**!♡鬱☺☹~DEPRESSION UNIFIED THREAD~☺☹鬱♡!**x (18)

1 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-21 14:31 ID:ci7oJKrS

**!♡鬱☺☹~DEPRESSION UNIFIED THREAD~☺☹鬱♡!**x
        +。
           * ヽ('A`)ノ *゚
          +゚   (  )   But I'm not depressed~!
              ノω| It's all bullshit!

I often get the feeling that we could probably just rename this board to '4ch - Depression and Anxiety'.

In this thread we talk about Depression specifically and its various forms: "male"/"female"/"atypical", dysthimia, bipolar... etc.

Is depression a disease or a personality trait? And at what point do personality traits become diseases?
What are your thoughts on therapy and medication? Alternative treatments?

Post your past/present depression stories/symptoms if you have them, and methods/plans for recovery. Or whether you think you really are depressed at all, and how can you tell?

2 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-21 14:45 ID:ci7oJKrS

I think it's interesting that there seem to be as many variations in symptoms as there are sufferers. It seems that every personality has a different way of reacting to it, and it can be hard I think for many people to confuse symptoms and personality traits.

In my case, I've only recently seriously started considering that I'm suffering from "depression" as a disease, and started looking at my behavior objectively, like symptoms; those scientifically observable traits that are there whether you will them or not. (It's also funny that I would deny or ignore all of this even after being diagnosed with some kind of mild depression 3 years ago the first time around.)

And when you take a step back and do that [look at your behavior objectively], it becomes hard to deny that something's eating you up and you're not just "lazy" or "unmotivated" or "bored with school" (although how would I know it if I was?).

Funny thing is once I start "being honest" with myself (or am I just manufacturing a medical excuse to cover for my Failure?) I start to actually "feel depressed" which is something I've never really done or recognized before. (one might argue that my general lack of emotional responsiveness is a clear sign of depression as well, but...)

I really have a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of depression as a "disease" as opposed to an activity. People are always "being" depressed sometimes for a day, sometimes for 5 years, but people are never "being" cancer or diabetes. Depression is a role we take up it seems like "student" or "slacker" or "guilty person" "loser".

I don't know...

3 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-21 17:43 ID:Y+9TaMXj

somtimes you need depression to enjoy lyfe more when you get to the happy session.. :3

4 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-21 17:57 ID:1k5bDBym

I hate myself and I want to die

5 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-21 20:51 ID:y3n+//fA

The idea of depression as a choice is as much bullshit as alcoholism being a choice or contracting diabetes as being a choice or heart failure as a choice. Although the person at risk must make serious changes to their own lifestyle in order to survive and thrive, these changes are not easy and the realization that change is needed comes much too late to double back and change the path. Especially when behaviors become habits and habits become first nature.
In the first place, no one 'chooses' to become so emotionally crippled they feel that suicide is the best option, as no one choose to become a meth addict. Who would want that? besides in all honesty a crazy person. In which case, that's a problem right there.

The role of honesty in depression is that the depressed person is ultimately the most honest person in the world, unable to lie to even themselves about their own self worth or find good reasons for living. This is the suppression of the survival instinct, which is needed to even desire to make a change. And so it's like trying to a bring a car to a safe stop when the brakes fail and the steering column locks up on a major highway.

I believe not enough is known about the brain to call depression a disease. It could be a result of a disease, defect, poisoning or parasite we don't even know about. But it's as real as a cluster headache, which exhibits no external symptoms besides the person's reaction to the pain.

Medication works for some, perhaps because it prevents the person from feeling so bad they want to die, and just good enough to make the changes needed. These are not happy pills and should not be portrayed as such by pharmaceutical corporations or social cynics.
Medication does not work for others because it may prevent the person not only from feeling bad, but also from feeling good. Or anything at all. And there are any number of side effects, ranging from general health to sexual health to worsening of the symptoms the medication is intended to treat. More research is needed to get these drugs out of the dark ages, but even installing a window into the side of a living person's head wont give more insight into the most inexplicable organ we have.

>>2
Maybe you're not depressed... maybe you were misdiagnosed or diagnosed early enough to make a change... but others do suffer from depression. Please respect that.

6 Name: s : 2009-07-23 13:19 ID:H/f5m6go

fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! fuck! FUCK!

7 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-24 16:57 ID:Y+9TaMXj

its summer :3 smileeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee :)

8 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-25 02:44 ID:qPsAvdM3

i became depressed after i lost my girlfriend...now it has become my shadow and has lived with me for months.

9 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-25 12:15 ID:UR0AC/xN

I have adhd. So being depressed is kind of a plus thing to me. That, way, when I am down, my energy level goes down, so I can think calmly and straight.
When I am about to talk to a pretty girl, I try to depress myself so I don't end up making a fool of myself.
It is almost as if I like being depressed.

10 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-27 05:32 ID:G+yFhnUD

Depression has gotten so bad that I have trouble getting up and moving around, even to play games or load up a movie seems uninteresting and drudging to do. Trying not to think about the past is very hard at a time like this, I need something to engage me all the time and nothing can do that.

Exersize is good for an hour or so and I can tolerate surfing forums for maybe 30 minutes. I don't know.

11 Name: Kant : 2009-07-28 03:47 ID:p7EoTofY

>>5, I agree with you about it being suppression of survival instinct, and a disease at that. Sometimes even an animal in shock will get depression to the point where it stops moving and starves; perhaps suicide is not only a human activity.

