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Understanding depression...
This is a curiosity I have had for some time now. From a personal perspective I have never been 'depressed' in my life (at least I think not). Several unfortunate events have happened in my life, I have been upset, but I have never felt down for extended periods of time.
I guess for someone who has never actually had mental problems it is hard to comprehend precisely what depression feels like for the person involved. I have seen several threads of people discussing depression and asking for advice. My curiosity arises in what depression actually feels like for the person affected. I have seen people close to me depressed and no matter what I say they wouldn't rise above it. For me, this is hard to compared. I always try to adopt a positive approach to any events which occur in my life and strive on.
Would anyone who has been unfortunately effected by depression help me understand precisely how they felt from a psychological and physical perspective and the efforts you made to overcome it.
Many thanks.
I guess for someone who has never actually had mental problems it is hard to comprehend precisely what depression feels like for the person involved. I have seen several threads of people discussing depression and asking for advice. My curiosity arises in what depression actually feels like for the person affected. I have seen people close to me depressed and no matter what I say they wouldn't rise above it. For me, this is hard to compared. I always try to adopt a positive approach to any events which occur in my life and strive on.
Would anyone who has been unfortunately effected by depression help me understand precisely how they felt from a psychological and physical perspective and the efforts you made to overcome it.
Many thanks.
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Ricci
This is a curiosity I have had for some time now. From a personal perspective I have never been 'depressed' in my life (at least I think not). Several unfortunate events have happened in my life, I have been upset, but I have never felt down for extended periods of time.
I guess for someone who has never actually had mental problems it is hard to comprehend precisely what depression feels like for the person involved. I have seen several threads of people discussing depression and asking for advice. My curiosity arises in what depression actually feels like for the person affected. I have seen people close to me depressed and no matter what I say they wouldn't rise above it. For me, this is hard to compared. I always try to adopt a positive approach to any events which occur in my life and strive on.
Would anyone who has been unfortunately effected by depression help me understand precisely how they felt from a psychological and physical perspective and the efforts you made to overcome it.
Many thanks.
I guess for someone who has never actually had mental problems it is hard to comprehend precisely what depression feels like for the person involved. I have seen several threads of people discussing depression and asking for advice. My curiosity arises in what depression actually feels like for the person affected. I have seen people close to me depressed and no matter what I say they wouldn't rise above it. For me, this is hard to compared. I always try to adopt a positive approach to any events which occur in my life and strive on.
Would anyone who has been unfortunately effected by depression help me understand precisely how they felt from a psychological and physical perspective and the efforts you made to overcome it.
Many thanks.
Hiya
Might I just say that the symptoms and experience I have are in no way symptomatic or expectable in other depression sufferers; one of the problems in its diagnosis is that wide range of symptoms. Personally, I had a period of 2 weeks initially, in late feb, when I felt down all the time. Normally if I'm sad I'll bounce back in the morning I'm that type of optimist. This time though it felt like constant sadness, a lot of the time I had no sex drive; no appetite or thirst, even when I knew I should eat. Things I liked doing before, were giving me less or no enjoyment now. My housemates at uni here, went to see a counselling service at uni and advised me to email them (I'm a loon at the best of times
) but I strangely never got round to doing it. Thankfully I'm better at the moment; I don't know quite what happened but it worked for me just to plough through. I might just correct that 
, one of the most important triggers for me in mood is sleep. At the time, I was (v mildly; trichotilomania and lip/skin picking as i have done for years now unfortunately) almost every other night staying up the night; and having ridiculous waking times. I actually when I was like this wished I could fall asleep until I felt better (though I still was scared of pain for death; despite this I did research, as it were, suicide out of, not interest, more I don't know what my english is failing me at 2am), eventually I started getting back into a better sleep rhythm because it was also (firstly independently then as a cause of the depression) causing me to miss class rather severely. When I slipped again (damn the internet ) I got worse but realising this started to improve again. I never emailed that counsellor; I do sometimes get sad now but I've always been a moody so and so 
I hope that helped you; and thanks for asking; it's always nice to hear people wanting to know (if I may say so), because it's something that still is rather stigmatised, and taboo in many respects. I'll stop raving now May I just say, I'm dead impressed that you've made the effort and have the interest in understanding depression, even though you're one of the lucky ones with the right outlook that prevents you from feeling it.
