The Depression and Advice Thread

edited November 2012 in General Chat
This thread is here for us to share our fears and any elements of life which we feel are dragging us down. The idea is for us all to help contribute advice to each other and make the people of this world forum happier in their lives.

Apologies for the poor editing in my video. It was originally a 6 minute dialogue, where I revealed far too much personal information. I ended up taking the video down from YouTube and reuploading a heavily edited version (hence the dodgy edits).
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Comments

  • edited February 2012
    Oh wow dude. Sometimes you read people's posts online and everyone is funny and awesome and you don't really see this kind of stuff. I often feel horribly out of place with folk, and in any group I always end up being the guy who is reasonably nice and can make people laugh, but who nobody really bothers about too much. I've been down quite massively for the last 9 years now, and it's lead to me being sent to hospital a couple of times.

    I can imagine this being quite a downbeat thread really... what do you tend to do when you get these feelings? I listen to music and play chess.

    I think doodo! started a thread similar before. Dunno if he's still around.
  • edited February 2012
    Oh wow dude. Sometimes you read people's posts online and everyone is funny and awesome and you don't really see this kind of stuff.

    Yeah, that's why I decided to make a video. I didn't think that simply typing my thoughts would have conveyed my depression to the extent that I'm feeling it. That's the problem with forums and the Internet in general; it can be very impersonal.
    I often feel horribly out of place with folk, and in any group I always end up being the guy who is reasonably nice and can make people laugh, but who nobody really bothers about too much.

    I'm kind of similar. I have some very good friends but I'm the type of person who won't talk about my problems. I'm the one in my group of friends whose always cracking jokes and making other people laugh but when I'm alone; I'm so angry and sad.
    I've been down quite massively for the last 9 years now, and it's lead to me being sent to hospital a couple of times.

    I'm very sorry to hear that; have you got in touch with your GP/doctor regarding therapy or perhaps some form of medication (such as an anti-depressant)?
    I can imagine this being quite a downbeat thread really... what do you tend to do when you get these feelings? I listen to music and play chess.

    Well, since posting my earlier video I decided to cheer myself up by writing the first draft of a short story that's been on my mind for well over a year now. I'm going to do a couple more passes on it in order to tighten it up and then I'll be recording a reading and posting it online for people to listen to. That's generally the key to cheering me up; creativity (that and booze but drinking is a very temporary solution and not good for you).

    Also, as you say; music's good too. Though, I'm never sure if I should put on an album which reflects my mood, such as Dark Side of the Moon or a happy upbeat album, in opposition to my mood.

    I think doodo! started a thread similar before. Dunno if he's still around.

    Sadly he was banned. I miss him even if others may not.
  • edited February 2012
    I like the idea of this thread. Even if certain aspects of life are harsh, please try to keep it civilized and remember that my grandma reads these threads, so don't make her cry. : ) (aka keep it nice)
  • edited February 2012
    I like the idea of this thread. Even if certain aspects of life are harsh, please try to keep it civilized and remember that my grandma reads these threads, so don't make her cry. : ) (aka keep it nice)

    I'm glad you like the concept and I endorse your viewpoint of keeping things civilised. Also, I would like to take this opportunity to reinforce that this isn't merely a thread for people to vent about the stresses in their lives but also a forum for people to offer each other advice.

    I want this thread to be a positive thing, that happens to deal with negative issues.
  • edited February 2012
    I'm sorry you feel so down, Davies and I can somewhat empathize, though lately I've been feeling far too panicky lately to leave any room for feelings of depression. Maybe that's a solution. I mean, I know when I've got an approaching deadline, I just find I don't have time to think about things that make me miserable.

    Does pile on the stress, though, so maybe it isn't all that helpful.
  • edited February 2012
    I'm sorry you feel so down, Davies and I can somewhat empathize, though lately I've been feeling far too panicky lately to leave any room for feelings of depression. Maybe that's a solution. I mean, I know when I've got an approaching deadline, I just find I don't have time to think about things that make me miserable.

    Does pile on the stress, though, so maybe it isn't all that helpful.

    Thanks for your thoughts.

    The problem is that I suffer from agoraphobia, so leaving the house is kind of tricky. I'll try and occupy my time a bit more with creative projects. Also, I recently started a very small job at a local cinema so hopefully that will help.
  • edited February 2012
    I act like a dick to cope with frustrations I can't express in real life, and because that's just who I am on the Internet. Mostly because of the latter though.

    But anyway, depression, at least clinical depression, is hard to "cure", as in, you will never get rid of depression. I myself have been depressed since 2009 (or earlier, perhaps dating back since 2007 or so), and didn't know it until the start of last year. I don't even know why I became depressed (which is all too common for depression, most often you don't even know why you feel the way you feel). I think part is because I felt and still feel like I haven't accomplished anything, that things don't move as fast as I would like. I'm 26 years now, and I still am in the same courses I should have finished three years ago.

    But I don't know. I still am not sure why I am still feeling depressed. I one day hope to do the things I love, like writing and stuff, making games, but it always feels like there isn't enough time for that.
  • edited February 2012
    Davies wrote: »
    Thanks for your thoughts.

