Rammbrecher: Depression

ConcubinaryCode 02.09.21	Just gotta ride it out bro. Get better at making yourself do the basics and if you can feel good about doing them that's even better. Definitely get out of the house even if it's a step out the front door.
BMDrummer 02.09.21	i go for drives a lot, having some sort of idea where you want to end up really helps with the aimlessness of depression, even if it just means going to get gas like 3 towns over. any way you can simply move around tends to help, so even if you don't drive, maybe just taking a walk nearby could help. it's that and just watching things that i loved in my younger years, no matter how familiar i might be with it. keep fighting the good fight, shit sucks, but riding it out is worth it
porcupinetheater 02.09.21	If you don't already see a therapist, and if it's something that's accessible to you, it's incredibly worthwhile. Went through a gauntlet of therapists after I was hospitalized years back and finally found one I've been with for almost 3 years now, and it's a huge benefit. I'm sorry you're in the shits, Love, depression is fucking hard to deal with at the best of times, and these haven't been. Been through the ringer and feel like I'm just starting to get hold of mine now that my brain's starting to congeal lol. You're welcome to hit up my shoutbox anytime if you need someone to talk to. Hang in there, Love, jam some freaky freakin' tunage
BigTuna 02.09.21	Sorry to hear this - depression and anxiety are so debilitating. For me, the most important thing was therapy/counseling. A close second was seeing close friends or family who I could be honest/vulnerable with without any judgment or attempts at quick fixes. (Side note: I almost never wanted to actually see people, but if I forced myself to or people came to me, it was almost always helpful). Next was exercise (doesn't have to be much, but movement is good). And then giving myself permission to feel shitty without letting that shittiness seep into my identity. Still a work in progress for me! Probably will be for the foreseeable future. Oh, and of course, good tunes.
robertsona 02.09.21	I'll think more about what you're asking but I wanna say that I've struggled with depression since senior year of high school and 2016-2020 was incredibly brutal at all conceivable scales but I'm doing ok now so hopefully you can look at someone like me and think "oh, things can get better"...
evilford 02.09.21	Agree with everything porc said. I've struggled with severe depression and anxiety for 10-15 years, and between therapy and psychiatry (I cannot say enough good things about good psychiatry) I am in a good spot now relatively speaking so yeah just like robertsona said, things can and will get better.
unclereich 02.09.21	What are you doing that is proactive to combat your feelings? Any therapy? Any exercise? I like to advise people to start there. Talking to someone and moving your body and taking in the sun if it is out are two huge steps into a better happier life
kevbogz 02.09.21	don't be afraid to see a psychiatrist about how you're feeling as well. i feel like there's a big stigma when it comes to medication, but they're there to help you get on your feet
Josh D. 02.09.21	my only depression symptom was fatigue so idk
evilford 02.09.21	Psychiatry absolutely saved my life. I will never hesitate to tell people that. If it wasn't for my psychiatrist I would have died 7 years ago
evilford 02.09.21	My point in telling you that is to point out that the stigma against psychiatry which has been mentioned is completely unwarranted imo
sharkshanna 02.09.21	Sorry to hear about this. I fee you. I agree that therapy is really helpful. It really helps in the long run. These are harder than normal times too so just be gentle with yourself as negative and positive feelings are all valid. Personally, I meet with a friend or two and just getting out of my environment and having a real conversation has helped. Or putting on some music and taking a walk around. I love the way headphones make music drown everything out. Some days I just get a few dishes done and am like ok I need an to do something that feels good now- and that’s cool too. I’m also medicated so that has helped the depression and anxiety really well.
