Ask HN: Is it useful for someone with depression to study psychology? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is it useful for someone with depression to study psychology?

1 pointephelant4 comments

I'm someone who has struggled with depression for a while now. With the help of my doctor, CBT and medication, my condition has improved, but I was curious as to whether studying psychology could be in any way beneficial to better understand myself and cope with depression.

Has anyone here found such a pursuit (or learning something else like philosophy) to be useful in managing or improving their mental health?

Thank you

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I feel that the more I learn about psychology, the more my depression and other problems seem like any other affliction that can be purposefully managed, instead of this all-encompassing black hole I can't explain. It puts things into perspective. But be wary of falling into the trap of seeing yourself reflected in the endless lists of symptoms of other illnesses - only a professional can reliably discern between normal and pathological behaviors and patterns.

I have not pursued a degree in psychology, but read numerous books on the subject and learned much from a published sibling who pursued a phd in psychology.

I found it helpful in dealing with my depression (and other behaviors/emotions) and understanding its mechanisms. Though, you should be wary of labeling yourself with what you learn, or entertaining the illusion that one can analyse oneself.

Psychology is such an important subject it merits attention even if, however unlikely, you would derive no benefit.

I think it has for me, both psychology and philosophy. The former has some useful techniques. Check out "behavioral activation" for a lesser-known idea.

The latter provides perspective, both for ways to think about the world, and as a realization that many thoughtful people over thousands of years have suffered in our vale of tears.

Study meditation, or better yet, practice meditation. Lean towards spirituality, in other words, try to understand why you are suffering. You'll eventually become pretty good at being a psychologist to yourself.

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