The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

[sbando]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

^1000% agree on that bit. I just say that when you suffer from it and all the people around you think you're just weak and lazy, that will make you feel lonely and misunderstood and that seed will eventually grow till it becomes part of the problem.

But I don't want to be too aggressive about it, I simply know from experience that even if your mind is still working -I still have a good job, etc.- most of the time your body will fail you.

[floridaorange]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

One good habit that does help anyone is a minimum of 30 mins a day of working out. Sure some people are physically unable, and to them I say god bless. But if you are able, make the time, get it in. It's really important. It's not thee answer, as there is no 1 answer. It did help change my life when I was 18 though. Someone older and wiser than I suggested I get a workout plan together and once I did, shit just started getting better for me. When I quit working jobs I thought would make my parents proud, shit got a little better. When I stopped all Liqour intake, shit def got better, though I do still drink the occasional beer. When I read books about shame and family secrets and co-dependancy shit got better.

Some people I know are just too damn smart for their own good. They overthink everything to the point of inaction. They are unable to justify changing habits, thinking about things differently than their parents or what not. They feel and stay stuck for a variety of reasons to no fault of their own or as I said - have physical disabilities making change impossible. God bless'm

[KiwiTollway]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

Recently, I was bucked very, very hard while on a large horse. I managed to stay on because I'm strong & I believe another force helped me. Now, I am hurting pretty much every time I move. I could say "I'm depressed" because I'm hurting and feeling down by the ache. But I'm happy that though the wind was knocked out of me & I was nauseous the rest of the day, I felt pain like nothing before, everything works out for me, I can move my spine just fine, and there is nothing to feel sad about. What I'm experiencing is sadness to due pain & sadness I mostly likely won't ever again do something I used to really enjoy because I saw my life flash in front of me and for a moment I thought it was over. Or, I could be feeling sad for other reasons (thought related). I know this sadness will end because ultimately I'm a happy person all around. You can be a happy, emotionally & physically (bodily) healthy individual and still suffer bouts of depression that have nothing to do with people around you, your thoughts, your surroundings, concentrating on others, helping others, etc. You could even be very, very successful in every area of your life and still deal with clinical depression. It has nothing to do with coping mechanisms (those help with sadness & confusion), if you're depressed you can try the medical community who, like someone else said, it's hit or miss with medication and sometimes that makes things all around worse for you.

Depression is misunderstood, like I said, not to argue with anyone. Sometimes it's ok to say "Hey, can we chat? The sound of your voice would really help me feel better today." and that is not co-dependent, bipolar, depression; it's normal, healthy living, and asking for what you want. Try it or not. You learn who you can count on, who really loves you, and who you can't because they really don't. It happens when you need them the most.

[barski]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

@Zover:
"Suffering from depression is completey different from being sad for some reason."


Google images, depression,
what do you see?

I know this is too easy...

[barski]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

You don't have a fucking clue, man. When you wake up sorrounded by nurses and police officers and various humanity screaming at you, you'll get it, but just perhaps. If you think that "bipolar" is just a buzz word for hipsters then you're welcomed to my world.

I was talking about depression.
You're talking about bipolar...

[Zover]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

@Zover:
"Suffering from depression is completey different from being sad for some reason."

Google images, depression,
what do you see?

I know this is too easy...

I prefer to read than look at pictures

[sbando]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

I was talking about depression.
You're talking about bipolar...

What's the difference?

Bipolar disorder, also known as bipolar affective disorder, manic-depressive illness, or affective psychosis

What I really meant: do not play with someone who's depressed, by saying random stuff and without acknowledging his illness.You can make serious damage. If you care about that person, help him/her find a good doctor.

[Micko]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

I work in the area of mental health - mainly with people who have enduring mental health conditions (predominantly schizophrenia and to a lesser degree schizo-affective disorder). Major Depressive Disorder is probably what is being discussed here in the sense it is a chronic condition which can cause much suffering. From my experience psychotherapy can prove to be a very useful intervention working with depression, in particular reactive depression (which can be an understandable depressive reaction to a life event such as losing a job, a loved one etc..)

