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by dijit 2284 days ago
So, aside from irritability and perhaps paranoia, are there any more symptoms?

It’s fun that you can’t be diagnosed with it as it’s not a defined medical definition but how can you know if you’re on the slope to experiencing something like this?
1 comments
DyslexicAtheist 2284 days ago
speaking only from my personal experience it can trigger depression, loss of motivation, and a feeling of an "empty head". e.g. place me in front of a window I'd stare out of it for several hours and if you would ask me what I'm thinking about I wouldn't know. Also increased anxiety when the quarantine is over.
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new2628 2284 days ago
You mention smoking weed in another comment. Do you think there may be a connection?
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DyslexicAtheist 2284 days ago
The times I had this experience with depression and feeling empty headed etc was when I was working off-shore. We were isolated at sea for 8-10 months per year and it was 2-3 months stretches in one go (with only 1-2 days in between). I wasn't able to smoke weed back then and there was no Internet out there. I didn't know about cabin fever back then but only learned later that this must have been what it was.

But I strongly agree that smoking for many weeks/months every day could sure trigger a lot of side effects.

Isolation/quarantine right now is very different (I got Internet, and the problem is there is actually too much choice of what I could read, watch or study).

edit: N.N. Taleb talks about his concept of "balancing extremes", I'm very much a believer of this life style.

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circlefavshape 2284 days ago
> place me in front of a window I'd stare out of it for several hours and if you would ask me what I'm thinking about I wouldn't know

Isn't that called meditation?

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nkohari 2284 days ago
Meditation is an intentional pursuit; it's about focus rather than daydreaming.
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DyslexicAtheist 2284 days ago
hehe, it sure sounds like that. my explanation is that because it follows several hours of severe depression it is more of a state of exhaustion. a state in which I couldn't sleep but also not really alert. Literally empty, no day dreaming either but also no negative thoughts. Nothing.
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