Poll: So, Depressed Much?

[ShaqLevick]

You know I was going to fall back on my usually mopey ways and do a little complaining about my life, but then I read through a few posts and I guess it wouldn't be fair of me to vent when people here are genuinely down in their lives... and I suppose that would answer your question of what gets me through, knowing that people out there are genuinely suffering and would give anything to be in my shoes. You see my problem at a base level is all about apathy and emptiness, and while that may make the world seem bleak and harsh, it really isn't a daily struggle to overcome (not a genuine hardship).

Now I'm not saying I don't have legitimate issues that I deal with daily, I've never really had a problem with suicide, because death is so final, and life... life is full of possibilities! When everyday an adventure could be right around the corner, why would anybody checkout when the chance of a lifetime could be but an instant away.

Most importantly while I may hate myself, the one thing I'm sure of is the universe is a beautiful thing!

 

[Naeo]

I've never been diagnosed with anything, but I know I have a predisposition to mild anxiety and depression disorders from my mom's side of the family. I suspect that a few years back I was going through a phase of depression--I don't think it's chronic, but I just had a lot of things going catastrophically wrong in my life (all very personal things) which may have contributed. I don't know if a diagnosis would have turned up anything other than "well, you're just suffering from a case of 'feeling like shit'" but I think it may have, had I bothered to mention it to anyone. But it's a moot point, since at best it was just a massive, five-month case of "feeling like shit". Though given that it was a few years ago, maybe it's getting exaggerated in my memory.

As for how I dealt with it, don't ever use me as a role model for it, but in short I didn't. I ignored it or tried to distract myself rather than actually doing anything about it. I just kind of let it take its toll, which I shouldn't have done.

 

[doomspore98]

Nah, never really been depressed. I did go through a period of hopelessness in february. Work just piled up and I got super stressed, but never depression.

 

[TWRule]

I'll agree to an extent, it isn't psychology alone and other factors play a part in it, I and others have said exercise and better diet help to deal with it for example, positive mental attitude is something a lot of people say to me without thinking it through, on particularly bad days thinking about tomorrow makes me want to curl up and die, confidence is something that's difficult to summon and maintain in day to day life let alone during an episode.

Don't get me wrong, I wasn't trying to be one of those people that just mindlessly say "cheer up" or "hang in there" - I was suggesting you to do something specific about it; I was literally asking you to rethink your life but to try and fight your inclination to view each event in your life so far negatively while you did so. That's something I remember doing when I was at my lowest, and it lead me to have a major epiphany that turned my life around. It's not easy, I know, and what worked for me may not work for you.

Stress is also considered a trigger and that could be why I feel this way, since I'm currently in the process of leaving university partway through and trying to find a new path through life that won't leave me without two pennies to rub together.
The general structure of society doesn't help, with a lot of emphasis on work and career, but to have either of those you need education, and education is a daunting and expensive process, at least here in the UK and I'm told the US.
But it also locks you into things and that terrifies me.

(I was studying education to be a teacher btw, way too high of a workload and I failed a placement because of stress breaking me.)

That sounds like a very similar situation I was in when I was at the low point I described above. I spent 4 years getting my associate's degree and took another year and a half off of college simply because I didn't know what I wanted to major in, what I wanted my career to be, etc. In my case, I ended up doing a combination of things including internet research on careers, talking to a lot of people about it, looking around for problems in the world that I wanted to help solve, etc. Ultimately, it ended up being a philosophical issue of not only what I wanted out of life, but what I felt the most serious/significant problem was to me personally. It ended up being profound loneliness and the meaninglessness of life, a realization brought on by the very absurdity of the situation both you and I are in. Most people spend their lives doing soul-destroying work just so they can survive, perhaps earn some material comforts, until they die; others obliviously commit themselves to whatever social or scientific problem is fashionable to deal with at the time while avoiding their own philosophical questions about the greater meaning of life, and still others study one thing or another - no subject seemingly interesting enough to devote one's entire existence to. With these sorts of people being the ones giving you and I advice, it's pretty damn understandable that you'd be terrified at your prospects - I know I was. I decided to make my life about bringing these sorts of huge profound issues to the conscious attention of as many people as would listen and working with them to do something about it. To that end, I chose to return to school on track to become a philosophy professor, but there are undoubtedly other paths one can take. What you should consider are your most profound concerns, even if they don't seem to translate well into a career at first, and find a way to put yourself in a position where you will be able to meet like-minded persons.

Retail therapy helps to but that might just be me, I bought a load of retro stuff the other day and it cheered me up. Then guilt. Also spent about £600. Now I'm mad at me.