twlight 02.09.21	Hey man, depression is real. Please take steps to sooth it and try to find healthy outlets. As you get older you'll realize this beast is beatable but you have to be proactive. Therapy can be good sometimes, also jam good music and you've got friends here whenever you need it
twlight 02.09.21	If you ever need to talk, shoutbox me
Prancer 02.09.21	you're not alone < 3
JayEnder 02.09.21	Sorry you're going through it man. Life can be really hopeless some days. Anxiety and depression is a curse I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. Both have crippled me over the past decade, and I've lost so many passions because of it. Your problems are very real, and there should be no stigma against being transparent and vulnerable about mental illness. Like the guys above mentioned, staying active, involving yourself with things you love whether it be music, books, working out, and psychiatry is the key to fighting it. Finding the right medication is good too, but the process of cycling through different ones may have dire side effects. Abilify fucked me up so bad I couldn't even sit comfortably for two seconds, constantly felt like I was crawling out of my own skin. Awful stuff, so be careful with meds.
sixdegrees 02.09.21	Hit the gym OP
Sabrutin 02.09.21	I don't have experience with medicine (yet, prob) but I always find it important to avoid at all costs the feeling of a wasted day. Even "forcing" yourself to watch a movie you have postponed for so long is better than nothing
Morningrise767 02.09.21	Sorry to hear you're going through that. Music, going for a drive, going to the beach, a good book/movie are good ways to take your mind out of the dump. Find joy in the little things and take it day by day. And don't forget we are here for you if you need an ear to listen : )
Gyromania 02.09.21	i've been diagnosed with severe depression, generalized and social anxiety disorder, and depersonalization disorder. that last one in particular did a real number on me for several years, and something i was diagnosed with as young as 11. people who know me well know i went through a lot of shit in recent years, and the best thing i can recommend, from personal experience, is to try to do things that make you comfortable until you're feeling more receptive to getting life back in order. for me, gaming and tv/movies are a huge escape from my mental problems. it's not good to totally retreat inwards and always resort to escapism, but depending on the severity of your depression, it can be the best thing for you until you're able to cope/move on. anxiety meds and other mood stabilizers are things that helped for a time, but i found marijuana to be the most helpful (this isn't for everyone though, and can actually do far more harm than good depending on the person). it really depends on a lot of factors though. if the depression is just innate and nothing in particular appears to trigger it, it's more difficult to overcome. if it's tied to a loss, or self-loathing, or something of that sort, it can be corrected usually much faster if the right steps are taken. back when my parents died i sunk into a deep and long depression, and the thing that really helped me get out was learning piano. i decided to pour a lot of time and effort into picking up a new skill, and it helped bolster my confidence and kind of reignite my love of music and life. friends and family are always great to have nearby too - the true friends who will be there for you no matter what. seek them out when things are rough and don't be afraid to lean on them. and if you don't have a lot of friends or close family and you're struggling, call a help line. i've done this before and there's no stigma attached to it. they're there to listen and offer solutions and resources to help get you on the right path.
osmark86 02.09.21	this thread is absolute gold. only supportive responses. if you ever wanted an example of how sputnik has become better over the years, this is as good an example as anything. stay strong OP!
JS19 02.09.21	The thing that helped me get out when I was depressed was working a bit everyday to depersonalise the depression from my own mind. It's a long and arduous process but the closer you can get to a point where you see the depression and any thought or actions born from depression as an affliction not an inherent part of yourself is huge. Think of it like spraining an ankle. You see a path to recovery, you recognise that the sprained ankle is a thing that's wrong with your body, and that you have a true body that is one you haven't got a sprained ankle in that you are on an eventual path to. You don't even have to try to feel like that when you got a cold, when you've pulled a muscle - you get it right? I always felt that the more I could truly believe that about my depression, the more effective the more traditional methods were at helping me climb out. You're not on a road to recovery if you beluieve yourself to be inherent to the illness. Only when you recognise it as an affliction can you ever recover from it Also maybe not listening to Disturbed will help you be less depressed I know I would be if I regularly listened to Distrubed lol jk
zakalwe 02.09.21	Believe it or not I also had severe depression when I was 22. I was going to end it all. I found that little step by step events that you set yourself no matter how small can offer the hope that depression obliterates. Exercise, starting off with something like a stroll and leading to a trek several months later. Reading a book you’ve always wanted to read but never had the time for. A change of job if possible. Keep friends and loved ones close but don’t use them as a crutch. Lay off the substances (this was without a shadow of doubt why my depression spiralled) Only do something if you genuinely feel like it. I never went the psychiatric route because I’m a stubborn fucker and would’ve have massively resented it although I can appreciate that it does help people. It’s all about minuscule changes that provide hope when it seems there is none. Ultimately you will get better, I still have bouts of the black dog but nothing like how it was when I was in my early 20s. Not in the same league and that was 20yrs ago. You will get better.
