Why do people think depression is a bad thing?

[KillerMuffin]

What's wrong with being depressed? I happen to like being melancholy and sad. I wear the emotion well and it's dynamite for my brain function. The stuff I write when I'm sad just makes it all worth the lack of exuberance. I don't stay sad all the time, I do have the ups along with the downs, but dammit, let me savor my downs like I savor my ups. It's the full breath of humanity, you know. I like to mad, too, but that's been blown out of the water for the evening.

No, I don't need drugs. No, I'm not manic. No, I'm not crazy. I just like to be sad. I'm not dangerous to myself or others. I'm simply sad and it's okay to be that way.

 

[st4nton]

i think most people that are truly depressed naturally want help w/ it, and others, naturally, want to help them even though they dont realize that theyre probably incapable.. i dont think the average person will ever understand ones depression until, or if, they are there themselves..

 

[sufisaint]

It's a beautiful thing......like a silver tear gliding down a loving cheek...

 

[MissTaken]

Episodic depression or sadness is great for the creative juices.

I always feel more in touch and more motivated to write or sketch or whatever when I am a bit blue.

Depression that is chronic and long term can be detrimental to every bit of your life.

What if you were sad and creating great works 16 hours a day? What would happen with your schooling, your children, your family, etc?

I think many of the recent depression posts are of that nature.

 

[paganangel]

i'm there. in my case i do need the meds. my creative juices haven't ben stifled that much though. i still cry, just not over the soup being cold.

 

[sigh]

I too enjoy a soulful moment, to shed a sorrowful tear alone, but I don't think that's the depression most people are talking about KM. When depression overcomes you so that you can't move or think or manage even the simplest of tasks, then it goes beyond melancholy and becomes pathologic.

That said, I do think we treat depression too widely here in the US. But then, I think we treat everything too widely. We're so fixated on the silver bullet, the magic elixir, the perfect pill to make the world (or our ills) go away.

I've spent my share of time curled up on myself, and so far have emerged better for the time lost to sadness. But then there are others who curl up and never reemerge. Depression can be subtle and devastating. It's definitely not for everyone.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Managing depression is one of those razor edge things. I like to skate along that edge and wallow around in it. Sometimes I go too far and start to curl up under the bed. Mostly, I catch it in time and start to exercise.

I've been depressed to point of stagnation before, I know all about that. I've also been undepressed for long periods of time.

 

[sufisaint]

being the master of yourself is the only true power you can excercise...and if you truly understand the gift of life, you are at home in the dark valleys as well as on the mountain tops...

 

[Lost Cause]

Depression is sometimes reflection...

Sometimes I get a little down and turn inward to my best friend, me! I use it to isolate/insulate myself from the noisy world, to take stock of where I am, and where I've been so far. It is my most creative time, where solutions are born, and ghosts of my past are exorcised. I come up from it to laugh at stuff around me, then go back to my self-evaluation. I do come up with some good stuff like:

"That perfect sphere you create between the physical world, you and your god.

The rushing silence penetrated by only what you allow in, and your space witnessed by only those that you choose to observe it.

Some drift in their spheres for minutes, hours, days, and in some cases forever.

The quiet time is an escape from the noise of conformity and chaos that exists around us, a temporary state in the silence of death."

And:

"Most are forever trapped by ill memories, denying themselves present happiness, as well as future contentment.

Some memories bring back the fragrance of a long ago love, or a Grandmother's afternoon of baking.

Memories are what we make them, regarded as an ancient fable, or a weapon of pain against a transgressor.

Be a good steward of your memories, as not another set exists in the entire universe, try and nurture the good, and parole the bad.

Never let your present be clouded at the same time by the past, a memory that denies you the pleasure of now."


*The best poets/songwriters/musicians are the ones that have delt with life's tragedy, and emerged with the transcripts of their conquest.

 

[sigh]

Managing depression is one of those razor edge things. I like to skate along that edge and wallow around in it. Sometimes I go too far and start to curl up under the bed. Mostly, I catch it in time and start to exercise.

I've been depressed to point of stagnation before, I know all about that. I've also been undepressed for long periods of time.

That brought a smile to me for some reason. Maybe it's your visual image of skating the razor's edge. I like that. I always pictured it as a slow, spiraling dance around an ever sinking center. Sometimes the slide down does feel good.

