Depression - Let's Talk About It

[JesseStrucks]

Depression - Introduction

Hello everyone, today i would like to talk about depression. What does depression actually feel like? How and more importantly why do people get depressed. How do i recognize depressed people and what can i do to help? Today i'll hope to at least answer some of these questions. Or just teach people about depression in general, let's get started.

What is depression:

Depression... So what exactly does that mean? We all experience sad and moody feelings. Feeling low from time to time. People that are depressed however experience these feelings more intense (Sometimes without no apparent reason) these feelings tend to last from days to weeks, from weeks to months. And in a lot of depression cases. Even years. Some people will wipe depression off as nothing serious. However it is a real serious condition that will effect your life in almost every way thinkable. It also greatly affects your physical/mental health.

The symptoms/signs:

Depression has many so called "symptoms". So it is often easy to know if you suffer from depression or not (when you know what to search for). Here's a list for you guys:

Feelings:

A depressed person often feels guilt, sadness , disappointment. You could easily end up feeling angry/frustrated or irritable over the smallest things that would not bother you before. You're very unhappy and lack in confidence. You have trouble making decisions.

Behavior:

When faced with depression you often have trouble concentrating, sometimes to a point where you cannot concentrate at all. You have no desire to go out to public places/pubs. You have trouble with getting your tasks done, this could be in school or on the job. Sometimes depression makes you withdraw from close friends and family. People that are depressed often times use drugs/alcohol to lighten their depressed feelings. (this could lead to addiction more easily when depressed) Another huge sign that you are depressed is that your passions/hobbies are not enjoyable anymore.

Physical:

There's also a lot of physical symptoms that you might be suffering from depression. These include that you are always tired. (even after just waking up from a long rest). You could feel sick . You could suffer from pains in your body, muscle pains and headaches. Sometimes you can not sleep(even when your extremely tired). Loss or change in appetite. and also significant weight changes(Loss/Gain).

Summary:

If you can relate to multiple symptoms, it might be a good idea(if not done already) to talk to close friends or family/Doctors about depression. It is best to seek help as early as possible. better go one time to soon. than a time to late.

Depression statistics:

According to the NIMH (National institute of mental health), Depression is one of the most common mental disorders in the USA. The data shows that in 2014 an estimated 15.7 million adults in the States reported having at least one depressive episode in the past year. that is 6.7% of all the adults above 18 years old.

Types of depression:

1. Major depression - The most common form of depression. People with major depression often experience recurrent episodes througout their lives.

2. Atypical depression - Feelng of a heaviness in their limbs. Often caused by relationship problems. Prone to overeating and oversleeping.

3. Dysthymia - Persistent feeling of a low mood over a longer period of time ( could be a year or longer) Also described as living on the auto pilot.

4. Bipolar disorder - Also known as manic depressive disorder. This is because it involves switching between mania and depressive episodes.

5. Psychotic depression - A more extreme case of depression. The person suffering from Psychotic depression can get episodes so severe that he starts to hallucinate and gets delusional. This person often becomes catatonic.

6. Postpartum depression - Occurs after giving birth. The mother in this case would feel disconnected to her baby .

7. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder - Depression that only shows up during the second half of the menstrual cycle.

8. Situational depression - Triggered by a life changing event. Can range from a passing of a close friend to a new job.

Treatment:

Treating depression starts with yourself. If not already make sure you are on a healthy diet. And try your best to have a regular sleep schedule. After thats done. there are various methods to lower the symptoms of depression. Exercise is really important aswell. You probably will not feel like moving at all while depressed. But just go to a forest and walk. Even if it would be for 5 to 15 minutes a day. Keep doing this and you'll eventually start feeling a tiny bit better. If you enjoy keeping a diary/journal you may find it helpful to write down your thoughts on a piece of paper instead of keeping them to yourselves. The most obvious treatment is therapy. This could be with a guidance counselor or with an actual certified therapist. This method can work wonders, and it is always better to try this before going onto medicine.

