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One Road Out of Depression

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Re: One Road Out of Depression

#31

Post by patrickdavey »

When I got Depressed (capital D, though I was only 4 on a 10 point scale) the hardest part for me was accepting that I needed to take medication, that I couldn't WILL myself better (not for want of trying I can tell you).

Maybe some people can think themselves better, but if you are properly depressed, and your doctor is suggesting medication, it's not failing/losing/lessening to take the drugs to correct a chemical imbalance. And stay on them until you're supposed to come off (not when you begin to feel better), as the last thing you want is to ping-pong between highs & lows.

Of course, fix the underlying issue (if there is one) when you can (i.e. see a psychologist and get proper instruction), but you want to get to a stable place first.

This is just my comment, a sample size of 1, but if it helps anyone else reading through this, so much the better.

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#32

Post by agumonkey »

alexashka wrote: post #21

Cliff notes: guy raised in a family of over-achievers, worked himself to the bone while never taking the time to grow up emotionally, hoping achievement would fill the gap. It didn't, he had to face that fact and now that he's let go of the false hopes of success fixing his life - he's slowly but surely getting his shit together and is very glad to be doing so. Perhaps the one thing missing from this article is how c…

I too got stuck into a restricted life path because that was a very plausible and effective life drive (the neverending good student). Until it stopped. Gotta realign your priorities (emotional, familial and social balance) and it's surprisingly difficult for a while.

It's hard to avoid over specification in life, it's a natural reflex to aim at what seems and feels the best, thinking the rest, scary and annoying has no value whatsoever.

I write this very very often nowadays. I'm sad that our cultures completely ignores such things, and itself too, optimizes for other indicators (economy, foo) while so many people spend years in life confusion because simple things aren't said earlier.

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#34

Post by titzer »

SketchySeaBeast wrote: post #17
elcct wrote: post #9

There is actually one simple trick to get out of the depression - just cheer up!

That's what I keep telling my amputee friend too - just walk it off.

You see, this is actually funny because there's a pun there. Parent is either a troll or has no sense of humor, or both.

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#35

Post by agumonkey »

at-fates-hands wrote: post #29

My "road out" was pretty severe. I had to move on from my social group who were not healthy (some of my closet friends at the time), I stopped drinking and partying entirely, I started working out, and started to plan out my goals for the next two years. I completely closed ranks on my life - which was a major decision and started from scratch again. Probably the hardest decision I've ever made. Two years of being cl…

> I had to move on from my social group who were not healthy (some of my closet friends at the time), I stopped drinking and partying entirely, I started working out, and started to plan out my goals for the next two years.

I suppose you mean closest. Even though closet could explain depression too.

It's far from easy to express yourself [1] in your traditional circles when the inner self distance is very large. I spent lots of years following the average persons because I couldn't really accept my own desires.

[1] This comment has a lot of homosexual subtext, but it's only half pun, I believe they're a good extrapolation for having to deal with lives they didn't want but are force fed on them. Anybody who doesn't listen and accept himself ends up in the same situation.

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#36

Post by Swizec »

patrickdavey wrote: post #31

When I got Depressed (capital D, though I was only 4 on a 10 point scale) the hardest part for me was accepting that I needed to take medication, that I couldn't WILL myself better (not for want of trying I can tell you). Maybe some people can think themselves better, but if you are properly depressed, and your doctor is suggesting medication, it's not failing/losing/lessening to take the drugs to correct a chemical…

I don't know what I was on the scale, but at some point the only thing keeping me aluve was the fear of inflicting a traumatic experience on my 8 years younger sister. Making an 8 year old discover her dead brother would be just a shitty thing to do.

The obly thing that finally helped, even after meds (I think) didn't do much, was a very solid "Fuck this, I don't want this anymore" and willing myself out of it by forcing myself to become a workoholic. It gave me interesting things to do and kept me distracted from the ultimate pointlessnes of it all.

Eventually the pointlessnes became my greatest asset. If nothing matters, then you can do anything right? Why give a shit about how a thing turns out, just try.

My psychiatrist at the time said that the meds gave me space to will myself out of it but who knows. I'm sure it went hand in hand.

On the other hand, it's been 13-ish years and too much leisure time still gets me sliding back towards a pit of despair. I'm probably not cured at all, just coping, and I'm likely to have to continue coping forever. Like a former drug addict or alcoholic.

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#37

Post by 77pt77 »

petercooper wrote: post #7

My "road out" was having kids and taking on a lot of responsibility (both family and business). It's worked for 7 years now and I've never felt happier and mentally healthy, even if I am super busy and under a lot of pressure :-) I never thought I'd be the sort of person to thrive on pressure but it turns out I am.

If you keep ignoring it for another 7 years by just burying yourself in work it'll certainly continue to be OK.

No way one day it's going come back with a vengeance

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#39

Post by chrisper »

patrickdavey wrote: post #31

When I got Depressed (capital D, though I was only 4 on a 10 point scale) the hardest part for me was accepting that I needed to take medication, that I couldn't WILL myself better (not for want of trying I can tell you). Maybe some people can think themselves better, but if you are properly depressed, and your doctor is suggesting medication, it's not failing/losing/lessening to take the drugs to correct a chemical…

Who did you contact first about the issue? A regular doctor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist?

Re: One Road Out of Depression

#40

Post by [deleted] »

77pt77 wrote: post #37
petercooper wrote: post #7

My "road out" was having kids and taking on a lot of responsibility (both family and business). It's worked for 7 years now and I've never felt happier and mentally healthy, even if I am super busy and under a lot of pressure :-) I never thought I'd be the sort of person to thrive on pressure but it turns out I am.

If you keep ignoring it for another 7 years by just burying yourself in work it'll certainly continue to be OK. No way one day it's going come back with a vengeance

[deleted]
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