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How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

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Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#31

Post by catshirt »

corndoge wrote: post #26

"I do know the solution. And many of you healthy thinkers will be way ahead of me on this. In its simplest form the solution is to do stuff. Do the basic stuff like getting up, cleaned and dressed promptly at a sensible time, keeping on top of my laundry etc... The flip side of feeling awful when I don’t do these things is that I feel incredible when I do." If the author feels incredible when he accomplishes a task -…

especially considering a classic symptom of depression is the inability to accomplish these tasks.

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#32

Post by jimktrains2 »

corndoge wrote: post #26

"I do know the solution. And many of you healthy thinkers will be way ahead of me on this. In its simplest form the solution is to do stuff. Do the basic stuff like getting up, cleaned and dressed promptly at a sensible time, keeping on top of my laundry etc... The flip side of feeling awful when I don’t do these things is that I feel incredible when I do." If the author feels incredible when he accomplishes a task -…

Brief moments of happiness do not erase the problems, thoughts, and feelings brought on by depression.

Moreover, it seems very short-sighted and ill-informed to say that because what the author has isn't crippling and they isn't in a corner crying 100% of the time that their struggle is inconsequential or isn't really depression (I'm not a doctor; I don't know the author; I can't make that diagnosis either).

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#33

Post by jimktrains2 »

catshirt wrote: post #31
corndoge wrote: post #26

"I do know the solution. And many of you healthy thinkers will be way ahead of me on this. In its simplest form the solution is to do stuff. Do the basic stuff like getting up, cleaned and dressed promptly at a sensible time, keeping on top of my laundry etc... The flip side of feeling awful when I don’t do these things is that I feel incredible when I do." If the author feels incredible when he accomplishes a task -…

especially considering a classic symptom of depression is the inability to accomplish these tasks.

    In addition, according to the DSM-5 -- a manual used to diagnose mental health conditions -- you may have other symptoms with major depression. Those symptoms might include:

    * Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day
    * Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day
    * Impaired concentration, indecisiveness
    * Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day
    * Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities nearly every day (called anhedonia, this symptom can be indicated by reports from significant others)
    * Restlessness or feeling slowed down
    * Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
    * Significant weight loss or gain (a change of more than 5% of body weight in a month)
No, depression does not mean you're a recluse who does nothing with your life. It means you struggle to feel happy or pleasure. It means you view every fault and failing as more proof that you're worthless.

Please stop spreading dangerous FUD. Anyone who feels that they my have depression, or any mood disorder, should see a doctor, regardless of if they feel it's "minor".

There is no stigma in having a mood disorder or seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist. Please stop acting as if there is one.

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#35

Post by catshirt »

jimktrains2 wrote: post #33
catshirt wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

especially considering a classic symptom of depression is the inability to accomplish these tasks.

In addition, according to the DSM-5 -- a manual used to diagnose mental health conditions -- you may have other symptoms with major depression. Those symptoms might include: * Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day * Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day * Impaired concentration, indecisiveness * Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day * Markedly diminished interest or pleasure…

> "No, depression does not mean you're a recluse who does nothing with your life."

i never implied anything of the sort.

> "There is no stigma in having a mood disorder or seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist. Please stop acting as if there is one."

sorry, but i think you may have accidentally responded to the wrong post all together. i have no other way to reconcile how completely irrelevant your response to my comment is. without getting into the details, i'm even somewhat offended by the assumptions you've made about my beliefs and personal experiences.

the list of symptoms you posted even support my original statement.

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#36

Post by wcummings »

hightechlowlife wrote: post #13
doomrobo wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They might mean to say that it's worsened when they're not busy with something. Actively working on a task that one finds rewarding can definitely help with depression.

Sure, but from reading the article it seems that social isolation as a matter of lifestyle is the elephant in the room. If he has to be held accountable through an app, it would suggest that there's no people present throughout the day to hold him accountable. Perhaps I'm wrong, but it's less absurd than assuming we just need a whip when we're down. This isn't an unemployed person feeling like they're not contributin…

Other people won't hold you accountable unless you let them, which the author touches upon. It sounds like most of the value of the app for him is that the results are communicated to a support network.