Anyway, yes, my story: Growing up, there were loads of factors in my life which really knocked my confidence and made me feel like I was an unworthy, low, undescript and unsignificant person. Therefore I felt I could make no contribution to the world, would never be valued by other people, and there was ultimately no point in my existence. I couldn't do anything much but sleep, couldn't engage myself in anything other than my own thoughts of how I was worthless and how pointless my life was, I thought constantly about the best way to end it all, and I tried several times, but they weren't great attempts thank god!
The doctors tried several things to fix me: first anti-depressants, which didn't work and are now not prescribed to under 18s (I was 14 when I was first diagnosed with depression), then I was put in a hospital for teenagers with mental health problems, but I was kicked out because it wasn't working, then I went through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it completely changed my life for the better. It works by changing your thought patterns to happier, positive ones, and now I've achieved more than anyone thought I would five years ago
Anyway, yes, my story: Growing up, there were loads of factors in my life which really knocked my confidence and made me feel like I was an unworthy, low, undescript and unsignificant person. Therefore I felt I could make no contribution to the world, would never be valued by other people, and there was ultimately no point in my existence. I couldn't do anything much but sleep, couldn't engage myself in anything other than my own thoughts of how I was worthless and how pointless my life was, I thought constantly about the best way to end it all, and I tried several times, but they weren't great attempts thank god!
The doctors tried several things to fix me: first anti-depressants, which didn't work and are now not prescribed to under 18s (I was 14 when I was first diagnosed with depression), then I was put in a hospital for teenagers with mental health problems, but I was kicked out because it wasn't working, then I went through Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and it completely changed my life for the better. It works by changing your thought patterns to happier, positive ones, and now I've achieved more than anyone thought I would five years ago
lessthanthree
Trouble is, there's so many types and triggers that it's often difficult to find your arse from your elbow when trying to get to the root of different people's unhappiness. :\
Are you suggesting that misnomers about your own anatomy can make you sad?
MB
Complete apathy; could not be bothered with anything or anyone and had absolutely no enthusiasm.
Interestingly, i wasn't even bothered that i wasn't bothered!
Interestingly, i wasn't even bothered that i wasn't bothered!
I also think that it is excellent that someone would like to find out about depresion even though they have never been unlucky enough to have had it themselves. Depression has many stigmas attatched to it and i think that awareness is the real key to demolishing the taboo asociated with depression. I had clinical depression for about a year, i think everyone has different symtoms but if it helps mine were:
i was scared of lots of things, like crowds, people, most things really. I didnt leave the house for months, and when i tired to go outside i had panic attacks. i didn't go to school and lost a lot of my education.
I hardly ate, i hardly slept i just felt numb, devoid of any emotion apart from this sad cloud that hung over me.
I was put on anti-depressants and had counselling and now a year later i am a completly different person, i am back at school and taking my G.C.S.Es in a few weeks! So there is a way out. I hope that helps.xxx
i was scared of lots of things, like crowds, people, most things really. I didnt leave the house for months, and when i tired to go outside i had panic attacks. i didn't go to school and lost a lot of my education.
I hardly ate, i hardly slept i just felt numb, devoid of any emotion apart from this sad cloud that hung over me.
I was put on anti-depressants and had counselling and now a year later i am a completly different person, i am back at school and taking my G.C.S.Es in a few weeks! So there is a way out. I hope that helps.xxx
I have an interest in depression too, interesting thread.
I have never suffered depression as far as I know. I used to go out with a depressed (and just majorly f*cked up) girl, who seemed to think I had depression too, but if this is true it can't have been very serious. Apart from her, I have a best friend whose girlfriend and sister have had depression. But more worrying to me is that my elder sister has it too.
She is amazingly intelligent and talented (not to mention, others have told me, plenty attractive) but has now dropped out of university twice because of her depression. She has been living at home for ages now, not doing very much, and is starting to seriously piss me (and everyone else) off. Every Sunday lunch (generally the only time the family is together) starts with a shouting match and ends with her crying and storming off. This usually results in Mum crying too. At random times in the day and night more shouting matches occur, after which she will typically run off to her boyfriends for a few days.