Didi you are right, there is still a lot to learn about these processes. The damage of stigma also needs to appreciated if we talk about mental ill-health.

[floridaorange]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

Recently, I was bucked very, very hard while on a large horse. I managed to stay on because I'm strong & I believe another force helped me. Now, I am hurting pretty much every time I move. I could say "I'm depressed" because I'm hurting and feeling down by the ache. But I'm happy that though the wind was knocked out of me & I was nauseous the rest of the day, I felt pain like nothing before, everything works out for me, I can move my spine just fine, and there is nothing to feel sad about. What I'm experiencing is sadness to due pain & sadness I mostly likely won't ever again do something I used to really enjoy because I saw my life flash in front of me and for a moment I thought it was over. Or, I could be feeling sad for other reasons (thought related). I know this sadness will end because ultimately I'm a happy person all around. You can be a happy, emotionally & physically (bodily) healthy individual and still suffer bouts of depression that have nothing to do with people around you, your thoughts, your surroundings, concentrating on others, helping others, etc. You could even be very, very successful in every area of your life and still deal with clinical depression. It has nothing to do with coping mechanisms (those help with sadness & confusion), if you're depressed you can try the medical community who, like someone else said, it's hit or miss with medication and sometimes that makes things all around worse for you.

Depression is misunderstood, like I said, not to argue with anyone. Sometimes it's ok to say "Hey, can we chat? The sound of your voice would really help me feel better today." and that is not co-dependent, bipolar, depression; it's normal, healthy living, and asking for what you want. Try it or not. You learn who you can count on, who really loves you, and who you can't because they really don't. It happens when you need them the most.

That's certainly true, you can be all of those things. People can also be not very aware of themselves, their thoughts and what may be taking place in their subconscious based on the conditioning they experienced during childhood. Sort of like the tapes they play in their brains running the show.

It takes all kinds, the experience of life is different for everyone. I am grateful that I am not depressed anymore and wish others the same. Micko however would be the specialist on this topic > the rest of us .

I'll mention one other thing I learned rather recently, past couple years. And that was to stop giving a fuck if people liked me or not. In my business its very easy to develop a people pleaser attitude, that shit is not good.

Another thing that helped, beyond self-love, is self-grace. Allowing myself to feel the spectrum of emotions that is life. Not pushing away negative thoughts so much as embracing them as part of the human experience. Along with happiness, sadness, anger, rage, all of it. It's all good. It makes us humans. If we were always just "happy" that's fake nonsense. But a lot of people like to "stay even-keeled" or "consistently" one way. That shit kinda sucks as well... those patters of behavior become our identities if we stick with them for a long long time. But people can change, if they want to. And then some people have low blood sugar and they feel depressed because of that. There are so many reasons why someone might be feeling depressed. I just think people are capable of change.
Have a nice day

[KiwiTollway]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

^thoughtful response. it really is all good and I, for one, appreciate the threads you start even when I find the title abhorrent.

so far, my day has been great! expensive, but great. $380 at the eye doctor for exam & contacts for my child is a bit much, but they gave me a $70 coupon rebate & referral to a good chiropractor for me. Parents lead hectic lives.

same to you FL, thanks

@Micko, that must be a hard job. Kudos to you & thanks for the insight and bringing up the important point about stigma. I love that movie Silver Linings Playbook made an honest attempt at diluting the stigma & Bradley Cooper did a great job on his role. (Movies are never really realistic though, thankfully so, but I appreciated the screenwriter's attempt.)

[Micko]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

This is one area I am very passionate about, not just depression but the whole area of mental health. I have been working in the area for nearly 12 years and have certainly learned along the way. One of the most damaging aspects is certainly labelling. It boxes people into an incredibly tight narrow view of humanity (which is flawed to begin with) and not really seeing people as they are - those who have a life story, dreams, loved ones etc. as well as possessing a constellation of symptoms (in the case of schizophrenia for example). It is much better to treat the symptom than to label someone.