Being bipolar, I can notice definite cycles of behavior for myself, and this experience proves to me that depression is real. Sometimes life feels worth living, as I can see all options open, even ones that don't truly exist. Other times, I am trapped in a nigh-suicidal dirge that will not stop playing. Luckily things are rarely so extreme. I don't want to be this way, inhibited from feeling joy at creating anything, my productivity drops to nil. Feelings dampen, and the innate lack of purpose in the universe becomes an oppressive emotion in itself.

However, I think a great many depressed people might suffer from a lack of willpower for change. Though perhaps this is self-condemnation speaking. It doesn't help that society has acted as if depression and mental illness are cool. Things that are linked to suicide, like cutting, are suddenly normal. I hate this, because those who try to act ill that I know are incredibly healthy. I hate the 'hip' depression.

But depression is not an excuse. Nor is it worth ending your life over; there is medication and almost always a way. But, I cannot do this anymore, I have only life to lose so I build rather than destroy. Somehow this is ironic. Today has not been a good day.

12 Name: Anonymous : 2009-07-28 12:15 ID:ci7oJKrS

People today live under arguably very "unnatural" circumstances.
Humans didn't evolve living alone in tiny apartments eating out of cheap restaurants and convenience stores, spending the vast majority of their time sitting down indoors. When you live this kind of lifestyle - more or less cut off from social networks and regular physical exertion connected with hunting/gathering - for any length of time, we should expect some kind of nasty physical backlash, and we need methods to counter them.

13 Name: Anonymous : 2009-09-01 00:34 ID:9S/w2OFs

>>12

Lots of things that are natural are bad for people. Poison ivy is natural but I wouldn't rub it all over my body. Also, the concept of something being "natural" is vague. We might say that corn is a "natural" food, but modern corn is the result of countless human modifications.

14 Name: Anonymous : 2009-09-01 04:42 ID:Heaven

>>13

No point in arguing about semantics since you know what he/she means.

15 Name: Anonymous : 2009-09-01 10:34 ID:zyFss96n

Well, I'm the type of person that doesn't mind depression any more than happiness or other states of mind. How about that?

16 Name: Anonymous : 2009-09-01 14:54 ID:Zu0f2DHp

>>15
Well you're apathetic, which may or may not be one of the symptoms of depression. Probably is.

17 Name: Anonymous : 2009-09-02 01:15 ID:a+i+oYJ3

I may be a bit nit-picky about semantics, but anyways...

>>2
I think "being depressed" is more of an expression of a feeling; i.e., it's the same as "feeling depressed." We generally use the verbs "to be" and "to feel" interchangeably.

However, I agree that the stigma of mental illness still exists. From my experience in the mental health system, even professionals have the tendency to label someone as "depressed," "anxious," "borderline," "bipolar," "schizophrenic," "narcissist," "psychopath," etc.

One huge problem with being objective and "honest" while depressed, is that our distressful emotions can become so overwhelming that these emotions get in the way of our objectivity. These emotions distort our minds so we tend to think in extremes. As we think in extremes, our distress become more extreme, and with this spiraling effect, we get stuck in our head. One of the goals of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is to (1) catch ourselves making these cognitive distortions, (2) find evidence from the real world to support and counter these extreme statements, and (3) from our supporting and countering evidence, make a balanced thought so that we don't feel as much stuck into our thoughts and feelings.

>>5

As to whether depression (or mental illness and addiction in general) is a choice, I think that we sometimes see it as two extremes: a personal choice, or social responsibility. I think it's better to find some perspectives supporting the two extremes and make a balance between the two. This article from Mind Hacks kind of discusses the debate of the two perspectives: http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2007/08/addicted_to_neurobio.html

And when I was depressed, I considered myself "honest" to my pessimism; however, now I'm somewhat remitted from my depression, I see that pessimism as a symptom of "learned helplessness" more than anything else.

Depression can be seen as a "disease" that's resulted from a "chemical imbalance" (of e.g. serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine), which can be treated with medications. Depression can be seen as "atrophy" of the brain where certain parts of the brain (e.g. the hippocampus) are deteriorated due to the lack of neurotrophins. However, depression can also be seen as the brain's response to excessive stress. This stress can be contributed by our environment, but also by our "maladaptive behaviors" which can be unlearned through therapy.

>>11

People who self-injure and who engage in parasuicidal acts may look like that they are looking for an excuse; however, it might be true that these behaviors are the only ways that they can end their pain - at least temporary.

18 Name: 5 : 2009-09-02 20:56 ID:Svs8aCGe

>>17

> As to whether depression (or mental illness and addiction in general) is a choice, I think that we sometimes see it as two extremes: a personal choice, or social responsibility.

Absolutely true. The politicized thought process makes it's impact on this issue as it does many others. And we often don't consider the broad spectrum of what could define 'choice'.

My thought is if this is a choice, than anyone else in my position would have made the exact same choices. Because for anyone to be in my position, they would effectively have to be 'Me'. I'm not sure if this fits into either perspective.

> And when I was depressed, I considered myself "honest" to my pessimism; however, now I'm somewhat remitted from my depression, I see that pessimism as a symptom of "learned helplessness" more than anything else.

I've recently discovered more about my feelings on this. Although I still think of myself as worthless on the cosmic scale, I recognize my true worth not as being an absolute but as relative to others. After all, there are a whole lot of people that deserve to feel the way I do a thousand fold, but don't and instead live guiltlessly through self-justifying cognitive gymnastics. So why can't I find a way to do the same with so much less to feel bad about?

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