    The problem is that I suffer from agoraphobia, so leaving the house is kind of tricky. I'll try and occupy my time a bit more with creative projects. Also, I recently started a very small job at a local cinema so hopefully that will help.

    Have you tried behavioral desensitization?
  • edited February 2012
    DAISHI wrote: »
    Have you tried behavioral desensitization?

    Yeah mate, I learned about that during my two year long therapy sessions. I've put it into practice and it's not exactly a huge improvement. To be honest the whole of therapy only helped slightly.
  • edited February 2012
    I find that one of the biggest contributors to depression is simply isolation. If you're already feeling some sort of sadness, then leaving yourself to your own thoughts - giving yourself too much time to dwell upon your emotions and the darker aspects of your life - is only going to allow that sense of sadness to build and inflate into depression. Being around other people is healthy. It keeps you grounded in reality, in a sense, and doesn't allow you to drift off and escape to the intensified darkness and sadness that you create in your mind during times of seclusion.

    Because they are two separate realities - interaction and isolation. Being around other human beings allows you to gauge your feelings, and to understand the true extent of your problems, because you're in the company of others who are struggling with many similar problems. But being in isolation gives you the ability to mentally build up your feelings and problems and tell yourself that what you're going through is a deeper darkness and a more profound sense of sadness, and there's nobody there to pull you back or tell you otherwise.

    Of course, it would be a complete insult to say that depression is all in your mind; that's not true, of course, because we all have reasons for why we're feeling depressed (even if we can't always quite put our finger on them). But it is at least partially a state of mind, and you need something or someone else to influence that state of mind, because, if you're already in a state of depression, then you're not capable of lifting yourself out of trouble; a sad, self-pitying mind can't fix itself.

    So, yes, time must be spent with other people, and life must be lived either within a community or within a set of relationships. And not just so that you can gauge where you are in life, but also simply because other human beings can bring joy into your life. I'm a person who likes my own company, and enjoys the peace and quiet of solitude, but the times when I have been at my happiest have been when I've spent most of my time in the company of others. People make me laugh, they make me smile, they keep me entertained, and they also bore me, make me angry and make me frustrated, but very rarely do they make me sad; sadness is something that I produce when I'm alone. Last year, I had the least amount of human connection that I've ever experienced. I was procrastinative, and often put off seeing people because I saw it as a chore. I spent all of my free time simply consuming media, surfing the internet, and sometimes dedicating time to little projects here and there, all-the-while telling myself that this is the life that was suited to me, because I was naturally someone who 'enjoyed my own company'. But, truthfully, I was down, I was sad, and my life wasn't enjoyable.

    This year, I've been spending a lot more time with people, because I've finally made a concerted effort to do so. I've stopped being procrastinative, and stopped living only for myself, and have instead devoted time to the lives of people who enjoy my company, and wanted to spend time with me during my period of self-enforced isolation. It started as a selfless decision, but, in turn, it actually made my life a whole lot happier, enjoyable and fulfilling. In addition to this, I've also taken on a job which entails a whole lot of human interaction. I almost fell into this job by accident, and was expecting not to like it at all, because I was under the impression that I couldn't be bothered with people - a prideful mindset that I unfortunately adopted for far too long. But, day to day, I'm given the opportunity to speak to a whole lot of interesting people with whom I'm happy to converse and interact with. It's a fulfilling process; giving time to people, putting effort into engaging with them.

    No matter what sort of person you are, this is the reality - you HAVE to spend time with people. You have to unselfishly, and (often) unwillingly spend time with other human beings - frustrating, annoying, irritating, infuriating fellow human beings. If you make an effort to connect with other people (and if you also do it without the intention of gaining something), then your life will automatically be brighter.

    And, on this same topic, you also need friends for the purpose of venting. The main reason why thoughts and emotions fester inside you is because you've got no healthy outlet for it. Friends provide that for you. Un-judging friends who you can give an honest account to are invaluable. And whether they're within walking distance, and can be talked to face to face, or they're on the other side of the world and can only be communicated to over a gaming forum, it doesn't really matter - so long as you've got people you consider to be friends, and you can trust, then venting and admitting your problems to them is a huge part of lessening the impact of your emotions.
  • edited February 2012
    I want to let everyone know I support this thread and Depression has affected me more now than it ever has.

    last year I lost my nephew and My father. I feel lost with out them.

