BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Depression

What is depression? Can we define it?
I call myself depressed many times. When I am not interested or feel helpless.
But is it that?

what a know about depression is that it has nothing to do with feeling sad, is like not wanting to do anything, you feel tierd and sometimes you also feel many kinds of pains... like back ache, or headache... noy being interesting in something has nothing to do with it eighther...

Depression is sadness on steroids. You cannot count your lucky stars or your blessings. You cannot look at how lucky you are or whistle a happy tune. It is standing at the edge of the abyss and seeing what is staring back...it is not caring about those you used to care for or possibly even knowing they are there...it is sitting in a chair for days in the dark and never going outside, it is gaining weight, it is losing weight, it is sleeplessness, it is always sleeping(and much more)...IF you have felt like that and wondered why and then decided you did not care why...that IS depression.

IF you are lucky and it is "situational" then whatever it is that is making you feel like that goes away and you somehow magically notice it is gone well good for you...BUT if it is an actual chemical imbalance then that means your brain is not creating the chemicals required to help you not feel depressed. To take drugs for this condition is not being addicted anymore than a diabetic is addicted to insulin. If you need it to have a life worth living then to not do what is required to live is both selfish and foolish...if you live all alone and have no loved ones then go for it have a good wallow...if you have people who love you then do what you have to do to love them in return...

But, Hey; that is just me...

My doctor says i am depressed.

How does he diagnose it? As clinical, acute, chronic, hormonal......?

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Depression is very real -- it is not in the imagination of the millions of people who live with it or who choose not to live with it on a daily basis.

If your MD gave you that diagnosis, I would discuss it further with him but also ask him to point you towards a mental health professional such as a: clinical social worker, psychologist, counselor, or psychiatrist. I say that because talk therapy is proven to be a part of any treatment plan for anyone with depression. So it's a good place to start. You can decide later if medication would be appropriate for you.

The best place to start is to get talking. Isolation is extremely TOXIC for people suffering from depression. Which is why I am elated that you have at least found us here at Bella.

By the way, how long have you felt your feelings of depression?

I get bouts of anxiety attacks and am depressed most of the times. I am on alprazolam right now. About the kind of depression it is, I will ask him. and I would write more here in this thread about my feelings to discuss as suggested.

I suffer from depression,to the point that im suicidal,ive been on many meds for depression andin the psych ward twice,depression controls my life, right now im on lexapro i am also biplor taking 900mg of seroquel a day foe that,every one getsdepressed now and then but when depression become a part of your life i urge you to get help.

I think of suicide manytimes. Then I think of my afterlife and think that suffering here is better.

cdmohatta, are you in any kind of therapy, do you have any one close to you that u can talk to, it won't make sad things go away but it helps to talk, talking save my life

I talk to my Guru and my mother and to members of this forum. Thanks.

I've read Deepak Shopra's books and can agree on his vision, which I have shared myself before even reading his books: we mostly make ourself sick. It's just very hard to break this habit and get out of the negative spiral. For that, regular treatment and therapy can be a big help, so it certainly has it's function. But sadly enough, most people aren't strong enough in that situation to break it or avoid the risk of getting dependant on drugs, therapists, guru's (in the negative sense of the word, those who claim to be guru's, while they just like to USE people for their own benefit)

I'm in a hard trail of breaking the circle again, but I've had an intense weekend in which I did 3 things I never images doing again in my entire life, but I still did them, so I see this as a sign to take my life in my own hands now and start doing something about it instead of getting carried away again and step back into the negative spiral.

I would like to treat lots of people who are walking the same path, but I have to finish mine first. It's hard...

Having a strong faith is very good. It gives you something to anchor onto. I've been exactly where you are- thinking about suicide and that it would be better if done with. But ultimately it was my faith that gave me the "handle" to try and work through this.

Let me tell you, when you and your Dr. hit the right medications, and you are where you need to be in therapy - it will get better! I liken it to being in a dark pit; in the very beginning when you are diagnosed you see a little pinpoint of light that is your hope, but as you climb and struggle to fight this disease (which it is a disease) the light gets brighter, and the hope greater.

My thoughts and prayers are with you.
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Depression for me happens when a person thinks that he is not worthy to do anything of worth anynore.

The person then experiences a feeling of uselessness.

love makes me depressed!

Most of the times when I am depressed, I do not realize that.

hoildays depress alot of people, hoildays make me very sad, it effects me both physically and mentally, the death of my 2 children and my girlfriend of 9yrs i dont enjoy the holidays any more, its not all cracked up to be like you see on t.v. there are alot of lonely people out there, i just want to get thru it, and get it over with, i dont reflect my sadness on my other children or my grandchildren, i try very hard to put on a happy face for them, and hide my sadness inside my heart

For some reason, my depression increases during the time the sun sets.

I forgot to add(although I have noted it before) I am a firm believer in "better living through chemsitry" I am taking wellbutrin. My doctor calls it the "happy ,healthy, and horny pill." I say two outta three ain't bad...

