Who Am I? And who are you? :)

I still don't know exactly what type of blog this will be. Personal and educational comes to mind.

I envy some people who post about their troubles and pain with raw sincerity.

At first I wanted to have an informative blog with topics worthy of posting, but I was told people want to hear how I've been personally too. Then I told them. And they were a bit shocked and surprised.

The other day I told an internet friend the truth too, about my past 2 years, in a nutshell. She went silent on me - maybe it was the shock, or maybe she was just too young... (or couldn't process the words so fast, it was in a foreign language for her after all...)
I was always the older, wiser one. I was the smart one, with the advice and knowing what to do.
I was a straight A student, at a time. (Though I later had some Bs and Cs, on purpose, and a life, some of it, at least.)
What good are all those As and hours of cramming stuff into my head now? I don't know. I've forgotten pretty much most of it. I've forgotten more than you've ever known, probably. I process information fast, remember it for a time, then forget it. This is useful, or it would all be in my head. Sure I remember some - important - things.

My life is not very eventful now. Or is it?
I started tapering off meds. There is more to this, but I am reluctant to tell. Or maybe I will. In a next post or so.

For the past 2 years I behaved like I've gone off to vacation. Sure, I still did some eco activist work, but very little in comparison to before. I felt like I had this diagnosis and life was pretty much over.
Who would take me seriously as an eco activist? Yet surprisingly, some people still do. 

I still have intellectual curiosity. I still want to do things. I still want to change the world and make it a better place.

I want to connect with others who have also been through a lot and are making a difference. But then again, aren't we all? Just by existing. Flawed, imperfect, yet so very much real. And here.

So, who are you? :) I'll be happy if you leave a comment!

Does Your Computer Cause Your Depression?

Being on the computer for more than 5 hours a day can cause depression, insomnia and other problems, found a study in Japan.
Many workers from the study reported "feeling depressed, anxious and reluctant to get up for work in the mornings.They were also plagued by broken sleep and reported problems getting along with fellow employees."
"The study by researchers at Chiba University in Japan, concluded that bosses should limit the time their staff spend on computers."

A study from Sweden also found more depression, sleep disorders and stress in young adults who used computer and cell phones a lot. The researchers said they were not sure what happened first, depression or extensive computer use (or a vicious circle, where people get on the computer because depressed, and then get more and more depressed), however, a doctor gives advice for better sleep: unplug your computer at least one hour before sleep and turn off your cell phone at night!

A study from UK discovered children with more than 4 hours 'screen' time (TV+computers) had problems too: anxiety and depression, lower self-esteem and greater emotional problems. It seems that a 'safe' dose' is 4 hours or less.
Interestingly, mice and hamsters who had disrupted nightly rest with bright light (such as also from a computer or other screen) also developed symptoms of depression. (Experts also warn of cancer and obesity, diabetes and reproductive problems if sleep is disrupted).
Luckily, the hamsters stopped being depressed when returned to darkness for full 8 hours a night.

Other common computer-induced medical problems include Carpal tunnel syndrome, computer vision syndrome and musculoskeletal problems (backache!)

What about you? How long are you on the computer each day? When - at night or during the day? Have you experienced any problems?