How has depression affected you and how did you deal with it?

Question

Ok, so I don't believe I'm suffering from severe clinical depression...but I often get in really depressed, sad moods for short (sometimes a little long) periods of time. I feel like most of the time it has to do with my sense of feeling uncertain about my future, if I'm a worthwhile person, feel like I'm gonna end up lonely, like I should be doing the things other people are doing but know I can't...often comparing myself to others and feeling like I'm missing out, etc. Sometimes I think it's because I am fortunate to have a comfortable life that I have the luxury of worrying about such stupid issues and then getting depressed about them. I feel guilty about feeling depressed and lonely and uncertain bc I know there are so many people who have life threatening issues to worry about. But sometimes I can't help it...I feel like life is passing me by, like I've missed out. For example, I'm in college and wish I had the experiences I see cool, athletic guys having. Anyone feel me?

Answer 1

A good friend once told me "Don't wish your life away". I still hold it close now that I am a mom. Also, keep in mind, all those experiences those cool, atletic guys are having may be the only fun they have. You aren't with them 24/7. I think almost everyone has a blue period. I know that I am not always up and happy all day long. Focus on yourself and do what makes you happy. Not what you think others are doing and that same action will make you happy as well. I know some people love to skydive and it makes them happy. For me, that would make me very UNHAPPY!

Answer 2

I have lived with depression for many years now. It doesn't "just go away". Sometimes you feel better, and other times you feel worse. I'd suggest you start with some good qualified counseling therapy and see how things go. There are meds that can,and do help if it's a chemical deficiency in your brain. Most important of all get educated in the area of depression so you have an understanding of why your feeling the way you are so that you can do something about it. LOL

Answer 3

First of all, you never stop dealing with real depression.
And while you're trying to improve your outlook, it hasn't quite worked all by itself.
I dealt with my terrible depression by stumbling upon a psychiatrist who took a blood test and saved my life. My thyroid was so whacked, I could have had a heart attack or other organ failure.
But, even after the physical side is gone, all those years of bad thoughts stay with you...
unless you remember to find the good.
Don't guilt trip yourself with how much worse others have it. It works for just a little while, but guess what?
You're still beating up on yourself!
Time to stop those thoughts.
See, I went to cognitive therapy with a wonderful professional who just happened to be too tunnel-visioned to send me for blood testing. Why I feel forgiving right now, I don't know, but I guess because I learned a lot there.
And there are so many automatic thoughts- OK, assumptions, but they go so deep you don't even hear yourself thinking them. So they get stuck in your brain, like a rut, and before you know it, you're tracing all the same old roads.
Time to forge new roads!
Tie to force yourself to think happy, and stimulate new brain connections, until the old ones start to fade a bit.
You know about dendrites in the brain? The little connectors that grow out like trees between neurons? Yeah, well, we know they continue to grow and die off, or recede, and we can forge new paths in our brains everyday.
We're not even sure that we can't regenerate brain cells as adults anymore.
But even if we can't, we can rely on the ones we have left to keep branching out.
So, think happy thoughts!
You may not fly like Peter Pan, but your spirits will!
Happy Holidays!

Answer 4

i know what u mean.... ive felt like that sometimes...is like i have a great life practicly nothing to complain about and even so i found things to be sad about and i feel selfish and stupid... and guilty... i just started to see the good side of things and when i got down to thing i had a good life and that it was pointless to be sad about such an unimportant thing... and i thought what other bad things may be worrying other people...and then i saw i was overeacting.. so just think about the good things i know it sounds kinda stupid but if u do it often enough it would work... and whatever u do dont cut urself....believe me its pointless and doesnt work...

Answer 5

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Answer 6

I have suffered depression on and off for most of my life, but it wasn't until I had my children that it became life threatening.
Looking back I believe I probably suffered at least mild ante-natal depression while I was pregnant with my daughter, which quickly developed into severe clinical depression after she was born. I was having rage attacks, where I'd be punching the walls, the floor, anything in reach so I wouldn't hurt my daughter or myself. I was crying at least ten times a day, usually without reason. I had terrible insomnia. I used to fantasize for hours about going outside and kicking the brick wall of the house. I knew somehow that the physical pain of smashing every bone in my foot would be a most welcome distraction from the pain in my mind. I never did it, though. All the normal symptoms of depression, and it really just robbed me of the joy of life, and the joy of having a gorgeous baby girl, who we'd wanted for so long.
For two and a half years I was on various anti-depressants, which all had good effects initially, but which wore off within a very short time. I was sent to a psychiatrist who was touted as one of the best in the business. She was absolutely useless. I spent two months making a two hour round trip to that woman every week, and she didn't offer a single word of counselling. All she did was play with the dosage of my pills.
So, I turned to natural medicine. I started seeing a naturopath, who diagnosed me with severe nutritional deficiencies, hormonal imbalances, etc etc etc.
Eight weeks after my first visit to him, I was symptom free and absolutely ecstatic.
Then we moved away, and I fell pregnant again, and fell straight back into a very deep depression, which again got way worse after my son was born.
This time I started to tip over into psychosis, with delusions, hallucinations and a constant, persistant voice in my head saying "Cut your wrist, cut your wrist, cut your wrist."
I was severely sleep-deprived, as my son was a terrible breast-feeder (although I persisted with that for 10 months). He was waking up between five and fifteen times per night, meaning I was getting about 30-60 minutes of broken sleep each night. I was having severe, disabling panic attacks, sometimes three a day. I was just falling apart.
My brain wasn't really working well. I had no memory to speak of, and I spent most of each day sitting on a chair, unable to move. The knowledge of everything I knew needed doing was literally paralysing me.
I went on Zoloft for a while out of desperation, while I looked for a new natural practitioner. The Zoloft got rid of the worst of the symptoms, and I found a kinesiologist, who has done absolute wonders for me. I'm due to start my second round of treatment with her in two days time.
She has done a lot of work balancing my hormones, my brain chemistry, nutritional problems, etc etc. She has also got me seeing a fantastic psychologist who is working with me on cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation techniques, etc.
I still have a long way to go, but I'm doing really well and I know I'll be better again within twelve months or so. Once my brain is working properly again, I'll be studying psychology, kinesiology, and a bunch of other things, so that I can go and help other people dealing with similar problems to mine. May as well use my experience for the greater good :)
Moral of the story really is that if you want to get better, no matter how mild or severe your depression, you have to do the work. Find the right doctors, the right practitioners, the right methods, and work your butt off.
Time spent wishing is wasted.
Good luck!

Answer 7

Comparisons rob you of joy. As soon as you get tired of that, drop it.