Depression

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: RightIsWrong
I'm surprised at how many people are or have gone through this and I admire your courage in not only dealing with your own problems/issues related to it but also trying to reach out and help others. Much respect!

I would honestly suggest trying hypnosis. I had an issue that was driving me nuts and I wasn't able to solve it and fought with it for many years but was able to do a complete 180º after only a couple of sessions and the results have held up.

For me, it was really nice because I have a paranoia about taking meds and really was surprised at just how quick, easy, effective and long lasting it has been.

Here's a couple of things that I was able to find related to hypnosis and depression:

MSN: Ask a doctor Q&A

Geared towards fear/phobia, not depression....but watch the video anyway (The article below it is just the video transcript but not as powerful)

I'm pretty sure depression is a bigger problem in this country than anyone realizes. It's most likely just going to get even worse as time goes on as well. Considering general americans habits n such..

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

Originally posted by: SSSnail

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

Originally posted by: SSSnail
Have you tried girls?

Been there, done that.

Shit mate, you're not doing it right then, because it's something that can ever be "done".

No but I can honestly say I'm really not looking for a relationship right now. They are work and just adds to shit I need to have on my mind, which I'd rather not have.

Originally posted by: Kadarin
What I'd like to know is why is everyone so depressed these days? Is the government putting something in the water or something?

Water around here gives people spinal problems or some shit lol.. So much iron in the water it looks cloudy. Can't drink it.

Originally posted by: Zaitsev
I don't have depression so I can't speak from my personal experience. However, my cousin (27) has had bad depression her whole life, and medication has helped her tremendously. It was frustrating to watch because she would be on meds for 6 months and show excellent improvement. Then her mother would tell her she didn't need the meds any more and should stop taking them. :| Of course she would relapse, have a break down of sorts and then start the medication again. This cycle continued for many years before she started listening to her doctor and not her stubborn mom.

I can't remember the specific meds she's tried off hand, but I could very easily find out if you'd like. From what I recall though, the proper medication is different between patients.

Yeah exact shit has happened with my mom so many times. She would start feeling good then quit taking them thinking shes "cured". Then she would have a complete crazyperson break down and starts taking them all over again. Which is where my depression comes from, my parents both have had problems with it for a long time.

Thanks a lot. I'm definitely going to check a book out on that. I think fixing the way I think about things and analyze the world would help way more than a pill ever could. Thats just what I was looking for.


And about the Navy. Yeah I have actually been thinking about that.. It would give me something to do in my life, exercise, travel a bit.. feel good about doing something.. Though the only problem is I got a pretty bad fear of oceans lol.. soo.. Had to rule that one out. Plus I don't think I could handle being on a boat for so long knowing I can't just walk out and go on a walk on actual land.. being all cooped up in those little rooms n stuff.. I'd go crazy.

And peace corps.. yeah I've been considering that as the alt.. Even if I can't be happy, it still makes me happy helping others.. so I think even though I'd never be truly happy I could at least feel good about my life and help others who are even less fortunate.


edit: Btw thanks a lot to everyone who has replied. I really appreciate it. I didn't expect so many great answers. May good things come yalls way.

 

[Q]

Kaol, even if the Peace Corps isn't what you may want to do, why not volunteer around the community, such as Big Brother program? You could hang out and help out kids who have rough lives and make their life a little better.

And for school, why not goto a local Technical college? You could do that, still live where you do now, and not be so stressful.

 

[alkemyst]

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

Originally posted by: SSSnail
Have you tried girls?

Been there, done that.

Anything else?

edit: (girls helped for a little while.. till it falls apart then you're worst off then you were in the first place. And honestly, I'd like to have my life together before I go getting another girl. I'm not much for spontaneous relationships only for sex n stuff.. I'm more of a long lasting real relationship kind of person.)

that's damn right depressing right there.

 

[manlymatt83]

Originally posted by: Cdubneeddeal
Honestly: When I was younger I struggled with depression and anger problems but started seeing a psychiatrist which I felt comfortable talking to which helped the whole venting process of the therapy. I think that's the key. What also worked for me was a physical exercise goal. The physical change of your body after a few months of working out is great for your self esteem.

What kind of hobbies do you have? If you have none, get some. Try new things and find out what you like. If you're at home on the computer a lot, get off of it. Get out. Ride a bike, run, walk, enjoy the world.

QFT on the exercise and being in nature!

 

[DaWhim]

I have a closed friend that is going through this. She finally realized that she has been dealing with depression for years.

