Depression

[Platypus]

What specifically are you depressed about.. since you were 13 in particular?

 

[nboy22]

You should check into something called Low Serotonin, go search for it on google

My girlfriend brought to my attention that I most likely have Low Serotonin, I would have mood/rage outbreaks, feel depressed/hopeless at some times, and I've had anxiety problems since I was in 5th grade (I am now almost 21).

I went to the doctor, told him everything I was feeling and I found out my mom was even on anti-depressants, and I already knew my sister was. So I told him exactly what they were taking and that most likely there is a history of it going on.

He gave me a prescription for 10mg Lexapro pills, an mild anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pill. Within the first week I felt like a million bucks, I can't remember feeling this good ever since elementary school.

I think that medication can help, I was strongly opposed to it and it took me almost a year of convincing even to go to the doctor because I was doubting that I was depressed and had anxiety issues, and I also thought pills wouldn't help me and do more harm than help.

I would agree with the other posts in this thread that you should go talk to the doctor and get some sort of help, try different pills until you find something that works for you.

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: Platypus
What specifically are you depressed about.. since you were 13 in particular?

Uh... It's kinda not like that.. more just a state of mind.. there are things that trigger that state of mind then your own brain kinda takes over from there.
But some reasons I could just throw out there.. don't want to go into too much personal stuff.. umm.. both parents have attempted suicide multiple times, sometimes for attention, sometimes it seems genuine but just didn't work. Every time they've went to the hospital. My mom more so.. and then aboutt... idk 3 years ago she OD'd. No one talks about it but I'm pretty sure it was suicide. Umm.. poverty.. uh.. living in a secluded area my whole life. Drug use/alcoholism in family. I could go on and on but I'm not going to.. It's just like.. idk.. normal things that don't bother people really really get to me just because of the depression. I'm pretty sure even if I had a different life I'd still eventually get it because both my parents have it bad.. and other family. It's clearly something thats just in my genes. I know like 3-4 other family members who have bad depression as well and have to take meds/psychiatrist.

I think that medication can help, I was strongly opposed to it and it took me almost a year of convincing even to go to the doctor because I was doubting that I was depressed and had anxiety issues, and I also thought pills wouldn't help me and do more harm than help.

yeah.. I probably should already be on medication.. I just.. idk I've seen how it changes people.. and I hate that they have to treat me like im a guinea pig until they find something that works.. and in that time it could just make it a lottt worse. Like my friend who has bad depression, they gave him like 2 kinds then 3rd was Paxil.. he was bedridden for awhile because it made his head feel completely crazy.. hearing noises in his ears.. like a cricket in his head and all sorts of shit. He eventually looked up side effects from Paxil online and I checked it out too, and basically every thing that was on there was things he said has been happening.. so I'm kinda scared about that. Some people it seems to make way worse.. but some people it helps a little.. and some people it helps a lot.. I'm just really worried it's just going to make it much worse for me. I can't handle that, it's already bad enough.

 

[Platypus]

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

Originally posted by: Platypus
What specifically are you depressed about.. since you were 13 in particular?

Uh... It's kinda not like that.. more just a state of mind.. there are things that trigger that state of mind then your own brain kinda takes over from there.
But some reasons I could just throw out there.. don't want to go into too much personal stuff.. umm.. both parents have attempted suicide multiple times, sometimes for attention, sometimes it seems genuine but just didn't work. Every time they've went to the hospital. My mom more so.. and then aboutt... idk 3 years ago she OD'd. No one talks about it but I'm pretty sure it was suicide. Umm.. poverty.. uh.. living in a secluded area my whole life. I could go on and on but I'm not going to.. I think that's enough.. It's clearly something thats just in my genes. I know like 3-4 other family members who have bad depression as well and have to take meds/psychiatrist.

So basically a very unstable home life and a nowhere dead-end town then? As I'm sure you already know you have to get out of that situation before you can begin to deal with the more deep-rooted issues going on here. A good first step which it looks like you've already taken is to try and go to school. If all the things you mentioned do not pan out then just take out student loans like a large majority of the rest of this country does... I'm still paying mine off.

You're stuck in a rut right now and you're the only one who can change your situation. I don't buy into medication or doctors for this sort of thing. I'll leave my personal opinions on those topics out of the discussion but needless to say I'm not a fan of that route.. sounds like you're not either. It's easy to feel like things are hopeless and that you have a valid explanation for the way things are but speaking as someone who has been where you are, the only limitation here is yourself and it will never change or get better until you force it to.

In the meantime you need to find an outlet for this frustration you're feeling; something healthy that you can channel all that negativity into...

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: Platypus

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

Originally posted by: Platypus
What specifically are you depressed about.. since you were 13 in particular?

Uh... It's kinda not like that.. more just a state of mind.. there are things that trigger that state of mind then your own brain kinda takes over from there.
But some reasons I could just throw out there.. don't want to go into too much personal stuff.. umm.. both parents have attempted suicide multiple times, sometimes for attention, sometimes it seems genuine but just didn't work. Every time they've went to the hospital. My mom more so.. and then aboutt... idk 3 years ago she OD'd. No one talks about it but I'm pretty sure it was suicide. Umm.. poverty.. uh.. living in a secluded area my whole life. I could go on and on but I'm not going to.. I think that's enough.. It's clearly something thats just in my genes. I know like 3-4 other family members who have bad depression as well and have to take meds/psychiatrist.