I WAS ON WELLBUTRIN for almost 3 yrs all i experienced was agitation,palpitations, and gas;o( i never felt happy, healthy, or horny, if my doc, told me i would feel horny i would feel embarrased, but i would not be seeing a male doc so coming from a female she would respect me and not go there, oh well being depressed in the first place horny isnt even in my vocabulary. i hope wellbutrin works for you, good luck

What is wellbutrin?

Maybe you are not getting enough sunshine. My mother recently purchased an OTT lamp and it has a special bulb.
Daylight and depression

Does night time has any special meaning to you ?

cdmohatta; wellbutrin is an antidepressant

I think people with depression like the dark and night more then the day. Seeing all those people happy while you don't seem to have access to this can be frustrating. Been there...

This is the thing about side effects from any thing we ingest from St John's Wort to Vitamin C Or paxil to aspirin OR wheat products to peanuts; they ALL have a potential for some sort of side effects that canrange from hiccoups to actual death to anyone allergic ....it does not mean that YOU will experience a single one of them personally. That is why the drug companies manufacture soooooo many similar drugs. They do not want to miss the chance someone might take the drug they make with success and that way the drug company makes money.

I think that everyone deserves to go thru life as pleasantly as possible and to love and be loved..The thing about profound depression is that you not only do not FEEL lovable you do not care...if a drug and/or counselling can do something to help I say GO for it! We ALL deserve that much...

I am Ok during night. I experience maximum disturbance between the day and the night time.

I'm a night lover, just leave me alone in the morning. Always was and still is, so that might have an effect as well...

I do not know why time affects our mood.

My dad is bipolar and has suffered from depression, addictions, and many other issues for many many years, most of his life. He often thought of suicide. These things are very serious and are not to be taken lightly. If you are thinking of suicide, or have thought about it, even if you "talked yourself out of it" (as my dad put it), there's something not quite right. That's not something to ignore.

My dad also has seasonal mood disorder. In the winter months, when it's dark and cold and ugly out, he goes into depression, which brings up other issues, spending money, lack of sleep, etc. It's because you aren't getting enough natural light. The sun provides vitamins to your body and it naturally makes you feel happier and more energized. So when that is lacking, especially with someone who suffers from depression, it can make you feel really awful. And not only mentally, but physically too. Taking vitamins, eating healthy, drinking lots of water, exercising, and getting as much light as possible can really help alot. And it doesn't help just with seasonal depression, but for anyone.

My family and I have gone through ALOT with my dad. And these issues aren't something that I take lightly. It can be very serious. I mean, my dad was diagnosed improperly by one doctor and given medication that only worsens bipolar disorder. He went for second and third opinions and they all came to the conclusion after LOTS of testing and councelling that my dad has been this way his WHOLE life. He was not diagnosed properly until he was... 30 something. If it had been treated earlier, he may not have had to live through some of the pain he went/is going through. He may not have made some stupid decisions. Who knows. But if you or ANYONE you know is contemplating suicide, please get help. Talk to someone professionally.

Just my little story... but that's all I have to say for now.

CD - one reason why your mood is so affected when day goes to night, could be that you are running out of energy at this time.

This time of day is also when food addicts are most likely to binge (that and very late at night.)

i have read it is because this is the time of day when we are coming down from work - it has been a long time since lunch (which often is just a stuffed down sandwich), and the transition time from work to home often just means more work!! No wonder people are depressed at this time.

Try to eat a a snack consisting of high fiber carbs and high protein - like cheese with triscuits, or a plain yogurt with real fruit mixed in (not one with lots of refined sugar). Try eating this about an hour to 30 minutes before you normally feel these "blues" coming on and see if it makes a difference.

Also, as someone else mentioned - check out your lights. If there is a significant difference in the types of light you use at home (such as lots of flouresecnets), then these could be the culprit, too. Try switching to more lamps with softer bulbs, and keep lots of plants and blooming flowers in your home. This can sometimes fool the mind into thinking "outdoors" and ban off some of the S.A.D.

I hope some of this helps.

Thank you so much.

Our body is strongly influenced by daylight. When the sun has set, serotonine is transformed into melatonin. When the sun rises, this process stops, if you are not asleep. That's why everybody is much more happier in the summer time, when the daylight is longer.

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Everyone experiences grief and sadness times, just as we experience happiness and joy. Moods come and go, and cycles of emotional and downs are a normal part of life. However, ongoing feelings of profound sadness that are accompanied by feelings of hopelessness, fatigue, difficulty in concentrating, disturbed sleep and eating habits, and a loss of pleasure in activities that you would normally find pleasurable are an indication of depression. The spectrum of depression ranges widely, from feeling low to serious contemplation of suicide. Depression can be caused by a number of factors, but it is usually the result of either a traumatic life event or an imbalance in brain chemistry.