I'm willing to admit that therapy may work in some cases, at least in the short term. Based on your story it seems that you'd agree that it doesn't ever really address the root problem though, so you're always at risk for a resurgence of those negative experiences. Thus you can either go to therapy throughout your life, or work to confront those problems yourself with the help of friends who share similar suffering and maintain some hope that they will be resolved eventually.

 

[nomzy]

What gets you through the harder days?

On the worst days, I just sleep for as long as I can. (and if I can't sleep.. well there's alcohol. shh)
If I have work, I try to just let myself go on auto pilot and let my mind wander, which I admit makes it worse sometimes.
However I suspect those are really unhealthy ways of going about it.

Also, how do you cope with this kind of problem?

I just try to keep going, never mind how I feel because there's people that depend on me and that matters more.

So, this might be a bit heavy, but how many people out there are genuinely diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder involving depression?

I did see a psychologist a few years back, but I can't remember if he gave me an actual diagnosis.
Was basically just counselling sessions.
That count?
However I do vaguely remember my grandma telling me that my father and grandfather both had chronic depression.
I haven't asked her again about it though.

 

[Zen Toombs]

When I'm sad, I stop being sad and be awesome instead.

True story.

Spoiler: I saw this thread title, and that was my first thought as well. I would say ninja'd, but you kindof beat me by a day.

As for me, I've recently been in a bad place (not actually depressed, but not doing so well. You all know what I mean). Then I decided to take Barney's advice and punched sadness in the throat.

It worked.

Note: Does not work on actual clinical depression. If you are clinically depressed, see a therapist, not random dudes on the internet.

We kindof suck at it.

 

[Zen Toombs]

No, actually. I'm feeling properly happy for the first time in a while ^_^

Yay! Congrats on being awesome. :3

Yeah, I'm depressed as shit, and have zero support group to fall back on to help me work through it. I'm living in a self-defeating spiral of doom that's recursive and self-reinforcing.

I offer thee hugs. If you need someone to talk to, send me a message.

I'm not diagnosed with anything, but I was seeing the doctor because I attempted suicide multiple times.

Same goes to you, both with the hugs and offers of talking. I'd go on a quick rant on how suicide is not the answer and so forth, but I'm sure you've heard that a thousand times. Just know that people care.

Welcome to the internet pity party of self diagnosed depression.

Wankers, everywhere.

Well you're cheerful.

Did someone eat your dog?

 

[lacktheknack]

No, actually. I'm feeling properly happy for the first time in a while ^_^

Sir Bryghtside finally sees the bryght side!

...I'll escort myself out.

OT: Nope. I'm almost the antithesis of depressed. If something goes wrong, it kills my mood for about three minutes and then I'm content/happy again.

I blame religion. I'll let the rest of you fight about that one.

 

[lacktheknack]

I'm sure there's a couple hundred-million people who have it well worse off than me. As I sit on my island of self-doubt and loathing, looking from this dark space into the bright and happy faces of everyone else, I find it hard to believe.

To be fair, smiles != not having problems.

I know a girl who has a perma-smile. She makes everyone laugh, is lovely to talk to, wouldn't dream about putting you or anyone else down, looks like she's on top of the world, claims she's happy...

...has a never-ending menstruation problem, has had unbearable uterine cramping for two years, has deep anxiety issues when left alone, bursts into tears extremely easily, has numerous undiagnosed mental and physical defects, has no sex drive, and lives a depressing life shuttered in with her dolls (at age twenty four) and TV of her own accord, only getting out to go to church and the (very) occasional social gathering...

...and you'd never know all this crap unless you knew her well.

 

[orangeban]

I'm not diagnosed with anything, but I was seeing the doctor because I attempted suicide multiple times.

Same goes to you, both with the hugs and offers of talking. I'd go on a quick rant on how suicide is not the answer and so forth, but I'm sure you've heard that a thousand times. Just know that people care.

Thanks, that's really nice of you, I appreciate it. I'll politely refuse the offer to talk, I'm fine on that front, but I'll happily take you up on the hugs. *hugs*!

But yeah, thanks mate.

 

[srm79]

7 days after my last girlfriend broke up with me (not so long ago) I then had to deal with some devastating news about one of my sons. Oddly, while I am unquestionably depressed, I'm not as bad as I was when I was first diagnosed a few years ago when I got really bad with it.

I still have those horrible, miserable black days when there's no apparent salvation to be had, and where all I do is work, come home, cry a bit then fall asleep but not as often as I used to. And I haven't done anything silly that needed a couple of days in hospital to recover from this time around either.

Why? Fucked if I know. Maybe it's because it's been coming and going for so long now that I'm better equipped to just suck it up and tough it out. Well, not quite - I'm back on the pills for now (but as someone else said earlier, those are a temporary relief - handle with care!), but much intensive counselling when I was first diagnosed has given me the mental tools I need to be able to cope with it and understand it.