She is much better now, after found out what she has been dealing with. She can tell when she is feeling not so well.

exercises is very helpful and usually overlooked.. you can also take a walk outside in the sun. talk to or around people helps too.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: SSSnail

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

Originally posted by: SSSnail
Have you tried girls?

Been there, done that.

you're not doing it right then, because it's something that can ever be "done".

Spoken exactly as someone who has never experienced depression.

Edit: Not to knock you; you just don't understand what it's like. It's not called "depression" because you can just "get over it". Living with un-dealt-with depression sucks and it makes everything in your life suck. Everything.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: DaWhim
I have a closed friend that is going through this. She finally realized that she has been dealing with depression for years.

She is much better now, after found out what she has been dealing with. She can tell when she is feeling not so well.

exercises is very helpful and usually overlooked.. you can also take a walk outside in the sun. talk to or around people helps too.

I think that's the thing, people don't talk about it because they feel it's a personal defect, but really it's like having cancer. It's not necessarily your fault - it just happens to people and you have to deal with it. But since it's not something that is commonly talked about and something that most people don't understand too well, most people hide it.

 

[AmdEmAll]

Try taking 5-HTP. 100mg on an empty stomach before you go to bed.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: Kaolccips

I'm pretty sure depression is a bigger problem in this country than anyone realizes. It's most likely just going to get even worse as time goes on as well. Considering general americans habits n such..

I'd be willing to go so far as say at least 80% of Americans suffer from depression, if not 90%. That number may be ridiculously high, but 95% of the people who responded to your post say they have had depression too, and I'm willing to bet in real life outside the forums they'd act perfectly normal. It's difficult to talk about, compounded by the fact that the solutions aren't very clear to most people. People that do have it don't want to admit that they need to change - more sleep, better food, do some exercise. We sit inside under a roof breathing recycle air, eating processed foods, getting content fed into our brains from the TV and the Internet instead of going outside or doing activities that we control instead of just tuning in. I think there are a lot of causes for depression, but the way out of most of them involves what I said earlier - sleep, diet, exercise, and fixing the way you deal with your responsibilities.

Remember when you were a kid? Your parents made you take naps and you had a bedtime every night. You ate small meals and had snacks ALL the time. You ran around like crazy all day long. Nothing has changed being an adult - you still need all that stuff - but we've been conditioned differently. And because everyone is in a funk because of sleep deficit and not feeling good, it's hard to change and it's hard to even want to change.

/steps off soapbox

 

[BeauJangles]

Drugs should never, ever, be the answer on their own. Finding a therapist that you can trust, that is intelligent, and honest, is hard, but worth it.

As for the drugs... of course they can affect you. Your brain is nothing but a complex series of electrical and chemical reactions. The brain of those who are severely depressed is actually physically different than those who are not and the drugs on the market today work to combat that as effectively as possible.

Hence, the best solution is finding someone you like to help you with issues and letting them decide whether drugs are necessary or even a good idea.

 

[Modelworks]

Originally posted by: Kaido

Originally posted by: DaWhim
I have a closed friend that is going through this. She finally realized that she has been dealing with depression for years.

She is much better now, after found out what she has been dealing with. She can tell when she is feeling not so well.

exercises is very helpful and usually overlooked.. you can also take a walk outside in the sun. talk to or around people helps too.

I think that's the thing, people don't talk about it because they feel it's a personal defect, but really it's like having cancer. It's not necessarily your fault - it just happens to people and you have to deal with it. But since it's not something that is commonly talked about and something that most people don't understand too well, most people hide it.

I did that for quite a while.
I wouldn't take the drugs, and when I did I would only take them till I felt better then quit.
I thought the drugs were making me into someone who I wasn't.
I fought taking the drugs, going for help, and talking about it for years.
I was diagnosed in 1989 but never really got help till 1995.
Before that I thought that if I just tried hard enough to fix myself I could be better and that if I couldn't fix myself then I was a failure anyway.

Now I am open about it and don't care who knows.
The recent shootings don't help things for people as the media keeps labeling everything as a mental problem and not defining whether it was depression, schizophrenia, etc.

They just lump it all together and make it seem like mental problem is some psychotic killer.

The cut backs in mental health are also causing problems.
North Carolina has cut 850 beds from pyschiatric hospitals in the past 5 years.

 

[MrsPickins]

Originally posted by: Modelworks

...

The process is called CBT or cognitive beahvoiral therapy.
There are numerous books and counselors that teach it and it has helped me more than any medication.

...

[/quote]




I like this one recommended by my therapist: Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns.

It helped me realize that I much of my depression came from negative patterns of thinking.

 

[Kaido]

Originally posted by: MrsPickins

I like this one recommended by my therapist: Feeling Good: The New Mood Therapy by David D. Burns.

