When talking about how we are doing, more commonly than not, a busily worn out person will report that they are “depressed”.
This perpetuates a linguistic indistinction between depression (a lack of overt external pressure, leading to despondence) and oppression (having more external pressure than you can handle, leading to despondence).
It makes talking about one’s mental state more difficult if the right word can not be selected to define one’s emotional and environmental condition.
It’s especially difficult, since the two feelings register so closely with one another in a person’s psyche: Utter powerlessness and lack of control.
I suppose the ideal state to be in is one in which we are merely pressed (involved in our lives and those of others, leading to a positive mental state). Often though, we may find that we have either too little or too much stress in our lives to make us happy, relaxed, interested, and optimistic.
Perhaps, if society suffered from less repression (prevention of outwards internal pressure), we could amend our speech, actions, and habits sufficiently to care for everyone together and get all people the lives they want and need.
In that vein, I would like to start a discussion about work and play, and how it might be beneficial to balance them for a healthy mental state.
Some people have monotonous (single subject), repetitive jobs, and might find that a playstyle where their actions are varied, eccentric, and spontaneous might spice things up.
People who have hectic, multi-faceted jobs, full of chaos and change, might find that a playstyle where their actions are relaxing, stable, and laid-back might make for a good break.
Depending on the conditions of your work life and your time off, you may be placing too much of a burden on yourself, continuously, or, alternately, you may leave yourself wanting more from life for lack of activity. Try to avoid having one or the other of these things happen in both of the domains of work and play for too long, or else you may develop apparently unhealthy or unusual mental states, physical conditions, or habits from the viewpoint of your fellow humans.