cause and effect?

[ysobel]

I get absurdly mopey and self-disliking and altogether generally crappy-feeling on days when I don't have any creative output.

I can't produce creative stuff (yes that's the technical term) when I am feeling mopey and crappy.

...p ∴ q is not the same as p ∵ q.

(yes, I am enough of a geek to use logic symbology. even though it's more effort. hopefully I've done the html right so that screen readers don't choke on it; if not, a) let me know, and b) the first is 'therefore' and the second is 'because').

Or, using more different logic symbology, p ⇒ q is not the same as q ⇒ p and neither one by itself is the same as p ⇔ q.

Or, using actual english wordy things, I don't know whether the problem is "crappy mood stifles creative output" or "lack of output creates crappy mood" or "the mood and the lack of output coexist".

This may seem like pointless dithering, and/or an excuse to use logic symbology in an entry, except that ... well. The difference between p ∴ q and p ∵ q is primarily theoretical if you don't have any control over either p or q, but it becomes practically vital, if you can control one factor, to know which side of the causality that factor is on.

If it's the first (or to some extent the third), since I can't exactly will myself into a good mood, the best thing to do is to not frustrate myself trying to do creative stuff, because it either won't happen or will come out tainted and unusable. If it's the second, forcing myself to ignore the mood and create stuff will make me feel better.

Sigh.

Comments

[jesse_the_k]

I'm weak on logic. But it seems you could do a timed trial assuming 1 and/or 3, and then see what the results are? I know I spend a lot of time wrestling with rabid nerf weasels in my brain about the things I'm not writing, but that hasn't increased my output much at all.

[fadedwings]

In my own experience I find that depression as well as extreme anxiety make me less likely to make art. It makes it harder, makes it seem pointless, sometimes I just can't concentrate and sometimes everything just seems like it's turning to shit even if it isn't.

Often just making myself do something creative helps. But sometimes it doesn't. Sometimes it makes it worse if things don't come out the way I want and I fall into more self-hatred.

I think it is complicated and not always consistent. Which isn't all that helpful really, I'm sorry. Of course this is just my own personal experience which is also tainted with my own depression and issues.

[evil_plotbunny]

*cuddles*

Missing you in chat.