The Student Room Group

Am I stupid for being depressed?

Hi, I feel like I might have depression. I'm tired and sad pretty much all the time, I cry a lot and feel jealous towards other people who seem to have happier lives than me. I was teased a lot through most of my life, a lot of it for stupid things, and it's really knocked my self confidence. I've also been failing at a lot of things, like my A Levels (and I used to be in the top group), and being terrible at my driving lessons, and this is also making me depressed. Then I think, maybe I am really stupid for thinking and feeling this way. There are people who've been raped, their families or friends died, people suffering from horrible injuries and illnesses, etc. None of this has happened to me thankfully, and I really think I should man up, but even bad things that happen to others can make me depressed. And then little things that happen to me upset me, like my computer crashing, my hair taking long to grow, boys not noticing me anymore. My mind is pretty much clouded with confusion and sadness a lot. Am I stupid, or could I be mentally unstable from being affected by things so much? Do most depression sufferers get it from some nasty event, or can you just be predisposed to it?
Reply 1
No you're not stupid. People say there are worse things, but it doesn't mean you're bad for feeling that way or it's your fault. It can happen for any reason.
You are certainly not stupid, there is some evidence that you can be predisposed to depression. I think some people are just more prone than others, due to a number of biological and sociological factors. I suffer from bouts of serve panic/anxiety which is coupled with depression, none of which were brought on by any major trauma.

It does sound like you are at a very low point right now, which really sucks. It's not fair that people knocked your self confidence and it isn't your fault that you feel the way you do. What matters now is that you can stop feeling like you do, get out of this bad place and move on from it. No-one thinks you are stupid or mentally unstable either, it happens to most people at some point during their lives!

Have you spoken to your GP or anyone at college about the way you are feeling? You don't have to feel like this forever, but you do have to take the first steps to recovering and feeling better. And remember, no-one will think badly of you for feeling this way!

Take care.
Reply 3
Depression can be biological.

Either way, you're not being stupid at all.
Reply 4
hannah_dru
No you're not stupid. People say there are worse things, but it doesn't mean you're bad for feeling that way or it's your fault. It can happen for any reason.


Thanks for your answer
Reply 5
Anonymous
Thanks for your answer

You're welcome.
Reply 6
swirledpeacat1
You are certainly not stupid, there is some evidence that you can be predisposed to depression. I think some people are just more prone than others, due to a number of biological and sociological factors. I suffer from bouts of serve panic/anxiety which is coupled with depression, none of which were brought on by any major trauma.

It does sound like you are at a very low point right now, which really sucks. It's not fair that people knocked your self confidence and it isn't your fault that you feel the way you do. What matters now is that you can stop feeling like you do, get out of this bad place and move on from it. No-one thinks you are stupid or mentally unstable either, it happens to most people at some point during their lives!

Have you spoken to your GP or anyone at college about the way you are feeling? You don't have to feel like this forever, but you do have to take the first steps to recovering and feeling better. And remember, no-one will think badly of you for feeling this way!

Take care.


Thanks for your reply. I have been to the doctor before about it, but he didn't think much of it, just told me to get out more. Which I do, but it doesn't help 100%. I probably didn't explain it properly to him though, so I will probably try again sometime.
Reply 7
Anonymous
Thanks for your reply. I have been to the doctor before about it, but he didn't think much of it, just told me to get out more. Which I do, but it doesn't help 100%. I probably didn't explain it properly to him though, so I will probably try again sometime.


Go back to your doctor, or if you think hes unsympathetic then go see a different doctor. Depression is a serious illness and usually isn't caused by an event but by a a chemical imbalance in the brain. You're definately not being stupid for feeling this way.
it's puberty.. it happens to everyone! don't worry you are not alone!
Reply 9
Get a doctor to refer you to a therapist. asap. very important that you do this. take every task at a time, don't think about past or future, just the next 10 minutes.
Reply 10
Hello,
First of all, you are not being stupid. This is a common thought of someone is genuinally in depressed. Yeah, there maybe worse things happening to others, but you can't help or stop that. Life is one big show and you're the lead role in yours so the things that happen to you are relative and important and effect you just as much.

