What is depression?

[Anonymous]

What are the signs as well?

[CityBoy773]

I have depression and know what it's like. I also have anhedonia, a symptom of depression which is being unable to feel pleasure. In my case I feel happiness but not a lot and not for long.

It's literally like feeling a cloud hanging over you 24/7. Know that shadow that comes with clouds on an otherwise sunny day? That's depression. Yes the clouds will pass but they'll be back. Sometimes darker and sometimes in quick bursts just cause it's a cloudy day. But nonetheless, the clouds are they and they aren't going away for good anytime soon.

People will tell you it's just you being sad and that you need to "get over yourself". Its hard, if not impossible, to just "get over" being depressed. It takes time and, for some people, medication. It's literally the worst feeling ever. Like nothing you can do will make it better and you're stuck, a mind-numbing feeling that comes and goes as it pleases. Eventually it will go and later on come back. Sometimes easier, sometimes worse, and still a shitty feeling.

Mines isn't that severe so I need music, time alone, and space. But knowing I have anhedonia, it makes it worse. Like things that used to make me happy just don't do it as well anymore, or maybe I just don't feel anything about it. There's nothing much I can do now except wait and desperately remind myself that it'll go away eventually.

If you think you have depression, I really urge you to seek mental help. At the very least, it might help you. The last thing anyone needs is to let it get worse and worse.

[Yanoa_Yanza]

It's sadness that doesn't seem to end. Or the person seems to be feeling that his /her struggle/sadness/frustration isn't going away. It's getting so sad that it's starting to affect the person's everyday life

[Jehovahkiin]

Depression is not to be confused with sadness. It's not about cutting and it's not about sadness. Your pet dies? That's sadness. Depression is the literal embodiment of of emptiness and nothingness. If you imagine that depression is similar to 'sadness', you can't possible hope to even conceive what depression really is. Well-intentioned people try to cheer you up, but it does not work. Because every human emotion is sucked out from your body.

It's a terrifying force, so utterly destructive and incomprehensible.

[fauchelevent]

Depression is a mental illness, specifically a mood disorder, that is characterised by a feeling of sadness, exhaustion and hopelessness. It's been linked to low levels of serotonin which can be treated by drug therapy, though depression often also requires counselling too. Symptoms of depression include appetite and weight changes, loss of energy, self-depreciation and self-destructive behaviour, social withdrawal and sometimes self-harm.

[MaiNameIsSunshine]

Somehow I knew this was being asked by someone under 18.

[Asker]

Hmm what do you mean?

[Fearless_banana]

Just stay on gag and you will see non stop questions of self pitying males bitching about their lives and how women are evil. You will also see sexually repressed women that embrace feminism as an attempt to rationalize that they are unattractive.

[Anonymous]

Depression is like drowning. Except you can see everyone around you breathing.

[Anonymous]

You're not motivated to do anything.
A heavy feeling of sadness and hopelessness.

[Anonymous]

Mental numbness

[Anonymous]

Is google broken?

[Asker]

No but it doesn't give me the actual Details I want. I want REAL people telling me about their experiences