Crave: Depression Sucks

Crave 04.29.16	Sorry for bringing up such a negative topic, but I really feel like discussing it with others who might be going through or who have gone through similar things will help
macman76 04.29.16	Cbt works, if you're at a school consider talking to a counselor or mental health services... Depression festers without help
UpwardSpiral 04.29.16	I'm in a vicious cycle of procastinating everything and self-loathing afterwards.
Spacesh1p 04.29.16	Second Macman, if you're at a university take advantage. I'm graduated now and I wish I could have a free therapist again these days.
Gmork89 04.29.16	Talking to a couselor/therapist can help a lot. Also be headstrong about getting rid of things that fuel it, smoking/alcohol (if thats part of it). Exercise helps a ton too, even just a jog to get your heart rate up. Forcing yourself to get out and do things even if you just want to lay in bed, I also find that even if i'm going to just hangout and play video games, if I get ready and make myself look presentable it goes along way towards making me feel better. Basically try not to wallow in it, 'fake it to make it' can actually start making you feel better. These are all things that I use, I also come from a family full of depression. Talking to a professional is really your best bet though, I used to have sever anxiety and reality TV-show worthy OCD, working with a therapist got rid of that and now I just deal with the random bouts of depression and hopelessness, very similar to what you're describing.
Crave 04.29.16	@Gmork thanks for the advice man. I'm definitely thinking about seeing a counselor at some point. Also, in regards to your advice about not drinking/smoking and exercising, I actually eat very healthy and exercise regularly. I run 5 days a week with mileage varying from 4-8 miles per day. Running helps, but I've unfortunately sort of lost passion for it recently because of the depression. And yeah, being productive and looking presentable like you mentioned always helps, even if I'm just staying at home. My depression also worsens if I'm not doing anything, because I feel like I'm going crazy by not doing anything to keep my mind occupied. I'm on vacation from school right now, so maybe once it starts back up I'll be feeling better.
Trundle 04.29.16	Try living with borderline personality disorder, schizotypal personality disorder, Pure O OCD, and treatment resistant depression, and a throw in a little dissociative disorder then get back to me sunshine. ketamine infusions are the only thing that help me tho fyi, shock therapy just makes things a whole lot worse
macman76 04.29.16	@pbateman The "pain competition" is not the optimal response when someone says they have problems
Trundle 04.29.16	^ not a competition, just showin him that it could be a whole lot worse, and that telling the innernette is only going to get him responses like mine, so he should you know, lrn 2 deal
BandNewbac 04.29.16	Idk anyone that wouldn't agree with that statement
Artuma 04.29.16	one thing that makes depression even worse is realizing that you aren't really 'allowed' to be depressed because let's face it you're pretty damn lucky
Valkyrion 04.29.16	you sure it's not just a bad week? not that seeing a counselor does any bad though, hang in there
PlatonicMushroom 04.29.16	whenever i'm feeling down i twirl my junk in front of a mirror in a wide, slow circle and it cheers me up instantly
Totengott 04.29.16	This sounds very familiar for me lately, but it differs a little bit on how severe it is for me. Stay strong man. Make sure to talk about it, that helps me.
PlatonicMushroom 04.29.16	Reckon most folks with longstanding problems of this sort are familiar with CBT but "The thinking cure For millennia, philosophers have understood that we don’t see life as it is; we see a version distorted by our hopes, fears, and other attachments. The Buddha said, “Our life is the creation of our mind.” Marcus Aurelius said, “Life itself is but what you deem it.” The quest for wisdom in many traditions begins with this insight. Early Buddhists and the Stoics, for example, developed practices for reducing attachments, thinking more clearly, and finding release from the emotional torments of normal mental life. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a modern embodiment of this ancient wisdom. It is the most extensively studied nonpharmaceutical treatment of mental illness, and is used widely to treat depression, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and addiction. It can even be of help to schizophrenics. No other form of psychotherapy has been shown to work for a broader range of problems. Studies have generally found that it is as effective as antidepressant drugs (such as Prozac) in the treatment of anxiety and depression. The therapy is relatively quick and easy to learn; after a few months of training, many patients can do it on their own. Unlike drugs, cognitive behavioral therapy keeps working long after treatment is stopped, because it teaches thinking skills that people can continue to use. The goal is to minimize distorted thinking and see the world more accurately. You start by learning the names of the dozen or so most common cognitive distortions (such as overgeneralizing, discounting positives, and emotional reasoning; see the list at the bottom of this article). Each time you notice yourself falling prey to one of them, you name it, describe the facts of the situation, consider alternative interpretations, and then choose an interpretation of events more in line with those facts. Your emotions follow your new interpretation. In time, this process becomes automatic. When people improve their mental hygiene in this way—when they free themselves from the repetitive irrational thoughts that had previously filled so much of their consciousness—they become less depressed, anxious, and angry."
