Lets talk about depression

[Barbas]

Heya, bud! It seems that in the winter when the days are shorter and the nights are longer, the darkness and cold can have a really dampening effect on people. Right up here where I live it's sometimes like being in an Edgar Allen Poe poem. It's been particularly bad lately with the rain causing landslides that block the roads and wash away people's driveways. Argh.

Anyway, sometimes you'll find that while the smallest thing may cause you to feel downcast, the little things in life can also have a cheering effect. You'd be amazed how much you can do and how much better it'll make you feel if you sit down with a hot drink and a pencil and paper. Let your imagination run wild and don't tell yourself that you'll never be as good at something as somebody else is, because there's simply no limit if you're good enough at enjoying what you do!

Spoiler: :D

Courtesy of DeviantArt.

If you look at the long term, maybe you worry you've made some mistakes. Maybe you've hurt people and you don't know how to go on having done whatever you may have done in the past. Truth be told, I don't think anybody really knows what they're going to do. Many people know what they want to do, but there is a saying that if you want to make time laugh, tell it all about your plans. nobody's going to have a perfect run, but that's not the point of life. Worry about the past and your mind won't be present to enjoy the future. It's all about how your experiences change you and what you learn as you grow. With each day and in some way, you will be a better person.

Stuff like this - sharing - is the first step. I think most people I know of have felt the crushing burden of depression at one point or another, but the thing that always surprises me about humans is what they do when they pull together. You shouldn't have to go through something like that alone and you thankfully don't have to! You can probably PM a lot of people here, myself included. Talking helps.

 

[Icyheart]

Just a few suggestions from one to another:
This isn't what I wanted to hear when I was diagnosed, but don't be afraid to use medication as a fallback. I didn't like the idea of having to rely on chemicals to keep me stable. That was a mistake.
Look up Dr. Weil. He's got a lot of insightful stuff to say on the subject, and it helped me quite a bit.
Spend time with people you enjoy being around. This can seem counter-intuitive, but it works.
Above all, remember: you are not alone.

 

[Mezahmay]

Currently in a similar place with my depression, crimsonshrouds. Yesterday while trying to do some school work on a computer lab computer, I just stopped and started thinking. I eventually had to lay my head in my hands on the desk because I just couldn't bring myself to do anything anymore. I stayed that way for about 15 minutes until an alarm went off from my iPod reminding me of an important lecture at 4pm. The trick that keeps me from sinking too far into oblivion is always doing something. Even if it isn't productive. Just keep doing something, like going for a walk (seriously, light physical activity is something I recently found out helps a bit in case you don't already do something else), browsing a forum and joining a discussion, chat with a friend, finding a song to listen to, etc. Anything at all. I find that once I get too far into those thoughts it's very hard to do anything else.

It's good you're already seeking professional treatment again. The counselor I see on campus reminded me the other day that depression is something we aren't supposed to be ashamed of, that's just the social stigma surrounding mental illness in general talking. It's just a sign we're having difficulty right now and need some help getting back on track. It's hard to see it that way looking out from yourself but it's true.

captcha: laser beams. Awesome!

 

[Vendor-Lazarus]

I haven't been diagnosed with depression because I haven't talked to anyone about it because..well, reasons.
I'm pretty sure I've had it since I was 10-11 though.
(yes, I tried to end it when I was 12. Never since then though, only in thoughts.)

The moments I fear the most are the moments I have time to think.
Especially when I'm lying in bed and trying to sleep.
Those are the times when I can remember all the bad things and regrets in my life.
Trying to think of something else is hard, very hard.
I've found that reading until I can't keep my eyes open help, sometimes.
Other times it helps to focus on crafting a world, be it a game you want to create or even figuring out how to create that dress/blouse you've been wanting to make, in all it's intricate glory.

Also, just by realizing that your views are most likely skewed towards the negative can help with gaining objectivity.
Finding those positive thoughts seem all at but impossible though.
I can't comment on the friends aspect, since I don't have any, but having good solid friends that understands you surely couldn't hurt.
Going outside hasn't really helped me because it drains me completely when trying to act normal or just interacting with people. (It helps with sleeping though.)
Being alone in nature gives one time to think and that could lead to more dark thoughts,
unless the scene is so serene and breathtaking that you feel at one with nature and outside of yourself.


I'm sorry that I couldn't help all that much, just know that at least you are not alone.

 

[Duster]

Take note I'm unaware of the specifics of depression so take that with a grain of salt.

Well people usually like the act of eating and sleeping, and in northern places that requires heating and food bills, which requires money.

 

[V4Viewtiful]

I wish I had taken the step of seeking help before I dropped out of Uni, I have no idea if I was depressed but I felt so low I spent weeks in bed doing nothing. I only just recently talked to my aunt about it, those feeling are still there. I still don't want to wake up in the morning. I was doing exactly as you did.

I have a family member who suffered it though it became dire when he started losing weight (you could see it in his face), the way he was going he could have wasted away, for me I had to do something completely new/different to release what ever stress I had, my family member needed to confront his problems before it damaged him.

