How Do You Guys Deal With Depression?

I feel terrible. I feel like I'm just wasting resources by being alive. I'm taking up space on this planet and I'm not contributing anything meaningful.

I feel like I have no purpose. I don't like sleeping in my bed. I can't sleep. I stare at the blank walls and I think too much.

It hurts too much. The sadness. I feel it in my arms and chest and it just hurts to exist. I can't take it anymore. I feel like I'm stuck in a rut.

I'm sure there are some of you here who is dealing or has dealt with this. What can one do? I really don't think therapy can help. I have a few friends, but they can't be there for me all the time.

When you think you're having the worst day and feeling the lowest of the low and everything is not going your way, you got to realize somebody else in this world is having an even worser day, feeling lower than the lowest of the low and everything for them is really not going their way longer. At least for me, when I do realize other people are having it worse than myself, it puts everything in perspective and my bad days aren't even that bad and there will always be a better tomorrow. As for shaking the feeling of depression, you just gotta breathe, maybe exercise and jog, you just have to release certain chemicals like endorphins in your system. If activity can't help alone, there are medicines that could help. But the first step is talking to someone, family, friends, just someone that knows you and tell them what you're really feeling and how long you've been feeling like that. Everything will be alright though.

Another one of these threads.

Have some sex. Always makes me feel better.

I dont... I dont think I have been under depression... Im sure Im like pretty damn close but I just say **** it and that gets me through rough times.

Sadly i eat when I'm depressed. Recording music helps sometimes too but its hard to so when depressed. I suggest some kind of art to do. Best thing i found when being depressed is to stay busy doing something u enjoy.

I know when I'm feeling down in the dumps the first place I seek help is a video game forum full of immature kids and adults.

Well, I feel the same some days or even weeks, but then I remember that none of it actually matters

Listen to some fucking Slayer.

Dude if you can afford it therapy

Find a goal in life and stick with it. Might be tough though, depression can be a monster.

I take meds and Therapy

Self medicate with a good sativa strain. That will havve you feeling better.

@PinkiePirate:

I used to get depressed back in my jobless days. But then I thought instead of moping around feeling sorry for myself, I should be out there doing something about it. And I totally did! That's what I live by. "If you feel that life's got you down, just ask yourself; what have you done to try to make it any better?" Cuz we only get one life to live and as such it's our responsibility to make sure that we can make the most of it. Sometimes you just have to become that miracle you've been waiting for.

Go on a walk. Really just think about life. Look at nature. Everything on this planet means something. Try to experience new things. I used to think like that, but the truth is just do you. All that matters in the end is your well being, and you have to find something that makes you really happy and makes you feel meaningful. And I don't doubt you'll find something that makes you feel like you DO matter in this world.

If I am in depression I prefer to watch movie or listen to song.

I'd say most people don't contribute anything but they still get to eat and drink.

I'd say you are wrong about therapy, and that you won't know unless you try it.

Generally when I'm feeling down I go do something that is in some way constructive. It doesn't necessarily need to be something very meaningful, but at the end of the day it needs to be something that you can see your work at the end of. For instance I have been creating "invisible bookshelves" this year. At the end of each part of the project I have cleared up shelf space on my normal bookcase that I use for excess dvds, which in turn allows me to get rid of the box that those were in, and my apartment looks both neater as well as cleaner. It also gives me a feeling of being artistic to boot.

So yeah my suggestion is to find some project, regardless of how small it feels, and go do that. See how it makes you feel at the end of it.

I would suggest charity work, because sometimes making a different's in someone's life who is less fortunate is a way to not only feel good about yourself, but it also gives you a feeling of purpose.

As messed up as that comment is, he might actually be right? lol

Try eating well, getting plenty of exercise, and rest. If a few weeks of regular, vigorous exercise don't help, then seek professional assistance. Exercise is a wonderful tool for regulating hormones and increasing your body's natural endorphins.

Aren't you that good looking kid who posts selfies on GS? You should bask with female attention and not be depressed :P

@PinkiePirate: Is this over a guy/girl?

I work harder.

First off, if you feel like this all the time, see a doctor ASAP. They will recommend either therapy, medication, or a combination of both (ideally).

