Depression.

[Bloodman]

I'm wondering if anyone here has it. How do you deal with it? What triggers it?

I for one have it. I deal with it through deep thinking to try to root out whatever is making me feel like shit. It's usually triggered by whatever I'm currently obsessed with, this time being woman and relationship stuff.

[OnBake Platinum]

Not a problem for me. I am 1337.

[kaphwan]

"Depression" tends to connote a chemical imbalance, something I can fix with regular meds. I don't have that.

Sometimes I just feel ridiculously down. In a new setting, a nice city, where I can meet people with similar interests (parkour, guitar, psychology and other humanities, guys), and are far away from most of the negative influences (parents fighting, assorted high school bullshit, etc) that brought me down before.... just doesn't happen.

I think I've been really sad just once, feeling homesick, or maybe longing what I once had. I've since realised now is the best time of my life.

I dealt with it through the years by throwing myself at whatever. Schoolwork, guitar, writing, any sport at the time. Whenever I consume myself in something, I lose myself in the process. There is no "me", just whatever I'm doing exists. It's a wonderful feeling, and it's when I feel most alive. I do this now, not because of depression, but because of how it makes me feel now.

[Khaos]

I had a form of it slightly I guess. Used to be I had to see a psychiatrist once a week and all that nice stuff. But the past half-year have been different/normal. So that leads me to believe it was not clinical as I was told. I have my theories. Mostly that I was just in very troubled times.

Anyway, I dealt with it by sleeping. Whenever I had a down, I would just go to sleep, because my reasoning was that I couldn't feel down while asleep. Probably not a healthy way to deal with it, as oversleeping makes you tired. As far as triggers, it could be anything. I felt really stupid that getting a C on a test would totally ruin the rest of my day.

Those who do have it full-blown will usually not admit to it. A lot of people will usually go 'oh you emo fag' or just treat you differently, I've seen.

[Bloodman]

What I mean by depression, in this case, is any feeling of extreme low self-worth or a time when you felt completely lost.

[PeterUK]

Get a book on building your confidence/self esteem. I have a hypnosis book on confidence that really helped me out. My advice is to pick a short easily digestible one. If its women/relationships that are getting you down in particular, check out David Delangelo's book "Double Your Dating". Some good advice in there. If they suck, take them back. Nothing to lose.

edit: if youre interested in David Delangelo I'll PM it to you/email it. Everyone who bitches about girls to me when drunk I reccomend/send it to.

[Phoenix]

Or just do things that make you feel good about yourself. I've never been chemically depressed, but when I'm very down I find that social interaction is very good medicine.

[bobo_ess]

^yep... somewhere to vent helps i.e. here

[Bloodman]

Get a book on building your confidence/self esteem. I have a hypnosis book on confidence that really helped me out. My advice is to pick a short easily digestible one. If its women/relationships that are getting you down in particular, check out David Delangelo's book "Double Your Dating". Some good advice in there. If they suck, take them back. Nothing to lose.

edit: if youre interested in David Delangelo I'll PM it to you/email it. Everyone who bitches about girls to me when drunk I reccomend/send it to.

meh, not that I'm having trouble with one, but it's a long story I'd have to explain and I don't have 5 hours.

[koten]

I tend to suffer from depression from time to time. Usually happens when I feel alone or isolated for any particular reason.

I usually just try and ignore it.

[Gilly]

I get depressed sometimes, but I usually just try to think positive and not worrying about it.
I try to do something to get my mind off of it too, like hanging out or drinking or whatever.

[Hisham]

^yep... somewhere to vent helps i.e. here

Yeah this is probably the best solution.

I for one, make songs when I am feeling down at any given point.

[Bloodman]

Sometimes I try to write either lyrics or on a piece of paper what I'm feeling. I have a journal too but rarely use it

[koten]

I get depressed sometimes, but I usually just try to think positive and not worrying about it.
I try to do something to get my mind off of it too, like hanging out or drinking or whatever.Yeah... drinking will make it worse...