Personal experience with depression:

To everyone that is depressed at this moment. I've personally been depression free for a good year now. I've been depressed for a good 2 years (without even noticing at first). I'm a extreme introvert by myself so talking about my feelings was rather difficult for me. I'd live on my own by the time i turned 18, so there was no one monitoring me or even noticing how my mental health was degrading day by day. I could still go to school/work but that was all i had energy for on a daily basis. The rest of my day was filled with drugs until i would finally fall asleep. a year into my depression i tried to commit suicide. I stood up around 5:15 Am and walked towards the train station. I was ready for my life to end and i had written a goodbye note that i carried in my pocket. Luckily a guard from that specific train station noticed me at the weird time and talked me out of it. He brought me to his office and we've spend a good hour there until my family came and picked me up. They were shooked and we agreed to go to a psychologist as soon as possible. This was definitly what i needed. It helped me realize the things i needed to in order to fight my depression. If you feel like you are depressed please contact your family/friends and talk talk talk! Please. If you do not wanna talk to your close friends you can even send me a message and we'll talk. Your life is extremely valuable.

Thank you for reading. I hope you all have a wonderfull day.

[Kabluie]

I have been close to people who had major depression, and it's like a light-switch turned-off the really good, positive emotions and it seems it turns into a dump truck of not so good emotions running in their head, as one psychologist explained it to me.

One day one of my best friends was talking and joking about fun things, the next day he practically said mean things, and took me out of his life. I knew he wasn't himself, and it was hard several months until he recovered. I kind of backed off, dropped in a little and told him I"ll be here for him when he feels ready. We are still good buddies today.

I knew him so well. Didn't judge or take anything he said that day very personal. It's one thing I learned from that episode, if you think you are already thick-skinned, you have no idea. You have to get so much better and not take things personal.

[Edanurus]

The thing I always struggled with is that people don't realise how the feelings affect your actions. I feel very lonely sometimes and there's many people that want to help and offer that help but its hard to ask for it. Notice how when someone says they're depressed they almost never take you up on that offer. Like it was said in the take, it really affects your self confidence and self value so its easy to convince yourself that reaching out is a bad thing, that you're bad and would just be putting out people to actually do it.

[Kabluie]

Yeah, depression isn't a rational illness. It's totally better when they are not so isolated but they don't have the willpower themselves to change that. So to help you sort of have to force yourself in. Even just hanging out in the same room and doing separate things is good enough.

[ShesAmerican]

And also one thing to be aware of is that no one can love someone's depression away. I personally believe that depression sometimes cannot be cured, but people can find ways to cope with it in a better and healthier way, and learn how to find life bearable regardless of the dark times they have. If anyone goes through it, please know that you are loved and cared for. Your life is meaningful and has it's values in someone's eyes. It's okay to fall down the dark spiral, it takes so much patience and time to climb your way out but it's worth the effort. You're strong. Keep reaching out for help, you're gonna get there

[Bubble_in_a_Box]

This is good to read, too many people ignore it. My Dad wasn't diagnosed until after he'd had a mental breakdown, he'd hidden his stress so well from us neither me nor my Mom had any idea until she came home from work to find he'd destroyed his phone and locked himself away upstairs in their room. At that point my Dad stopped talking to me altogether and had horrible tremors that he just couldn't stop until the medication kicked in and started to stabilise his mood some. Four years on and he's still waiting for therapy because the sad truth is that there's some people out there that just can't afford it, so some of the treatments you have there are a lot more helpful than they can first sound.

[bijbee]

People gossip behind people's back. Even the bible is clear how sick that people makes. And that is why they do it because they know it and they use the bible to know that and to know how to act against God and they are called Satanists and have a pact with satan and depress people on purpose day in day out and day and night without stopping it ever until the day you die. That is reality. Sex they never do. They talk about it all the time only to depress people. and they do it non stop.
They are fixated in doing it and cannot stop doing it and they doing it again non stop day in day out and night and day. It is their lifestyle and they do nothing else and if you see them you can see they do nothing else all day long their whole entire life time.

[bijbee]

What is suppressed people never talk about? What is not suppressed but expressed they call a disease. That means being healthy is a disease but being sick is healthy.