    I also struggle with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from my years in the military.
    wich caused to alcoholism and me being a constant drunk. The most important thing I feel to fight depression is to know the love of family and friends.
  • edited February 2012
    Davies, you sound like me. Hayden is right when isolation is a major factor in depression. I've been heavily depressed most of my life, and heavily isolated. I spent most of my childhood alone, and I spent most of high school alone. It's really only been in the last two years I've begun to lose my isolation and come out of it a bit. I mostly turned to humor and art and escapism to deal with it, and learning as well. In my worst moments I became an intensely bitter, evil-minded, cruel coward who hoped the worst for others, was paranoid and suspicious of everyone, mostly women, and delighted in being a shit and making people look like idiots. Because of my cowardice I could never carry my malice out to any great extent. When I was happy my good qualities came out but I wasn't happy most of the time. I did try to make friends but most people thought I was too weird because I thought differently and wasn't like them, and thought I talked and acted how I shouldn't. Truthfully, I didn't talk enough. Women shunned me and if they talked to me I was bullied and scorned, and any friendships I made with them didn't last and ended in me getting convinced by them I was the worst sort of human being and shouldn't cause any great concern if I were dead. This caused me to grow a great mistrust of and hatred for the female gender. The only one who treated me remotely nice was the strangest but funniest girl in school, probably because she understood me. A lot of that is still in me, but I'm not like I was. I was worse when I was a kid. I had a vicious temper and I enjoyed hurting people. I don't have a great view of humanity, and I don't believe I'll succeed ultimately in anything because I'm cursed, but I do whatever the hell I want because I refuse to give anyone power over me and I enjoy doing what I do. I've always felt that my paranoia might not have been paranoia at all though, but just an extremely keen eye for what people were thinking and the badness inside they try to hide from others.

    Right now my life is so good I'm afraid because I know a down is coming at some point. I have a wonderful girlfriend. I have extremely loving parents. I have my DREAM job and the beginning of my dream career. I have an ever-growing skill at art, game design, and writing. I have the ability to watch and critically study any movie or piece of art I choose. I'm living in my own dream.
  • edited February 2012
    It is important to note that isolation is not a natural state for human beings. The species has evolved as a social creature and, removed from that, a human can have a number of abnormal reactions to what others would consider normal stimuli. As an aside, online relationship are not a total replacement because of the dynamic hormonal interactions that are absent from online interactions.
  • edited February 2012
    Right now my life is so good I'm afraid because I know a down is coming at some point. I have a wonderful girlfriend. I have extremely loving parents. I have my DREAM job and the beginning of my dream career. I have an ever-growing skill at art, game design, and writing. I have the ability to watch and critically study any movie or piece of art I choose. I'm living in my own dream.

    I think the only thing that could possibly get in your way at the moment is pride. If you simply keep your morals, maintain the appreciation of your loved ones, and expel the insidious notion that you're superior to the people around you, you won't fail. It all starts with humility; keep that at the forefront of your mind, and your relationships will prosper. It will also help you work well within a team, which is what game design is all about.

    I know I'm probably just stating the obvious here, but it's a virtue so many people seem to forget.
    DAISHI wrote: »
    As an aside, online relationship are not a total replacement because of the dynamic hormonal interactions that are absent from online interactions.

    This is true. However, it is better than nothing. Sharing his current struggles with us will probably do Davies a whole world of good in comparison to not letting it out at all. But there's a lot of merit to what you say; it doesn't quite compare to the real, entirely organic nature of direct person-to-person communication. That's not to say that online/textual communication can't be of use in an emotional context. Just to re-iterate, it's better than nothing.
  • edited February 2012
    I agree to disagree. While are species has evolved online interactions are important as well. Because we can still read eye contact and tone of voice.
  • edited February 2012
    I think online interaction has its benefits when it comes to putting together a really thoughtful, complex set of ideas and thoughts that you need to explain in a way that's clear and understandable. Often, a lot of things that you need to convey to someone can't be articulated face-to-face in the same way they could through a letter or a formal message. And even if you are able to do so, your emotions (nervousness, frustration, for example) can get in the way and hamper the message you're trying to deliver, or you can be interrupted by the other person. I guess online communication can help you say what you've gotta say in a way that's really organized, without as many other factors influencing the delivery of the message.

    So yeah, I guess both forms have their merits.
  • edited February 2012
    Well I won't say I have a full blown depression, but I have had a rough life that has really torn me apart. It's only now I am slowly gluing back the pieces, it's a slow process but I am taking one tiny step at a time.

    So what I have is Social Anxiety, and Low Self-Esteem. It has developed over my years in school, which is the case for must people.
    I was always the target for bullies, and people would ignore me and shun me.

    Another thing is I don't feel worthy of anything, I never feel I am worthy of posting on this forum, just because I don't sound smart enough.
    I envy people for being able to form sentences better than me, and people who can discuss and I can't. I always feel my arguments are never true and therefore I never participate in discussions.

    I hate doing mistakes, even the smallest mistake makes me feel like a monster because I did it and didn't see it as a mistake my self, I always hate when I have been told it was a mistake and I didn't see it my self.

    Sometimes I can pretend I am two people and have a go at my self, so I say hurt full things that make me cry, but at the same time it makes me feel good because I am punishing my self.
    Before I used to hit my self in the head with big books.

    In a young age I began playing computer games, and so I fled in to that world where everything was much better than real life.

    So I lived my life alone with my games, have believed for years I can't do anything. I would never go anywhere because I was afraid to talk to people, and when ever I had to talk to strangers, I would get panic attacks days before I had to go.
    At one point I felt everything was hopeless and I would never in my dreams finish my education. I didn't have what it took, I was not smart enough.

    But now here I am, 2 years later and I am 1 month away from fully finishing my education at my work placement, and I have completed my exams with very high grades.
    And I seriously think my education and my job has helped me open up more, as it involves interacting with a lot of people.