[Gilly]

Yeah... drinking will make it worse...

Sometimes, but even then, it makes it better because I get all my anger out.
I'm a happy drunk though, so I tend to forget about my problems and just have fun.

[Jonny Royal]

I get depressed from time to time, bbut lately it come more frequently

[Bloodman]

I think what causes my depression is the fact that I'm not nearly as social as I want to be. I really want to be that kid you see at all the parties having fun. Or atleast the kid who's just really cool and has alot of friends. I'm not that kid. I'm the kid who people hardly talk to unless they really get to know me, and sits inside even though I fucking hate sitting infront of my computer.

[Phoenix]

Using alcohol to try and solve problems is a very, very bad habit.

[BananaBabeQT]

^^ I know the feeling.. umm I have no friends, thus I sit at my computer all day. Don't get me wrong, I love it here buuut real social interaction is needed. I could give you all this great advice to make you feel better but what I've found in the past year of my life is the only person who really can help you is YOU. You have to want to feel happy again and stuff. I found for a quick pick me up I just go to Barnes and Noble, get a coffee.. read a book, just to be around people. I hope you feel better, it sucks being depressed, it's a waste of the little time we have on earth don't ya think? Be happy! ^_^

[BigfootGus]

the answer to depression:

go buy a pet, he will always keep you company

[Khaos]

I hate my pets; they are housetrained, yet pee in my room. Only my room. *sighs*

[Phoenix]

Don't let them in there.

[koten]

the answer to depression:

go buy a pet, he will always keep you companyPets don't provide the kind of interaction we need as human beings. Their love may be endless and unconditional, but it's the same as having human companionship. To have intelligent conversations and to convey feelings and emotions to another being an a deeper level. Pets don't do that.

And... fuck... I just depressed myself.

[Phoenix]

Some would argue otherwise.

I'm not one of them, but I'm just sayin'...

[BigfootGus]

yeah, my dog is kind of an asshole anyways

he doesnt fetch, he just grabs what you throw and keeps it for himself

i guess there is no answer for depression ...

[koten]

Human companionship?

[BigfootGus]

lies

[curryking1]

Are you thinking you are experiencing depression yourself by any chance? Edit - Whoops, missed part of that lol.

If you have, has this been like an long, mild depression? Or like short episodes of some intense depression? And why also? Are you sleeping well btw? Always get good sleep.

What do you do? Are you a student or in the workplace? Is this problem affecting how you study or work and day to day activities?

The best way would of course just try to stop thinking about it, and just continue to do what you do well. I feel better when I study because it makes me feel like I accomplish something, so that's what I did because I had a similar thing about being obsessive over someone for about a month or two during the school year. So basically I had to just get my mind off of it and simply do something that made me happy, which again was doing something that made me feel like I accomplished something in studying.

Also, if you're feeling any particular pressure about maybe getting a girlfriend at this age, which would be totally understandable, just.. back to square one lol, do something else that you'd normally do before this happened that made you happy.

Understand that your appraisal of the situation is in fact making you depressed, which maybe you do, I don't know lol. It's not that girl troubles are making you directly depressed if that is the root of the problem, it's in fact your appraisal of the situation. It's how you think about it. Is your mind telling you this is something you must have to be happy? Can you not be happy without this? Is there nothing else that can make you happy right now?

One of the best methods used in psychology for people who feel they are underachieving in some part of their life is to make them realise that they have created a requirement for themself to fulfill basically. Some people are depressed because they didn't get their dream job, or they didn't make it to the school soccer team, or also they didn't get a girlfriend by seventeen. The goal of psychologists would be to make people realise that 'Hey, you don't need this to be happy, you're only telling yourself you need this to be happy.' It takes a lot of strong will and effort to change your own thinking, but I'm sure you will be able to do anything to get you back on track to being happy again.