Sometimes it's damn hard to climb back up, though.

Usually a screaming child can get me moving. There's nothing quite so motivating as a curdling wail from your kid. It makes me empathize with those mothers in nature who eat their young.

 

[TheDR4KE]

What's wrong with being depressed? I happen to like being melancholy and sad. I wear the emotion well and it's dynamite for my brain function. The stuff I write when I'm sad just makes it all worth the lack of exuberance. I don't stay sad all the time, I do have the ups along with the downs, but dammit, let me savor my downs like I savor my ups. It's the full breath of humanity, you know. I like to mad, too, but that's been blown out of the water for the evening.

No, I don't need drugs. No, I'm not manic. No, I'm not crazy. I just like to be sad. I'm not dangerous to myself or others. I'm simply sad and it's okay to be that way.

I agree KM.

The only thing that I had to learn ws not to make decisions while depressed, but I'm good with that now. I notice and know to avoid certain activities, and know to eat well during those times. Other than that I like to explore it, feel it -- and certainly the music I play and what I write at those times has a very definite art to it.

Quack

the D

 

[TheDR4KE]

Managing depression is one of those razor edge things. I like to skate along that edge and wallow around in it. Sometimes I go too far and start to curl up under the bed. Mostly, I catch it in time and start to exercise.

I've been depressed to point of stagnation before, I know all about that. I've also been undepressed for long periods of time.

totally agreed.

For me it's to eat something good (eg fruit) and either pick up one of my instruments and play, or to sit and meditate. Sometimes I practise some of the old martial arts moves, but I'm not really all that much of an exercise kinda guy. I'm fit, etc ... but I'm too lazy to go somewhere where I can run the way I want to.

Quack

the D

 

[Lancecastor]

You think Depression's Bad?

I'm an optimist.

Try dealing with that sometime.

"Glass half full, glass half full, glass half full."

And have you seen the price of rose colored glasses lately??

Lance

 

[Guest]

Many truly funny and creative comics are depressive.

 

[Shaq]

I think you all are minmimizing the problem by only judging "depression" by your own experiences.

What you all are talking about is the blues that EVERYONE goes through. Everyone needs to feel a little down at times, it helps us reflect, think and analyze. It also can be theraputic because it gives us the contrasting emotions.

But a person who's depressed isn't necessarily a better writer or person because they are depressed. Poe and Hemingway are exceptions that spring to mind immediately but as accomplished as they were in lower mental states they did not WANT TO BE DEPRESSED.


Saying you want to be depressed means you aren't really depressed. You just don't like being chipper constantly. But if you were really depressed I don't think you'd like it.

And it's a paradox because if you liked sadness you would really be depressed. You'd be a sadist or weird.

 

[Shaq]

"Minimizing"-Trivializing


I prefer that word better...

 

[TheDR4KE]

I see what you're saying, but I don't think that it's entirely true. We are able to accept and cope with the way we are. Some times it beats us. Other times we beat it. But there are benefits that you can draw from these states that you can't get from other states, just as there are benefits from those other states.

I enjoy being happy as well. I'd rather be happy, but to choose between managing my light depression and taking medication I'd rather be depressed.

Horses for courses though. The problem is in whether others allow you to be depressed, just like people who want to 'save your soul', thinking their religion is the only true way.

An extremely complicated issue, as every single person is different ... every day.

Quack

the D

 

[glamorilla]

i'm trying to deal with it.

 

[Temptress_1960]

yes, clinical depression is a whole different issue than just being sad or melancholy.

I think Shaq hit the nail on the head.

Feeling sad and melancholy sometimes does feel good. And without the lows, we wouldn't recognize the highs.

But when you get to the point where there are no highs, well, then you need help.

 

[SleepingWarrior]

As others have said and insinuated depression/sadness can be a good thing or a bad thing depending on how well you can cope with it. I like KM's analogy best, real depression is a razor's edge... If you fall down off that edge most times you will cut yourself quite badly but if you can stay on balance it can give you the thrill/motivation to jump UP on that edge and get off it and float above it through happiness.

