Psycho-Babble Medication Thread 709148

Shown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre

Posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2006, at 19:41:12

I know this is a strange question. But personally what's you definition of depression? Does it mean anxiety? Or staying in bed all day? I mean so many of you work. I know I couldn't. But my anxiety is high. So am I depressed or anxious. I'm truly confused of what depression means to others. Not the standard you read but how you function in real life. Thanks Phillipa

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre » Phillipa

Posted by Quintal on November 30, 2006, at 19:57:44

In reply to May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2006, at 19:41:12

For me it's how I feel emotionally more than my behaviour. I consider myself depressed when I feel sad, worthless, hopeless and there's no point going on..........

I've felt like that and still carried on working - even starting new jobs every few months when I worked for a recruitment agency, so that is one reason I look more toward my feelings than my behaviour when it comes to judging whether I am depressed.

Q

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D » Phillipa

Posted by zmg on November 30, 2006, at 20:06:46

In reply to May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2006, at 19:41:12

Mine has changed with me over the years. Its used to be helplessness. Actually, it probably still is. I've had suicidal thoughts (helplessness) but those stopped after realizing I didn't really want to die (I mean in practic, I'm sure over the years I've had the odd thought). Next was feeling like I was going to go crazy because I felt so absolutely worthless/alone/unloved/etc, but now that I think about it that sounds like helplessness. Feeling like things are terrible and out of my control.

Now I'm honestly not sure if I'm depressed or not. I've always had a strong propensity to feel *sad* but thats just emotion, right? I feel other emotions strongly too and maybe a little sad is simply my natural disposition?

My wife thinks I'm depressed but I'm starting to think that its more tied to my generalized anxiety, my lethragy.

So I guess I'd say a persistent feeling of helplessness.

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre » Phillipa

Posted by saturn on November 30, 2006, at 21:32:38

In reply to May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2006, at 19:41:12

>>> I know this is a strange question. But personally what's you definition of depression?

sadness, emotional lability

>>>Does it mean anxiety? Or staying in bed all day? I mean so many of you work. I know I couldn't. But my anxiety is high. So am I depressed or anxious.

They can go hand in hand: an anxious depression.

>>I'm truly confused of what depression means to others. Not the standard you read but how you function in real life. Thanks Phillipa

That's a good question Phillipa

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre

Posted by blueberry on December 1, 2006, at 4:07:02

In reply to May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2006, at 19:41:12

Overwhelming sadness. Gloom and doom. Trapped, helpless, hopeless. A heavy frown. Don't laugh at jokes. Smiles are forced. No interest in anything. No anticipatory pleasure. No pleasure in anything. No motivation. Feeling disconnected from the world, disconnected from life. Clouds in the brain. Heaviness. It feels like the brain has the flu. Already dead but still walking around in a body. A breathtaking beautiful sunset is meaningless and stirs up no emotions.

The strange thing is that with me there are no lifestyle or psychological issues. Things in my life are fine. Lengthy psychotherapy resulted in zero improvement. Exercise does not help. Food choices do not help. Attitude changes do not help. Looking on the bright side is like asking someone with a cast on their leg to run 10 miles.

For me, all of the above at the same time = depression.

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre

Posted by madeline on December 1, 2006, at 6:26:23

In reply to Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by blueberry on December 1, 2006, at 4:07:02

"Already dead but still walking around in a body"

that's exactly how depression felt to me.

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D

Posted by valene on December 1, 2006, at 8:22:24

In reply to May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by Phillipa on November 30, 2006, at 19:41:12

Good question Phillipa. I have a great new psychologist and after a 1 hr 20 minute initial meeting, she concludes that my primary diagnosis is depression! I thought anxiety which seems to override all, but she is an expert in mood disorders. Her name is [xxx] - google her, she believes in psychotherapy to heal depression/anxiety more than medications has a whole slide show with another Dr. on medscape.

Depression for me is feeling hopeless, overwhelmed, constant worry, FEAR, feeling like I cannot get motivated, gloominess and negativity. I think there are many different faces of depression. Sometimes depersonalization, derealization can go with it.


> I know this is a strange question. But personally what's you definition of depression? Does it mean anxiety? Or staying in bed all day? I mean so many of you work. I know I couldn't. But my anxiety is high. So am I depressed or anxious. I'm truly confused of what depression means to others. Not the standard you read but how you function in real life. Thanks Phillipa

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D

Posted by stargazer on December 1, 2006, at 9:55:59

In reply to Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D, posted by valene on December 1, 2006, at 8:22:24

Great question Phillipa...I ask my self this alot.

Today, do I feel depressed? Not really but as you know, I'm getting some improvement on Emsam. YEAH!

The way I look at it is this. I have had depression for most of my whole life. I lived OK with it until I was in my teens and wanted to die. When I told my mother she said "I feel like that alot" and today does acknowledge depression. Her family has the genetic link.

I remember feeling so sad and different than others...very quiet, had nothing to contribute, all my thoughts and feelings were trapped inside my brain...went to college, on and off feeling like this...basically I was able to live a "normal" life but really had alot of emptiness inside, externally looked great, so that helped to fool others. Lived a life of pretending everything was OK. Did go to student health for "it" but back then no one acknowledged depression.

Depression is a continuum.
On my worst days, I cannot get out of bed, see no reason for living, see nothing in my past that has been positive, feel I have no reason to be alive and do not see why I am or why anyone else would want to be. The meaning of life has no meaning. That's depressed.

Also, absolutely no idea what I am supposed to do on a given day. I would ask my husband "What am I supposed to do next?"

The on and off symptoms that I function with vary and I work at fine tuning my meds when the symptoms become problematic. Alot of times that becomes background since usually life keeps you too busy from focusing on the minor symptoms, which everyone has, not just people with depression.

SG

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D

Posted by elanor roosevelt on December 1, 2006, at 20:55:40

In reply to Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D, posted by stargazer on December 1, 2006, at 9:55:59

sometimes for me it starts with a freefall into darkness
no anchor
then i shut down

sometimes i get agressive and ultra frustrated
and shut down

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D

Posted by BryanII on December 2, 2006, at 21:13:02

In reply to Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of Depre, posted by madeline on December 1, 2006, at 6:26:23

> "Already dead but still walking around in a body"
>
> that's exactly how depression felt to me.

Amen. Walking dead. Inert, leaden, numb, emotionally dead except for the dread of this condition continuing or worsening. Worse than death, really.

The anxiety is mostly separate for me, and not as severe as yours (Phillipa) seems to be. Depression does make it worse. Agitated, anxious depression is less numb but really nasty.

 

Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D

Posted by silkworm on December 5, 2006, at 1:29:27

In reply to Re: May Be A Stupid Question Definition Yours of D, posted by BryanII on December 2, 2006, at 21:13:02

> "Already dead but still walking around in a body"
>
> "that's exactly how depression felt to me"

"Amen. Walking dead. Inert, leaden, numb, emotionally dead except for the dread of this condition continuing or worsening. Worse than death, really."

Ditto


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