How do you escape depression?

[His Whimsicality]

I have things I need to tell certain people in my real life and I'm afraid to do so.

That´s been the very reason I was so fucked up - wanted to tell someone something but I found myself not able to. Result: feeling of utter helplessness, despair.

But as I mentioned earlier, it´s to a great part self-induced (e.g. is it 'I have to' or is it 'I think I have to'. Don´t know if this makes sense to everyone, but it works with me), and once you realize that, you start to unwind, your once so great problems become distant, almost trifling.

Anyway: If it doesn´t kill you, it´ll make you harder. Use these 'opportunities' to grow.

 

[BlondGirl]

Depression advice

Dealing with depression is a heavy topic. You have gotten many excellent perspectives. Here are my own ramblings.

I spent my entire youth depressed. I did not realize it until, as an adult who had moved away and became "normal", I faced a major loss of someone very,very important to me and felt the same grief. I have no memories from several chunks of time in my life. I know I must have gone through the motions, but that was it.

I am now almost 30 and a parent and a professional bacon-earner and typically qualify as an adult. I have found several things that help me to get through my own personal recurring bouts of depression.

1.) I know that situations can trigger the downfall. I avoid the people who intentionally stomp on my heart. I also can't tolerate watching intensly emotional films. If it hurts, I avoid it. (The application of logic here helps when one is feeling like s/he is deserving of the emotional pain.)

2.) For me, now, the depression cycles. It is a lot like getting my period. It is a pain in the ass, but a familiar experience, and I have learned to deal with it in a way that does not ruin my appearance and trigger everyone to its presence. It comes, it ebbs away, and then it comes back. Sometimes, it is slight when it returns. Sometimes it is a major ordeal. But it does always go away. I know that if I just continue with my life, it WILL go away.

3.) Sleep. Work out/Exercise. Eat. Go to work. Do what is required of you physically and do not conern yourself with anything else. No letters need to be written. No projects need to be fussed with. No stressful relationship time. Etc. If you have trouble sleeping, take Benedryll. If you have trouble eating, get the healthy stuff. (If you are feeling the need to punish yourself--this is a good time to consume the "healthy" amounts of bran flakes and cooked carrots and baked fish and tofu.) Giving your body what it needs will help the depression lift easier. Eat some chocolate if you want, but puchase it in one individual serving to keep from compounding the depression when you realize you have consumed the entire bag of Sam's Super Oreo Copycats. Can't stress it enough--SLEEP. Lots of sleep is good. It passes the time and gives your body time to heal if there is some illness/stress involved and you can't do anything stupid while you are sleeping. (My son--almost 9--knows that when I go into a depressed state, I become a Royal Ogress and it is best to let me sleep and avoid me. I now tell him outright that I am feeling very bad and that he needs to let me rest for a few days. He usually spends each evening either outside with his friends and the dogs or in his room. I get to get over it and he stays safe and doesn't get yelled at or have to watch wierd emotional displays.) (Also--do NOTNOTNOT make any changes in your life when you are depressed. Do not end a relationship or quit your job or change your hairstyle or get a tattoo or do anything that will affect you after 24 hours have passed. It is too easy to regret things that we do in sadness.)

4.) Keep a diary. I used to do this and it helped me some--it also compounded it in some ways too though--if it increases your depressed state--burn the thing.

5.) Don't fear mentioning depression to your doc--but be careful in doing it, this can be used against you later. I sought help when I was pregnant and suicidal and fighting with everything I had to maintain some sanity. The custody of my child was threatened. Due to this, I will never EVER state to anyone when I feel suicidal again. In our present system, you can be punished instead of helped. Decide based on what you have to lose. (Of course, if my child had been taken away from me or if I had been institutionalized-causing the same result-, I would have had no reason whatsoever to not do the dirty deed. A very stupid system.)

6.) Know that you are not alone. Depression,in its many forms, is experienced by people worldwide and there are many around to empathize with. Depressives really should unite--LOL--or, maybe not--it would probably end up being like a black hole. (I also like to compare what ever my current situation is to being in transitional labor. It really helps me to have a good perspective of my current situation.)

7.) Be aware that many people have absolutly NO CLUE whatsoever concerning this. They get sad over a breakup with a girlfriend or whatever and assume they are "sooo depressed" when they are not anywhere near the level of evaluating the ways that one's death will cause improvement to those they love and to the world in general. For those who have never experienced seeing a monster looking back from the mirror, it cannot be understood. When such individuals give you advice, smile and thank them and ignore them. They might as well be advising astronauts on the mechanics of operating the science experiences that are performed in space.
(If I am compounding the depression, please forgive me. Go have that dose of chocolate now.)

I have just thought of a better analogy for my depression. It is more like getting the flu. Some people never get it. Some people get it often. When I get it, I can feel it coming on. I can do things to make it less intense, but I cannot stop it. I simply must wait and ride it out.

Please keep us posted as to your mental status. The rest of us will have ours on display for you to be entertained by.

 

[WoodyViagra]

Blondgirl

A very stunning and intelligent response covering the
many 'phases' depression encompasses.

A lot of excellent info and advice.

 

[BlondGirl]

Re: Blondgirl

A very stunning and intelligent response covering the
many 'phases' depression encompasses.

A lot of excellent info and advice.

Thank you very much. I hope that my experiences can be of benefit to others. Of course, I'd really rather be in that "without a clue" category!!!!!!

 

[alexander tzara]

It sounds like you've found really effective ways of managing your depression, BlondGirl. I think it's importan to understand yourself, know how you react to certain stresses in your life and recognise the triggers for your depression so you can deal with it before it really kicks in and you're too depressed to do anything about it.

 

[Ally C]

I fight fire with fire and consume depressants, usually in the form of vodka ...

 

[SweetCherry]

Oh hell no! When I drink vodka, i get just annoying. I get sick in the morning, and after the last vodka drunk, I swore off!