I debated a lot whether to write this post or not. But I feel that I always wanted to have a voice for my fellow introverts out there in the hopes we do not feel like such outcasts in an extrovert world.
As an introvert, I am well aware of my needs to be alone, to day dream, to be able to gather my thoughts and feelings, to be. As someone who also is a highly sensitive person, I also know that certain life events, and sometimes just life itself, affects me differently than it does other people.
Add to all these very charming personality traits modern life and pressures and it can sometimes spell disaster.
I have spoken in this blog before about my struggle with depression (after my parents' separation) and anxiety (just because). I was on medication for both in addition to talk therapy. Now first things first, I am not a medical doctor nor a licensed therapist. Some decisions should always be made between a person's medical doctor and the person itself. But medication did not help me. It only managed to make my hair fall out significantly.
I knew someone who used to tell me the human brain was not equipped to deal with the perks of modern life and until I read "The Depression Cure" which talks in depth about the fallacies of pharmaceuticals in treating depression, I used to be a bit skeptical about this statement.
However, lately, although this is by no means a reliable scientific study, most people I have talked to about the subject seem to feel overwhelmed about life and work. Most feel the pressure to manage personal and professional life, and the stress to achieve what we see as success.
Recently, at least 4 people I know have been battling chronic depression. All of these people are highly successful, are in the 2 percentile of income earners, and otherwise have a seemingly normal family life. No more no less stressful than the rest of us. But they are unhappy and miserable.
I find the pangs of modern life to be even more pressing on the likes of me. The sensitive introvert. Bad pessimistic news seem to travel faster than the goods news do on the internet. 24 hr access through phone and emails trample over the personal time we so much need for ourselves. The separation between public and private becomes slimmer.
Because I understand we might be more susceptible to modern life's quirks, I wonder what we can do in order to safeguard what makes us so special without having to compromise our health and principles. What kind of changes or decisions did you have to make or take in order to preserve your mental, physical and spiritual health?