    But when I think about it, I don't seriously think bullying was who made me the way I am, yes it's a contributing factor, but I think it's just how I developed as I was always on my own and was never taught different as I was never interacting with anyone.
  • edited February 2012
    I like this thread :-)

    In work atm so i'll keep it shortt and sweet. Keep yourself busy, be assertive and don't dwell on things, that's how i get myself through those difficult days.
  • edited February 2012
    I've had bipolar disorder for years, but as soon as I started soundwave therapy i.e. Theta Wave Brain Synchronization and Transcendental Meditation, it went away, never to return. You can listen to the soundwave therapy stuff for free at www.gethighnow.com . Namaste.
  • edited February 2012
    I'm not saying online relationships don't have benefits, but optimal interaction requires face to face contact. I see online relationships as beneficial, but also as a stepping stone.
  • edited February 2012
    Hayden wrote: »
    This is true. However, it is better than nothing. Sharing his current struggles with us will probably do Davies a whole world of good in comparison to not letting it out at all. But there's a lot of merit to what you say; it doesn't quite compare to the real, entirely organic nature of direct person-to-person communication. That's not to say that online/textual communication can't be of use in an emotional context. Just to re-iterate, it's better than nothing.

    What you say is true. However, I feel that I must point out that I do have friends in the real world. Good friends at that. The problem is that I don't like to complain about my situation to them as I feel that I'm being selfish by doing so.

    For some reason it just felt easier to vent my frustration to the peeps on this forum. Thank you all for your suggestions and advice. I'm feeling a lot better than I was when I made that video.

    Long may this thread continue and I hope that it can bring hope to others, as it has to me.
  • edited February 2012
    deleted post, don't want to leave this rant here, feel like a jerk for making a big deal about it. Sorry
  • edited February 2012
    At least you had a good time together.

    Edit: If this post doesn't make any sense to you, it is probably because it refers to presidentmax's now edited post.
    (If it does make sense to you, you either still remember the previous version or you have developed a psychosis.)
  • edited February 2012
    Right now my life is so good I'm afraid because I know a down is coming at some point. I have a wonderful girlfriend. I have extremely loving parents. I have my DREAM job and the beginning of my dream career. I have an ever-growing skill at art, game design, and writing. I have the ability to watch and critically study any movie or piece of art I choose. I'm living in my own dream.

    Perhaps this fear will be good in the long run, seeing as you now know what it is to be depressed, and will probably cope better with what is to come. You know how much it sucks to be depressed, and knowing that, it might just be a way to "get over it" quicky. And with that I mean, you'll be able to recognize it now.

    Don't know how to explain this well. Point is, knowing how it feels like to be depressed may help in getting less depressed the next time it hits.
  • edited February 2012
    As someone who spent many years struggling with manic depression, I feel your pain here. Everyone is different so it generally ranges from hard to futile to give advice regarding depression, but I'll give it a shot anyway.

    1). Don't be afraid to get therapy. It can help a lot if you find a good therapist, as can medication.

    2). Identify what external factors are causing you to be depressed, and eliminate them. This is definitely the hardest thing to do for a few reasons, the largest of which is that there aren't always external factors. It also tends to involve huge changes in your life which are difficult enough for someone who isn't already depressed. But breaking the cycle you are in is important, and a change of scenery can do wonders.

    3). Realize when feelings of depression are "incoming", and replace them with other emotions. Since the general malaise tends to make positive emotions impossible, negative emotions can work just as well. i.e. getting pissed off at yourself rather than just down on yourself.

    Anyway, those are three things that helped me. It is possible to deal with depression and anxiety, even if they never entirely go away.
  • edited February 2012
    I feel that knowing the fact that I will never be happy forever sort of eases the pain of sadness in some ways. As humans, we are built to never be completely satisfied. If this were the case, we'd never have a reason get better at something.

    Because of this, I can sort of step back and say "Well, I finally got this right and it makes me happy. Now what's the next step?" Being in a constant state of on my toes in a sense sort of slows the onset of either inevitable depression or inevitable boredom.

    This, however, helps me as a person who is not clinically depressed. Or at least, I've never been diagnosed. Either way, it should be mentioned that what works for one I don't expect at all to work for all.
  • edited February 2012
    So is this your depression speaking or is it you?

    Depression can go deep into your soul and surface in many creative ways. The depth of your suffering is in your writing and your reading . Start with one very small step each day ,be consistent in doing it,and just allow yourself to just "Be" . Know that you are loved .
  • edited February 2012
    It's not depression saying this. If anything, it's realist optimism I guess? By figuring the patterns of my ups and downs in life, I realize that happiness is a thing of upkeep and the cycling depression can be lessened by always looking to better myself.
  • edited February 2012
    I think that sometimes the reason a cliché is a cliché is because it's true. On that note; laughter is the best medicine (well okay, not always but certainly often). Anyway, the video linked below certainly made me laugh out loud for the first time in weeks and left me with a smile on my face, a skip in my step, a purr to my engine... um, you get the idea!