If anyone out there has refused to get help or treatment for any reason other than it's cost-prohibitive where you live (I'm looking at you, Uncle Sam) then go and see your GP asap. There's no shame in it, and it's certainly not something your doctor hasn't seen before. Nor are they paid to pass any judgement on you. They will be able to get you any and all the help and professional support you need to try and get back on your feet.

 

[Twilight_guy]

My mother has depression and takes medication for it. She still has some issue with getting obsessed over unimportant things, but it has helped level her out considerably.

Also, if your bipolar and your symptoms are bothering you too much, you should discuss it with your doctor. I know nothing about your medical history and am probably sticking my foot in my mouth but, I know switching up your medication can help with some issues.

 

[Zen Toombs]

Thanks, that's really nice of you, I appreciate it. I'll politely refuse the offer to talk, I'm fine on that front, but I'll happily take you up on the hugs. *hugs*!

But yeah, thanks mate.

No problem, hugs are fantastic. *nod nod* Anyways, I'm glad you're doing alright at the moment. But do realize that the offer to talk was a standing offer, and not just about sad face things.

I'll see you around the forums!

 

[Dango]

Yes.

I've suffered from diagnosed chronic depression and anxiety so much that I actually missed most of this school year, and will be repeating every class except one.

 

[VanTesla]

Going on thirteen years since being diagnosed with clinical depression and I can say with little doubt in my mind, that i'm still as broken as the day the doctors told me...

Like any depressed person I run through all the criteria that comes with depression, but unlike some I can't seem to have the willpower to fight back and no amount of drugs or therapy helps in a long term goal. When I say long term I mean a few weeks before any progress I made reverts back to zero...

How cope with my depression is by not thinking about anything, sleep, just avoiding life it's self in any form that causes no harm to others or myself. I hate taking drugs and have a hard time even taking them, bad eating habits that make me tired and weak, little to no physical activity, sleeping habits are random, low level of desire of many things, and the list can go on... I have not given up, but everyday I can wake up and just waste away my day if I don't get my shit in order.

 

[The White Hunter]

fuck no they may have found the higgs boson why in the world would i be depressed

They have? LINK PLEASE : D

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-18738179

there you go very exsitting news

That is very exciting!

Why was I not informed sooner? DDD:

sadly it wasnt talked much about out side of sciences circuils which is a shame. but it is still good news and i think higgs will be getting the nobel prize.

He deserves it for that one. Maybe soon we can actually explain gravity.

 

[The White Hunter]

SNIP

I'm gonna meander about until I find some way of making money and I'm gonna start trying to write books and songs I think, since that's something I like to do and have some degree of ability to do it.

AT least that way I have some chance to use it all to express my self and make my self feel better about being me.

Also, retail therapy means shopping, not actual therapy xD I like to buy things.

 

[The White Hunter]

What gets you through the harder days?

On the worst days, I just sleep for as long as I can. (and if I can't sleep.. well there's alcohol. shh)
If I have work, I try to just let myself go on auto pilot and let my mind wander, which I admit makes it worse sometimes.
However I suspect those are really unhealthy ways of going about it.

Also, how do you cope with this kind of problem?

I just try to keep going, never mind how I feel because there's people that depend on me and that matters more.

So, this might be a bit heavy, but how many people out there are genuinely diagnosed with a psychiatric disorder involving depression?

I did see a psychologist a few years back, but I can't remember if he gave me an actual diagnosis.
Was basically just counselling sessions.
That count?
However I do vaguely remember my grandma telling me that my father and grandfather both had chronic depression.
I haven't asked her again about it though.

Sleep is a good way to deal with it I find, alcohol less so in retrospect but I'll admit to falling back on my good buddies whisky and wine to get by.

That's a good way to do it, remind yourself of the people that do care and it helps keep you rooted in reality.

I'll let it count tbh I'm not that fussed whether you have a diagnosis or not, I had some therapy when I was little for lashing out a lot but I've generally avoided getting it for this, because it irritates me.

Have a hug -hug-!

 

[SquirePB]

I'm currently working through fairly severe clinical depression. I'd say at this stage I'm on the road to getting back to my old self but it's been difficult. I mean at this stage my parents might be getting divorced after my dad had an affair, I failed this semester of university which pushes my degree back about a year and a half and my girlfriend left me. Murphy's Law is a ***** sometimes.
What helps me to deal with it I find is exercise. It's just a really good way to blow off some steam. When I'm at uni we have a couple of boxing bags in the gym so I just go to town on them when I'm feeling particularly down.
You just have to try to stay strong through it. I rely heavily on my strength of will to get me through the hard times and it generally works. Well not perfectly or I may not have failed this semester.