Shemson 02.09.21	Great responses in this thread. I’m usual pretty levelled out but my suggestion is finding time to do something for you every day. Set aside an hour to get lost in a great album, play an instrument, video game, watch a movie, read a book, something you can get lost in and forget about what’s eating you. I used to find belting out a song along to a cd or playing my guitar was the best medicine. Happy to recommend better music than Disturbed to do it too as well ;)
WalrusTusk 02.09.21	Dude "Us and Them" is such a solid album that I haven't thought about in years. Those first three albums of theirs are pretty good. Hang in there as well man. All the suggestions in the thread are great, and I can't remember if someone has said it yet but try to work out more if you don't already. It's a great way to build confidence as well as pump some positive chemicals in your brain. Shoutbox me if you're ever feeling low and I'd be happy to talk to you about stuff.
Deathconscious 02.09.21	Plenty of good advice in here. I was a huge mess at 22. My 20s in general have been pretty shit, ive only felt like ive really started blooming in the last year, im almost 30 now. Hang in there, youll be ok.
JDubb 02.09.21	I ride depression out. Gets a bit shorter each time. Also, the album Leprous - Pitfalls really helped me in my most recent bout.
TheSonomaDude 02.09.21	Depression is horrible. I know that goes without saying, but that's really the best way to say it. I sometimes wonder how far ahead in life I'd be without the anxiety to slow me down, but really the only thing to do is seek help and look towards the future. I sought professional help and was diagnosed with BPD in September, and it's since made things much easier in my life. BPD isn't curable but at least I know there are certain steps to help specific symptoms. Perhaps the same help can open doors for you. I wish you the best, friend.
nol 02.09.21	let the man listen to disturbed holy shit
nol 02.09.21	everyone says I need to go out and get some sun and fresh air, but man, it’s fucking COLD
nol 02.09.21	humor is good. life is funny, if you look at it a certain way.
Deathconscious 02.09.21	"I sometimes wonder how far ahead in life I'd be without the anxiety to slow me down" Same, i feel like im years behind.
ConcubinaryCode 02.09.21	Ngl saw someone talk about how he started taking antidepressants and how it helped him overcome all the issues I struggle with and got super jealous
JayEnder 02.09.21	Antis are a dangerous thing. Be careful with that shit. Might help some people, but Effexor withdrawal was the hardest thing I've ever been through. "feel like im years behind" man I feel that. Anxiety on top of depression issues is just the worst.
Rammbrecher 02.09.21	Thank you all so so much for opening up to me and offering me wonderful advice. Seriously, it means the world. Made my day!!
cordwainerbird 02.10.21	music and journaling is a very good outlet for these feelings vent art also if you can manage it, don't ever feel the need to force anything out all in all go easy on yourself. be kind to yourself. these are hard fucking times. get a therapist if you haven't already and look at other diagnosing probabilities - i was diagnosed with MDD/SAD as a teen, which I definitely had, but they perceived other telltale signs of ADHD as more symptoms of the former which majorly delayed my treatment and caused me to only get my diagnosis earlier this year. im just a stranger on the internet but im in your corner man, you got this
cordwainerbird 02.10.21	and @ anyone who says "just ride it out" or "go to the gym" its easy to miss the point - those things can help but depression should actively be treated and coped with, not suppressed or "pushed past". hang in there dude
ConcubinaryCode 02.10.21	Depression is kinda something you have to learn to live with. Poor wording on my part to just say "ride it out". I'd definitely recommend therapy as a first but you actively have to get yourself to enjoy the things that help you deal with your depression too. If your ambivalent about things that people suggest such as going to the gym its going to be that much harder to actually do it and you'll get to the point you hate it but also yourself for not making yourself go.