Spreading the Word on Depression: Depression Quest

[Zeema]

Depression Quest is an interactive fiction game where you play as someone living with depression. You are given a series of everyday life events and have to attempt to manage your illness, relationships, job, and possible treatment. This game aims to show other sufferers of depression that they are not alone in their feelings, and to illustrate to people who may not understand the illness the depths of what it can do to people.

http://www.depressionquest.com/dqfinal.html


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I found this the other day and i thought it would be good for people to see it. Many times i have seen depression get batted away and a lot of people not understanding the seriousness of it. going though Depression has been forever in my life. i hope for one day i will have change and i won't feel the way i do anymore. but i lay in bed and worry about all the other people out there. alone and Scared. not knowing how they feel or why they feel it.

Depression can affect anyone.

if you please play this game. spread the word on depression, leave a comment, share your experiences (if you want to).

ask your friends and family if they are ok.
Depression is hard, but its harder alone.

-Trezu

http://ifred.org/ for more information.

 

[Scarecrow]

Very, very interesting. I'm glad somebody is spreading awareness, at least. The more you know, right?

 

[Eleuthera]

Interesting, I know this has been posted before, but I didn't "play" the game back then. Having done so just now, I think I may have skirted actual depression 5 or so years ago.

 

[distortedreality]

It's a shame that sort of thing wasn't around 10-15 years ago.

As it is, I think depression is more in the limelight now than it ever has been, with plenty of high profile people from all walks of life running or being part of campaigns to raise awareness among the general public. It's a major thing in education now down here as well, where it wasn't at all when I was at school.

Will check the game out, ty for the link OP.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Interesting, I know this has been posted before, but I didn't "play" the game back then. Having done so just now, I think I may have skirted actual depression 5 or so years ago.

I actually don't have an issue with this particular game becoming a repeat topic, it's great that so many people are finding meaning in it and want to share it with others.


OT: I played the game a while ago, some of the questions came eerily close to how I sometimes feel,
I've been trying to improve myself since.

 

[Eleuthera]

I actually don't have an issue with this particular game becoming a repeat topic, it's great that so many people are finding meaning in it and want to share it with others.
OT: I played the game a while ago, some of the questions came eerily close to how I sometimes feel,
I've been trying to improve myself since.

I don't really mind any repeat thread, as long as the original has been gone long enough. And the topic hasn't been done to death anyway...

OT: Like I said I think I may have gotten pretty close at some point. Anxiety, avoiding people (especially my parent's "help"), apathy, some other things. This is going to sound weird, but having been quite seriously ill (I had/have Hodgkins Lymphoma) may have been a real help. I showed me who was really there for me, and forced me to be the optimistic one in response to everyone feeling sorry for me.

EDIT: Getting seriously ill shouldn't be the answer though, try to avoid that if you can...

 

[Angie7F]

Interesting game.
I was more bipolar and over achieving, so I can see how I would choose the outgoing happy choice on one day but the totally depressed answer in another.

 

[Something Amyss]

It actually sort of baffles me how this game is going to reach anybody who wasn't already paying attention. But then, I suffer from depression and can't really be taught what depression is like from the layperson's point of view, so maybe I'm wrong. It's just...Strange to me.

 

[5ilver]

I find the similarities between the protagonist and myself very unsettling. The music really gets under the skin after a while as well.

 

[ClockworkPenguin]

I gave up after about 5 pages because it just made me feel really uncomfortable.

 

[TheDrunkNinja]

I'm slightly concerned that this game might have a sort of hypochondria effect on the readers. It's a little bit too easy to find similarities between what's going on in the story and your own life, despite the fact that you might not have depression at all. I myself found numerous similarities between myself and the main character. Lack of motivation to the point where I had to withdraw from a class recently, starting personal projects that never seem to go anywhere. Despite all this, I still find joy in other facets of life, just not in the things I consider work. I tend to oversleep, but I'm a college student, who doesn't? I find myself inadequate to my peers and family members (the character of Malcolm might as well be my own older brother), but that's human nature to compare yourself to others. Also, who actually likes going to a party with people you've never met before?

Personally, I've always identified myself as an introvert, not antisocial since I'm incredibly social when I'm around my friends, but there are times in the week I need to be alone to just recharge. I could easily self-diagnose myself as depressed after identifying with the problems brought up in the game despite the fact that I'm not.

 

[Adaephon]

Depression doesn't exist; Losers do.

Ever notice that nobody in third world countries ever gets depression? That's because they can't afford to make excuses like these losers do and work for their survival like everyone else.

I decided to give this thing the benefit of the doubt and OH MY WORD does this kid's whining get on my nerves. This is just the kind of **** that I hate and wish would kill himself. You have a circle of friends, a computer, TV, a stable job, a bloody girlfriend and you're STILL a whiny little shit.

Get over it you spoiled brat.