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#37

Post by jimktrains2 »

catshirt wrote: post #35
jimktrains2 wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In addition, according to the DSM-5 -- a manual used to diagnose mental health conditions -- you may have other symptoms with major depression. Those symptoms might include: * Fatigue or loss of energy almost every day * Feelings of worthlessness or guilt almost every day * Impaired concentration, indecisiveness * Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping) almost every day * Markedly diminished interest or pleasure…

> "No, depression does not mean you're a recluse who does nothing with your life." i never implied anything of the sort. > "There is no stigma in having a mood disorder or seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist. Please stop acting as if there is one." sorry, but i think you may have accidentally responded to the wrong post all together. i have no other way to reconcile how completely irrelevant your response to my commen…

I responded to

> especially considering a classic symptom of depression is the inability to accomplish these tasks.

You are perpetuating an incorrect and dangerous view of depression by implying it only exists if you cannot function entirely.

> > > "No, depression does not mean you're a recluse who does nothing with your life."

> i never implied anything of the sort.

How so? "classic symptom of depression is the inability to accomplish these tasks." seems to imply that depression means unable to meet with friends or accomplish any task.

> without getting into the details, i'm even somewhat offended by the assumptions you've made about my beliefs and personal experiences.

ditto.

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#38

Post by double0jimb0 »

Hi Pete, I used same approach somewhat successfully for a couple months. One suggestion on that front:

Might want to add a "Burns Depression Checklist" questionnaire to your daily polling, it's a single number that will reflect mood, easier for charting and trend analysis: http://healingheartscc.com/docs/first_steps/FS_DepressionQui...

If, and a big if, in a couple months you start to lose faith that you will never be able to make meaningful change to the "core" of what is leading to your depression, here is an alternative thought:

The you who you think you are "un-depressing" isn't really real. You may be largely, if not wholly, one giant movement of habit. And one key factor of habits is they don't really stand being reasoned with by your conscious mind. If you explore this and come to find it true, then the game becomes how to change habits that are not super constructive (ones you associate with depression). The game is won when you (aka your giant movement of habit) does the thing without your conscious mind ever coming into play. That's the key.

Sounds like you are having a tough time getting out of bed feeling motivated, this was my kryptonite too. Here is a superb strategy that worked for me, and works because it gets your thinking/conscious mind out of the path to success, as just described above.

http://www.stevepavlina.com/blog/2006/04/how-to-get-up-right...

Hope helps!

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#39

Post by catshirt »

jimktrains2 wrote: post #37
catshirt wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> "No, depression does not mean you're a recluse who does nothing with your life." i never implied anything of the sort. > "There is no stigma in having a mood disorder or seeing a psychologist/psychiatrist. Please stop acting as if there is one." sorry, but i think you may have accidentally responded to the wrong post all together. i have no other way to reconcile how completely irrelevant your response to my commen…

I responded to > especially considering a classic symptom of depression is the inability to accomplish these tasks. You are perpetuating an incorrect and dangerous view of depression by implying it only exists if you cannot function entirely. > > > "No, depression does not mean you're a recluse who does nothing with your life." > i never implied anything of the sort. How so? "classic symptom of depression is the inab…

i simply posit that there exists a severity of depression at which waking up, getting dressed, and getting in the shower are out of question. do you disagree?

furthermore, i suggest there exists a severity of depression that cannot be managed or mitigated by using an app to get things done. do you disagree?

in no way did i "imply" getting dressed and depression are mutually exclusive. i didn't imply anything at all, for that matter. the connotations are your own. if i can directly address your assumption: just because you don't exhibit a symptom does not mean you don't have [some thing]. i never suggested otherwise.

Re: How I’m Handling My Depression Using an App

#40

Post by DiabloD3 »

evincarofautumn wrote: post #30
wicker wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Just ignore me if you were joking, but do I have a serious question about exactly this. I've considered doing something like this for myself. Not an app, but I thought I might wrap my credit card in a bit of cardboard that says "Wait! Think! What are you doing?" as a speed bump against my compulsive spending. Does this actually work for you? Do you open the app and it says "Don't drink, fuckface." and you're like "oh…

This used to be my home page, for a while: https://www-zeuthen.desy.de/~nkelhos/focus/ It was a useful reminder, not to avoid online distraction, but to address the issues (primarily stress) that made me distracted in the first place. Similar tactics have helped me abstain from drinking excessively. I imagine this sort of thing would work for any compulsive behaviour—interrupt the symptom, but mainly so that you’re m…

That home page... I love it. That is the best thing I've seen all day.
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