Depression - how do you deal with it?

[boondocksaint]

Originally Posted by risingstar

Sadly, there is no one-size-fits-all coping strategy for depression as there are various manifestations of depression, some of which can be more debilitating and worrisome than others. If you suffer from depression (occasionally or chronically) and want to do something about it, then do whatever you can to better understand it and to keep it monitored and under control. The best way to do that is to consult your doctor and, if possible, a psychiatrist as well as doctors rarely appear (nor are they trained) to have the proper counselling skills to adequately deal with mental health issues. A psychiatrist (or psychologist, though they can't prescribe medication) can assist you in better understanding what might be going on and provide you with some tools which may help make those more difficult days more tolerable.

Medication is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of. We all take medication for something at some point in our lives. If that medication can make the difference between coping with depression and not being able to get out of bed for a week, then (hopefully) the choice should be easy. Ultimately, it comes down to making the best choices for yourself.

The worst thing to do is to deny or minimize what you're feeling. Be proactive. You need to show yourself that you can take personal charge of things when you need to. There is an entire body of work out there based on thousands of research designs aimed at better understanding and dealing with depression. Take advantage of that information and do whatever you need to, to move your life forward. You can start by simply picking up the phone and making a call.

Hope this helps!

great post RS

i was ashamed of taking medicine and felt like i was weak
i see a dr once a month and he keeps reminding me that its not a sign of weakness to be on medication...but i just have that attitude that i can beat everything on my own...

[galactus]

I would think that everyone deals with Depression at some level at some point in their life. I get to points where absolutely nothing interests me, friends, family, work, hobbies...though I always attribute it to just having too much on my plate all the time and not enough "me" time. Who knows, maybe it's depression? As for sleeping, I have NEVER slept well. I always wake up multiple times a night and never feel rested. But again, I snore a lot, could stand to lose a few pounds, and generally attribute this to physical reasons (sleep apnea perhaps) and nothing psychological.

I think the world today is just set up so depression of some sort is almost a foregone conclusion. The demands placed upon each and every one of us to just keep up with our lives, let alone get ahead, are enormous. These days, when it seems the world is working against itself in almost every aspect, certainly doesn't help those of us who would like to see the world as a place of hope and prosperity.

Talk to friends, talk to family, seek professional help even if only to settle yourself and know that you're doing anything and everything you can to try and help yourself. I think sometimes the effort of trying to help yourself is all that you need, sort of like going to the doctor if you're in pain. Even if there's nothing wrong with you, the fact the doctor confirms it calms your nerves and makes you feel better anyway.

[lord odin]

Never been depressed I simply don't care about most things or people.
I remember when I was a kid my grandmother would have all the family over and I had to go play with my cousins. Well I was happy not being anywhere around any of them I always kept to myself or played with the dog or watched ants.
As I got older my grandmother stopped telling me to go play with the other kids and kept her distance from me. I think she saw something in me that her son didn't.
I think most problems are caused from within.

[Logan]

I've had a serious post traumatic stress disorder about 3 years ago and while most of the symptoms are gone, I'm still battling depression but fortunately it's not as bad as 3 years ago. Some people have all the luck in the world and others don't and things can add up quickly. I've rejected any type of medicine because of experience from a familymember.

[Endless Wake]

Originally Posted by derekrodneysim

Have you suffered depression and how do/did you deal with it?

I went through depersonalization/derealization (a delusion of suddenly becoming aware that reality is fake) and my girlfriend through depression (after being told about her cancer), both around the same time. One day my girlfriend decided to get that puppy she always wanted and he helped ground us both.

I think a pet helped because it forced us to empathize, since an animal can't voice it's needs, so you take the focus off of your own thoughts.

Just look at the first photo;What is he doing?! What is he thinking? And the second pic; Does he really need all those balls?!

[VaultMan]

Thats a really cute dog.

[Bullvine]

I've been dealing with bouts of depression most of my life, but its strange that I didn’t realize what is going on until much later in life. I figured it was just the way I was, but had no clue as to why I felt this way. It wasn't until my brother killed himself a year or so ago (I didn't know he suffered from depression either) that I really started to look into it.
Reading some of the posts here on this thread… strange, it almost seems that I could have written them, it’s exactly how I feel from time to time. I will go through periods where everything seems repetitive and meaningless and nothing is exciting to me. It usually wears off after a few weeks or sometimes a couple of months. When I feel like this I just tell myself that I have a great wife and awesome kids and if I have to suffer to hold on for them then that’s what I will do. I couldn’t imagine leaving them the way my brother left his wife and kids. I guess I talk to myself a lot during these dark bouts, WILL myself to find some glimmer of light somewhere.
It amazes me to see people who always are uplifted and smiling all the time no matter what, wish I had some of that, lol. I hate taking medication. I never had to before, but maybe I will try it and see if it improves my outlook. I didn’t expect to find this sort of thing on this forum but I’m glad I did. Good Luck to you all, I hope it turns out well for you.

[jansen]

I take pills

[Daredevil]

see a doctor if you think you need more to cope with it!

It might make a big difference, plus you will have someone to talk to (in RL, not over the internet)

[oddball]

Originally Posted by derekrodneysim

Hi guys.

I went through a bout with depression today from several causes which added to it. It's been with me on and off for several years now, some easy to shrug, others tougher to overcome. I've tried to stay positive and counted my blessings and looked to find a positive solution.

As I came to this section to put up this thread, oddly enough, daveyojimbo's thread was the one that instantly got my attention. I read about his and just became numb. Is depression really that common?

Wow. If only I had the privilege to have known him better. It's always a sad thing to hear about stuff like this happening to another collector. To another human being.

It's always sad for someone to come this final solution, knowing they must have tried so hard to find another way to fight the depression. I;'m sure there must be a way to kick this.

Have you suffered depression and how do/did you deal with it?

everyone deals with depression from time to time. the trick is to not get so caught up in life and stop taking everything so seriously. we have no control over most of the important things in our life, so go with the flow and try to stop worrying. get out of your house, hang with friends...whatever makes you happy.