I think you should make a concerted effort to change your appraisal of the situation about 'girl trouble' (this terminology alone is enough to get people our age in a mess, the idea that people should have girlfriends or be between girlfriends, or in the other direction boyfriends too, at this age) and return to things that you know do make you happy. It doesn't matter whether it's phoning your family, or playing pick up basketball at the nearest schoolyard or court, or posting here on E-mpire, as long as you like it, it's all good.

[koten]

^ It looks like you photocopied that out of a self help book

[curryking1]

I actually wrote that all out of my head, I have none of my textbooks with me but Calculus lol, but yes, the concepts are pretty basic psychology things.

But it's really, this particular concept is something simple to remember because in retrospect it becomes entirely common sense. And I, like I mentioned, experienced quite a long, mild depressive episode my first year, so I pretty much had first hand experience with dealing with almost this exact scenario.

[SuperLuigiBros]

I think I'm immune to being depressed. I know there are people who are far worse off than I am, but Ive had some pretty lame shit happen and I just keep on trucking. I felt like shit for like a week but then thought 'well, i dont need the things that make me feel like crap' and i erased them from my life.

I dunno, for some reason I never get stressed. I rarely get frustrated but when I do its gotta be something that repeatedly annoys me for days and days or something. I seem to have a knack for looking at the brighter side of everything and try to make other people see that when they are having problems but they seem to want to focus on whats pissing them off, instead of focusing on whats not.

[/rambling]

[Garfunkel]

i have it sometimes but i do exactly as you said in the first post, i just channel it out and give myself a few hours of constant thinking and i feel better then ever afterwards.

[Negativity]

My 'depressions' make everything boring and grey for a period of time, like no matter what I do everything will bore me.

Sometimes I feel really, really good after these and everything goes well.

[Teh Roxor!]

My 'depressions' make everything boring and grey for a period of time, like no matter what I do everything will bore me.
Yeah, same here. I've never been consumed by unyielding sadness or anger, but there have (seldom) been times when nothing I normally enjoy doing is appealing to me. When this happens, I usually force myself to do something anyway.

Your (bloodman) depression doesn't seem like that though, it seems like you're dissatisfied with your current condition. I'm not "the kid you see at all the parties" either, but I'm perfectly happy that way. I have a lot of great friends, but I'm just not very social. If you're unhappy sitting in front of a computer, then perhaps you should contact other people and just meet up with them. You don't even have to have big plans, just hang out and the big social opportunities will usually present themselves.

[HPK]

Well, the depressions I get aren't exactly chemical. My mother tried telling me I had bipolar depression, which is far from the truth.

But yeah, for a good while I had an annual depression. When I was younger (starting at like...13) I fell into a deep depression in December and it lasted until March. Almost every year after that I had the same kind of problem for almost the same amount of time. As I said, none of it was chemical. It was all about the situations I was in at the time.
Basing it off what "grade" I was in school, it started when I was in 8th grade. It also occured in 9th, 11th, and 12th. 10th grade, that depression happened earlier in the fall. 11th grade was pretty much depressing all around. But yeah, since then...no big deal. I get stressed about finals in December, but I don't get into that "major depression" phase anymore.

I thought that was kind of odd, since my freshman year in college was when I had that lung biopsy done. I didn't feel worried or anything. Hmm.

And looking back on it now, I see that sometimes when I was in that phase I was actually really happy. Maybe that's because what was bothering me wasn't as big of a deal as I may have made it out to be.

[BlueTsunami]

In a nutshell, the only way to beat depression is to be more social..extroverted really. If you try to "think" of a way to beat it yourself...your just feeding the demon. You just get down and spiral into the depression deeper and deeper.

Just get out there, bask in the sunlight. Meet new people and if you have anyone close, lean on them if you need too.

[woundingchaney]

I typically dont experience over-whelming depression. Usually my depression comes from some very highlighted conflict within my life.


