# SPs, what are you like when/how do you deal with, depression?



## phoelomek (Nov 28, 2010)

What are you likely to do? How are you likely to cope? And what do you think is a major cause of depression for you, or if you've never been depressed, what kind of things do you think might possibly contribute to/cause it for you? 

I know there is a thread on stress, but I think this is different. 

Thanks.


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## Anakin (Sep 21, 2010)

Whats the opposite of depression? happiness

Whenever you do something your passionate about, how do you feel at the moment? Happy


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

If I feel like something isn't working in my life, my solution is to change something. Do something different. It doesn't really matter what, and it doesn't have to be huge. I feel like I benefit even from a small change. It helps put me in a new frame of mind if I find myself in a rut.


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## rockthered101 (Jan 3, 2011)

When I fail to do something I get depressed. Whether its failure to fix something or failing some test. Not being good enough maybe? Loss also makes me depressed. 

When I'm depressed I just really shut everyone out and stay alone. I guess how I cope with that is get distracted with something, like a project or meet someone new. It's really hard for me to just "get over it" though. My depression is sometimes for weeks/months.


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## firedell (Aug 5, 2009)

I do what I can, otherwise I end up angry. Singing is helping me at the moment.


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

I become a completely different person. Best way to deal with it I have concluded, find a hobby or anything that really interests you and go for it. I'm gonna try that and see how it goes, it seems like the logical thing to do since happiness is the opposite of depression.


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

SuPERNaUT said:


> I become a completely different person. Best way to deal with it I have concluded, find a hobby or anything that really interests you and go for it. I'm gonna try that and see how it goes, it seems like the logical thing to do since happiness is the opposite of depression.


I'm trying this right now, too. Just being around people who make me laugh, and doing hobbies that I enjoy. Plus, making sure I get a daily dose of sunshine and chocolate.:laughing:

I'm trying to avoid people who just look at me with those sad eyes. People feeling sorry for me just makes me feel even worse.


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## Neon Knight (Aug 11, 2010)

letsride said:


> I'm trying this right now, too. Just being around people who make me laugh, and doing hobbies that I enjoy. Plus, making sure I get a daily dose of sunshine and chocolate.:laughing:
> 
> I'm trying to avoid people who just look at me with those sad eyes. People feeling sorry for me just makes me feel even worse.


Sunshine + chocolate are essentials of life! At least for me  Sunshine for SAD and chocolate for PMS so that to me, says a lot about their effectiveness in helping through depressive periods :happy:


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## DoctorYikes (Nov 22, 2010)

Hard to say -- I trend toward angry more often than depressed.

But, get me good and frustrated, and I'm likely to clean your house. For some reason, I can burn off tons of rage molecules by doing housework/chores/etc.


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## Seralya (Mar 8, 2010)

Are we talking about clinical depression or feeling down?


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

Seralya said:


> Are we talking about clinical depression or feeling down?


Well, for me, I've just been feeling down, and am doing everything I can to avoid becoming clinically depressed. That's what I was refering to in my posts, but the OP didn't specify.

I think clinical depression requires meds, doesn't it?


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## Seralya (Mar 8, 2010)

letsride said:


> I think clinical depression requires meds, doesn't it?


As much as any illness, I'd say. It's like painkillers for influensa - they help to make you feel better for a while but don't actually offer any cure. The meds are supposed to function as crutches, enabling the patient to work on the real problem, e.g. through therapy. However, the doctors receive most of their information directly from the medical companies, that, of course, do everything they can (without directly lying) to increase the sales. And to doctors prescribing meds is cheaper and easier way to get rid of the patient than to (find someone to) commit to a therapy. 

Basically the meds change the chemical balance of the brains so that there'd be more of the happy stuff around. Of course, with time, the body and the brain gets accustomed to this and stronger doses are needed - and quitting is dangerous business due to the withdrawa.. I mean, the Serotonine Syndrome, that might last longer you can guess. Actually, it can last longer anyone can guess, because the studies only followed quitters some six months, after which some still had withdraw.. I mean, strange symptoms.

Other ways to increase the happy stuff are motion, sex (or is that motion, too?) and, when needed, therapy to learn how to avoid concentrating on / wading in the negative feelings. The depressive feelings are usually connected with the past ("all my life is a failure") or the future ("nobody will ever love me"). so anything that'd get your Se purring happily is great - be it a gym pass, strolls in the sunshine, chocolate or anything else that lets you experience the world as it is just now.


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

Thanks Seralya, great information!



Seralya said:


> Basically the meds change the chemical balance of the brains so that there'd be more of the happy stuff around. Of course, with time, the body and the brain gets accustomed to this and stronger doses are needed. . .


