Depression

[Zetsubou]

Alright, I was looking to get some info on depression from some straight sources and I was hoping the good people of the Escapist could help.

Lately I've been having these periods in my mood where I feel like complete shit. It isn't all the time, just sometimes. These periods can happen whenever and have no discernable trigger. I just start feeling awful, to the point of tears. They've been happening more frequently, and I was wondering what this is and whether I should be doing something about it.

 

[TheNumber1Zero]

Bi-Polar perhaps?
I do believe a group was made for this sort of thing quite recently, let me check... I cannie find them, sorry.

Although I do know that this guy is the group leader, maybe he can help you figure out what's wrong.

 

[orangebandguy]

It's hormones most likely, it's just a phase you'll grow out of.

At least that's what I think.

 

[Sassafrass]

Bookmarking this thread.
Same thing happens to me and I have no idea why. I'm going through it now, actually. So I shall watch this intently.

 

[Iron Criterion]

Clearly there must be some underlying issue you need to address - for me it is this complex relationship I have with the love of my life. If it continues and worsens then perhaps you should visit a therapist. Hope you get better soon.

 

[Jasper Jeffs]

Chances are, people have it a lot worse.

Cheer the fuck up.

 

[Roxas1359]

Is there anything going on at school or in your home that is stressing you out? I know what you're talking about because it is the same thing for me. I actually went to a therapist and now I'm doing better.

 

[Private Custard]

First step, tell someone you trust about it. The weight that's removed with this one action is immeasurable. Don't suffer in silence, I did for quite a long time and I only wound myself up.

Talk to a specialist. He'll probably suggest numerous changes you could make. Anything from your diet (food types can make a difference, depression is a chemical imbalance a lot of the time), to different activities so that you don't sit around and stagnate. In the end, he may prescribe anti-depressants and counselling sessions.

To give myself a helping hand, I quit the weed for a while (don't know if you smoke it, but more chemicals won't be great when your body can't deal with the ones it's creating).

Lastly, don't feel like you're a) a failure or b)less of a person for being upset. Depression is more common than you'd think. Out of my group of about 15 friends a few years back, five of use had been on prozac at some point!

 

[Loop Stricken]

Chances are, people have it a lot worse.

Cheer the fuck up.

How very helpful. No, seriously - consider training as a therapist with those innate skills.

I get depressed. I doubt I'm bipolar; as far as I know that's the sort of thing you're born with.

 

[Velvo]

For one thing, depression is a rather long term thing. Feeling bad pretty consistently for six weeks or so is about the definition for clinical depression. With depression, feeling bad doesn't have to have a trigger that you can immediately identify, but it usually has a psychological cause.

Yeah, if it's for no discernable reason then it may be hormonal or diet or something physical like that (not that depression isn't somewhat physical). If you think it might be a little more like depression then you might want to analyze yourself a bit. You know, determine if there are things in the past that may be cropping up after you thought you got over it (guilt, ennui or hopelessness are common ones for depression). Being aware of your emotions and the real reasons why you feel the way you feel is a good practice.

If it gets in the way of your life, you may want to consider therapy or counseling or something like that.

 

[GeneralGrant]

It can be difficult to differentiate depression from normal shifts of emotion. Try taking this depression screening to see what you come up with.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/MH00103_D

But, as other posters have mentioned, it's important to tell someone you trust or a professional if you have these feelings over a prolonged period of time, regardless of what the tool says. Stoicism is not an effective treatment.

Bi-Polar perhaps?

True bipolar disease is considerably more difficult to diagnose and requires the presence of manic or hypomanic periods-which are very different than a change back to the "normal" emotional state.

 

[Zetsubou]

Is there anything going on at school or in your home that is stressing you out? I know what you're talking about because it is the same thing for me. I actually went to a therapist and now I'm doing better.

Not much in the way of stress, but my birthday was about a month ago and I'm sort of feeling like a waste of a human being. I don't have many friends and haven't had a decent relationship in quite a while. I feel like I'm just that "awkward guy" everyone gets a laugh off of.