    If 'JAWS' was a Disney movie.
  • edited February 2012
    Well I won't say I have a full blown depression, but I have had a rough life that has really torn me apart. It's only now I am slowly gluing back the pieces, it's a slow process but I am taking one tiny step at a time.

    So what I have is Social Anxiety, and Low Self-Esteem. It has developed over my years in school, which is the case for must people.
    I was always the target for bullies, and people would ignore me and shun me.

    Another thing is I don't feel worthy of anything, I never feel I am worthy of posting on this forum, just because I don't sound smart enough.
    I envy people for being able to form sentences better than me, and people who can discuss and I can't. I always feel my arguments are never true and therefore I never participate in discussions.

    I hate doing mistakes, even the smallest mistake makes me feel like a monster because I did it and didn't see it as a mistake my self, I always hate when I have been told it was a mistake and I didn't see it my self.

    Sometimes I can pretend I am two people and have a go at my self, so I say hurt full things that make me cry, but at the same time it makes me feel good because I am punishing my self.
    Before I used to hit my self in the head with big books.

    In a young age I began playing computer games, and so I fled in to that world where everything was much better than real life.

    So I lived my life alone with my games, have believed for years I can't do anything. I would never go anywhere because I was afraid to talk to people, and when ever I had to talk to strangers, I would get panic attacks days before I had to go.
    At one point I felt everything was hopeless and I would never in my dreams finish my education. I didn't have what it took, I was not smart enough.

    But now here I am, 2 years later and I am 1 month away from fully finishing my education at my work placement, and I have completed my exams with very high grades.
    And I seriously think my education and my job has helped me open up more, as it involves interacting with a lot of people.

    But when I think about it, I don't seriously think bullying was who made me the way I am, yes it's a contributing factor, but I think it's just how I developed as I was always on my own and was never taught different as I was never interacting with anyone.
    It's really nice to hear that you're slowly gaining this confidence in yourself, and are no longer letting your problems get in the way of your aspirations and your life in general.

    Besides, I think most of your problems have come largely from you being your biggest critic: something we're all often capable (and culpable) of. One thing to remember, though, is that nobody thinks as harshly of your mistakes and flaws as you do, and nobody dwells upon your mistakes to the level that you do. Only you think about your mistakes and your imperfections for extended periods of time. Most of the time, if you make a mistake, do something stupid, or embarrass yourself slightly in front of someone, they're only going to spend a few moments thinking about it before soon forgetting it. And if you have some sort of weird, undesirable quirk in your personality, people won't devote the same hours that you spend wishing it away. Either they'll overlook it, forget about it, or forgive you for it. And, if they don't - if they judge you for it, mock you for it, or malign you for it - then that person simply isn't worth worrying about.

    This is something that I keep in mind when I find myself wishing I hadn't done/said something stupid, or whenever I find myself lacking confidence in one of my personality traits. I just remember that nobody judges me more than I do, because, in reality, they really don't care as much as I think they do.

    Obviously, adopting this mindset isn't easy, because insecurity is very much an independent, involuntary thought/feeling. But the 'nobody-is-a-bigger-critic-than-I-am' idea is one worth trying to remember, and very much worth calling to mind when you're feeling insecure, stupid or regretful.

    Also: In regards to forum posting, it's kind of an acquired art. The only way to get better at it is just to do it more. I encourage you to post your thoughts wherever you have any. And you don't always have to formulate your thoughts into an argument either; just present them and give your perspective, because you never know what parts of your post people might find valuable, and what threads of your comment people might pick and run with.

    And if you're too uncomfortable in doing that, then just stick to topics that you're knowledgeable about. There are a lot of threads that I don't post in at all because I know I don't have much knowledge in that field or on that topic, and therefore probably can't present something very insightful, or can't offer anything at all. So, generally, I'll just stick to what I know (or what I think I know), and sometimes venture into unknown territory if I'm feeling brave.
    Davies wrote: »
    What you say is true. However, I feel that I must point out that I do have friends in the real world. Good friends at that. The problem is that I don't like to complain about my situation to them as I feel that I'm being selfish by doing so.
    I thought this was probably the case (don't worry, I didn't view you as a friendless, lonely recluse, in case you were worrying :)).
    This is the situation that I think a lot of depressed people are in; they have a decent group of reliable, close friends, but none of whom they feel 'right' sharing with. Sometimes that can be due to the fact that you're uncomfortable in doing that, since it's 'not that kind' of friendship. Or yes, like you said, you can feel selfish, or feel that you'd be overwhelming the person. And I think this is why depression builds in some people, is because there's a slight sense of frustration, and maybe even hopelessness; you're surrounded by numerous people who are good friends, but none of whom you can comfortably share your problems with. There are all these people who could serve as emotional outlets, and you may consider laying your struggles on them, but are haunted by the trepidation that accompanies that notion - thoughts like "what if I tarnish this stable relationship by doing this?", "what if they'll view me differently as a result of this?", "what if I'll overwhelm them, and, as a friend, unwillingly scare them away somewhat?". These people provide a myriad of opportunities to relieve your emotional buildup, but none of them serve as a realistically possible outlet. And it's that frustration, and that feeling of being trapped, which can really worsen your depression; there's all these doorways, but no real way out.