PlatonicMushroom 04.29.16	Common Cognitive Distortions A partial list from Robert L. Leahy, Stephen J. F. Holland, and Lata K. McGinn’s Treatment Plans and Interventions for Depression and Anxiety Disorders (2012). 1. Mind reading. You assume that you know what people think without having sufficient evidence of their thoughts. “He thinks I’m a loser.” 2. Fortune-telling. You predict the future negatively: things will get worse, or there is danger ahead. “I’ll fail that exam,” or “I won’t get the job.” 3. Catastrophizing.You believe that what has happened or will happen will be so awful and unbearable that you won’t be able to stand it. “It would be terrible if I failed.” 4. Labeling. You assign global negative traits to yourself and others. “I’m undesirable,” or “He’s a rotten person.” 5. Discounting positives. You claim that the positive things you or others do are trivial. “That’s what wives are supposed to do—so it doesn’t count when she’s nice to me,” or “Those successes were easy, so they don’t matter.” 6. Negative filtering. You focus almost exclusively on the negatives and seldom notice the positives. “Look at all of the people who don’t like me.” 7. Overgeneralizing. You perceive a global pattern of negatives on the basis of a single incident. “This generally happens to me. I seem to fail at a lot of things.” 8. Dichotomous thinking. You view events or people in all-or-nothing terms. “I get rejected by everyone,” or “It was a complete waste of time.” 9. Blaming. You focus on the other person as the source of your negative feelings, and you refuse to take responsibility for changing yourself. “She’s to blame for the way I feel now,” or “My parents caused all my problems.” 10. What if? You keep asking a series of questions about “what if” something happens, and you fail to be satisfied with any of the answers. “Yeah, but what if I get anxious?,” or “What if I can’t catch my breath?” 11. Emotional reasoning. You let your feelings guide your interpretation of reality. “I feel depressed; therefore, my marriage is not working out.” 12. Inability to disconfirm. You reject any evidence or arguments that might contradict your negative thoughts. For example, when you have the thought I’m unlovable, you reject as irrelevant any evidence that people like you. Consequently, your thought cannot be refuted. “That’s not the real issue. There are deeper problems. There are other factors.”
Mythodea 04.29.16	PlatonicMushroom has done his homework. My 2 cents in the discussion is, don't let a week or a period ruin the whole non-pessimistic attitude of yours. Also, listen to Moonlight Sonata (Beethoven) Sonata in D (Prokofiev) Don't ask why. Just do it.
