anxious about some philosophical ideas that I've read. And even thought I've found pretty solid refutations about them, it seems like I can't stop searching informations and reading discussions.

What is the best thing that I can do about it? Should I stop completely to read philosophical stuff and try to focus my attentions on other things? How can I do that?

Thanks!

Hi David,

Depression is sneaky, sneaky, sneaky. I think you'll find that even if you stop thinking about your philosophical ideas, you'll soon get anxious about something else entirely. I do think I understand how depression's tricks work and what to do about it though. You might like this:

http://egg.bu.edu/~youssef/SNAP_CLUB...0164151576.pdf

- vital

[avlady]

Frankbtl and vital both have good points here. are you interested in other subjects, like math would seem to be like an opposite of philosophy, just thinking, sometimes i daydream if i need to, i don't know how healthy that is but maybe a small amount of time relaxing your mind would help.

[Living Dead Guy]

Can you expound upon the philosophical arguments that cause your depression and anxiety? I can perhaps lead you to arguments against those ideas if that is what you are looking for. Also do you suffer from OCD, I find that recurring thoughts about certain areas of philosophy are for me uncontrollable, it seems best to just let the thoughts play out.

[lonely-and-sad]

Agree with livingdeadguy. From the limited information provided it seems like an OCD issue causing some symptoms of depression and anxiety. We do not know you and do not know what help you sought or what what you have tried. It would be good if we could get some more information about you and I would be interested in your reply to livingdeadguy question.

[_David_]

Thanks for your answers, guys.

I'm basically depressed over philosophical skepticism. The idea of Solipsism in particular. I know that philosophical skepticism it's not just that one idea, but I'm not really informed over the other ones.

I think my main problem is that I've started reading that stuff believing it was the truth or something, and I kind of get stucked over it. I also think that, as you said, is all related to OCD.

Thanks for your help.

[ManOfConstantSorrow]

get depressed and anxious about some philosophical ideas that I've read - what do these ideas mean to you? To me they would be an interesting distraction, but clearly they are high-flyer significant to you? What would constitute sufficient reading and understanding these ideas? Would it help if you could discuss them with others who are also interested?

[i dont matter]

If only we COULD forget.....