Spreading the Word on Depression: Depression Quest

[GodzillaGuy92]

Thanks very much for the link, OP. I just spent two hours playing through it in different ways, and as someone who was diagnosed with mild depression a little over six months ago (between my utter surprise at that news and the number of non-depressed people in this thread who have seen as many similarities between themselves and the protagonist as I did, I can only assume that it's a very mild case, but even so...), I feel like I got a lot out of it.

 

[scorptatious]

I played this game before. And needless to say, my results were kinda shitty all across the board. Perhaps I'll play this again later and try different things to see if I fare better.

I have to say, this definitely hits close to home. It's able to put the feelings I get into words.

 

[Gregory McMillan]

Glad to see that someone made this, it's hard enough trying to explain to people why or how I can be depressed, much less manic-depressed.

 

[Gregory McMillan]

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?

You're whole argument failed when you equated depression with being a loser. Plenty of well-off, famous, successful people suffer from a swath of mental disorders, including depression. People of the arts in particular. It just so happens that art provides a productive outlet for their illness. But what if you took that creative talent or similar opportunities away? You have a loser? Your argument falls apart

 

[hazabaza1]

I was part of an interactive stream-y thing with this guy called Supergreatfriend. It was fairly interesting, and the ""good" ending was uplifting in a cool kind way.

 

[bearlotz]

I played for about 15 minutes and then I had to stop...the choices with your girlfriend got too real in a big hurry. One of the options was almost exactly how my last relationship ended.

 

[TAGM]

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.

The fact that this is describes a situation where he has a girlfriend and an entire circle of friends and is STILL depressed irritates me.

Sometimes I wish I had friends or a significant other. You don't see me getting all depressed about it.

Ok, so let's think why people who can't afford to be depressed might well at the very least will act like they're not depres-
BECAUSE THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO BE DEPRESSED.
I honestly cannot think for a second how you managed to type that down, look at it, think about it, and conclude that the fault here was that these first world teenagers are just soooo whiiiney and annoooooying.
Look. If you get depressed and you live in a country where you can't afford to spend a minute worrying about stuff besides food, shelter, and not getting killed, then yeah, you're going to push the depression aside and get going to do the stuff you need to live.
But the depression doesn't just stop existing. It's still right. Fucking. THERE.
And what, you're angry that this guy has a lot, but still is depressed? Newsflash: That's why depression sucks. You can have the best stuff, and still not notice, not exactly through a fault of your own, but just because of stupid chemical imbalances that make it nearly impossible to do it.
And hey, of course, because you don't get depressed, everyone else must just be weak and - STOP. How arrogant do you have to be to say that? That, because you're not getting depressed, these people, With different minds, Which have chemical imbalances, Are just whiny little losers?
And what are you suggesting, really? That, because the people in third-world countries can push past their depression in life-or-death situations, everyone should be able to? Because most people would say that's the exact opposite direction that any empathetic being would take it - As in, because some people can't handle depression in their current lives, we should be actively trying to help everyone with it, as much as possible. People are dying over this. And if your solution is to just call them losers and use arguments like this? What do you think that says about you, in the perspective of the society at large?

 

[freaper]

A cat would be nice indeed.

I don't know, at times I "diagnosed" myself as depressed, but never really talked to anyone about it. Lately I've had my chin up more often, so maybe it's just the fact that I'm a late bloomer. We'll see how it goes from here. Thank you for sharing though.

Also, irony helps.

 

[Saviordd1]

Saw this on this forum a while back.

Feel like I'm the only one on the site who got the happy ending.

 

[Vegosiux]

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.

I'm sorry, but you're so wrong on this one I don't even know where to begin. One thing I will concede - having too much time on your hands is going to fuck up your mind (unless you're rich enough to be able to afford to be on a constant sensory overload binge, but that's going to just fuck you up in a different way). But a "lazy teenager making excuses that he's depressed" isn't the same as a person, who can be in their teens, 20s, 40s or 70s, who's dealing with depression.