BallsDeep 04.29.16	Well first understand as Artuma said that depression (mental health) doesn't discriminate so never feel guilty for experiencing it even when everything else in your life is ostensibly going well.... also depression is a spectrum - its not a case of you either have it or you dont, and i dont really agree with the way psychiatrists are so quick to label and simplify peoples conditions because an individual living life with the continual belief that they have severe clinical depression and that their brain chemistry is so different to that of a regular healthy happy person certainly doesn't help the situation. At the same time though all those who claim depression is a cry for attention or bullshit are equally as bad because it certainly can be cripplingly severe . But I digress - I, as with many people i Know have had a depressive period where i graually felt more and more flat irrespective of the events transpiring in my life at the time (in fact it should have been a happy time for me) - to the point where i would rarely leave the house and began not only questioning what the point of life is but actually feeling sort of resentment towards those who seemed to have a purpose of goal in life and it affected every facet of my life from work to relationships - and eventually, reluctantly saw a psych and started a course of SSRI's which are a double edged sword because on one hand they certainly pick you up out of the apathetic hopelessness but they also leave you feeling emotionally blunted to the point where your mood can only really remain at a set level (not particularly happy or sad) and after 2 years or so of taking them i went off them (dont do it cold turkey like I did some can have nasty withdrawal effects), and have began making lifestyle changes (such as working out, forcing myself to get out of the house and socialize, travel, work more etc) - which definately helped to alleviate the depression and after awhile of forcing yourself not to lay around the house doing sweet fuck all youll probably find that you are no longer forcing yourself because your genuinely enjoying these experiences. I personally stopped taking my SSRI's 5 years ago and have made the effort to engage with other people and life as much as possible and (touch wood) im feeling better than i ever have.
BallsDeep 04.29.16	Also I'm not saying you should dismiss medication since i think it helped take the edge off during that extremely low period but I would probably only use it if you are feeling unbearably shit and first try involving yourself with the world around you as much as possible. I know this advice is clique but it really did work for me . A few more tips; -Dont turn to drugs to mask the feelings as they will only ever make things worse - Dont be afraid to share your feelings with a councel or friends or even family and - Dont feel any guilt for feeling this way - Try not to do anything during this low period that could come back to haunt you later such as offending your friends/employer etc - Find anything in life that brings you joy and pursue it (for me it was music, torturing kittens, working out and playing bball with friends) - The most important tip ive learnt - Try not to over analyze yourself and your mood. I know you can get into the habit of subconsciously assessing yourself all day during this period (e.g - someone cracks a joke and everyone laughs and you immediately assess whether you found it funny, whether your still able to laugh, whether you'll ever be able to experience happiness and laughter again or you'll just have to fake it etc). Rather you just need to live in the moment and allow yourself to react naturally to situations without overthinking things. Anyway sorry ive written a novel here and 90% of it is obvious advice but really just try to keep your chin up, get out there and before you know it your mood will probably follow..
Gmork89 04.29.16	You didn't really torture kittens right?
TheTripP 04.29.16	I am sorry to hear you going through it, I have the same issues and hope your depressive period is a short one!
Asdfp277 04.29.16	hello yes i am depressed as well, get good soon!
anarchistfish 04.29.16	"Idk anyone that wouldn't agree with that statement" not the point. that kind of talk is toxic to people with depression
wwf 04.29.16	yeah don't torture kittens
TheTripP 04.30.16	Depression is a hell of a drug...
Asdfp277 04.30.16	crave: at least know that i don't think anything less of you because of it! it's good to take care of yourself, and i hope you can enjoy things like music and life!
CaimanJesus 04.30.16	sputnikdepression.com
NorwichScene 04.30.16	Go running or do exercise. Helps loads!
combustion07 04.30.16	Depression is indeed a bitch. I'm currently being forced into seeing a therapist and/or psychiatrist due to a really stupid sudden decision I made last week. Go get some help before you get overwhelmed. Psych wards are not a fun place at all.
LamboGD 04.30.16	I had a pretty bad depression some years ago. Came and went a lot like yours. For me the best medicine was just keeping myself occupied. Working out, doing chores, socializing, hobbies etc. Don't just lay in bed or sit in front of your pc without really doing anything for too long, it will prob make things worse. Also trying out a brand new hobby is fun and exciting, and put me in a better mood at least :) Also don't be too hard on yourself for not enjoying music. My enjoyment of music depends largely on my mood as well. I couldn't take comfort in depressing music when I was depressed; I too just couldn't enjoy it at all. Your passion will surely come back though
Egarran 04.30.16	Haven't been depressed since that time I tripped on shrooms. Try it out.
BallsDeep 05.01.16	no kittens were tortured in the making of that comment i just threw that in there to see if anyone read that far haha
Egarran 05.01.16	You are a wonderful person.