Exercise is something I've been trying to do for years but I just never have the motivation. Every now and then I get the urge to go for a run but that's only once in a blue moon and usually it's at 3-4 in the morning when my insomnia has kicked in... Might try and start going swimming again, just need to find a training buddy to keep my going. I completely agree with the other points, it seems like basic stuff but it does make a big difference. I really wish I could put down on paper what's wrong but I simply don't know. Even when I'm at my lowest it's like there is one part of my brain that know's that my life isn't actually that bad and I actually have it quite good at times. Then there's the other part that takes over and refuses to let go of every bad thing that has ever happened in my life.
Ive suffered it for over 14years now with no real end in site. tried all sorts of meds and counselling and nothing works. I got pointed towards http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome by my doctor and have found it really useful. Its a bit much when you first start because of the questions it asks you but sometimes home truths is what people need to hear. It has helped me a lot in the past as my problems are that I fixate on something and cannot let it drop easily so I get worried and anxious and also paranoid about it. Sleeping and eating are very hard to do when depressed, yes its easy for people to say you need to do this that and the other but to be honest the only person that is going to help is yourself, only you can fix things. ask your doctor for some trazedone for a few nights sleep, there sleeping tablets but one or 2 nights rest from them can be a god send when you have insomnia. your first main goal should be to identify your problems then tackle them one by one with the easiest first. I know sometimes we cant help our problems but the whole a problem shared is a problem halved is very true. We tend to keep things to our selves as human beings as were usually worried about what others may say or think, ive found getting over that social anxiety helps alot but it does bring the "take no **** attitude" and not everyone seems to like that. Just take each day at a time, try a new hobby or sport and talk to people about what is running through your mind (not before bed) even if its just silly little things that have annoyed you through the day, its a start.
I suggest GABA blockers and SSRI's also get your thyroid checked out. it turned out to be an endocrinological problem in my case
I understand very well what it is like to be depressed. As I have had anxiety/depression for many years. Right now I take four medications which work pretty well. That doesn't mean I still don't drowned myself in alcohol and drugs on a regular basis. I am sure that doesn't help. I too had a breakdown and was hospitalized for nine days. I don't talk about it anymore, but I do think about it from time to time. Sometimes I hang on by barely a thread, but I know for damn sure I am not going to let go of it again. My suggestion is if you are truly a depressed person that you see your doctor as they have good advice and medications that DO help. Oh, I have a therapist and a psychologist that I see somewhat regularly. That helps too. Good luck.
firstly logic fail - most people who are depressed withdraw from the world not seeking attention. Perhaps try thinging of it like this. do you admit that hormonal changes effect mood? - I mean if someone took all the seretonin from your body would you be able to feel happy? I think you're thinking emo and thinking this guy wants this - also read the forum dude. look at all the people whoose depression was triggered by life events - did they choose to be depressed. I think perhpas you are speaking as someone whose life hasn't been dumped on in a massive way from all angles with no support and no obvious way out. I think it can be sometimes hard to equate different experiences. If you've only ever been unhappy and been able to snap out of it then perhaps when you hear people saying they are depression you hearUnhappy. being unhappy about a few things and being depressed are two very different things. also you have to consider that hormones in the brain control a lot about what we feel. sure what we do effects our hormones ( exercise is a typical example ) but hormones can also go into relapse for unkown reason. I admire you attempt at a stiff upper lip attitude but most people given the choice would rather feel awesome all the time. ------------------------------------------------------------ if it helps heres what I've found works for me. I don't know what cures but I do know a few things that help. Most importantly eliminate sources of negativity. Especially eliminate or reduce your exposure to negative people. People who are always complaining always pointing out the worst, always being passive aggressive about things will just bring you down. Manipulative people should also be minimised. Someone trying to push you into doing things their way is always a downer. No person enjoys being pushed around. Other sources of negativity can be things like the news. you don't have to watch it ( contrary to popular belief) . most of the news are very depressing things that you can do nothing about. That will make you fell upset and powerless. I use my media pc to record the news everyday and then catch on headlines if I've missed a really important news story I have a back log of about a month to find important stuff. My personnel favourite is russia today new headlines - their anti western propoganda is outright hillarious. but most news never really matters. Personnally I also find radio dj's really really depressing ( don't know why - maybe it's the tricks that they try and use to keep people listening) . Getting absorbed in something like a good game,book or tv series - will help take your mind of things. Personnally I go for comedies - again media pc favourite a few comedies two weeks later a hard drive full of laughs. Plenty of sleep is good if you can - if your having trouble with sleep then meditation is an option or just reading. Exercise can help - you could try doing 100 pressups a day 3 times a week for 8 weeks. ( thats 2400 pressups ) - can work. Have the attitude that no matter what happens the exercise gets done. whether it's three in the morning and you've just remmebered or your hungover - you do that exerciese. some jogging. When I was younger and my body was up to it I used to go running - like full out sprints and used to come back feeling amazing. If things are really bad limit youself to what you can manage. When you feel capable try and seperate the things that are making you depressed from the rest of your life. I mean, if your anything life me, you're probably not unhappy about everything in your life but there will be aspects of your life you wish were different. you can either ignore the bad stuff or do what you can to improve the situation. If you have a problem to with a ceratin aspect of your life you could always ask yourself for answers. It's suprising how often you can come up with answers to problems in life if you think about it. Writing it out often helps you focus your attention. ( if you don't want people to able to read what you've written you can shred documents in a food blender ( even better than a shredder ) . srsy a little paper a lot of water works a treat. don't overload the machine just a couple of peices of a4 and some water - does it blend - yes it does . oh and tip it down toilet and it has wider pipers that are designed to take ... well lets just say some water with a few bits of paper fibre are aren't going to be a problem. if you need to explain say your disposing of a bank statement or if you have a shredder simply say it's jammed - consider jamming it first of course ) Comparison. - if you compare yourself to the group of successful people that are all doing really well in their lives, carreers, social life, whatever makes you feel like failure you'll be less happy - you shouldn't compare you're self to other people you should be your own benchmark. focus - focus on things you can be good at and things you enjoy and don't dwell on the negative . if you are going to focus on the negative things focus on how you can change them for the better you're going to make mistakes. everyone makes bad decisions thats often not their fault they just had bad or imcomplete information. everyone does stupid stuff don't beat yourself up over it learn instead. you're never going to be happy all the time. life will still be the same mixed bowl of good and not so good but you will as you get older or gain more experience you get better at dealing with it both inside your mind and with the situations that you have to deal with. ( it's just like a computer game at first you make mistakes and mess things up but you learn how to deal with situations and you learn to get the right mindset for things.) minimise drink and drugs ( other than medications if on any ) . try giving up caffine that might help - especially when sleep is a problem. if you want to talk to someone you can always phone the samaritans or ask your gp for an appointment with a psychiatrist - if you don't like the psychiatrist ask for a different one. I you feel you are surrounded by b******s, b*****s, trolls, sadist, people who automatically treat you like a peice of dirt just remmeber there are other decent people in the world. Often people who come across as generally hateful people are just messed up themselves but they choose to take it out on other people. learn to deal with/aviod/ignore them. apathy towards them is the best way forward imho. Recognise when you're no longer depressed just unhappy with a few things. thats when your making progress. imporvement may or may not be a smooth path but as long as it goes in a posative direction in the long run thats progress anyway thats what's worked for me. I'm not necessaryily advocating it for anyone else but maybe you'll find something in their. I hope things get better for you. TL; dr - read underlines.