It helped me realize that I much of my depression came from negative patterns of thinking.

That looks really interesting! I'm picking a copy up today. It's rare that you find someone who puts the theory into doable steps.

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: Quintox
Kaol, even if the Peace Corps isn't what you may want to do, why not volunteer around the community, such as Big Brother program? You could hang out and help out kids who have rough lives and make their life a little better.

And for school, why not goto a local Technical college? You could do that, still live where you do now, and not be so stressful.

I'd like to do something like a Big Brother program but we don't have that around here.. Well we might a few towns over but thats 25+ miles away.. and the only other place would be even further. I don't really have the money right now to pay for the gas to go back and forth. Though I probably should look into something like that after I get a job and get my life on track. I'm not sure how great of a role model I'd be right now lol.

Originally posted by: DaWhim
I have a closed friend that is going through this. She finally realized that she has been dealing with depression for years.

She is much better now, after found out what she has been dealing with. She can tell when she is feeling not so well.

exercises is very helpful and usually overlooked.. you can also take a walk outside in the sun. talk to or around people helps too.

Yeah I was the same way.. I've been having depression problems for.. damn.. I'd say even when I was a kid. It wasn't as serious as it is now, but now that I know what depression is, after realizing I have it. I've been depressed for a very very long time. I just never realized what it was before.. And about being around people, yeah that helps and all.. I'm the type of person if I'm around a happy person, I start feeling happy too. And sad people bring me down.. Though with my really bad anxiety and stuff it's real hard for me to meet people. Considering I'm in a rut in my life and all, I'd feel extremely anxious about what they think.. etc.. And my only good friend that I can go to with all my problems n shit, who i've known for many years, he's fighting the same thing. He's on meds and stuff like that, seeing a psychiatrist.. and it's kind of a downer too because he's still doing shitty.. Though he doesn't exercise /eat right/etc...


I'm going to check out that book as well. As well as one on CBT.
I'm not really surprised to much that there are so many responses from people with depression. I've came to realize awhile back that this is a big problem in this country. After me and my good friend started talking about it, since he has it too.. and we never spoke of it for a couple years until around my senior year of high school. He didn't come to school for really long periods of time.. and eventually was hospitalized for little while. It was actually his Mom who told me cause she knew she could trust me cause I'd been coming over for a long time and he needed someone to talk to about shit. Come to find out we're both pretty crazy and going through the exact same shit. So yeah, it's really really good to realize that it isn't your fault and that you're not alone in the problem. Having someone to talk to about it that I trust makes all the difference. I can be so extremely depressed that I'm suicidal, I'll go over to his place and chill out, talk about whats going on, listen to some music.. and I'll leave feeling 100% better and much calmer.

And about the mental problem business on the news. I hate that sh!t too.. people without depression see that and start thinking that having a mental problem means you're crazy and will hurt someone.. It's fucked up.

 

[sutahz]

You sound young and immature to me. You think your life sucks, you think where you live sucks and nothing is worth your while.
The military isn't for everyone. Think you're depressed now? Imagine being stuck out to sea for 3 weeks where there is nothing to do but eat, sleep and work. Oh and work, standing watch in a 5hrs on, 15 hrs "off" rotating cycle. Or worse, 5 and dimes. While stuck out to sea all you see are fat cows bitching and complaining about things.

Yes, you do need a better outlook on life. There was that episode of south park 'raisins' where stan falls in love w/ a 'hooters' girl and gets his heart crused but butters explains the only reason why you feel like crap is because you've felt so good before in life. I don't believe there is no work where you live, the jobs availible to you are 'below' you is all. That or you haven't put for the effort. 90% of life is attitude, and you have a bad attitude.

Make yourself see the positive side of things, seperate yourself from those that are negative (family included) and MAKE your life good, dont wait for it to magically turn good nor wait for someone else to do it for you. The change has to come from within.

Get a life.

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: sutahz
You sound young and immature to me. You think your life sucks, you think where you live sucks and nothing is worth your while.
The military isn't for everyone. Think you're depressed now? Imagine being stuck out to sea for 3 weeks where there is nothing to do but eat, sleep and work. Oh and work, standing watch in a 5hrs on, 15 hrs "off" rotating cycle. Or worse, 5 and dimes. While stuck out to sea all you see are fat cows bitching and complaining about things.

Yes, you do need a better outlook on life. There was that episode of south park 'raisens' where stan falls in love w/ a 'hooters' girl and gets his heart crused but butters explains the only reason why you feel like crap is because you've felt so good before in life. I don't believe there is no work where you live, the jobs availible to you are 'below' you is all. That or you haven't put for the effort. 90% of life is attitude, and you have a bad attitude.