Personally I can stand depression, it doesn't bother me that much as long as I'm high enough on the ladder that leads to oblivion or that next rung up is just within my grasp so I can reach up when I'm down too far. Really the only part of my depression that bothers me a lot is when I go down to that 2nd or 3rd rung above oblivion which I'll call serious thoughts of suicide and not giving a shit about taking care of yourself.

That 2nd rung from the bottom is the scariest thing I have experienced in my life. Serious thoughts of ending it all are the worst, especially when I'm able to tell it isn't just a simple "Oh I just kill myself and be done with this shit" but one where " Well the gun is downstairs, ammo is in the box why not just go and stop trying to live a life that has become useless." Thank goodness I only went that low once and still have the presence of mind to know that isn't the answer. The 3rd rung from the bottom is one that is slippery and hard to stand on for long. Quite a few times I've been on that rung for a few days or a week... Not leaving the house, sleeping 15 or more hours straight, not eating for a few days, eating very little and not bathing until I stink.

Quite the bit of fun my life can be isn't it. Now on to the 4th rung from the bottom is where I spend most of my time... The one that I like to call Aimlessly Performing the Functions of Life. This rung is one that I can honestly say I am ok with being on because it is sturdy and wide. The 5th from the bottom is another one which I am ok with, Performing the Functions of Life. 6th from the bottom is Enjoying the Good Things, one which makes me happy when I have the strength to get up that far. 7th from the bottom is Enjoying the Little Things, 8th is Enjoying Life(Everything) those 2 rungs I have stood on only sporadically and briefly but goddamn weren't they the best times I've had in my life and they were well worth the work and time to get there.

I don't know how many more rungs there are on my ladder above those last 2 but I'm pretty sure somewhere up there is the point where complete understanding and true happiness are and maybe some day before I die I can have just one moment on that rung.

But that isn't very likely...

 

[Starfish]

I am so sad and depressed I can't even discuss it.

But I concure with Muffin's point. It is okay to be sad and even enjoy it, so to speak.

 

[Temptress_1960]

If you have symptoms of clinical depression, please get help.

http://www.learn-about-depression.com/index.php3

Not sure if I posted the link right, but you should be able to at least copy and paste it into your browser.

And, again, there is a big difference between feeling depressed and having clinical depression.

 

[SleepingWarrior]

8 out of 9 on the indicator list, so what? I haven't tried to kill myself yet and I can deal with most of the shit I feel. And besides, I don't want to take any meds that may or may not work. Who wants to be depressed and have bowel and sexual problems, if the meds don't help?

 

[floridaguy64]

Episodic depression or sadness is great for the creative juices.

I always feel more in touch and more motivated to write or sketch or whatever when I am a bit blue.

Depression of the chronic nature... methinks is bad in and of itself... on the other hand, that of the acute nature can be quite helpful in making one focus upon what's really hapening in one's life.

I write my poems from the "darkside" of life... the creative juices overflow when I experience those few and far between bouts of depression. Although I do abhor feeling depressed, my creative side tends to take over almost immediately, my writer's block momentarily disappears, I write, and then the feeling soon wanes.

Occasionaly, it tis a good thing.

 

[SadnonMage]

What's wrong with being depressed? I happen to like being melancholy and sad. I wear the emotion well and it's dynamite for my brain function. The stuff I write when I'm sad just makes it all worth the lack of exuberance. I don't stay sad all the time, I do have the ups along with the downs, but dammit, let me savor my downs like I savor my ups. It's the full breath of humanity, you know. I like to mad, too, but that's been blown out of the water for the evening.

No, I don't need drugs. No, I'm not manic. No, I'm not crazy. I just like to be sad. I'm not dangerous to myself or others. I'm simply sad and it's okay to be that way.

Depression, wether just a small dip or the truly deep pits that can accompany clinical depression, is serious business. It can all start out with a couple of days of meloncholy blues, then all of a sudden even the simplest of everyday tasks seem literally insurmountable.

I have been so taken some of the time recently, that even doing the dishes for one meal or doing a couple of loads of laundry seem tasks of herculean proportions. Then when asked "what did you do all day?", I just break into tears apologizing profusely for not doing anything for 12 to 13 hours.

Some days just taking care of my children seems like too much work, then others it's nothing.

Sorry, rambling again......................



SM