Focusing Too Much on “Me” Can Lead to Depression

Self-awareness is an important part of happiness, but you have to be careful not to focus too much on yourself – to the point where you begin to confuse “self-awareness” for what is actually “self-indulgence.”

Self-awareness is a non-judgmental form of introspection that seeks to better understand yourself. But self-indulgence is a judgmental form of introspection that seeks to feed and protect your ego.

Both are forms of reflection, but they come from very different perspectives.

When your introspection comes from a place of “self-indulgence” it can turn into negative rumination – addictive and excessive thinking about ourselves that leads to depression, frustration, anger, and apathy.

If you want to be happier in your life, pay attention to the happiness of others.

Depressed people often think a lot about negative, self-oriented things:

“Look at all the bad things that happened to me.“

“Look at all the people who don’t like me.“

“Look at all the ways I didn’t get what I wanted.”

“Look at all the things I did wrong.”

How often do you notice these kind of statements in your own self-talk or in your conversations with others? These may be things to be more mindful of if you are someone who suffers from anxiety and depression.

I am not sure!

For three weeks now I have had trouble falling asleep. Anywhere from 3:30am to 4:30am is when I last see the time before some form a slumber hits me. My alarm still goes off at 6am and turn it off; only to lie there for another 2 hours before dozing off again.

There is no motivation to get out bed when I awake at around 9:30am I still have plenty of unpacking to do and yet still i lie there hoping that the boxes will empty themselves.

I do get out of the APT everyday, I attend sober gathers and events mostly during the evenings. These aren’t enough to tire me out at night. I walked about 75 blocks yesterday (20 block is about a mile) because it was such a beautiful day and again, coupled with evening events, it wasn’t enough to knock me out.

I tired meditating, I tried reading, I tried writing… I have chosen not to a sleep-aid.

To me, and to some people I know, it all sounds like depression but, I also sounds like old behaviors. Behaviors of when I was using drugs. Laziness, lack of motivation, expecting things to just take care themselves without me doing any work.

I can honestly say, “I don’t have a desire to use, today."

So, what’s up?

Focusing Too Much on “Me” Can Lead to Depression

Is it Depression?

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