As for me, I took meds for a while and they did a great job. My lot in life has improved somewhat so I stopped taking them, but I still get pretty damn depressed to the point of suicidial thoughts sometimes. I overeat constantly, which just makes it worse, and I see a therapist to help with that and he has helped me with my issues quite a bit.

It's a long road and you will never be rid of your feelings, but you can manage them and reduce the impact they have on your life.

But seriously, go see a doctor. As someone who has put off seeing one many times, for long times, take it from me: the moment you walk in there, tell them whats up, and they say "OK I can help you" it's such a relief. People talk about "burdens" and how they "weigh heavy" on you, and you can take that quite literally.

Meditate, and objectively look at the hings that bother you. The brain like every part of your body needs a break sometime, so if you are constantly overthinking then you are causing mental and emotional fatigue. I hope you all find the peace of mind you are looking for!

Great post! I created a thread recently asking if anyone had escaped from dark places. I think finding someone you can generally confide in who is willing to help(first thing letting you know that you can be helped) is one of if not the strongest remedy. I recommend everyone go to therapy at least once in their life.

Seek professional help first and foremost.

Unless you're suicidal, I personally don't like the "go straight to therapy" advice. They're going to experiment with different drugs, trying to find the right one, and sometimes that just makes the problem worse before better. I'm no Scientologist, but I firmly believe that diet and exercise should be your first steps in regulating moods....again...UNLESS YOU'RE SUICIDAL.

If a month or two of cleaning up your lifestyle doesn't help, then by all means seek a physician. If you already eat fairly well and exercise regularly, see a doctor. I hate this "throw drugs at it" mindset.

Hookers and mountain of coke.

This. Prob get some tablets to help and if it's really bad therapy.

It just helps temporarily but working out outside in the sun. There are plenty of places to work out outside at. Find some pull up bars in some park or something, do/learn pull ups, now learn kipping/clean mucle ups, youtube for street workout exercises and pull up tricks... Or do some wallclimbing if you want an inside activity... Or if you want release some frustration: (thai/kick)boxing or mma.

@uninspiredcup: @Archangel3371: "Seek professional help first and foremost."

He/She needs Jesus.

@PinkiePirate:

Ask yourself why you're depressed. It's not always an easy answer, but there's likely something in your environment that is causing you to be depressed. Once you know, do something about it. I was depressed for over a year due to my job. After I left, the relief was unbelievable. I should have got professional help, but I'm stubborn and wanted to avoid that. If you think you need professional help, get it. It may help alleviate symptoms while you figure out a permanent solution. Depression effects you and those around you. It was making me into a person I didn't want to be.

You literally took the words right out of my mouth, its the exact same way I feel. I always go through scenarios in my head like how I'm going to write my suicide note and the method of suicide.

I'm a classical pianist, playing a lot of Beethoven helps. The anger and angst that I feel at the moment leaves when I start to play the piano.

I keep myself occupied and put more stuff on my plate. When your plate is quite full, whatever goes bad seems to not hold much merit.

I am most depressed when I am not productive and with no one to talk to.

I don't really believe in "depression" in the sense of it being some sort of mysterious "illness" that comes out of nowhere.

Sure, one can feel a bit down from time to time but there is always a reason why.

Kind of obvious, but common culprits would be things like diet, sleep, unemployment, guilt, being bullied, grief, social rejection, etc.

But then of course, sometimes it may feel like there is little we can do to address the issues we may face - but there are certain things we can do to help including:

sex(for happy brain chemicals), meditation, escapism(to get into the present moment), philosophy (for perspective), diet, supplements and exercise.

Endured. Well...I can't say that I ever recovered from my lowest form of depression as the reason and thoughts that put me there still linger but I learned how to live with it. I normally laugh and say "shit can't get worse than this" then continue on with my day...

My lowest point in life was probably between 16-24 and the source of my depression was my inability to socialize or wanting to socialize with anyone. I mean, I used to have no problem socializing with people prior to high school. But after High School got done fucking my life up sideways, I turned into a STRONG introvert. I have major trust issues and I don't care to chat with people in general. I've been trying to improve by forcing myself to chit chat with folks, trying to be that outgoing talkative guy like I was in middle school, but I find it hard to enjoy small talking or socializing in general...

