Guys to guys what do you do to get out of a slump or depression?

[jaxthedog]

[Curmudgeon]

Short term or long term?

Short term:

1. Sometimes the best answer is to turn off machines like this one and go "touch grass". Or put on a good pair of shoes and plod along a hiking trail, or even a few blocks of suburban sidewalk (city sidewalk has a caveat about the safety conditions). Or getting on a bicycle and pedaling a bit, just to get out of your home a bit and see a change of scenery, no matter how local.

2. Put your attention where you want it. Tune out people and situations who make your life miserable as much as you possibly can. This is a lot easier said than done, I know, but try anyway.

3. Keep quiet. Don't share your negative feelings, however true and spot on they are. (Unless, of course, it is a forum like this where you can). Of course, you might get criticized for being so quiet, but then you can let your full negative out and that will shut them up. "If you didn't want my negativity, then you should not have picked on me...", you can always tell them in that case.

4. Make some short term plans and some realistic goals. Cleaning your home? Sorting your disorganized clutter into something organized and presentable?

5. Find the few friends who do get it. But those people will be few and far between, so keep rule #2 above in mind once it becomes clear a person does not really get it, or s/he has limits.

6. Cherish the little niceties that you do come across in your life. Savor that above average cup of coffee, for example.

Longer term: I can post a follow up if you wish. But looking into antidepressant medications is OK if you need to do that.

[jaxthedog]

What about long-term

[Curmudgeon]

OK, longer term:

1. Build up your economic value and maintain / improve your physical shape. Don't compete against others--that will just bring you down and make you miserable--just compete against *yourself*. That is, don't compare yourself to that good looking "buff" fellow or a successful coworker, compare yourself to where you were yesterday. I hope that makes sense. And YES, progress will be incremental, and even quite slow, but it is progress nonetheless.

2. As above, Pour yourself into school / work. Make more money and/or build up skills to make more money. Or if you find an academic interest that excites you, go for it. This is always good.

3. Exercise. You are already doing this, but you say you have no results? Even if utterly non-sporting, it is good just to hike, bike, or lift weights. AGAIN, Don't compete against anyone--that will make you feel worse--just compete against yourself.

4. Look into antidepressant meds. They can really help in some cases. Now each person's body chemistry is a bit different, and much of the brain/mind is still an unexplored frontier of medicine, but look into it to get yourself out of what may be a biological problem as well as a mental one.

5. Done enough of the above? Then develop an interest that takes you someplace you haven't been. Ever skied down a mountain? Scuba dived under the water? Took up motorcycle riding? Backpacked or camped out in pretty places? It doesn't have to be anything special or even costly, just anything to change things up.

6. Now *if* this is a "boo hoo hoo. I want a girl" issue, just be aware doing all of the above helps with respect to that too. Or it makes you realize that having a special signficant other is NOT the be-all and end-all.

[Jmmmfi4]

I really wish I knew... im struggling with it bad

[Staximus]

Get up and do something. Anything.