While I grant you that depression (like a lot of psychological disorders and problems) can be (and often is) over diagnosed in the first world/ upper class world, do you really think that chemical and hormone imbalances cannot exist? Or that feelings of depression, apathy, and other such horrible things can't be brought about by said imbalances? Or are you just being sarcastic and I'm being too dense to see it?

 

[Floppertje]

well that hit a little too close for comfort, especially the beginning.

 

[Yopaz]

Interesting, I know this has been posted before, but I didn't "play" the game back then. Having done so just now, I think I may have skirted actual depression 5 or so years ago.

I actually don't have an issue with this particular game becoming a repeat topic, it's great that so many people are finding meaning in it and want to share it with others.

My thought too. It has been done, it has even been in the news room, but mentioning such an important subject twice is nowhere near enough and this third time (as far as I know) is not too much. I am sure a lot of the frequent visitors missed it the first time and there are probably some new ones who wouldn't mind seeing it.

OT: I played a little of this game, but I didn't bother to finish it. I was a little annoyed at the results that were blocked off until I realized that's basically how I feel with most of my issues. I know I should talk to friends and family, but despite having the conversation planned I know it wont ever happen.

Now I don't consider myself depressed, I would actually say I am doing quite well, but this game helped me realize a few things about myself.

 

[TotalerKrieger]

While I grant you that depression (like a lot of psychological disorders and problems) can be (and often is) over diagnosed in the first world/ upper class world, do you really think that chemical and hormone imbalances cannot exist? Or that feelings of depression, apathy, and other such horrible things can't be brought about by said imbalances? Or are you just being sarcastic and I'm being too dense to see it?

I am expressing that coddling this behavior isn't helping anyone.

You'll never see me say that chemical imbalances don't exist, but if forced in the right situation (Do or die) the brain will rebalance itself in order to survive. Unless you have a serious deficiency. But if that were the case you'd be far beyond being able to work or live on your own.

We all have to deal with these so called "chemical imbalances" from time to time. And winners simply get over it. Losers whine about it and do nothing.

You are talking out of your ass when it comes to how the brain reacts to depression or how this psychological disorder relates to brain chemistry. Scientists really have only the faintest idea of how these biological processes work or how they relate to psychological disorders. It is unfair to say that everyone deals with unbalances as nothing of the sort has been objectively proven. Where did you come up with "the brain will rebalance itself in order to survive"? WTF does that even mean?

It has been proven that people who suffer from clinical depression do have significantly different brain states than healthy individuals (based on fMRI studies). These brain states are far different than simply feeling "blue" as entire regions seem to be altered in a semi-permanent manner (decreased activity in the pre-frontal cortex primarily). This does suggest a unique biological root to depression that healthy individuals, sad or not, do not share.

So do you criticize diabetics when their blood glucose levels affect their behavior as well? Are they losers as well when their body makes them too lethargic to go to work, socialize, etc? Why should depression be treated differently if the science eventually proves a biological root to the illness? Science suggests more and more that it ain't "all in your head" and it is not something that can be simply "gotten over".

 

[TotalerKrieger]

You are talking out of your ass when it comes to how the brain reacts to depression or how this psychological disorder relates to brain chemistry. Scientists really have only the faintest idea of how these biological processes work or how they relate to psychological disorders. It is unfair to say that everyone deals with unbalances as nothing of the sort has been objectively proven. Where did you come up with "the brain will rebalance itself in order to survive"? WTF does that even mean?

It has been proven that people who suffer from clinical depression do have significantly different brain states than healthy individuals (based on fMRI studies). These brain states are far different than simply feeling "blue" as entire regions seem to be altered in a semi-permanent manner (decreased activity in the pre-frontal cortex primarily). This does suggest a unique biological root to depression that healthy individuals, sad or not, do not share.

So do you criticize diabetics when their blood glucose levels affect their behavior as well? Are they losers as well when their body makes them too lethargic to go to work, socialize, etc? Why should depression be treated differently if the science eventually proves a biological root to the illness? Science suggests more and more that it ain't "all in your head" and it is not something that can be simply "gotten over".

Because people who can't afford to be depressed won't be depressed and will continue to press on. Like if they have to work several jobs to feed their family. Yet, teenagers who can afford to be lethargic are consistently saying they're depressed to excuse their laziness.

Odd coincidence if there's not supposed to be a pattern to it.

Mhmmm...because poverty and mental ilness never coincide...Plenty of people do actually have their lives (and those of their families) ruined because of their mental illness. People who can cope with working several jobs can still be clinically depressed, the fact that the severity of the illness varies does not change the need for awareness and education on the matter.

 

[Imperioratorex Caprae]

Good to see someone attempting this... I am hesitant to play for a few reasons, one because I don't want a relapse (diagnosed M/D aka Bipolar... and a lot of other crap inbetween) the other because I don't want to ruin a hope with expectation that turns to disappointment.
I'll get around to it eventually though.