Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#1

Post by welldepressedaf » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 10:26 PM UTC

I am starting to get a little bit hopeless on this one. Once I had passions and stuff I wanted to do, I learnt enough JS to build a small app that has proven to be incredibly useful for my family. Then came university and almost all my passions have gone, I am a good student but as of lately I have been struggling with the courses I liked in the past.

Nothing excited me anymore, and not that I am sad. I still can crack a joke I still can smile but nothing seems to make me happy anymore. I think I might have depression. I play games and procrastinate all day and it doesn't make me feel any good it is just a getaway.

Sadly I live in a 3rd world country, where mental illness is not an illness. I can get little help from people. Our healthcare system simply doesn't work at all. So HN crowd, how do you deal with these feelings?

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#2

Post by hemantv » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 10:38 PM UTC

Action seems to be best treatment. When I start doing things (yes I know its lot difficult) I build a stair out of black cloud hanging over my head.

Look for easiest project you can do and steps you can do to make that project work once that's done look for your next project. These small projects build your stairs / steps to rise above dark cloud and see the daylight once again :)

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#3

Post by rebelidealist » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 10:39 PM UTC

Think about how your talents can be used to help the needy. So many life saving nonprofits and ngo can use your help even at the volunteering capacity. You can also mentor someone who desires your skills one on one.

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#4

Post by dominotw » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 10:55 PM UTC

zoloft

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#5

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 11:03 PM UTC

[deleted]

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#6

Post by dreyfiz » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 11:04 PM UTC

Exercise. Read "The best exercises for mental illnesses": http://www.thementalrunner.org/p/the-best-exercise-for-menta...

(Via the "exercise out of depression" subreddit: https://m.reddit.com/r/EOOD/ )

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#7

Post by bit2mask » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 11:05 PM UTC

One time I got on to a bus and sat in front of an old gentleman who kept looking up at me occasionally. When he got off the bus and walked passed me he said: "Whatever it is, don't let it beat you kid.". I must have looked physically wrecked that day. Ever since then those words have stayed with me.

Chin up, OP.

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#8

Post by analog31 » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 11:05 PM UTC

Daily vigorous exercise might help.

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#9

Post by bedhead » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 11:06 PM UTC

dreyfiz wrote: post #6

Exercise. Read "The best exercises for mental illnesses": http://www.thementalrunner.org/p/the-best-exercise-for-menta... (Via the "exercise out of depression" subreddit: https://m.reddit.com/r/EOOD/ )

I have never suffered from clinical depression but generally speaking, I would strongly endorse the idea that exercise helps the mind. It's very difficult to articulate why this is, but it is. I cannot stress this enough.

Re: Ask HN: How did you deal with depression?

#10

Post by throw_away_555 » Tue, Jul 21, 2015, 11:07 PM UTC

This won't get a lot of votes, but it ended up as diet and exercise for me.

When I dropped caffeine and alcohol my anxiety went away. When I exercised my depression went away.

I tried a lot of things, but it ended up figuring out that I wasn't eating well or working out.

Now I do crossfit. I know, I know. It's a cult blah blah. But go try it. You need to be exercising every day to get all that endorphin goodness and plus, you meet a lot of fun people at crossfit. The community keeps me coming back. I don't get that biking (which I love) so I don't do it as much as crossfit. And I hate running. The key is to keep doing it, and that social component works magic. If you can work out at a home gym every day - good for you - but I lose interest and stop, then I get fat and lazy and depressed again.

As for food, I'm not a fan of cooking. But I found paleo then keto. And I avoid all the stuff you're told to eat. "healthy" grains, for example. I don't drink coke. Basically avoid all sugar. I'm basically paleo to paleo-keto end of the spectrum.

I really didn't think it would work but there it is.