Make yourself see the positive side of things, seperate yourself from those that are negative (family included) and MAKE your life good, dont wait for it to magically turn good nor wait for someone else to do it for you. The change has to come from within.

Get a life.

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.

Also to get a job, you kind of need to be able to work without having a panic attack or some shit like that. Which I did get a job a town over and I ended up having a panic attack on my first day of work so.. I wouldn't say this is just an attitude problem. It is a clinical condition that needs to be worked on. And I have some things to work on before I consider getting a job.

How do I separate from my family when I'm completely broke. No other family to turn to. No where to go? I'm stuck where I am until I get myself out by going to college.

You clearly have no understanding whatsoever of the topic in discussion. What was needed to be said, was already said. Thanks for the input though.

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: sutahz
Clueless rambling.

Fixed.

 

[Kaolccips]

Well I went to the local library.. didn't have anything I was looking for but I did find a book by Eric Berne, a M.D. called A Layman's Guide to Psychiatry and Psychoanalysis .. It's all I could find over anything remotely close to what I was looking for.. My library sucks..

Though I did find the book No Country for Old Men.. it's much shorter than I expected at only 309 pages. I'm so use to reading books 1000+ lol

 

[sutahz]

Originally posted by: Kaolccips
It's all I could find over anything remotely close to what I was looking for.. My library sucks..

Though I did find the book No Country for Old Men.. it's much shorter than I expected at only 309 pages. I'm so use to reading books 1000+ lol

Clueless rambling? See, he even thinks his library sucks. Whatever, feed this kid the attention he wants and let him think he's depressed when he's really a selfish brat.

Panic attacks on your first day on the job? Learn to work with people, get some self-confidence. You have an excuse for everything.

It's really hard for me to go some place else where there is more work cause around here there is no where to work. And it's going to be hell for me to pay for college.. and considering I also have extremely bad anxiety (doesn't that usually come hand n hand with depression?) then worrying about paying for college is going to drive me crazy.

Here you state there is nowhere to work. Then you reply to me you cant work because of social anxiety (changing your story to fit a responce makes you look bad).
As for college there are grants, loans and scholarships. You really have no clue or motivation. An excuse for everything.

Is your family bringing you down? If so going to college won't help because you'll be so stressed and full of anxiety from meeting new people and being expected to get good grades that you will fail. Maybe the military is right for your 'hopeless' situation. Post a thread on here when you get discharged.


From your OP

I really don't like the idea of medication for it.. I know there is no cure for it.. In my opinion major depression, at least from my point of view on my own kind of depression, isn't a physical problem that can be treated with drugs.. it's the way I think, my mind, the way I see the world around me.

Here you state you don't want drugs and agree that you need to change your perception of the world, which is what I advised you do as well yet here you say

Has anyone taken any types of medication that helped?

I guess some would see that as your willing to try new things to help your 'condition' but I see it as you being clueless and contradictory.

This has nothing to do with my age.

Your age has nothing to do with how you view the world? Thank you for proving my point. Ask any "40+, 60+" person if that statement is correct...

 

[LostWanderer]

Maybe cliche' but I'm reading a book (2 books in 1 actually) that I'm enjoying quite a bit.

Dale Carnegie's "Lifetime Plan for Success" - "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" and "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
ISBN 1-57866-039-4

I'm not one to believe in a single cure, but there are things like this book that help a little. Once I started really trying to understand it, and think about how to apply it I realized there really is a lot of good information in there. I like being able to empathize with his examples. More than anything, I'm realizing that you really can take control of your problems and solve them. Either through using methods in the book or something you come up with on your own, you can find small ways to gradually improve on the things you don't like and things that depress you. It's pretty empowering to think that you can "will" yourself into whatever state of mind you want to be in and do small things to keep yourself in that state of mind.

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: sutahz
Clueless rambling? See, he even thinks his library sucks. Whatever, feed this kid the attention he wants and let him think he's depressed when he's really a selfish brat.

Considering my town has 6,076 people in it, and I would assume you would rate a library on its amount of books. Mine has a very small amount of books, thus, it's a sucky library.

Panic attacks on your first day on the job? Learn to work with people, get some self-confidence. You have an excuse for everything.

I don't think I even have to reply to this comment.. You pretty much told your self off for me. Tell me does Alice ever come by for tea time? What about Merlin and the gunslinger, do they ever stop by?

