They might mean to say that it's worsened when they're not busy with something. Actively working on a task that one finds rewarding can definitely help with depression.
Sure, but from reading the article it seems that social isolation as a matter of lifestyle is the elephant in the room. If he has to be held accountable through an app, it would suggest that there's no people present throughout the day to hold him accountable.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's less absurd than assuming we just need a whip when we're down. This isn't an unemployed person feeling like they're not contributing. It's more like: "If I can just never be unproductive, I'll be happy"...
It's not about having people around to hold you accountable. I have dealt with severe depression for about 30 years. You get to be very good at 'hiding' your emotional state from people. What a lot of people here seem to be missing is that lack of productivity is a warning signal for him to share with his support network.
His app doesn't increase or help with his productivity, it tracks it.
I could use his app directly as is. I have a very supportive network, who really help me when I am in the bottom of a cycle. This app could really help me as I only reach out when it gets bad enough that I feel my life is in danger.
And I am surrounded by people all the time. At work (I teach) and at home (I have 2 small kids & a perfect partner). Now my partner is starting to learn the warning signs.
Other people won't hold you accountable unless you let them, which the author touches upon. It sounds like most of the value of the app for him is that the results are communicated to a support network.
My first thought after reading that he's a freelance web developer was "get an office job". I know from experience that working alone for an extended period of time can get you down easily.
I worked various full time office jobs for two years and now I work part time remotely and the amount of social interaction during the work day is pretty much the same (which is to say almost zero).
There's just no way I can do my job writing software with constant interruptions; it takes too much focus.
Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's less absurd than assuming we just need a whip when we're down. This isn't an unemployed person feeling like they're not contributing. It's more like: "If I can just never be unproductive, I'll be happy"...