Do you know how it feels when you know you did a perfect job, but the biting at the back of your skull keeps telling you "Not good enough!" Or how it feels when you're so exhausted (likely from that several jobs thing) that you can't enjoy even the things that you do enjoy? Or when you wake up tired? If not, consider yourself lucky.

If "lazy teenagers" are using depression as an excuse, that's not the fault of people who are actually suffering from a form of depression. I'm dealing with it myself often - and you don't get to play the "lazy teenager with too much time on his hands" card on me.

I've tried so much shit to "get over it" and "deal with it" that only made it worse, my mid-twenties were an absolute disaster, so in the end I decided, fuck it, I might not be sunshine personified, but I don't have to be Mr. Doom&Gloom because of it. My (admittedly rather paltry) social circle understands I have my really bad days, and there's a silent agreement that sometimes I simply slip off the radar. But; I'm just doing my damnest to not let it interfere with my life, and I'm doing it my own way, because in the end I'm the one who knows my mind best. I have an easier time talking honestly to people, and judging what might better be left unsaid.

Still, the tempo of my job is exhausting, draining, and serves to completely fuck up my sleeping pattern with the shifts I work, and the last few weeks has been extra intense, so being mentally tired from it kind of does bring it back now and then. In the end, I can say I've picked up my life a lot, even as much as I might complain, and it was damn hard work to climb out of the slump I was in, and I still fall into it now and then. It's not a matter of "getting over it". It's a matter of "learning to live with it".

Funny thing is, despite all that stress I allegedly still look younger than people my age. Who knows, maybe I'll age gracefully too. Or maybe I'm a black magic experiment who shall assume it true form at the stroke of midnight on some arbitrary date. *ahem* Sorry, got carried away by my good looks there.

The fact that this is describes a situation where he has a girlfriend and an entire circle of friends and is STILL depressed irritates me.

Sometimes I wish I had friends or a significant other. You don't see me getting all depressed about it.

See, that's the thing. You don't "get depressed". Depression isn't a "mood". It's a condition. Sure, it swings up and down, but even on "good" days, people with clinical depression aren't completely comfortable.

Again, one thing you got right is that if you just sit around, it's only going to get worse. But, having a mental condition that makes it harder for you to deal with life doesn't make you a "loser". It's easy to categorically dismiss people whose issues you do not understand as lesser beings. But weren't you just accusing them of simply insisting on doing the easy thing and refusing to change stuff around?

Just don't make it sound like depression is something you can just snap your fingers at and it will be gone.

 

[Gregory McMillan]

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 like every other person who doesn't get it, are speaking as though external factors are the only things that trigger depression and that internal factors get rid of it. This is NOT the case. Depression is something you simply cannot control, you can steer it, you can manage it, but you cannot tell it to stop. This winners and losers bs is just a stupid categorical method you're using to rationalize why others might get depressed when you don't. No you don't have to deal with any chemical imbalances if you're not chemically imbalanced. People with mood disorders have a brain whose "normal state" is chemically imbalanced. It doesn't come and go whenever you fail a test, break up with someone, or lose your job. It is ALWAYS there. You can't just tell your brain to "get over it, act like a normal brain."

When you say "unless you have a serious deficiency", that's what we mean by "chemically imbalanced." There is a serious deficiency in certain neurotransmitters

 

[Maximum Bert]

Finished it tried to answer it truthfully and got a pretty good ending it seems although some dosent make sense I refused the drugs but then later it said I was being affected because of taking the medication wtf thats why I refused to take them.

Also my first thought was bloody hell this persons life is better than mine. When I was depressed I resigned from my job (main cause of my depression) and went and and did something I wanted to do one of the best decisions I ever made now I just work part time have bugger all money and am much happier although I had more drive when I was miserable and I need to maintain that sometimes it is hard.

