What do you do when you feel depressed?
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BSOD
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Mountain biking sounds good! Pick something you enjoy and go with it
Yeah I used to be really in to it but I kind of lost interest and I'm thinking of taking up boxing
superman22x
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I've never really been one to advice going to the doctor for depression. Nor do I really believe in anti-depressants, but I'm a pretty happy guy. I do like to talk to people, parents are good ones. And if not them, then friends.
I was dating a girl this summer and it was great! Then she went back to Virginia, and we talked a lot for a week. Then all of a sudden she was, "too busy," and a few weeks later she ends the relationship. And I hardly ever talk to her now. Sad how a person can just let a friendship die. But I talked to my friends, my good friend Amber who has a child and is married (very busy) right away said to call her. So I did, and she talked to me for quite a while. A real friend will make time for you no matter how busy. Then I talked to my other friend about it a few weeks ago.
I've found, as a guy, it's much easier to talk about feelings after 8 or so beers, ha.
I was dating a girl this summer and it was great! Then she went back to Virginia, and we talked a lot for a week. Then all of a sudden she was, "too busy," and a few weeks later she ends the relationship. And I hardly ever talk to her now. Sad how a person can just let a friendship die. But I talked to my friends, my good friend Amber who has a child and is married (very busy) right away said to call her. So I did, and she talked to me for quite a while. A real friend will make time for you no matter how busy. Then I talked to my other friend about it a few weeks ago.
I've found, as a guy, it's much easier to talk about feelings after 8 or so beers, ha.
Not that I really want to get into a debate because I'm a bit in the middle anyway - but once upon a time I used to take the above opinion too in that I didn't really advise people going to the doctor, thought anti-depressants were hugely over subscribed and suchlike. And to a certain extent I think they are still given out too easily. But on the other hand I've had close friends struck down by clinical depression and sometimes just talking to friends people about things, whilst always good, just isn't enough and there's a much deeper issue that needs professional guidance to solve.
Of course, it's all about recognising the difference between feeling a bit down every so often and falling into the above category, and that line is difficult to tell sometimes. But then again that's where close friends can help in deciding if you're just going through a natural down phase or there's something more serious that's up. It's often hard to tell until you get an outside perspective!
Of course, it's all about recognising the difference between feeling a bit down every so often and falling into the above category, and that line is difficult to tell sometimes. But then again that's where close friends can help in deciding if you're just going through a natural down phase or there's something more serious that's up. It's often hard to tell until you get an outside perspective!
superman22x
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Well, like I said I have no experience of being at that stage, but it just doesn't seem right to me. I have a friend who went a doctor once and was diagnosed with depression and bipolar by one doctor, and then another told him he had neither. He ended up being given some sort of pills which he said made everything very boring. He doesn't take them, nor does he think he has either mental problems.
And I don't see a doctor as professional guidance in the case of depression. They know nothing about us other than what we tell them. Our friends know us to the core.
You see, the issue I see is that we are a society that needs everything deconstructed and labeled. But we're better off without labels in a lot of cases, especially with mental diseases. The label is supposed to be given to our symptoms, but instead, we tend to create symptoms to fit the label. 1 in 3 people can be diagnosed with a mental disease. That's not right, that's just the way our society operates.
And I don't see a doctor as professional guidance in the case of depression. They know nothing about us other than what we tell them. Our friends know us to the core.
You see, the issue I see is that we are a society that needs everything deconstructed and labeled. But we're better off without labels in a lot of cases, especially with mental diseases. The label is supposed to be given to our symptoms, but instead, we tend to create symptoms to fit the label. 1 in 3 people can be diagnosed with a mental disease. That's not right, that's just the way our society operates.
foothead
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Maybe it's just me, but the only way I can actually feel better is to correct whatever the root cause is. All these things people are mentioning, like exercise, reading, music, etc. just make me feel worse in the long run because I have to force myself to do them even though I really don't enjoy it, and my problems are still there for later.
Be careful with antidepressants. Really. I was prescribed some a couple years ago, and they made me feel far worse. The depression did get better, but instead I just felt... nothing. My doctor kept changing medications around, and all of them had this effect, though the severity varied. It was awful, the depression almost felt good by comparison. I ended up developing a habit of cutting myself, just so I could feel something. Eventually, I just quit taking the medication and faced my problems. It made me lose all my friends, my brother won't speak to me anymore, and my dad said some things that I still resent him for, but it still made me feel better.
Anyway, that's just my experience. Depression is very much a YMMV thing. If you don't have one already, talking to a counselor may help. It doesn't do a whole lot for me, but I've heard a lot of people say it helped them a ton. It definitely won't hurt.
Be careful with antidepressants. Really. I was prescribed some a couple years ago, and they made me feel far worse. The depression did get better, but instead I just felt... nothing. My doctor kept changing medications around, and all of them had this effect, though the severity varied. It was awful, the depression almost felt good by comparison. I ended up developing a habit of cutting myself, just so I could feel something. Eventually, I just quit taking the medication and faced my problems. It made me lose all my friends, my brother won't speak to me anymore, and my dad said some things that I still resent him for, but it still made me feel better.
Anyway, that's just my experience. Depression is very much a YMMV thing. If you don't have one already, talking to a counselor may help. It doesn't do a whole lot for me, but I've heard a lot of people say it helped them a ton. It definitely won't hurt.
I guess it all depends really.
If it's a general feeling without so much of a root cause then exercise can help. At least it does help me, and I know it helps others. But obviously there will be those that it doesn't help nearly as much (it helps if you enjoy it for instance!) I know people that have been hugely helped by counselling and antidepressants. Equally, I know people that have been damaged by both (counselling in the wrong hands I really believe can do a lot of damage!) Same thing probably goes for almost everyone else!
If it's a general feeling without so much of a root cause then exercise can help. At least it does help me, and I know it helps others. But obviously there will be those that it doesn't help nearly as much (it helps if you enjoy it for instance!) I know people that have been hugely helped by counselling and antidepressants. Equally, I know people that have been damaged by both (counselling in the wrong hands I really believe can do a lot of damage!) Same thing probably goes for almost everyone else!
foothead
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Not necessarily. I've heard from a lot of people who they did help. My point was not to take them unless it's absolutely necessary, and to quit if they don't have positive effects.
I've never heard of that. I don't have a sexual orientation, so I really wouldn't have known if my already nonexistent libido was decreased.
superman22x
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If there is a root cause to fix, then yes, that's best. But if it's something that happened, it's not something to be fixed or changed, like a girl ending a relationship, or loosing family or friends.
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