So basically a very unstable home life and a nowhere dead-end town then? As I'm sure you already know you have to get out of that situation before you can begin to deal with the more deep-rooted issues going on here. A good first step which it looks like you've already taken is to try and go to school. If all the things you mentioned do not pan out then just take out student loans like a large majority of the rest of this country does... I'm still paying mine off.

You're stuck in a rut right now and you're the only one who can change your situation. I don't buy into medication or doctors for this sort of thing. I'll leave my personal opinions on those topics out of the discussion but needless to say I'm not a fan of that route.. sounds like you're not either. It's easy to feel like things are hopeless and that you have a valid explanation for the way things are but speaking as someone who has been where you are, the only limitation here is yourself and it will never change or get better until you force it to.

In the meantime you need to find an outlet for this frustration you're feeling; something healthy that you can channel all that negativity into...

Thanks, and yeah that's basically the majority of the problem. And I'm trying to find that something healthy to put my time into.. I use to skate and that helped a whole lot. Pushing and jumping around for hours a day is really great exercise and it's something fun to do when I want to get away. Maybe I'll buy a new board.. girls and drugs kind of ruined it for me. No more girls and no more drugs so I mine as well start again.

 

[Chiropteran]

Originally posted by: Kaido
Here is what I recommend:

1. Go to sleep EARLY, EVERY NIGHT (no later than 10:00pm, if you really want it to go away, then 9:00pm)
2. Eat healthy meals and cut out drugs (caffiene, heavy sugar use, drugs, alcohol, drugs, non-required medication) and always carry a water bottle with you
3. Exercise every day, at least 10 minutes (but more like 30 minutes)
4. Create a personalized daily routine that you follow to a "T" - I'm talking about waking up, taking a shower, getting dressed and putting on your shoes, and having your day planned out
5. Change the way you deal with responsibilities to "work first, play later" - always do your duty first. Stress is a very large contributor to the way you feel and can manifest itself physically

I don't suffer from depression, I enjoy every minute of it

Your advice is good, but I wanted to share my perspective. I strongly feel that a small change is better than no change, and in some cases making a huge change, even if the change is ultimately for the better, you will end up reverting to your old ways if the change is too much for you to handle.

1. I started getting up earlier, rather than going to sleep earlier. An interesting distinction. If I try to go to bed when I am not tired and ready to sleep, I end up laying in bed for hours trying to get to sleep. I hate it, so I don't do it. Lately I have been getting up at 8am everyday. That might not sound early, but I work an 11-7 shift and previously I would wake up at 10 or so and quickly shower and head to work, now I have a lot more time in the morning.

2. Bad things happen to me when I cut out caffeine 100%. Perhaps is just a placebo effect, or perhaps not, but when I don't drink caffeine at all I tend to get really bad allergies. On the other hand, I do realize the negative side of caffeine, so I limit myself. I only allow myself to drink a caffeinated soda with lunch. Never with dinner, and never outside of a meal. I do drink lots of water, though I think drinking water is overrated.

3. I exercise 3 days a week, though I spend about 45 minutes to an hour at it. It's just my preference: I'd rather push myself as hard as I can when I exercise, it makes me feel good, but it leaves me so sore that I need a day of rest in between.

4. This helps a lot, I agree with this 100% and follow it myself on weekdays. On weekends it's harder for me, but I'm still working on that.

5. Agreed completely.

 

[Whisper]

Medication is something that you should discuss with a qualified professional (most likely a medical doctor, unless you happen to live in Louisiana, in which case you could find a properly licensed psychologist as well).

Therapy, if you're interested, is also something that should be brought up with someone trained in its administration (such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or in many instances a master's-level social worker). I don't remember the exact numbers, but off the top of my head, I believe that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy specifically has been shown to be effective in approximately 60-70% of individuals who adhere to the treatment plan. Best of luck to you.

 

[sutahz]

For someone depressed you sure to 'lol' a lot.
Ooooo anxiety your first day on the job, yeah no one else ever experiences that.
Like i said, there are jobs in your area, you just don't want them.
What you view as depression I view as you being a snot. You view everything in your life as crappy and part of that is your age.
Here is your quote:
"Young and immature? Tell that to the millions of people who have the exact same problems that are 20+, 40+, 60+. This has nothing to do with my age."
My point being your age affects your view of the world which is why you think you are depressed. As you get older your view of the world changes so not everything sucks.
"the way I think because of depression, has nothing to do with my age."
Flip it, the way you percieve things in the world makes you think you're depressed.

So what's funny about a high iron content in the potable water causing people spinal problems?
"Water around here gives people spinal problems or some shit lol.. So much iron in the water it looks cloudy."

How long have you been drug free? Were your friends druggies and depressed souls too? Comming off of an addiction can make you think life sucks.

"Umm.. poverty.. uh.. living in a secluded area my whole life."
How does anyone grow up in these conditions? Oh wait... they do.