Secondly, I would suggest NEVER listening to Coldplay.

Thirdly, do you have any close friends you can talk too? If not maybe start writing a diary, When I felt really low, I used to keep one. It was a way I could express how I felt and then feel as if I had told at least someone.

Fourthly, if you ever need to talk to anyone just PM me :smile:

And finally, I know everyone says it, but it will get better. Honest. In the mean time, maybe you could take up a new sport, or join an exercise class at your local gym. Sport really does help improve mood, plus as you improve it will show you that you are brilliant at things. :smile:

Good luck x
Reply 11
Magic Dust
Hello,
First of all, you are not being stupid. This is a common thought of someone is genuinally in depressed. Yeah, there maybe worse things happening to others, but you can't help or stop that. Life is one big show and you're the lead role in yours so the things that happen to you are relative and important and effect you just as much.

Secondly, I would suggest NEVER listening to Coldplay.

Thirdly, do you have any close friends you can talk too? If not maybe start writing a diary, When I felt really low, I used to keep one. It was a way I could express how I felt and then feel as if I had told at least someone.

Fourthly, if you ever need to talk to anyone just PM me :smile:

And finally, I know everyone says it, but it will get better. Honest. In the mean time, maybe you could take up a new sport, or join an exercise class at your local gym. Sport really does help improve mood, plus as you improve it will show you that you are brilliant at things. :smile:

Good luck x


Lol, the Coldplay bit seemed random. I try to talk to my close friends, I find it a bit hard expressing my feelings though, and I feel a bit stupid about my problems, but I guess I should try harder. The diary idea sounds good, I shall try that. Thank you for the advice, very appreciated :smile:
Reply 12
Anonymous
Lol, the Coldplay bit seemed random. I try to talk to my close friends, I find it a bit hard expressing my feelings though, and I feel a bit stupid about my problems, but I guess I should try harder. The diary idea sounds good, I shall try that. Thank you for the advice, very appreciated :smile:


Lol, I still suffer from depression, and when ever I listen to Coldplay and I am down it makes me a billion times worse!

You could always write in the diary and then show them when your ready? Or you could write her a letter explaining how you feel.

Don't feel stupid, you aren't. You are just in a really low place right now. Trust me though, you aren't alone :smile: If it really comes to it, you could email the Samaritans, they are really great, or you could ring them. They get all kinds of calls. Nothing you say to them will be seen as insignificant, I promise. :smile:
Reply 13
Anonymous
Hi, I feel like I might have depression. I'm tired and sad pretty much all the time, I cry a lot and feel jealous towards other people who seem to have happier lives than me. I was teased a lot through most of my life, a lot of it for stupid things, and it's really knocked my self confidence. I've also been failing at a lot of things, like my A Levels (and I used to be in the top group), and being terrible at my driving lessons, and this is also making me depressed. Then I think, maybe I am really stupid for thinking and feeling this way. There are people who've been raped, their families or friends died, people suffering from horrible injuries and illnesses, etc. None of this has happened to me thankfully, and I really think I should man up, but even bad things that happen to others can make me depressed. And then little things that happen to me upset me, like my computer crashing, my hair taking long to grow, boys not noticing me anymore. My mind is pretty much clouded with confusion and sadness a lot. Am I stupid, or could I be mentally unstable from being affected by things so much? Do most depression sufferers get it from some nasty event, or can you just be predisposed to it?



