Discussion Does introspection lead to mental illness?

[Forever Sleep]

Does anyone else here watch videos by Sadhguru?



I've often wondered whether self awareness/ self analysis is a major factor in depression. I often find myself analysing how I'm feeling (usually when I'm unhappy.) How long I've felt like it, what could be the cause etc.

When I went through a few periods of limerance (obsessive crushes on people,) I used to worry just as much about the feeling itself- my friend used to say I would obsess about obsessing.

It's fascinating watching this video by Sadghuru because he identifies this as a western phenomenon. I wonder if that's true.

I think he's probably right though- constantly ruminating about what we're thinking and how we're feeling likely doesn't do us many favours. It's not like we're going to find an answer! As he puts it- our minds can focus and tackle a problem- which is thinking- but when they are ruminating all the time, that's a form of mental diarrhea. Or even- mental illness.

I wonder what causes us to do this. If it is a phenomena typical to the west- are we taught to do it maybe? I wonder what it would take to break free of it. I actually think I enjoy being creative because it can be a form of meditation for me. I can lose myself in what I'm doing- so- I suppose- for that period of time- my brain is set on the task rather than thinking about how unhappy I am.

How about you? Do you think your own introspection feeds into how unhappy you feel?

 

[Someone123]

There may be some truth to this, but it's hard to say how much- I don't think it's a primary cause of depression, but overthinking things can be a problem when trying to solve the primary causes, which are usually things like loneliness, financial problems, physical health problems, and abuse.

 

[Pluto]

Everyone would generally agree that excessive thinking is a kind of addiction or compulsion that spirals into unhealthiness. But from there, there are a few ways of approaching it.

Working at the skill of reducing over-thinking - be it meditative practices or challenging the veracity of pessimistic thoughts - will yield improvements in general wellbeing. This is quite mainstream nowadays and is useful in many situations.

At an intermediate level, observing the pain-body entity is a potent method described by Eckhart Tolle and later turned into a comic by a reader.

At the more advanced level of spirituality, the goal is to call into question one's identity; if successful, a permanent shift will occur. A simple way of looking at it is that you were still you in early childhood before even learning to think, let alone having many stories and narratives of struggling with life. This conditioned sense of self that developed as an outgrowth of learning identify with 'stuff' needs to be exposed as a fiction.

 

[Das Nichts]

I think my "root problem" is a restless mind in general. On one hand this can let you achieve
a lot of things e.g. when I'm trying to understand something or make something work.

The same restless mind also works itself up about the not so pleasant things in my life.