If you REALLY wanted to get out of that place/town you would, but you don't.
No, I'm not going to spell it out for you like Kaido did.

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: sutahz
For someone depressed you sure to 'lol' a lot.
Ooooo anxiety your first day on the job, yeah no one else ever experiences that.
Like i said, there are jobs in your area, you just don't want them.
What you view as depression I view as you being a snot. You view everything in your life as crappy and part of that is your age.
Here is your quote:
"Young and immature? Tell that to the millions of people who have the exact same problems that are 20+, 40+, 60+. This has nothing to do with my age."
My point being your age affects your view of the world which is why you think you are depressed. As you get older your view of the world changes so not everything sucks.
"the way I think because of depression, has nothing to do with my age."
Flip it, the way you percieve things in the world makes you think you're depressed.

So what's funny about a high iron content in the potable water causing people spinal problems?
"Water around here gives people spinal problems or some shit lol.. So much iron in the water it looks cloudy."

How long have you been drug free? Were your friends druggies and depressed souls too? Comming off of an addiction can make you think life sucks.

"Umm.. poverty.. uh.. living in a secluded area my whole life."
How does anyone grow up in these conditions? Oh wait... they do.

If you REALLY wanted to get out of that place/town you would, but you don't.
No, I'm not going to spell it out for you like Kaido did.

Well.. some people laugh instead of cry sometimes, smile instead of frown. Idk why but I'm like that.

Anxiety on first day is one thing. But to almost have a panic attack thats another (hah I almost lol'd again). I think it was just the fast food environment. I mean, it's easy work and all.. but all the people I was working with were soo horrible.. they kept telling me to make so and so and they never even showed me how to make it! So how the hell am I suppose to know? And when I told them I had no idea how to do it they just kept giving me go to hell looks.. so eventually I started to freak out because they kept doing this and I eventually started not being able to breathe and I couldn't sit still.. I really really really needed to be alone.. People who have had panic attacks know what I mean, and it fucking sucks when you're stuck around people about to have one. Luckily right when I walked up the shift manager to tell her I seriously had to go, the second I opened my mouth she said that she thought I had worked long enough (6 hours) for my first day and I could go ahead n go, they didn't need the help. Maybe she could just tell I was freaking out.. idk. I never went back though lol.

It's pretty easy for me to get jobs though after I find places that are hiring. The few jobs I got, every manager loved me after the interview. The fast food place usually has 2 interviews but I didn't do the 2nd cause when I got there the assistant manager told me the manager was talking about how she really liked me and blahblah. Something like "idk what you said but the manager is completely sold on you. We don't even have to do this interview because when it comes down too it she makes all the decisions and I don't think she'd let me say no to you" lol.. idk what that means.. but I've always had a easy time getting jobs, even if there are lots of people applying. So if I can just fix myself a little bit I think I can get a job pretty easy as long as I can find one, and working makes me feel really good about myself. (obviously) And that is what I'm hoping I can do here soon.

My point being your age affects your view of the world which is why you think you are depressed. As you get older your view of the world changes so not everything sucks.

You still don't seem to get it... Having severe depression, regardless of your age, life will suck balls. Are you even aware that the highest suicide rate is men over 60? I realize that is somewhat due to illness and such, but I'm sure a lot of old dudes are just like.. life sucks balls and I've already seen all there is. I'm done.

Regardless of age, if you are depressed, life will suck. I do not think I am depressed because I am 19, I think I am depressed because I am literally depressed. If that made any sense then every young person would be severely depressed and there would be no older people with depression.

"Umm.. poverty.. uh.. living in a secluded area my whole life."
How does anyone grow up in these conditions? Oh wait... they do.

Exactly. And some people have depression, and some people don't. Some people aren't bothered at all by living in shit and having a crappy family. I know people who are completely fine with their lives and they are worse off than me. Sure they think it sucks but it doesn't get them down. On the other hand, I know people better off than me by far, and they feel like completely shit 24/7.

You really don't understand people very well...

If you REALLY wanted to get out of that place/town you would, but you don't.
No, I'm not going to spell it out for you like Kaido did.

How blow truckers for rides? What about money? Shelter? Where the hell am I suppose to be going? lol Sorry life isn't that easy. I can't just walk to the bank, grab my millions in cash and go on my merry way. There is things I have to do before I can leave.

1. I started getting up earlier, rather than going to sleep earlier. An interesting distinction. If I try to go to bed when I am not tired and ready to sleep, I end up laying in bed for hours trying to get to sleep. I hate it, so I don't do it. Lately I have been getting up at 8am everyday. That might not sound early, but I work an 11-7 shift and previously I would wake up at 10 or so and quickly shower and head to work, now I have a lot more time in the morning.

Yeah I started doing that.. I'm not sure if I can go to bed at 9 every night.. Maybe if I wake up at 4 am and exercise a lot during the day.. but idk.. I woke up early today, and didn't go to bed till like 1 and I feel better. I've been drinking water as well and eating 3 meals. I'm one of those people who don't eat then they are depressed (some people eat a lot). So I was down to eating like once (if that) a day. and even then, it would only be a little meal.