    Luckily, I've recently gotten a number of friends (well, two) who I can share honestly and openly with. I've always had a decent throng of friends, but for the the first time, I finally have a couple of people who I can converse with openly about things like love, faith, stress and (on a related note) depression. And having them has been such a positive thing in my life, and I get the feeling that I'd probably be in a pretty dark place if it weren't for them.

    So, this is another thing that I would encourage - for people to either form or cultivate a friendship with someone to the point where you can be open with them. Try to establish a friendship with someone that isn't based on falseness; where you don't have to try to maintain a certain image. Find someone you don't have to pretend around, and who doesn't judge you for who you are at your core. Because these are the only people who you can truly vent to, and people like that are a necessity in living a happy life.
    KuroShiro wrote: »
    2). Identify what external factors are causing you to be depressed, and eliminate them. This is definitely the hardest thing to do for a few reasons, the largest of which is that there aren't always external factors. It also tends to involve huge changes in your life which are difficult enough for someone who isn't already depressed. But breaking the cycle you are in is important, and a change of scenery can do wonders.

    3). Realize when feelings of depression are "incoming", and replace them with other emotions. Since the general malaise tends to make positive emotions impossible, negative emotions can work just as well. i.e. getting pissed off at yourself rather than just down on yourself.
    These are both good pieces of advice, and they both stem from one thing - understanding and familiarizing yourself with your depression. If you know the ins and outs of your particular brand of depression, then you can predict its patterns and traits. From there, you can generally find a way to combat it. But even if you can't, at least having that awareness of it can give you a sense of comfort and a feeling of control over it.

    Tim Burton actually had something pretty good to say on this topic of depression recognition/identification, and said that his way of dealing with his depression was to, in a sense, 'step out of himself' when he could sense that those feelings were coming on.
  • edited February 2012
    I can relate to some of this.
    While I don't suffer from depression per se, I do kind of swing into periods of despair.

    The last one had to be during my last exams.
    One day I just snapped, lobbed cake at my brother, and literally was lying down in the kitchen, curled up into a ball sobbing away.
    Its all quite funny in hindsight, but thats pressure for you.
    I let it build up over time, and something crazy just happens all at once.
    Like a valve has been opened and all the steam rushes out.

    But thats me, it sounds silly but I worry all the time.
    I worry about myself, worry about whether I am good enough, worry about what I'm going to do when I finish uni, worry about the fact I can't decide a definite path in life, worry about whether or not I'm going to be able to make myself happy in the long run, worry about my physical and metal health, worry about whether I really deserve to be at uni in the first place, worry about my lack of self-esteem and confidence, and worry about the baggage retrieval system they got at Heathrow, (sorry couldn't help that one! XD)

    So yeah, you get the picture, I always have a sort of self-awareness that never kind of turns of.

    Its probably why I have several different hobbies and can never stick to anything. I need something to distract me from myself.
    Its unhealthy. Its part of the reason why I find it hard to start my uni work.
    Its why I never start any game projects, and why I never properly try to learn music.

    I just jump between things, so I'm never truley good at anything.

    And I struggle socially as well. I have my family, and maybe 1 or 2 friends to support me, and I worry that it might not be enough, and I find it hard to be able to sit down with someone and talk about my problems, (I don't want them to worry about me, and I don't want to be selfish, dumping my problems on them, they have their own problems to deal with).

    And again, that above, what I just wrote in brackets, is just silly.
    But I can't help it. I just can't bring myself to act selfishly.
    The only person I ever confide my problems with is my best friend, and he's been so busy with work, and getting on after he quit uni, I just haven't been able to talk to him.
    And as I'm typing, I can feel the despair just creeping up on me.

    But typing here, on an annonymous forum helps. I have to get my thoughts out there somewhere. It helps me cope.

    I may ramble on about stuff and make jokes, but really thats for my benefit, than anyone else's.
    They probably aren't funny jokes, nor are they particularily clever, but on the internet it doesn't really matter. Its not like one of you guys is going to show up at my house and throw a pie in my face, so I don't feel as guilty posting my crap here.

    Okay. I'm going to stop now. I'm rambling again, (I'm sure my rant seems childish compared to most people's ACTUAL problems with depression).

    EDIT: Alright, I've convinced myself to type some more, (because despite my quiet exterior, I just LOVE to talk! :D).

    Okay, so one of the main things that is bugging me at the moment, is uni.
    Not the academics, the people.
    I've said before that I feel completely alien, and thats probably true, to most people, I am an alien.

    But this example basically points out how different I actually am.

    So for entrepreneurship, we had to create a creativity booster.

    We had to present 4 pictures that had some sort of personal symbolic significance.
    So most people, had pictures of food, fashion, holidays, and some had a bit of artwork or a quote.

    And I suddenly become the elephant in the room.

    So I chose, characters. Video Game characters, (and a general symbol of a web)
    You know these characters kind of represented the creative values I found important.