 

[Loop Stricken]

Not much in the way of stress, but my birthday was about a month ago and I'm sort of feeling like a waste of a human being. I don't have many friends and haven't had a decent relationship in quite a while. I feel like I'm just that "awkward guy" everyone gets a laugh off of.

Ah yes, how I can relate.

 

[Insanum]

Alright, I was looking to get some info on depression from some straight sources and I was hoping the good people of the Escapist could help.

Lately I've been having these periods in my mood where I feel like complete shit. It isn't all the time, just sometimes. These periods can happen whenever and have no discernable trigger. I just start feeling awful, to the point of tears. They've been happening more frequently, and I was wondering what this is and whether I should be doing something about it.

Depends on your age, We all get down, Some more intense than others.

For me, I find i feel better after i have had some sleep, Even if i dont feel tired.

 

[Roxas1359]

Is there anything going on at school or in your home that is stressing you out? I know what you're talking about because it is the same thing for me. I actually went to a therapist and now I'm doing better.

Not much in the way of stress, but my birthday was about a month ago and I'm sort of feeling like a waste of a human being. I don't have many friends and haven't had a decent relationship in quite a while. I feel like I'm just that "awkward guy" everyone gets a laugh off of.

Don't worry. The number of friends doesn't matter, it's how good of friends they are. Also, relationships aren't everything, no matter what people say. Lastly, don't worry about what people think, they are probably thinking of something else.

 

[TelHybrid]

Not much in the way of stress, but my birthday was about a month ago and I'm sort of feeling like a waste of a human being. I don't have many friends and haven't had a decent relationship in quite a while. I feel like I'm just that "awkward guy" everyone gets a laugh off of.

Ah yes, how I can relate.

I have to third that!

This is how I was a month ago, until I stopped giving a shit in general.

My outlook is, in about 40-60 years I'll be dead, so meh, who cares what some judgemental prick thinks now?

This mindframe started giving me a bit of an arrogant streak, but hey beats getting down.

Sorry bit of a self indulgent rant there. My point is, just stop giving a crap.

 

[aPod]

Well...

I've dealt with depression, and bi-polar disorder runs in my family. I never tell anyone about it but i still struggle with it at times. Its like suddenly i just get into this mindset of hating myself, my life, everything... even though i really dont think that.

I'd have to know more about you and your situation to really understand why you have this happening. It could very will be just your brain dealing with too many chemical reactions going on at once because of puperity or any number of things.

For me, the best thing to do when feeling like that was to go to the gym and just throw some weight around and exhaust myself. Get some indorphins and adrenaline going and that'll make you feel better. Usually you are too tired to get depressed for awhile afterwards. Plus after you do that for a few months you start to feel better about your appearance and looks. But, that isnt everything, im good looking and well built but i still get depressed at times like i mentioned earlier but it has helped me through the worst of it.

 

[ribonuge]

I get depression, anxiety and paranoia. Their quite similar in that you are put into a mindset that is extremely difficult to get out of. Normally sleep is the only thing that will fix me.

Paranoia is the most frequent followed by anxiety and then sometimes I get bouts of depression. /Selfindulgenceoff

I find that examining the situation logically and going around under the pretence that nothing matters, actually helps. Think about it. We are on a rock floating through a vast void. Nothing is really important, there is only the illusion of importance created by mankind. Although this may make you feel insignificant, when you feel down you'll realise that whatever thoughts are going through your mind are irrelevant in the grand scheme of things. Really, it's just a matter of not giving a shit.

I don't know why, but it works for me most of the time.

 

[Iron Criterion]

Normally sleep is the only thing that will fix me.

That was once my get out, but now even my dreams are beginning to depress me.

It can be difficult to differentiate depression from normal shifts of emotion. Try taking this depression screening to see what you come up with.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/depression/MH00103_D

Wow that came in handy, I got a rating of 22 which was almost at the serve end of the scale :-S