depression

[BeigePalladin]

heyo y'all, some of you may have noticed i haven;t been around much for a while, and my thingy that I promised to update remains remarkably un-updated...

I've become extremly melencholy in recent days, so I'm hogging your internets and time to complain about it

anyone know a cure for depresion?

 

[Black Dragon]

Hey Beige,

We all feel melancholy and/or depression from time to time. It's part of the human experience, and is nothing to be ashamed of.

Usually when I'm feeling down, there's a reason. Perhaps something disappointing has happened, and my mind will fixate on it. I suppose it's trying to process what happened. I find that if I give my mind something else to think about, the depression lessens dramatically.

When I'm feeling blue, nothing helps more than "getting out of myself." Spending time with other people usually makes a big difference, as being alone with my thoughts magnifies the problem.

Exercise and sports can also be helpful. I enjoy fencing, which is great exercise and it occupies my mind.

A good video game can sometimes make a difference. A super-involved RPG such as Dragon Age or Elder Scrolls can do wonders for occupying your mind. Just be sure not to become a hermit, and get out and see other people.

If the depression becomes severe, don't hesitate to contact a therapist or doctor. Sometimes talking things out with a professional is the best way to go.

 

[TWErvin2]

Beige Palladin,

What Black Dragon said.

Sometimes a tough decision, sometimes leading to indecison can get one off track too.

A good comedy movie or spending an afternoon with a pal, talking over good times or just going to the park to watch a ball game can make a positive difference.

Hang in there.

Terry

 

[Simbelmyne]

Beige Palladin,

If your depression is situational, it's sure to get better sooner than later...I promise, what you're experiencing sounds normal. I know this because I suffer from bi-polar disorder and get the kind of depression that doesn't get better...so I have to take meds, probably for the rest of my days. When I still have the really bad days, it's too hard to try and reach out to anyone, but I find that reading something fun, light and entertaining helps. I hope you feel better soon. It seems like there are a lot of nice people on here to connect with, too, which can only help.

 

[Donny Bruso]

Beige:

Unfortunately I don't have an answer. It's something that I've struggled with for years myself. And while BD and Ervin are certainly correct that you should see a doctor if things don't look up for you, I wouldn't make it out to be a magic cure. The universal answer of a shrink is to put you on happy pills. When the pills don't work for you, they pretty much run out of answers.

My suggestion is to help yourself. And having been where you are, I know you're rolling your eyes and looking at all of this and thinking it's trite nonsense. And you're absolutely right, it is trite. But that doesn't make it any less true, unfortunately. If you can find something that you like about your situation and hind of hedonistically revel in that instead of all the reasons why that same situation makes you not want to get out of bed in the morning(aside from sheer laziness which we all suffer from, lol) then things might start to look not so bad to you.

I don't know your specific situation, so I can't offer any more detailed assistance than that. However, I am more than willing to talk with you if you like. As I've said, I've been where you are. I was there for years, and I still struggle with it some days, even weeks. PM me if you like, I'll hook you up with my real email. If not, then I wish you the best of luck.

Cheers,
Donny

 

[Joe the Gnarled]

Beige,

I, like Donny, am stuck on this one. If you did not live half way around the world from me I would come visit you (seriously). I think you should heed Dragon's advice. Sometimes people get stuck in a rut. Do not seclude yourself. Try to hang out with friends. Maybe go do something you have always wanted to do but did not want to take the time. If it lasts over a long period of time you could consider therapy. Sorry I can’t be of more help.

-Joe

 

[Telcontar]

I have a depressive personality (runs in the family, sadly). In all my time dealing with it, the most important thing I've learned is:

Your brain is lying to you.

Things aren't as bad as they seem. They will improve. You do have friends, and family, and hope for the future. Whatever your brain is telling you that is bringing you down into this black mood, it's not true. Keep that foremost in your mind, and it will help you through these times. It does for me, at least.

It will take practice. There will still be bad moments. And as Black Dragon said - if it gets bad enough, see a doctor. There are prescriptive drug for depression that help a great deal.

 

[Dante Sawyer]

Hey bud.
I've learned that venting about your issues can sometimes do wonders. I get that sometimes it's hard to share your feelings with someone (I, myself, am a very closed person about such things). Still, I have to say that it can really make a difference.
Chin up brother. You'll be okay. Chamos.
-Dante

 

[Helbrecht]

Hiya Beige, how's it going?

There's no easy, straightforward cure for depression, but everything our fellow scribes have been saying is useful. I can't offer better advice than what's already been given, but I can reiterate it. Just keep your head on straight, keep your friends close by, keep doing what you love and take it easy, yeah? I'd suggest revisiting some old favourites in terms of books, movies, games, etc. and really getting back into them. That helped me a lot when I was in a position like yours. Also, this might seem a tad redundant, but make sure you're eating well, exercising and getting enough sleep. A healthy mind is best kept in a healthy body and all that. Get back into a positive routine and I'm sure you'll soon see an improvement.

And don't rule out the prospect of therapy if nothing else seems to be helping - just talk to your GP about your problems and you can get treatment via the NHS. In my experience, they're very competent with this sort of thing. A lot of shrinks get a bad rap, but they helped me work through a serious depressive episode that spanned most of last year with discussion alone and no prescribed meds.

Hang in there mate. You can beat this, just be patient and tenacious about it. Meanwhile, if there's anything we can do, just let us know.

 

[BeigePalladin]

thanks fior the advice guys

took up Black_Dragon's advice and went and dug out my old coppy of FF7, which helped a little.

don't think it's quite NHS level yet, thankfully, but it might be a while before I do much productive ¬,¬

 

[Ravana]

Beige: no way to answer your question without knowing a whole lot more about your situation. And even then, my advice will have to be anecdotal, since I'm not a medical professional. On the other hand, having worked my way through maybe half the major medications on the market today, those anecdotes are at least moderately well-informed.

I'd say Telcontar has it about right: when your brain tries telling you you're miserable, tell it it's full of it. If or when you can't do that, or can't remember to, it's time to bring in professional (and probably chemical) assistance. Eat well, get exercise, get enough sleep, don't self-medicate… it's astounding how many people's depression has its source in nothing other than one or more of those four things.

 

[Kelise]

Just to add to the 'eat well, exercise, get enough sleep' thing, also get a healthy amount of direct sunlight. Honestly, all these incredibly natural things do wonders.