If this is reminiscent of what you are experiencing then try to pin point the issue and deal with the problematic situation instead of dwelling upon hopelessness.

Of course this straight forward scenario isnt as simplistic as it comes off to be.

[Bloodman]

HPK, my mom has the same seasonal depression. Hers is winter too.

[PeterUK]

meh, not that I'm having trouble with one, but it's a long story I'd have to explain and I don't have 5 hours.

By "one" I assume you're referring to a woman, if it takes 5 hours to explain, its generally going to be complicated in the long run and as hard as it might be, start afresh. If you're staying at home and being bored a lot of the time, motivate yourself to study more/try out a new sport/meet some new people etc. I seriously swear by myspace when meeting new people, don't knock it until you try it. Keep a diary even of things you want to achieve. Get a book if you're feeling lost as I reccomended if friends can't solve your depression problems. You'll be fine.
Even if it is chemical depression, that doesnt mean you shouldnt try and do something about it. Nobody deserves to be depressed.

[jaxmkii]

HPK, my mom has the same seasonal depression. Hers is winter too.

this is weird... i came into the general forums to start a thread asking about Appt prices in Florida. because I know there are several members currently in Florida.

the reason im leaving CT? i have slid into a depression from just being board for years with my home town, the crappy weather (not condusive to boating) and the lack of an ablity to find good stady work. i also want to go to MMI (marine mechanics institute)

[HPK]

HPK, my mom has the same seasonal depression. Hers is winter too.

For a while, I thought I had that type of depression based off light. But then I thought it was strange since I'm nocturnal. Also, since when can we allow a form of depression to be based off how much light we see? First every kid has ADD and now this?
As I said earlier, the seasonal depression stuff is gone. It's been so for over 2 years so...go me.

[BigfootGus]

i dont know about being depressed, but i get bored a lot

i just go outside and play basketball, or get on live and talk to friends

or just hang out with friends in person

[Kay B]

I write for any feeling i have usually helps me.....

I feel the internet leads alot of people to depression, because it restricts so many people from the real world, and when real situations come along ALOT of people struggle to deal with it

[Bryan]

Depressed?

No. I used to be sometimes, when I was younger. Like 16? It had to do with hormones, I think.

Socialize, man. That's the key.

[ScratchedAt]

Depression depression.. since HS I've hated the word.

Depression, throughout highschool, has always been non-existent to me. I just didn't believe in it. Soo many kids at soo many highschools claimed this depression, and at the few schools that I had seen, they were mostly doing it for attention. I wouldn't believe it.

I would get quite sad and lonely at times, but if anyone told me I seemed depressed, I would automatically shun the idea because it just seemed stupid.

I still, in a way, don't believe in the typical "depression" that people say, because it's suddenly popping up too much. Someone breaks a nail and they automatically think the world is falling down and they are depressed.

*Note, I'm not dis-crediting anyone on this thread, I don't know you and I can't say that you're not suffering through real shit, so don't get the idea.*

As someone mentioned above, everyone has ADD one second and now it's suddenly everyone has depression? Everyone seems to be thinking of a quick excuse for something.

"My kids are hyper, they must have ADD"
No, your kid is a kid, pay more attention when it comes to raising the damn kid.

*And before I get flamed for this, my nephew has ADHD, so I'm not just saying this to say it. I really will never know if his ADHD could've been nothing if just raised a different way... I'm not a doctor and I can't change the past to do experiments*

The same thing seems to be going on with people with depression. I've notice a lot of people who claim depression, usually just are pessimistic and claiming that as depression. When I get "sad" or "upset" or "depressed", I realize that a lot of it has to do with ME, even if I don't realize it or acknowledge it half the time. I get sad because no one talks to me or calls me, and half the time that I'm upset about this it's because I'm up at night as opposed to day.

Which means, I'm bringing this "depression" on myself. Of course, I also have legitimate reasons (in my opinion) to be depressed, but I just can't claim depression.

