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Depression

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Re: Depression

#21

Post by intralizee »

colemickens wrote: post #16
intralizee wrote: post #14

As a programmer trying to imagine how I would construct & create depression for a simulation. I think it would make sense to have a negative state that turns "on or off" against the will, associated with unwanted thinking patterns, current life circumstances and some type of past trauma playing a big role in the illness. Anyone think of something different? I believe past trauma is the root cause and I doubt people h…

>I believe past trauma is the root cause and I doubt people have depression if they haven't had some type of experience they would classify as trauma. Hm, what do you mean by trauma? I strongly disagreed with this statement, but feel less strongly after writing and considering it more. Maybe the influences that I think vageuly underlie or trigger my existential depression is others would call trauma?

> Maybe the influences that I think vageuly underlie or trigger my existential depression is others would call trauma?

I think that may possibly be the case of the trauma. Subconsciously something is there and it's deeply personal per individual with how one's life played out.

Re: Depression

#23

Post by ctrl_freak »

chongli wrote: post #6
Waterluvian wrote: post #2

From my amateur perspective, i think the history of how people treat others with depression may be deeply rooted in the Human flaw of, "the way I experience the sensations of existence must be how everyone else does." I can't exactly fault the default response to be, "I don't get it. Just get off your butt and go for a jog. I always feel better when I do that." I remember being so ignorant to depression until I exper…

I can't exactly fault the default response to be, "I don't get it. Just get off your butt and go for a jog. I always feel better when I do that." I've been living with depression for almost two decades now. I took up running a few years ago and you're right, it did make me feel good. But there was no way for me to keep it up through the Waterloo winters with mountains of snow, disgusting brown slush, and deadly black…

UW grad here. Running has really helped me maintain motivation and life outlook throughout the years. When I was at Waterloo during the winter I would switch to swimming, which while not quite as enjoyable for me as running, was still hugely beneficial. I dealt with a sprained ankle last year and had to switch back to swimming while it healed. I don't know how much you enjoy it, but if you're just inexperienced at it, it's definitely worth the effort to become better.

Therapists are also great. PM me if you ever want to talk.

Re: Depression

#24

Post by bahro »

intralizee wrote: post #14

As a programmer trying to imagine how I would construct & create depression for a simulation. I think it would make sense to have a negative state that turns "on or off" against the will, associated with unwanted thinking patterns, current life circumstances and some type of past trauma playing a big role in the illness. Anyone think of something different? I believe past trauma is the root cause and I doubt people h…

Have you played Depression Quest? http://www.depressionquest.com/dqfinal.html

Re: Depression

#26

Post by IAmGraydon »

intralizee wrote: post #20
mabbo wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I believe past trauma is the root cause and I doubt people have depression if they haven't had some type of experience they would classify as trauma. I had a great childhood. Amazing parents. A good upper middle class life. Good friends. No real trauma to speak of at all. By 12, if I'd shared with a doctor what was going on in my head they'd have slapped me with the depression label. I wasn't healthy. There was no…

What sort of thoughts were in your head at 12? Trauma can be rooted in the subconscious and without one realizing the trauma ever happened.

Exactly. Most people who suffered trauma at an early age cannot identify it without working through it with a therapist.

Re: Depression

#27

Post by lsc »

intralizee wrote: post #14

As a programmer trying to imagine how I would construct & create depression for a simulation. I think it would make sense to have a negative state that turns "on or off" against the will, associated with unwanted thinking patterns, current life circumstances and some type of past trauma playing a big role in the illness. Anyone think of something different? I believe past trauma is the root cause and I doubt people h…

Huh.

(to be clear, I'm no more qualified than you, probably less, I'm just a computer technician speculating about how the brain works;)

I always felt like trying to fit my feelings into a logical model that had to do with other feelings was a losing game. As far as I can tell, how healthy I am in other ways matters more to my feelings than anything else; when I'm doing badly, little bad things seem huge; when I'm depressed, it feels like I've always been depressed. When I'm doing well? the opposite is true. Feelings just... they aren't logic. they don't seem to operate under the rules of logic.

I guess I think of bad feelings like any other kind of difficult to pinpoint bodily pain... something is wrong with me, but the thing that is wrong is often not the thing that hurts.

I personally think there's way too much stigma associated with drugs; I mean, for me, fitness levels have a lot to do with mood, and goddamn, it's hard to get myself to work out when I'm depressed, so I can get in this sort of negative feedback loop. For me? short term antidepressent use is hugely useful for getting out of those negative loops. And really? I don't see a problem with long term medication use, if it's safe and if it helps.

Re: Depression

#28

Post by projektir »

mabbo wrote: post #18
TheSpiceIsLife wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Have you tried Vitamin D and magnesium aminoacid chelate / orotate / citrate.

On the one hand, answers like this always seem to over-simplify. Oh hey just take this vitamin and the soul sucking demon that's been riding on your shoulder for years, decades, will magically go away. On the other, I spent nearly two decades of my life suffering from this horrendous illness, and nothing has helped as much as daily magnesium does. I take a big Magnesium pill, a men's health multivitamin and I add D i…

Iron / Vitamin D / and maybe Magnesium (this one is still new for me and I can't find a good way to get it. What's a good brand for this?) is always my first check for whenever I fall into a slump.

If you are depressed/whatever always check your stats if you haven't already (i.e., take a blood test, check your vitamins). Maybe it won't help, but better get that out of the way because those things can make a dramatic difference.

I'm continually amazed at how many people on a host of antidepressants never done any kind of test with their GP.

Re: Depression

#29

Post by mthoms »

Waterluvian wrote: post #2

From my amateur perspective, i think the history of how people treat others with depression may be deeply rooted in the Human flaw of, "the way I experience the sensations of existence must be how everyone else does." I can't exactly fault the default response to be, "I don't get it. Just get off your butt and go for a jog. I always feel better when I do that." I remember being so ignorant to depression until I exper…

Exactly my thoughts. Lately I've been using the intoxication metaphor because most people can relate to it. I use it by asking... "Could you explain the feeling of severe intoxication to someone who's never experienced it?" Would they truly understand?

Of course not. It's impossible.

The same is true of severe depression. Your entire state of mind is altered in a way you have very little control over. It's impossible to relate to it unless you've been there.

Along the same lines, you can't tell a depressed person to "just be positive" any more than you can tell a drunk person to "just sober up". I mean you can, and they can superficially appear to do so, but it's unsustainable in any meaningful way.

Re: Depression

#30

Post by darkerside »

chongli wrote: post #6
Waterluvian wrote: post #2

From my amateur perspective, i think the history of how people treat others with depression may be deeply rooted in the Human flaw of, "the way I experience the sensations of existence must be how everyone else does." I can't exactly fault the default response to be, "I don't get it. Just get off your butt and go for a jog. I always feel better when I do that." I remember being so ignorant to depression until I exper…

I can't exactly fault the default response to be, "I don't get it. Just get off your butt and go for a jog. I always feel better when I do that." I've been living with depression for almost two decades now. I took up running a few years ago and you're right, it did make me feel good. But there was no way for me to keep it up through the Waterloo winters with mountains of snow, disgusting brown slush, and deadly black…

Give swimming a shot? Low impact, highly technical (which makes it fun), and a great workout.
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