I am pretty sure my campaign to have her kicked out the house wasn't the best tactic, but it was very cathartic. Anybody have any better advice with how to cope with someone like that?
PS Just to clarify, she doesn't just argue, obviously there is the standard crazy-person list of things like knackering Dad's car by crashing it while drunk and so on. Too many to list (and frankly I think I repressing some of the worse ones)
I have never suffered depression as far as I know. I used to go out with a depressed (and just majorly f*cked up) girl, who seemed to think I had depression too, but if this is true it can't have been very serious. Apart from her, I have a best friend whose girlfriend and sister have had depression. But more worrying to me is that my elder sister has it too.
She is amazingly intelligent and talented (not to mention, others have told me, plenty attractive) but has now dropped out of university twice because of her depression. She has been living at home for ages now, not doing very much, and is starting to seriously piss me (and everyone else) off. Every Sunday lunch (generally the only time the family is together) starts with a shouting match and ends with her crying and storming off. This usually results in Mum crying too. At random times in the day and night more shouting matches occur, after which she will typically run off to her boyfriends for a few days.
I am pretty sure my campaign to have her kicked out the house wasn't the best tactic, but it was very cathartic. Anybody have any better advice with how to cope with someone like that?
PS Just to clarify, she doesn't just argue, obviously there is the standard crazy-person list of things like knackering Dad's car by crashing it while drunk and so on. Too many to list (and frankly I think I repressing some of the worse ones)
lessthanthree
you're such a dipstick 
that's not very nice.
I think serious loss of weight is one, but that's mainly because people lose their appetite, which is caused by the psychological state. Or so I've heard.
Adhsur
Out of interest, are there many physical symptoms of depression or is it purely psychological???
Yes there can be... headaches, unexplained pains - like joints and things. Those are the ones I've found... it hurts a lot - really makes you want to give up and stay in bed all day.
Mad Vlad
Yes there can be... headaches, unexplained pains - like joints and things. Those are the ones I've found... it hurts a lot - really makes you want to give up and stay in bed all day.
i think when i had depression i thought i was in physical pain because i wanted to stay in bed all day/night and didnt want to do anything/see anyone. i dont know if i really was in physical pain but i doubt it, your mind can play tricks on you.xxx
Adhsur
Out of interest, are there many physical symptoms of depression or is it purely psychological???
Disrupted sleep patterns are one.. insomnia or sleeping too much, or waking up in the middle of the night
I always find it really difficult to explain how depression makes me feel. I was diagnosed when i was 16 (i'm 20 now) and have been on antidepressants since then. As well as the feeling down, even suicidal at times, physically i can feel so run down. Going up a flight of stairs which could normally take 30 secs takes a good 3/4 mins. My speech slows down and i just feeel like i'm going in slow motion. I tend to cry a lot, stop talking to people, stop eating...
God this is depressing. I'll come and add more when i'm in a better mood!
Ricci
I have never been 'depressed' in my life
you will never understand what its like.
not trying to be blunt, ive never been really depressed either. i was once in a relationship with someone with proper depression that needs drugs to keep them going. they told me you'll never know what its like unless you experience it yourself.
All the horrible feelings I have ever felt; grief, anger, trauma, self loathing, anxiety, despair.......together, at once, every second of every minute of every day. Never ending pain everywhere. Total hopelessness, exhaustion, desperacy to escape. That's how I feel.
annabellewalter
All the horrible feelings I have ever felt; grief, anger, trauma, self loathing, anxiety, despair.......together, at once, every second of every minute of every day. Never ending pain everywhere. Total hopelessness, exhaustion, desperacy to escape. That's how I feel.
*hug* I know how you mean. If you ever need a chat... just PM me, ok?
...My signs are...strange. But it's the way i cope. I feel isolated, paranoid, and just plain scared to express anything for fear of being ripped to shreds...But i couldn't care less if people did or didn't look at me as a freak, i'm just looking out for me for a while...if i didn't, id be pretty much dust...
I have an excellent masking ability though, no one has a clue whats going when they're with me...it's pretty much a mastered technique now.
I have an excellent masking ability though, no one has a clue whats going when they're with me...it's pretty much a mastered technique now.
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