Best way to combat depression (IMO) is to find its source then create distractions. Get new hobbies and invest in them. For me, it was playing video games, attempting to learn how to create game models, riding my bike long distances, cruising in my car (eye balling all the hot, scantily dress women I see while cruisin' *snort*), watching anime, listening to music, and fixing computers. If you manage to endure and distract yourself long enough then eventually your resolve will strengthen. Then it should be easier to tackle the source of your depression head on without ending up destroying yourself.

I attempted to tackle mine by trying to talk to as many strangers as I can. Unfortunately, it hasn't worked out, but I never allowed depression to consume me. Instead, I took a step back, looked at the big picture, then simply decided to accepted my social ineptitude. I figured that if I can do enough to get by in life then everything will be just fine. I accepted that I'm a flawed human being so there really is no need to beat myself up over it. You know, there is so much I could add here on this subject (Like how depression tends to splinter into other problems due to its origins such as taking a look at life and asking yourself is it worth living through whatever making you depressed) buuut I'd probably have to create a great wall of text and I'm not entirely interested in doing that right now...=P

I make fun of social jihad warriors on random off topic sites.

Thank you thank you thank you. Dont ever change, I don't know what I would do without you.

IDK. Depending on how depressed he is, that might backfire.

This. Start thinking about good things, go outside and have fun, have sex, exercise. And if you feel depressed, stop talking about it. Talking about it all the time gets you into a woe is me mindset, and you give the depression power.

the human body is made for moving, so you need some exercise. Go outside now and then. Don't worry about resources or purpose, there's enough of them for everyone.

Ganja.

Secure in the knowledge that it's of no interest to anyone, I just let it slowly eat away at me and impatiently wait for the end whilst I watch movies.

While the bulk of your post makes some excellent points, I think it is important to note that depression is not something that you believe in, some idea. It is a literal disease based on neurochemistry, your genetic makeup, and various other factors. The first thing a therapist or psychiatrist will ask you is if you have a family history of depression because it can be passed on.

I mean yeah you can go "Oh boy I just broke up with my girlfriend, I feel depressed." That's kind of the sad, temporary depression...but technically that is a feeling of depression (more correctly, sadness).

Clinically, depression can be diagnosed and is as serious as any disease: it can lead to suicide, unnecessary stress that leads to heart health, drug abuse, and various other disorders that cause harm to self and others. In my case, my body makes an excess of serotonin, which makes me sedated, apathetic, and makes motivation a serious issue. You know when you eat too much and you feel like a worthless slob and you regret it and you kind of wish you were dead? Well that's how I feel most of the time (minus the bloated stomach...unless I've binged, of course) just in my natural state. Imagine living your entire nap feeling like you need a nap, sleeping your weekend away, needing three alarm clocks just to get out of bed, taking cold showers every time because it's the only way to shock your system.

Like I said, you made some really great points, but it really sucks when you hear people say how depression is not a disease, that it is all "in your mind" or "oh you'll get over it" or "Suck it up". With upwards of 1/3 of the US suffering from depression, it's depressing (nyuk nyuk nyuk...) to think about all the people struggling through life because they were too naive or ignorant to get help, or embaressed to get help because their friends think only pussies see a shrink.

there is truth in this. Got my medical card specifically for this reason.

Depression is anger turned inwards.....but instead of turning outwardly angry to release the anger, you turn it inwards and it causes problems. The enery still exists and it causes depression. You have to change the thoughts that bring you to that point.

Always remember the saying often used in Alcoholics Anonymous that starts as: "And acceptance is the key to all my problems today." Look it up and read it, you have to accept that everything in life is just as it should be, and accept it. Once you do,serenity follows. You have to seriously accept everything as it is, especially since there is so much you cannot control. If you do, you won't get angry much and therefore not depressed. Drive this fact into your head. Google the quote.

@mrbojangles25:

While the bulk of your post makes some excellent points, I think it is important to note that depression is not something that you believe in, some idea. It is a literal disease based on neurochemistry, your genetic makeup, and various other factors. The first thing a therapist or psychiatrist will ask you is if you have a family history of depression because it can be passed on.

Sorry, I just can't bring myself to believe that.