Depression is no size fits all and from what I understand "stay away from pills till the last minute!", I had to work with children for a year before I felt I was worth while to myself (which I barely feel anyway). But I was just enough to keep me going and this was over the course of 2 years, starting halfway through my second year of uni.

I hope your counseling helps, I've been burying myself in work which I enjoy but I worry about burning out but it's all I have the will to do right now.

Good luck to you, mate.

 

[Lieju]

I have had depression for so long I have no idea what it is like to not be depressed.
Especially since I also have anxiety, so few weeks ago was one of those times when I had to go "I have no idea if I'm horribly gripped by anxiety or if I'm just not depressed? Is this how I'm supposed to feel?"

It probably isn't helpful for everyone, but my pets keep me going.
Even when I wouldn't get up from bed for myself, I have to do it for them. Plus it's nice when there's a fluffy creature that's happy to see you when you wake up or come home.

When my depression gets bad I can't believe humans like me, but I will believe a ferret genuinely wants me around and needs me.

 

[Sigmund Av Volsung]

I've been through that sort of thing, though reactionary: mostly due to something my parents made me do.

I don't handle negative emotions as well, and it didn't help that their 'advice' was saying that I shouldn't be depressed because I live a better life than they do, and that I 'should act like a man'.

It usually gets better once I talk it over with them, though that usually takes too much shouting at one another to get to that stage. For other stuff, it passes with time. In those occasions, I try to distract myself with games, movies, books, etc. and it goes away eventually.

 

[MHR]

I get this all the time.

Listen up. One night I'll be in bed crying about basically nothing, just depressing things in general and abstract circumstances. And the next morning, I'll be taking a walk and thinking to myself how ridiculous that was once I've started feeling normal. It's all just the moment and setting screwing with you. Even if you do let it get to you, just remember it probably won't always be that way. The difference between night and day is just a lazy rotation. Just wait it out for now. Even at the wort of times, I know that at the very minimum I can always just wait because that doesn't require anything.

It might sound hard, but if you need something to hold you over until your insurance is sorted, try some exercise. Keep going until you're too tired to care about not caring and that'll at least be something different. People are always saying that can naturally fix a lot of depression, and I don't always know about that, but I do know that the few times I've motivated myself to do it, I was suddenly faced with one of the things that was bothering me right after, and I felt like i'd earned the right to not stress it.

The thought of playing any videogame at all or just laying back and watching something was looking pretty appealing about then too.

 

[Ironbat92]

As someone who has and some what still does, I understand what you're going through. It can be tough, but here are some pieces of advice I can give to you.

1) Medication: If you're not on it, then I recommend to at least try it. I currently take Zoloft (50mg) on a daily basis, and without it, I would probably go back to how I was feeling

2) Know the people who love you: If you're really in a bad mood. Go to someone you know who cares about you. Your Parents, friends, older brother, girlfriend, grandpa, est. Go to someone you know. Tell them how you feel, and they can help you.

3) Find a new hobby: I'm not saying don't stop watching videos and playing video games, but find something that you can get into. I found watching animated films and T.V series got me up and about, as well as collecting comic books

4) Meditation: Try finding some audio meditations. They can definitely help out a lot. Here's one that can help: http://foundationforactivecompassion.org/images/audio/IdentifyingBenefactors.mp3

5) Seek medical help ASAP: If you really feel like you are in danger of killing you're self or can't control your emotions, call 911. They'll take you to the hospital and the staff there will help you with overcome your depression.

Living with depression is not an easy thing to do, but you can manage it and even overcome it. Just don't give up.

 

[iLikeHippos]

I suffer from depression and lately I've had it under control. Tonight though has been a night where my depression has bothered me badly. I've had thoughts of just giving up on life. I want to just stop thinking and feeling things. I want to go off and lay down away from the world and away from everybody A few minutes ago I was just tired of everything. I didn't want to play video games or watch videos.

I have no idea why i felt this way. I hate these thoughts and I hate myself.

I won't see a counselor until December because they told me i couldn't go back to the last counselor i was seeing because of my insurance. They didn't tell me why my insurance had anything to do with who i saw either. I'm just so sick of these feelings and thoughts right now.

It sounds like you've merely hit a low-point, and the problem will solve itself in time, but on the off-chance that it isn't...

Personally I'd suggest trying to make through until you meet up with a psychiatrist and ask for a subscription of "happy pills" or whatever they are called. It can make the anxiety and depression go away, but at the cost of your other feelings as well.
It's more of a treatment however and not a permanent solution, but I would suggest it until you feel you can pull yourself together without help.

It also helps to talk about your problems. I don't know why, but the brain is somehow wired to feel relieved when you tell people shit they don't need to know, or can't help you with. It's strange, but it works.

Other than that, until you feel better, I would suggest a really good anime that is epic beyond words; Hunter x Hunter (2011) in case what you are using for entertainment currently bores you.