Fight the power :cool:
Anonymous
Hi, I feel like I might have depression. I'm tired and sad pretty much all the time, I cry a lot and feel jealous towards other people who seem to have happier lives than me. I was teased a lot through most of my life, a lot of it for stupid things, and it's really knocked my self confidence. I've also been failing at a lot of things, like my A Levels (and I used to be in the top group), and being terrible at my driving lessons, and this is also making me depressed. Then I think, maybe I am really stupid for thinking and feeling this way. There are people who've been raped, their families or friends died, people suffering from horrible injuries and illnesses, etc. None of this has happened to me thankfully, and I really think I should man up, but even bad things that happen to others can make me depressed. And then little things that happen to me upset me, like my computer crashing, my hair taking long to grow, boys not noticing me anymore. My mind is pretty much clouded with confusion and sadness a lot. Am I stupid, or could I be mentally unstable from being affected by things so much? Do most depression sufferers get it from some nasty event, or can you just be predisposed to it?


Good evening, no you are not stupid. Everyone has been through a period of depression, even I have, over what people may consider "stupid things" although to be fair mine never got as bad as needing to see a doctor. And I understand about people saying "get out more" or "lighten up" and believe me I know as well as you do that is a lot easier said than done.

What I would suggest to you is go and see a doctor about it and explain the problem, if your current doctor is not very good ask to see another doctor.

Also trust your friends, when I went through my period of depression I was reluctant to talk to them about it in detail because I thought that I didn't want to "lay my problems on them" or "sound stupid". But trust me if your friends are true when you tell them about it they should support you 100% as I found when it got unbearable.

Good luck, I'm sure everything will be fine for you :smile:
You sound like me about 3 months ago. I knew I was acting under the weather a bit too much so I decided to see a counciller about it and I think it's helped. I don't feel so depressed and jealous these days. I'm happier just being at home and relaxing before uni starts up again. Yes, I have bad days but I manage to pick myself up by reading good books or talking to my dad about it.

Some spells of depression last a bit too long, no one should have to go through it but I think most people do some point in their lives. Perhaps talk to someone professional who love to hear your problems even if you think they're small they'll still be interested.
Reply 16
You're deffinitly not stupid thats for sure! Depression is most likely one of the most suffered with mental illnesses out there tbh, although not everyone suffers from it- it just depends how you are as a person. I've always suffered from depression, on and off in my life and i think i'll most likely always have it in me... so say if a bad situation happened it may re-occur. It does sound like you may be depressed but its deffinitly nothing to feel ashamed about, you just need to speak to a close family memeber/friend or go and see your doctor to get some help. I'm just pushing through a really bad stage in my life at the moment, where i've been really depressed and I had many symptoms that you've just described. It's all natural- and sooo many small things stressed me out, or upset me! So you are not alone. And one last thing, it's most likely natural to feel that you're making a big deal out of nothing as I felt that way, but at the end of the day i think everyone deals with things differently. Some people can cope with things I never could, and others coudln't cope with things I could- it's all about how we handle things. I hope this has helped and I hope you can begin feeling happier :smile:
Anonymous
Thanks for your reply. I have been to the doctor before about it, but he didn't think much of it, just told me to get out more. Which I do, but it doesn't help 100%. I probably didn't explain it properly to him though, so I will probably try again sometime.


I have never had much help with doctors, just went in, given anti depressants and thats about it. Now don't get me wrong, anti-depressants work for some people, but I think other methods of combating depression need to be explored first, such as CTB (cognitive behavioural therapy) - maybe ask your doctor about it? To be honest the best place I have sought help is through calling the samaritans and going to see my uni counselling service; what these services do is basically getting you to reflect on what's going on in your mind, which often helps to clear your thoughts and help with positive thinking.

Perhaps you could also see if your council offers any groups/workshops on dealing with depression, stress or anxiety? Or even your college? And if you do feel very low and alone and feel like you need to talk to someone, then don't hesitate to call helplines such as mind or the samaritans. I think the mind helpline is only open 9-5pm, but samaritans are there 24/7 (I seriously recommend calling them if you are struggling with depression, it's so comforting to be able to discuss your problems in a confidental manner.)

Feel free to message me if you need someone to chat to on here.
Reply 18
Thank you everyone for your answers. I was just a little ashamed to go to the doctors, but you lot have given me reassurance. I will take on board what you said, and hopefully sort my self out. Cheers :smile:

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