Clinically, depression can be diagnosed and is as serious as any disease: it can lead to suicide, unnecessary stress that leads to heart health, drug abuse, and various other disorders that cause harm to self and others. In my case, my body makes an excess of serotonin, which makes me sedated, apathetic, and makes motivation a serious issue. You know when you eat too much and you feel like a worthless slob and you regret it and you kind of wish you were dead? Well that's how I feel most of the time (minus the bloated stomach...unless I've binged, of course) just in my natural state. Imagine living your entire nap feeling like you need a nap, sleeping your weekend away, needing three alarm clocks just to get out of bed, taking cold showers every time because it's the only way to shock your system.

It's like this:

If one eats the wrong food, doesn't look after themselves, or thinks lots of negative thoughts - then that changes the body on a molecular level.

Then you go to the psychiatrist and he or she will say "ah, it appears you have low supplies of x,y,z brain chemicals - that's why you're depressed!"

"Here, take these expensive tablets - they might make you dizzy, confused and drowsy - and they may even be hard to get off safely, but take them all the same!"

[As for your specific case, I'm sorry to say it, but excess serotonin production sounds like a classic side-effect of anti-depressant medication.]

Been there done that. Personally, working a LOT helps. I just became too tired to even bother being depressed.

Work and sleep, work and sleep, work and sleep...

rinse and repeat

You can believe whatever you want, doesn't make it fact. Believe the earth is flat, believe that depression is not a clinical disease that can be hereditary and is based on physical factors as well as environmental ones.

As for the serotonin, no, the serotonin was just how I am. I've always been a depressed mellow easy-going guy, that just explained it. The anti-depressant I took was actually a SSRI, or serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, makes my body absorb less serotonin, not more (and it does not affect how much I make). Basically the opposite of what you explained.

But there is some truth to what you say; there are snake-oil salesmen out there, or psychiatrists that are too quick to throw pills at you (especially when it comes to children). That's why in my initial response, I said it is important to get therapy and/or medication. Therapy first, imo, then medication if necessary. No reason to start taking things with severe side effects if talking it out with someone that is objective (i.e. not a friend or family member) does the trick. And let me tell you: the side effects are downright terrible. I made the mistake of going cold turkey (I weened a little bit, but not nearly enough) and it was pretty scary; starting medication might be a good idea, but it is not something to be done lightly.

While it's true that diet, exercise, and positive thinking go a long way in promoting mental health, there are people out there that are genetically predisposed to depression and mental health problems (including, but not limited to, bulimia, anorexia, binge eating, alcoholism, drug addiction, and so forth). For them, therapy and medication is not just a wise decision, it's borderline necessary. There are so many people out there that live well, but still have issues, and it is because of these preexisting factors.

@mrbojangles25:

You can believe whatever you want, doesn't make it fact. Believe the earth is flat, believe that depression is not a clinical disease that can be hereditary and is based on physical factors as well as environmental ones.

Okay, so maybe (for whatever reason) a child of parents who have (or have had) depression might have a slightly higher statistical likelihood of getting depressed. Big whooping deal. I can think of many reasons why that might be the case.

As for the serotonin, no, the serotonin was just how I am. I've always been a depressed mellow easy-going guy, that just explained it. The anti-depressant I took was actually a SSRI, or serotonin re-uptake inhibitor, makes my body absorb less serotonin, not more (and it does not affect how much I make). Basically the opposite of what you explained.

There is actually a strong like between ssri's and serotonin toxicity - particularly if the patient overdoses or mixes it with other medication.

While it's true that diet, exercise, and positive thinking go a long way in promoting mental health, there are people out there that are genetically predisposed to depression and mental health problems (including, but not limited to, bulimia, anorexia, binge eating, alcoholism, drug addiction, and so forth). For them, therapy and medication is not just a wise decision, it's borderline necessary. There are so many people out there that live well, but still have issues, and it is because of these preexisting factors.

The science (if we can call it that) on the issue of genes and depression is FAR from definitive...

Personally I think it's dangerous and wrong to just put people in the "born this way" basket.

Because instead of really exploring all the ways in which they might be able to improve their lives, they just assume they were born with a genetic flaw which requires a constant supply of side-effect-loaded medication to quell.

I suspect that's how alot of people roll. They just "get on with it". And sometimes (particularly in males), depression is channeled into anger, violence, rudeness, meanness, etc. and they basically just take their misery out on everyone around them.