Do depression and intense interests affect each other?

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I haven’t really bean obsessed with anything since both my grandparents died a few months ago. Also I’ve noticed that the more depressed I am the less likely I am to be intensely interested in anything, or even interested in anything at all. This can sometimes last over a year.

And when I am obsessed with something I generally feel somewhat happier, except that sometimes it makes me sad because the things I get really into are usually a waste of time (like poker). I also fell like my mind works better when it is really into something.

I’m wondering if it is the interest that makes me less depressed, or the depression that makes me less interested.

Is anyone else like this? Please share.

That's really deep. I hadn't really thought about it but yeah that all makes sense. When someone's depressed I think an inborn survival mechanism sets it. To help "cheer" themselves up they start obsessing on one thing that gives them comfort. But it can get out of control and they end up digging themselves deeper in the hole.

I dont think you can really come to a simple conclusion of cause and effect between the two.

The interaction is much more intricate than that with both impulses causing effects in one another.

Hi, I have suffered from depression in the past when I have not had an obsession about something, as a child obsessions ruled my life so I could only talk about the things I was interested in, I think I have to find a balance somewhere in between.
Simon.

I was recentley depressed from the time that I've grown out of my Obsession with Victorian London, around the Father's Day of 2004, until I've developed an Obsession with a more modern Era in London's History, last December. I call it Classic London, because I don't know what else to call it. Now I'm happy again!

Yes, I do, If you're obsessed with something, and something goes wrong, it can lead to major depression.

And when you're down you don't feel like doing much, so it's a vicious circle/downwards spiral.

My obsessions actually caused my depression:

Obsessions not related to school (i.e., not physics-related) + Predisposition to depresssion =
(School grades go down + Self-worth goes down) =
Depression

However, once I was depressed, I took much less pleasure in my obsessions and began to do them simply to pass the time. My obsessions are relatively transient--two years or so in duration--and both of the ones I had at that time were dropped, probably because I lost interest. The replacement obsession? Psychology!

Thankfully I've picked up an obsession with cats again--I had that when I was about nine to twelve years old--and that's much more cheerful a subject than the study of people's minds and what goes wrong with them.