In a world where highschool students (the biggest number of depression victims) are trying to get more and more attention from their peers, it is definitely a psychological disorder, but I'm not sure about depression. Kids have tried fitting in and getting attention in so many ways, being "popular", being the "cool outcast punk" or being "a band geek". Those have all been ways to get attention and fit in.
More recently, this "emo" trend has started in which people basically act like their life sucks and they are depressed all of the time, and it's a cry for attention. This trend is based on people feeling sorry for them so that people will look at them like a sick puppy, and pay attention to them.
I just personally wonder if depression is OFTEN (not ALWAYS) used as a way to get attention, and sometimes it gets out of control.

Depression is real. I believe that.
But for the most part, I wonder how real most cases of depression are.

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LOL. Now for the actual answer for the thread
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When I get "depressed" (I hate the word.) I really can't say how I deal with it. I do my best to try to be social with people (even if that means here at the forums). Again, when everything in the world is going wrong and "depression" hits, the best way (for me atleast) to feel a little bit better is to be social and feel socially accepted. Human's NEED love, in one form or another.


I'm also a big fan of writing poetry or song lyrics to feel better. Even if they suck, they are mine and they are an accomplishment for me. AllPoetry.Com is a great place for positive (and negative, which I prefer) feedback on your work and a fun little place to post them.

[curryking1]

The same thing seems to be going on with people with depression. I've notice a lot of people who claim depression, usually just are pessimistic and claiming that as depression. When I get "sad" or "upset" or "depressed", I realize that a lot of it has to do with ME, even if I don't realize it or acknowledge it half the time. I get sad because no one talks to me or calls me, and half the time that I'm upset about this it's because I'm up at night as opposed to day.

You have a right idea, there is no doubt in anyone's mind that the social environment has an affect on the way people think about the issue. Hell, even the language you speak affects how you think, so it would be safe to assume the social environment you live in also affects your own thinking.

There is also a serious problem with classification, and what's better described as labeling. It's shown that people who are labeled with a certain malady are more prone to showing symptoms of it. There's a lot of psychology involved with everything here of course.

But like you said, there is still 'real depression.' A pretty integral problem to this is 'how do you differentiate your defined 'real depression' and 'fake depression' when both essentially convince themselves of depression?'

That is exactly why both are treated so seriously, they are both equally harmful to a person. It doesn't matter that it is the some 'idealized' cause of depression (like loss of a family member) or because of highschool social environments, or because one is purposely thinking in a way to make themselves depressed, all are dangerous. All of these are due to a malformed way of thinking, and that's why all are dangerous.

Being cool, other people thinking you are cool, having lots of friends, being part of a group of people, that is a need that almost everyone needs fulfilled in various points of life. Did you know that essentially every teenager in the universe has this complex of an 'imaginary audience?' Where they believe they are constantly being judged and must try and impress all the time? I am a victim too, I don't really have a reason to wear contacts when I go anywhere at all, but I do because I think I look cooler that I do with my glasses (and it's probably true because I've felt the dif. lol, but that's besides the point).

*And before I get flamed for this, my nephew has ADHD, so I'm not just saying this to say it. I really will never know if his ADHD could've been nothing if just raised a different way... I'm not a doctor and I can't change the past to do experiments*

Diagnosing problems can be a very complicated thing. For one, there needs to be consistency in diagnosing, there also needs to be reliability in diagnosing.

Anyways, the diagnosis for someone is what they have right now, not what they could've not had earlier.

I think in another part of your post you were getting at is maybe that this diagnosis is really a meaningless label, no? In some cases it can be, but there is importance in having strict guidelines on how to diagnose, and there are people trying to improve the system every day. There's a psychological dictionary of symptoms basically called the DCM IV (this probably isn't right) or something, I forgot,

Basically it has strict guidelines, like, do they show these symptoms and various other descriptions that the patient must fit to whatever degree described, and if they do, they are supposed to diagnose the problem, of course using their best judgement to follow the guidelines. And again, there is still lots of room to improve as there is probably a lot more overlap than there should be.