This is something I hadn't thought about before, but I suppose serotonine is like any other drug. It makes sense, now that I think about it. I do pretty intense workouts on a regular basis, and although they are helping me right now, they don't have as drastic of an effect on me like I was hoping for. Probably because my brain is used to receiving that same level of serotonine. I'll have to do some reading to find out if increasing intensity or length of workouts is directly proportional to the release of serotonine. That might be an option.

Plus, now that I do the math, a recent break-up means no sex, so I've lost a significant source of serotonine there alone.

Depression is one of the five steps of grieving, so I feel like some of this is expected (death of two friends in the past month). I just want to keep it in check. Anyway, I like your suggestions about staying in the here and now, and I'm trying to choose activites that allow me to do just that. Thanks!


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## Seralya (Mar 8, 2010)

letsride said:


> Thanks Seralya, great information!
> 
> This is something I hadn't thought about before, but I suppose serotonine is like any other drug. It makes sense, now that I think about it. I do pretty intense workouts on a regular basis, and although they are helping me right now, they don't have as drastic of an effect on me like I was hoping for. Probably because my brain is used to receiving that same level of serotonine. I'll have to do some reading to find out if increasing intensity or length of workouts is directly proportional to the release of serotonine. That might be an option.
> 
> ...


First of all, I am sorry for your loss. I can't imagine how it feels. 

I don't know if it is that simple about "serotonine being like any other drug", as serotonine is something that is around in your head at all times - the SSRI does raise the levels, artificially, but I don't know how it really works. A friend claims that getting drunk equates with using up all one's happy stuff at once, leaving us down with the hangover. Interesting a theory.

However, try googling MINDFULNESS, it seems to be a good approach to depression. Mindfulness, according to wikipedia and some books is paying attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis. There are practices where one is supposed to concentrate in what he or she is currently doing, e.g. eating, walking, everything that we never normally notice... And sad feelings, depressive thoughts, are observed like the cold wind that blows over, acknowledged as feelings that pass but that don't need to stick around. It sounds like a good idea to me - though I haven't got much farther than bought a couple of books.


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

Yeah, I got a book on mindfulness a few years back ("Coming to Our Senses", or a title something like that). I never finished reading it, but I just skipped right to the basic exercises. I think I'll go dig that book out of my closet tonight. Maybe I can move on to the move advanced stuff.:happy:


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

Okay, so I did some reading up on serotonin, and found that. . .

"Serotonin is naturally synthesized by the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan, which is a component of proteins. Additionally, other nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, and minerals like calcium are required for serotonin synthesis."

Anyway, I did a little experiment on myself tonight. Took an omega-3 supplement a few hours before the workout, and I was able to achieve a "runner's high". I haven't been able to do this for several weeks, so there might be something to it. Or it might just be the placebo effect.:laughing: Either way, I'm sticking with it for awhile.


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## Seralya (Mar 8, 2010)

letsride said:


> Okay, so I did some reading up on serotonin, and found that. . .
> 
> "Serotonin is naturally synthesized by the body from the essential amino acid tryptophan, which is a component of proteins. Additionally, other nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B6, and minerals like calcium are required for serotonin synthesis."
> 
> Anyway, I did a little experiment on myself tonight. Took an omega-3 supplement a few hours before the workout, and I was able to achieve a "runner's high". I haven't been able to do this for several weeks, so there might be something to it. Or it might just be the placebo effect.:laughing: Either way, I'm sticking with it for awhile.


Yay! Omega capsules make my nose bleed (no idea why), so I have been experimenting with B6+magnesium (because B6 isn't sold alone here and magnesium is good for cramps anyway, and girls get cramps at times). Not sure if it works but it doesn't seem to hurt.:happy:

I have got myself a camera. When I look at things through the camera lens I see things in a new way. Walking to job the same way I've walked many times before does make one think there's nothing new to discover, nothing to appreciate.. until one starts looking. The way the sun shines through the frosty branches of the park's only tree, the shape of scratches the bob-cat driver has made on the snow or the old Christmas tree leaning on the church wall, half covered in ice.. I don't think my pictures are worth anything, actually I don't even look at them after taking them, but I like thinking of taking pictures now. :wink:

And I need to start to excercise.

Edit: Tell me how you find the book. I might like one, too..
Edit 2: Or maybe not. I read the reviews on Amazon. They say it's poorly edited, and that the author has written better books.


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## letsride (Dec 22, 2009)

Seralya said:


> Yay! Omega capsules make my nose bleed (no idea why), so I have been experimenting with B6+magnesium (because B6 isn't sold alone here and magnesium is good for cramps anyway, and girls get cramps at times). Not sure if it works but it doesn't seem to hurt.:happy:


How strange about the nose bleeds, hope you have better luck with the B6.