Originally posted by: kaolccipsIt's really hard for me to go some place else where there is more work cause around here there is no where to work. And it's going to be hell for me to pay for college.. and considering I also have extremely bad anxiety (doesn't that usually come hand n hand with depression?) then worrying about paying for college is going to drive me crazy.

Here you state there is nowhere to work. Then you reply to me you cant work because of social anxiety (changing your story to fit a responce makes you look bad).
As for college there are grants, loans and scholarships. You really have no clue or motivation. An excuse for everything.

Changing my story? How is that changing my story? Lol. Can I not have social anxiety AND have a town with very little job opportunities? I didn't realize that they have to cancel each other out. Also what do you mean reply to you? Looks to me like both me saying I have hard time finding work + anxiety is both in the same paragraph.

And about me not being able to work. This town literally has very very few job opportunities unless I want to work in a convenience store or something like that. Which it would be hard for me to work with customers and stuff like that. Like I said this is a town with barely over 6k people, its the ANTIQUE CAPITAL of east Texas. Meaning every store here is all antique shops ran by old people. Half the population is probably over 60. Everyone drives to the near bigger town, which is around 25 miles away to get work.

About the grant, I've filed for it (FAFSA). Though because of other issues such as not having a way to get to and from school which is a good 30 minutes away, I couldn't attend. This was in January. I'm going to try to go in August, I'm already signed up.. all that good stuff.. I still need to go take the THEA test at the college and I have to get my grant worked out. Because from me signing up that first time it won't let me file for it again online. Even though I never went to college, and I called the school and they never received any money. I never even finished applying because I never took the THEA so I never was officially enrolled.

Is your family bringing you down? If so going to college won't help because you'll be so stressed and full of anxiety from meeting new people and being expected to get good grades that you will fail. Maybe the military is right for your 'hopeless' situation. Post a thread on here when you get discharged.

Actually, ya know considering it is ME who we're talking about here. Which I would assume I would have the first say in wtf I think and how I am. Sure college will be tough for me, but I'll be out and doing something with my life so I think it will actually make me feel better about myself. It will also get me away from my house and my family.

Originally posted by: kaolccipsI really don't like the idea of medication for it.. I know there is no cure for it.. In my opinion major depression, at least from my point of view on my own kind of depression, isn't a physical problem that can be treated with drugs.. it's the way I think, my mind, the way I see the world around me.

Here you state you don't want drugs and agree that you need to change your perception of the world, which is what I advised you do as well yet here you say

Originally posted by: kaolccips
Has anyone taken any types of medication that helped?

I guess some would see that as your willing to try new things to help your 'condition' but I see it as you being clueless and contradictory.

Well then I guess some (most) would be right, and you would be wrong then.

Your age has nothing to do with how you view the world? Thank you for proving my point. Ask any "40+, 60+" person if that statement is correct...

I thought we were talking about depression? My god how does anyone you know put up with you. You're a complete jackass. I'm pretty sure anyone on here who has depression would tell you that regardless of your age, depression is still the same. Like I said, the way I think because of depression, has nothing to do with my age.

People told you what you WANTED to hear. Good job, you found some sympathizers to your 'plight'.

No I found people who actually understood the problem. Unlike you, which I knew this thread would have at least one person like you, a complete jackass who has no understanding whatsoever of the topic being discussed. Yet acts like they do, and knows me better than I know myself. All because of a couple posts on a forum.

Originally posted by: LostWanderer
Maybe cliche' but I'm reading a book (2 books in 1 actually) that I'm enjoying quite a bit.

Dale Carnegie's "Lifetime Plan for Success" - "How to Stop Worrying and Start Living" and "How to Win Friends and Influence People"
ISBN 1-57866-039-4

I'm not one to believe in a single cure, but there are things like this book that help a little. Once I started really trying to understand it, and think about how to apply it I realized there really is a lot of good information in there. I like being able to empathize with his examples. More than anything, I'm realizing that you really can take control of your problems and solve them. Either through using methods in the book or something you come up with on your own, you can find small ways to gradually improve on the things you don't like and things that depress you. It's pretty empowering to think that you can "will" yourself into whatever state of mind you want to be in and do small things to keep yourself in that state of mind.

Thanks. I'll keep my eye out for that book as well.

 

[Chaotic42]

The military is going to want to know if you have any problems with depression.

 

[moparacer]

Here I am reading this at 11:46 PM....

Fail

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

Originally posted by: moparacer
Here I am reading this at 11:46 PM....

Fail

04:47 fails harder!

 

[Kaolccips]

Originally posted by: Chaotic42
The military is going to want to know if you have any problems with depression.

Can't you just lie? lol

What would they say if you said you did? I would assume they wouldn't be allowed in.