Labelling someone such as "mad" or a "schizo" generates all sorts of negative connotations (in large part due to negative and sensationalist media reporting in TV/paper/film etc). That coupled with gender socialisation means (and research suggests this) that men are less likely to approach mental health services for fear of being stigmatised. For example the name schizophrenia was changed in Japan in 2006 to a more medically orientated name having the impact that more people engaged with services - the reason being people did not fear the new name as much and did not internalise self-stigmatised statements such as "I'm worthless", "Sure who would employ me", "People will think I'm violent" etc..

Also, for what it's worth regarding a discussion of depression, the psychology of shame has proved to be hugely important in understanding the phenomenon of depression. Often the key to understanding the root of depression is to understand the root of shame in a person's life

Fascinating thread and so bloody important that we as a society try to empathise with our brethren for we are all capable of suffering mental ill-health

[floridaorange]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

Glad Kiwi is ok too, that horse incident sounds like a close call. I say "sounds" because I hear a voice in my head when I'm reading, and the voice has a tone. When exactly were you bucked? Have you seen a doctor?

MS can seem great and fun if you login while in a lighthearted mood. MS can seem cold and dark if not, this is from my experience.

[DIDI]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

This is one area I am very passionate about, not just depression but the whole area of mental health. I have been working in the area for nearly 12 years and have certainly learned along the way. One of the most damaging aspects is certainly labelling. It boxes people into an incredibly tight narrow view of humanity (which is flawed to begin with) and not really seeing people as they are - those who have a life story, dreams, loved ones etc. as well as possessing a constellation of symptoms (in the case of schizophrenia for example). It is much better to treat the symptom than to label someone.

Labelling someone such as "mad" or a "schizo" generates all sorts of negative connotations (in large part due to negative and sensationalist media reporting in TV/paper/film etc). That coupled with gender socialisation means (and research suggests this) that men are less likely to approach mental health services for fear of being stigmatised. For example the name schizophrenia was changed in Japan in 2006 to a more medically orientated name having the impact that more people engaged with services - the reason being people did not fear the new name as much and did not internalise self-stigmatised statements such as "I'm worthless", "Sure who would employ me", "People will think I'm violent" etc..

Also, for what it's worth regarding a discussion of depression, the psychology of shame has proved to be hugely important in understanding the phenomenon of depression. Often the key to understanding the root of depression is to understand the root of shame in a person's life

Fascinating thread and so bloody important that we as a society try to empathise with our brethren for we are all capable of suffering mental ill-health

Thank you

[KiwiTollway]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

@Micko, so true, everything you said I really agree with. My cousin's son started experiencing symptoms of psychosis when he left home to go to college and his doctors mentioned schizophrenia, the onset of which is usually during a crucial time in someone's life when they're surprisingly young. (I never knew anything about it until he was hospitalized.) I hear he's doing fine now though, they have reduced his stress and he's living at home while going to college now. I don't think he was diagnosed with it. It is surprising also, how little science knows about developing brains & mental illnesses considering this is 2014. I think they'll find what is considered mental illness these days is actually many times symptoms brought on by stress or trauma. That's cool they have renamed it in Japan to help people cope. Thanks for the insight, again. Interesting!!

[Micko]

Re: The reality of depression - Decoded Magazine

^ I am glad to hear a diagnosis of schizophrenia wasn't made - that label can haunt a person in terms of lost opportunities in life. First Episodes of Psychosis are treated much much better compared to before and the hope is it doesn't become a full blown enduring psychotic illness. Roughly 1 in 3 people who are diagnosed with schizophrenia make a decent recovery and can go on to live fulfilling lives. The key (as far as I'm concerned) is support and a willingness to talk about symptoms as well as compliance with medication. The medical model certainly prevails in the area of mental health but slowly, very slowly this is evolving. Another crucial point is to support people not to internalise stigmatising statements and this one reason I have so much love for psychotherapy. So many people "give up" in their willingness to embrace life when they receive a "label" such as schizophrenia - this has been coined the "why try" effect and is very powerful.