    I chose Minecraft. Well, the picture was a deviant art piece someone made of the default minecraft character.
    Its a placeholder for the game itself.
    As most of you guys know. Minecraft is a procedurally generated game. Basically infinite, and the possiblities of what can happen at what time is infinite as well.
    (Sounds more spectular on paper than what it does when you're playing it! XD)
    It represented the idea of unlimited creativity. A world of endless possiblity. I love that. The fact that anything could happen in life. I love the What if?

    The next character was Arthur, from the Ghouls 'n Ghosts games.
    I explained that the games were notorious for being difficult, and I can kind of look up to the "hero" type character. The ability to never give up, no matter how hard things get, is something I aspire to.
    But it was also the idea of challenge. The ability to learn and adapt. To tweak one's actions till they succeed.

    Then I chose Chrono.
    He might be essentially a shell character, BUT, its the game he represents that is important.
    The game in a nutshell involves a lot of time travel, looking to the past in order to secure the future.
    Thats me. I play old videogames all the time, I champion the preservation of videogames.
    I'm no historian, but I can appreciate the significance of history. It is important to be able to learn from the past. To be able to have exisiting idea materials, that can be tweaked, improved and repurposed.

    Finally the spiderweb.
    Its simple really. Its symbolic for the interconnectedness of life.
    Thats kind of how my brain works. I make connections. I compare things. I try to tie up concepts together.
    When I did English, I was the one who explained the metaphor, connected the author's ideas together to find further significance.
    And again, videogames involve quite a bit of that. Puzzles. Things that can be connected together in order to acheive something.

    So, I guess maybe I overdid it a little. Maybe I overwhelmed some people, but I was still pretty upset, that everyone on my table just had this bug-eyed look. A sense of complete bewilderment at what I had done.

    You see I can be like that. I suck at mainstream academics, becuse I KNOW it was not meant for me.
    I'm not a cram-book. A sardine.
    I can't be pigeonholed into the same stuff other people do. I am quite wild.
    I'm rubbish at exams and non-group coursework, because I am a perfectionist.
    As soon as I have a time constraint, I panic.
    I can't just remember loads of things and just regurgitate them in essay blocks. Because I don't think like that.
    I'm a keen learner and researcher.
    When I FINALLY get into a piece of work, I won't quit until its either at a level I am about 90% satisfied with, or if I have to abandon it to try to scrape together another piece, (becuase I spent too much time on the first peice of work).

    I guess I am on a different plane of intelligence.
    Not on the super boffin wagon, but still very far apart from my fellow contemporaries at university.
    (Lets not forget, that quite a few people there are pretty smart. But again, those people tend to do well becuase they have a goal/direction/order in their minds, or they have a sort of collective intelligence. A group collaborating with each other to help each other get smart. I struggle to do either. Most of the time, I work alone, and I feel obligated to do everything else by myself without help. Heck, even when I'm stuck I won't ask anyone. I research until I get around it. I look on the topic forums, news threads, or just do more reading around the area until I understand it. The best group I ever was in was with the Swedish girls. They might have not understood me, but they respected me, and they had faith in me, but I could also trust them to do their part. We really got very good synergy with each other, even if they never were aware of it or didn't think much of it. (and I miss them. I miss that spirit :())
  • edited February 2012
    RetroVortex, I don't think what you're writing about is childish at all, nor is it any less of an issue than depression. Stress and worry are still horrible things to endure, and can be just as pernicious as depression can be.

    Your reasons behind your stress aren't juvenile either. A lot of things ride on whether or not you're successful in exams, and there's too much emphasis placed upon them in our modern, western education systems. This creates an enormous pressure for those of us who aren't particularly good at exams, or any sort of assessments with limited time restrictions.

    Some people, such as yourself, work best in a relaxed environment free of pressure and time limitations. Some people need time to formulate and fully cultivate ideas, and need to be given a chance to fully realize concepts, and to make their work all that it can be. But those who decide the curriculum structure ignorantly and stupidly don't consider these people. And thus, those with a different (but, by no means inferior) mode of operating are unfortunately forced into a one-size-fits-all system which simply doesn't suit them.

    You're the victim of an inequitable system, and you've got a right to be frustrated, annoyed and downright aggravated with the situation you're in.

    Edit: Still, with that being said, you shouldn't let yourself be demoralized by the system, I'm just saying that you have a right to be angry at it.
  • edited February 2012
    I felt for the majority of my life that I needed to apologize for my existence . It was probably the main factor In the decisions that I made
    many of them not so healthy and at times destructive to my being. After many years I realized that happiness was only temporary . It is peace in Being that would become my goal. One small step at a time was easily attainable by me . Know that you are loved.
  • edited February 2012
    When I last started to grow a beard, I was thin. Today I shaved it off; I am fat!

    My diet hasn't changed too much in the intervening time so what is going on?! Is it just because I'm older? Is this the fate I must accept; being a fat bastard?!

    Oh gawd, am I low at the moment!

    I'm going to start starving myself and cut back on the drinking.
  • edited February 2012
    You didn't look that fat in the photos to me, though it wasn't a full body pic. It's not like you have quadruple chins. My face is "fatter" now, too, than it was when I was in my 20s, so it may be a natural result of aging. I haven't heard anyone complain that my face is too fat.