> I have got myself a camera. When I look at things through the camera lens I see things in a new way. Walking to job the same way I've walked many times before does make one think there's nothing new to discover, nothing to appreciate.. until one starts looking. The way the sun shines through the frosty branches of the park's only tree, the shape of scratches the bob-cat driver has made on the snow or the old Christmas tree leaning on the church wall, half covered in ice.. I don't think my pictures are worth anything, actually I don't even look at them after taking them, but I like thinking of taking pictures now. :wink:


This is good idea, too. I've noticed that whenever I take a different route, it's like it resets my brain. I notice all the new details of my surroundings, and it really does keep me in the here and now. Hey, as long as you benefit from taking the pictures, that's all that matters. Even if you never look at them afterwards.:laughing:



> Edit: Tell me how you find the book. I might like one, too..
> Edit 2: Or maybe not. I read the reviews on Amazon. They say it's poorly edited, and that the author has written better books.


Good to know. A friend recommended that one to me, but honestly, I don't think she ever finished reading it either!:crazy:


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## Aerorobyn (Nov 11, 2009)

Ok, I haven't read everything here yet (I'll do it eventually, I just want to reply right now), but... clinical depression requires meds? I find it hard to believe. 

Honestly, I just don't believe in meds being a cure for every single little 'disease' out there. Meds and their "positive effects" on us are all just a mindset: we think meds automatically work, therefore our mind eventually tells us that we're "OK" after taking the meds. Give somebody a placebo that looks exactly like their anti-depressant, and they're most likely still going to say that it helped them - even though it was nothing more than a sugar pill. You don't need anti-depressants to alter the feeling of depression - you just need to change your mindset, as well as negative lifestyle factors. But that's just my opinion.


What do I do when I feel depressed? Eh. The only time I ever really get down is during the winter (SAD), and I pretty much just let it be, because I know it will be gone once the sun starts shining again. 

If I happen to get down due to causes unrelated to SAD, then I typically just find myself going out for long drives, hanging out with friends, or taking my frustration out in the form of exercise or something. Music is also a necessity for curing "depression."


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## Seralya (Mar 8, 2010)

Aerorobyn said:


> Ok, I haven't read everything here yet (I'll do it eventually, I just want to reply right now), but... clinical depression requires meds? I find it hard to believe.
> 
> Honestly, I just don't believe in meds being a cure for every single little 'disease' out there. Meds and their "positive effects" on us are all just a mindset: we think meds automatically work, therefore our mind eventually tells us that we're "OK" after taking the meds. Give somebody a placebo that looks exactly like their anti-depressant, and they're most likely still going to say that it helped them - even though it was nothing more than a sugar pill. You don't need anti-depressants to alter the feeling of depression - you just need to change your mindset, as well as negative lifestyle factors. But that's just my opinion.
> 
> ...


I take it that you haven't been diagnosed with depression. Don't understand me wrong, I don't agree with the medication-centered mental health care we have, but as dangerous the psychofarmaca can be, telling people with diagnosed depression that they "just need to straighten up" or anything like is even worse. I am not sure whether you consider depression and "depression" (as in your post) being same thing, and if not, which one is which, but let me tell you - if you're clinically depressed, music isn't going to help much. If you're feeling a li'l blue (something the evening papers call depression, as in "Celebrity actress depressed after breaking up with her lover after two weeks of happy marriage), it might. 

You say that you deal with SAD because you know it's getting better at some point - that's an important distinction. When depressed I feel that things will never change - not for the better anyway. During my worst phase - luckily several years ago now - I didn't have energy to do anything else but sleep and cry; chewing food someone else had prepared was too much of an effort. My strategy to deal with hunger was to sleep, because after waking up I wasn't hungry for an hour or two - after which I went to sleep again. For some reason "changing my mindset" just didn't occur to me as anything doable or useful back then. Lifestyle factors I did consider, or, specifically, I did consider dying. I'm also pretty sure that those few people who stayed by me would've noticed if someone had replaced my medication with sugar pills..

So please, whatever opinion you're voicing, please try to keep it informed.

Edit (because writing posts in the middle of the night isn't always the best method to produce readable text: 
The trouble with the word 'depressio'n is that it means two things - the mental disorder of chronic unhappiness and any behavior resembling it. In the same way than music might help with blues but not with the real disorder, yelling at an 'ADHD-kid' that's just lively, energetic and knows no boundaries might have different effects than yelling at one that actually has the disorder. It's easier to understand that by calling someone a whore doesn't usually say anything of her job and that the kid Peter and Dick call retarded isn't necessarily entitled to special help - because the different usages of those words are better known and more distinct than the ones of the word depression.

Yeah, my Ti is again running wild.


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