Depression

[SteveP29]

A few years ago, I was prescribed as having mild depression.
I was referred to a psychologist and I had weekly sessions into how to cope and make things better for myself.

I told a few friends and was expecting them to set up a kind of support network to help me, one of them flatly refused, his words to me were "what have you got to be depressed about, you live with my parents, didn't have a mortgage, kids, a car to run, this that and the other etc"

It was like talking to a brick wall, I tried telling him that depression isn't just being unhappy about having to pay bills etc, but he'd have nothing of it.

 

[ChrisCooper]

I've suffered depression on and off for years. It's ranged from pretty mild to quite serious. I think the biggest sign I've found is a loss of emotion, almost a not caring. I think it's a form of defense mechanism when things become too much. It's often accompanied by a sence of detachment, partiularly when it comes to memories, like seeing things from the outside but not feeling them. I think it doesn't help that people tend to assume that men bottle up emotions, but inside you know the difference between bottling up emotions, putting on a happy face (actually a more female thing) and just not feeling emotions.

 

[Hydro]

I've suffered depression on and off for years. It's ranged from pretty mild to quite serious. I think the biggest sign I've found is a loss of emotion, almost a not caring. I think it's a form of defense mechanism when things become too much. It's often accompanied by a sence of detachment, partiularly when it comes to memories, like seeing things from the outside but not feeling them. I think it doesn't help that people tend to assume that men bottle up emotions, but inside you know the difference between bottling up emotions, putting on a happy face (actually a more female thing) and just not feeling emotions.

Agree 100%. I know this feeling is why I could never see the gravity of neglecting certain things in my life, and why I ended up on the dole after literally throwing away a good career opportunity. I just did not care. It didn't matter.

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I don't know why I suffer from it and not many know why they have it or why others have it.

My brain is slightly miswired I think plus I do struggle with some information but not all of it. I can also get nervous when having to do something new like getting a passport, going to an aiport, getting on a eurostar (haven't done those yet so will be asking a lot of questions there on what do I do!?) or even going into a phoneshop to ask for a new phone!

Some people probably already know I dissapeared when I ran away from home to run away from life, and had the idea some people had like maybe wanting to touch the 3rd rail or something but I got found and returned home anyway for councilling which was a whole waste of time as they tried to think of events that could have caused it but there was none so they just made up some excuses to the cause.

In the end I left home again and ended up in standing in the 4 foot and my brain was going haywire with a lot of 'go on do it' and no don't do it' and was bloody annoying, and thats when I got caught, or rather saved, by the BTP and taken to the hospital where I was sent to an instutition to be on anti-depressants. I still get the same thoughts now but not as bad, as I can just block or shut it off after 5 mins, and doesn't come up alot either.

My advice is anyone in the same situation is to get on anti-depressants ASAP. Don't wait to get caught in the act as it only makes you more fustrating on those trying to help. Plus an institution isn't the best place to end up so skip the long process and go to a GP, I wish I did!

 

[HST Power]

I.
I can also get nervous when having to do something new like getting a passport, going to an aiport, getting on a eurostar (haven't done those yet so will be asking a lot of questions there on what do I do!?) or even going into a phoneshop to ask for a new phone!

I am exactly the same. Bought a new camera this morning and I wouldn't go into the shop before I had rehearsed my lines about what I was going to ask, and what I wanted. I don't know why, I just get caught out by these things and end up coming out with meaningless strings of difficult to understand nonsense! I also get nervous when trying to find places in the car and the first time I went on a HST.