    (It's not how big your face is. It's what you do with it!)
  • edited February 2012
    WarpSpeed wrote: »
    You didn't look that fat in the photos to me, though it wasn't a full body pic. It's not like you have quadruple chins. My face is "fatter" now, too, than it was when I was in my 20s, so it may be a natural result of aging.

    Aye, to be fair; my body isn't too bad... it's mainly in the face, which is why I was so shocked at how fat it's become once I shaved off my beard.

    As I fast approach the age of 30 (6 months to go), I'm starting to suspect that you are correct; it's the natural process of aging. Not that the extra weight stops being depressing as a result of this knowledge.

    None the less, I'm going to stop eating takeaways, cut back on the snack foods and severely cut back on alcohol (something which I should have done a long time ago).
  • puzzleboxpuzzlebox Telltale Alumni
    edited February 2012
    Davies wrote: »
    None the less, I'm going to stop eating takeaways, cut back on the snack foods and severely cut back on alcohol (something I should have done a long time ago).

    I also responded in the other thread, but those sound like positive things to do regardless of any effect on your appearance.
  • edited February 2012
    Nooo, not multi-quote!!! :eek:
    Davies wrote: »
    Yeah, that's why I decided to make a video. I didn't think that simply typing my thoughts would have conveyed my depression to the extent that I'm feeling it. That's the problem with forums and the Internet in general; it can be very impersonal.
    On the other hand, it can be easier too. I only have one mate who I really talk to about this stuff, and I don't want to rely on him too much, so I whine on line instead. There's nothing to lose - it's not like they'll take the site down because of me... I hope ;)
    Davies wrote: »
    I'm very sorry to hear that; have you got in touch with your GP/doctor regarding therapy or perhaps some form of medication (such as an anti-depressant)?
    Yeah. The second time I was sectioned I got put on a treatment order, included anti-ds and anxiolytics. Been on and off about 20 different things over the years. I really don't like them to be honest. If there's one thing I value, it's my ability to think, and they all seem to interfere with that. Whatever I'm on, my chess ability will go down, I'll be less able to concentrate, and I won't be able to learn as much ("There were originally 4 rice krispies elves. The fourth, pow, represented the explosive nutritional content." - My life is for meaningless but interesting facts like that :D).
    There's also a bit of conflict between me and the Psychs because I don't personally believe depression in the medical sense exists. I think most people have perfectly legitimate reasons for unhappiness, and this could be worked out and have things improved. That seems to be lost when we just label someone as ill, give medication and leave it to be corrected as you would fix an insulin deficiency or an infection.
    I've had maybe 100 sessions with Psychologists/Counsellors/etc. instead. These are more pleasant, but doesn't do much. I think partly it's because I studied/study Psychology, and so much like a magician trying to perform to an audience of magicians, a lot of the impact is lost.
    Davies wrote: »
    Well, since posting my earlier video I decided to cheer myself up by writing the first draft of a short story that's been on my mind for well over a year now. I'm going to do a couple more passes on it in order to tighten it up and then I'll be recording a reading and posting it online for people to listen to. That's generally the key to cheering me up; creativity (that and booze but drinking is a very temporary solution and not good for you).

    Also, as you say; music's good too. Though, I'm never sure if I should put on an album which reflects my mood, such as Dark Side of the Moon or a happy upbeat album, in opposition to my mood.
    Oh wow. Have you ever looked to getting something published? A load of magazines will publish amateur short stories. I'd be really proud if I could write. I can do music kinda (song last year about RatherDashing - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WveqcHHtzDU ).

    And that's a shame about doodo! being banned.
  • edited February 2012
    Oh wow. Have you ever looked to getting something published? A load of magazines will publish amateur short stories.

    It's actually something I've considered doing but I want to get as much practice as possible in first. If you haven't already, then please let me know what you think of my short story here.

    Any feedback will be extremely useful. Thanks.
    I'd be really proud if I could write. I can do music kinda...

    Funnily enough, I'd be really proud if I could play piano to the standard that you do. Sure, I can knock out a few power chords on guitar but I'm noting special. I believe that no matter what someone's talent is, they'll always be looking in envy towards someone else's talent.

    That was great, in spite of some minor technical problems. Also, I've left a comment underneath the video.
    And that's a shame about doodo! being banned.

    Aye, it certainly is. I suspect that Doodo! could have made use of this thead to some extent. Wherever he is, I hope he's happy.
  • edited February 2012
    after suffering from major depressive episodes I know that there is a vast difference between unhappiness and depression . Unhappiness does not put you into a hellhole that permeates your entire being . I am so very happy to get relief. Yes I am a a less compassionate person and I miss that part of me but I laugh ,smile and dance now and am thankful for having lived my life. When I say "know that you are loved" I do not mean it in a trite ,,superficial way. The fact that you are sharing says that you love yourself enough to share. The fact that strangers will spend time reading and responding says that they Love
    You. Not the mushy ,gooey , at times hypocritical love , but you are a fellow human being and i will take some of the precious limited minutes of my life and hope my words will give you an iota of peace. Peace to you .
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