Is the label always necessary? Maybe not all the time, but there is a lot of probably a lot of legal stuff involved and why it should be used. To illustrate that, I would tell you this, but this isn't a direct application of what I just said. Did you know insanity isn't actually a psychological disorder, but a legal term?

In a world where highschool students (the biggest number of depression victims)

This is a myth. The majority of statistics show otherwise. It's a popular, very popular myth, but there are many things to be depressed about even before becoming a teenager, and as more people on the board might be able to attest to, things to become depressed about and problems to encounter after teenagehood. Mid life crisis? Also a myth, there is a pretty consistent level of depression throughout essentially all ages. People don't just get depressed at 35 or 40 or whatever the number was, at 45 or 50 there is a lot of things to encounter, like experiencing the affects of old age, contemplating death even further in life, etc etc

P.S. Because you have a feeling to tell yourself you are not depressed, that is a pretty effective mechanism to battle depression and it's emotional and phsyical effects. It is good that you have a will to do that. Personally, I had that all my life, feeling immune to any terrible emotional feeling until my first year where something got to me. Whether I 'let it get to me' or that it simply was too much for me to handle is pretty meaningless, because either way it really negatively impacted me for some two months.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

Usually get it when a girl crosses me. Not often. But it happens. Bitches and all.
I go for walks, paint, take ridiculously long showers, listen to music, hang out with friends and vent. I'm guilty of hanging out with said friends and getting smashed too, but I don't condone that as regular behavior. Not really good to do. I'm a happy drunk though..and it's good to surround yourself with people regardless. I pray too. that god will help me forgive and let down whoever the grimey bitch is who crossed me. It's not always easy.

[Bryan]

I drink too, but never because I'm depressed. I can back that up simply because I'd be drinking regardless.

[koten]

http://www.t-chest.co.uk/2005/images/liver.gif

[Bryan]

And much too large. It's crowding my other critical organs.

[Gilly]

Smoke some joints, too.
That always helps.

[LaLiLuLeLo]

I drink too, but never because I'm depressed. I can back that up simply because I'd be drinking regardless.

EXACTLY. I drink on good and bad days, and not to get smashed.

[ScratchedAt]

If I'm REALLY REALLY upset about something or anything.. I refuse to drink.

Alcoholism runs in my family, so it scares the shit out of me.

But hell, self medication.

[Lucent Beam]

I don't have depression, thank god. My mother is clinically depressed and I've seen how it tears apart a person's life.

I don't think I ever really understood being depressed until September of this year. Like I've been down for long periods of time in my life, or have had times when I get easily upset about stuff... but until last year, I never REALLY was depressed.

It sucked. And I knew it was happening and I couldn't do shit about it. I think it was brought on mainly by my job, but also that snowballed with death of a family member that I couldn't be there for, moving to a new place with no family or friends, end of a 4 year relationship, etc. But mostly my job. I just felt like an empty shell. I was so aware of it, and it sucked. In fact, I can't even really remember how badly I felt. I know mostly how I felt, but looking back, I can't understand why I wasn't able to do anything about it.. but I couldn't. I think it started to wear off by the time January rolled around, but I don't think I snapped out of it until toward the of February. I'm sure people in my life noticed a big difference in me during those months that I was so f-ed up during, and then a nice bounce back in the past couple months.

Part of the thing that helped me finally get over whatever was making me feel so terrible was pushing people who were negative influences away from me and drawing closer people who were positive outlets. Other than that, I did have an attitude change when it came to my job, like "It's only until June, you can survive until then, just keep working" and that helped me feel hopeful. I guess the thing that made me feel better ultimately was just accepting that some things were out of my control and trying to focus on the good things I could control and continue enoying.