[TadCurious]

You devote a section of your myTake to treatment of depression but you only mention medication in passing. Medication may not have been appropriate for you and that's great, but it's a godsend for many people with depression. And more and more is being learned about the biochemical basis for depression and that will only lead to even more effective medications.

[Kabluie]

He did see a professional though, but you are right. I think part of the passing reason is medications like SSRIs are slow to work in the brain, and one may have to go through several to find the way out. It can also be the chicken and the egg question, What came first, the depression, or the chemical imbalance in the train. But it certainly can help shorten the effects.

[OldSchool_Metalhead]

great take. in my earlier teen years i had depression. so bad i nearly attempted suicide a few times. the 2 things that saved me from death were working in music and the love of my family/friends. there have been times where it tries to come back (which is quite rare) but I'm always able to fight it with no meds. I'm truly happy i never made the mistake of suicide.

[Cowgirlforever]

Thanks so much from sharing. I had no idea what it was like. Now I can help some friends. Thanks so much.

[JesseStrucks]

Thank you for taking your time to read this. And thanks for giving a helping hand towards your friends. If you want advice feel free to PM me. Best of luck :)

[Cowgirlforever]

Thanks. I hope I can help them. One talks about death at least once a week. Her parent doesn't seem to care.

[JesseStrucks]

You can help. Trust me, it's gonna be hard. But you can always help.

[Cowgirlforever]

Thanks😊

[Edanurus]

I think that talking about death is a good thing, I know it sounds weird but that's a cry for help. The most dangerous type of depressed person are the one who hides it,

[Cowgirlforever]

I hope I can help her. I see her tomorrow so hopefully all goes well

[babybeanboy]

Hey, awesome take! If you don't mind, can we PM? Just to talk once about like, stuff. Thanks!

[JesseStrucks]

Always open for that :)

[babybeanboy]

Awesome!

[babybeanboy]

It's not letting me message by the way you might have to message first

[Aiko_E_Lara]

People who lack self respect regardless are prone to it. It's easy to fake happiness which people only see. Depression is actually really common. I just want people to understand they have benefits too. Pm me anytime you need help.

[Browneye57]

Let's not. More than half the time it's self-inflicted, and carries about the same weight as fybromyalgia - another 'catch-all' pseudo disease.

If you're sick in the head see a shrink. Don't bring it here and whine.

[witches]

Just because they used to torture people with depression back in your days, doesn’t mean you have to spill your negativity and ignorance here. Educate yourself before talking nonsense. Thanks.

[Browneye57]

@witches - Ah, another sicko. Got it. LOL

People come on here with all their mental illness and want to try to explain it away. GTFO

[monkeynutts]

Good read. Thanks, I think this will help a lot of young people out their.

[Anonymous]

Blah blah blah... all I hear about is depression. Depression is understood pretty well these days in comparison to more severe mental illnesses like Schizophrenia, Bi-Polar, D. I. D, and Schizoaffective Disorder. Schizophrenia, especially, is misunderstood to a really high degree. They're considered psycho, serial killers, and beyond repair. I wanna hear discussions about THAT, not depression. Depression is the only thing that gets attention.

[JesseStrucks]

They all need to be brought to daylight, Depression included.

[Opinion Owner]

Depression has been. A LOT. That's the problem... attention needs to be put on other illnesses now.

[Anonymous]

Thank you so much for this MyTake—this describes so much that many try to put into words...

[You_Cant_See_Me]

I hate to sound insensitive but being depressed is an option *in my opinion*

[Appelgold]

thanks for the sharing! its very interesting!

[Revolver_]

I don't want to talk about it

[Kiran04]

I don't like to talk about it. It's depressing.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately

[majorG]

Can we not?

[JesseStrucks]

If you don't wanna read or talk about it. Stop clicking links th. tat u dont wanna read or talk aboutt lmao

[majorG]

Your Take has lots of merit. It is really good to get stuff like depression out into the open. But there is also a risk that by talking too much about your problems, you're keeping them alive. It seems like society is a bit too fond of that at present.