Now I am not depressed but I am still not happy dont think I ever will be really I always want my cake and to eat it so to speak I hate just accepting things and always try to fight against them even if its only one small step at a time I have my goals and I will achieve them or die trying, trouble is I know its impossible to achieve everything I want to do and I do waste too much time...like now being here on these forums.

 

[bearlotz]

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.

The fact that this is describes a situation where he has a girlfriend and an entire circle of friends and is STILL depressed irritates me.

Sometimes I wish I had friends or a significant other. You don't see me getting all depressed about it.

I don't suppose you have any kind of evidence to back up this ludicrous assertion? Or any kind of medical training? Really just anything at all to substantiate even one word of what you've said? If so, can we see it?

 

[Rylot]

snip

Ah the Barney Stinson therapy: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Y-Xh4mM26GM/UMLWjPY6z5I/AAAAAAAAAkg/sg16BJq_Odk/s1600/barney-stinson-bro-code.jpg Yeah not sure that's covered in the DSMIV

OT: I thought the game was incredible well written and designed. I was diagnosed with depression back in high school and just the way it was set up got me to think about some of my lows in a new light. Very interesting and useful.

 

[karma9308]

Playing this was a little too real. I played through several times to see different outcomes, which has made me feel kinda down now ironically. Though to help some people see how things are really bad for some people, they could have adjusted some things for different scenarios - i.e. someone who doesn't have the money to make ends meet, or someone with few friends or no significant other.

Of course, seeing as how depressed people do play it, it could have just been a surefire way to cause relapses instead of being educational.

 

[J-meMalone]

I've been battling feeling rather depressed the past few months, with it really affecting my university work. However I'm in a better place now and am seeking help from my doctor next week. Interesting that this had been posted now.

I tried to answer how I would when feeling that way and it was interesting to see how close some of the outcomes I saw had been. Especially because, both in the game an retrospectively in my life, the outcomes to many decisions was inevitable, but at times it was presented as the only possible option, which I thought reflected how it feels to be in that situation.

I'm definitely recommending this to my friends.

 

[Chromatic Aberration]

Hmmm well, played the game twice. First, I took a look at what it wanted me to do - which turned out just as I expected and I got the good ending with not really any surprise for me in there; some harrowing music to get you "in the mood" and the typical things not to avoid when one is depressed like simply talking to someone really, going for therapy if need be, don't ditch your medication and try to remain active, mundanely as well as socially. But it does do a good job in representing that feeling and I think it's a good thing to get people to understand what depression means for oneself and another instead just brushing it off as mere moodyness. I don't really buy into the self-diagnosing aspect of that thing too much, though: it's designed to make you connect to it, so I'd be very reluctant to derive any sort of condition from this game alone - playing it might lead to some well needed self-reflection, though.

That's also the reason why I decided to play it once more with the choices I'd presumably make - and frankly I'd lie if I said I got anything even remotely hopeful. Yet given that I won't let myself get dragged down despite a patent lack of any kind of deeper emotional bonds or any trace of a relationship unlike the protagonist in the game, I doubt any kind of one-size-fits-all presentation really captures the individual nature of the condition.

Either way: it's a good game and people should at least try it to get a better understanding about the condition.

Also...so many furs here....

>_>

<_<

...I feel watched....

 

[Chromatic Aberration]

While I hate beating on the obvious inflammatory poster....

Because people who can't afford to be depressed won't be depressed and will continue to press on.

Well that's kind of a point of the game. For one, make believe doesn't make it necessarily okay but there are many more aspects: even if you have everything and need to press on it will trip you up and make your life a living hell. Two, one needs to fight the condition all the time. One needs to stay active, face all those things one is afraid to admit and one is forced to continually deny oneself the things one feels like in a neverending battle with ones mind....If you want to call that promoting lazyness...well okay....

Sometimes I wish I had friends or a significant other. You don't see me getting all depressed about it.

If you wanna talk - I'm here.