Depression - Not Just Feeling Low

[The Neo Nerd]

Some of you may be aware that some of us have no idea about depression. So i thought i would do a little write up on it.

First i think a look at the causes of depression would be handy.

Causes of Depression: Genetics, Illness, Abuse, and More

• Abuse. Past physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can cause depression later in life.
• Certain medications. Some drugs, such as Accutane (used to treat acne), the antiviral drug interferon-alpha, and corticosteroids, can increase your risk of depression.
• Conflict. Depression in someone who has the biological vulnerability to develop depression may result from personal conflicts or disputes with family members or friends.
• Death or a loss. Sadness or grief from the death or loss of a loved one, though natural, may increase the risk of depression.
• Genetics. A family history of depression may increase the risk. It's thought that depression is a complex trait that may be inherited across generations, although the genetics of psychiatric disorders are not as simple or straightforward as in purely genetic diseases such as Huntington's chorea or cystic fibrosis.
• Major events. Even good events such as starting a new job, graduating, or getting married can lead to depression. So can moving, losing a job or income, getting divorced, or retiring.
• Other personal problems. Problems such as social isolation due to other mental illnesses or being cast out of a family or social group can lead to depression.
• Serious illnesses. Sometimes depression co-exists with a major illness or is a reaction to the illness.
• Substance abuse. Nearly 30% of people with substance abuse problems also have major or clinical depression.

As you should be able to see there a number of different causes of depression.

There are also some biological indicators of depression

Researchers have noted differences in the brains of people who are depressed as compared to people who are not. For instance, the hippocampus, a small part of the brain that is vital to the storage of memories, appears to be smaller in some people with a history of depression than in those who've never been depressed. A smaller hippocampus has fewer serotonin receptors. Serotonin is one of many brain chemicals known as neurotransmitters that allow communication across circuits that connect different brain regions.

 

[The Neo Nerd]

Here is a list of some symptoms of depression.

• Difficulty concentrating, remembering details, and making decisions
• Fatigue and decreased energy
• Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, and/or helplessness
• Feelings of hopelessness and/or pessimism
• Insomnia, early-morning wakefulness, or excessive sleeping
• Irritability, restlessness
• Loss of interest in activities or hobbies once pleasurable, including sex
• Overeating or appetite loss
• Persistent aches or pains, headaches, cramps, or digestive problems that do not ease even with treatment
• Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" feelings
• Thoughts of suicide, suicide attempts

It should be noted that these can be normal reactions to normal life events. However depending on the metric, the severity and length of these events will determine whether or not you are considered depressed or not.

 

[DreadFish]

Good post. I like when people bring this to public attention.

And it's not always feeling a ton of melancholy. For the past year or so, my depression has manifested primarily as apathy, lack of motivation, irritability, anxiety, fatigue, and lack of focus and memory. Our general idea is that depression is usually sadness, but it's not always that, and it might not even include that.

 

[Lyndon]

There's also physical depression, where your body is physically depressed, sleeping a lot, lack of energy, etc., but no emotional symptoms like feeling sad, depressed, unhappy etc. I suffer from physical depression because of side effects from my manic depression medicine I have to take, but I have no symptoms of emotional depression, I'm perfectly happy and satisfied with my life, etc, but tend to oversleep, not all the time, but often.

 

[DreadFish]

There's also physical depression, where your body is physically depressed, sleeping a lot, lack of energy, etc., but no emotional symptoms like feeling sad, depressed, unhappy etc. I suffer from physical depression because of side effects form my manic depression medicine I have to take, but I have no symptoms of emotional depression, I'm perfectly happy and satisfied with my life, etc, but tend to oversleep, not all the time, but often.

Yeah, I get that kind of stuff a lot too.

Even though I've been exercising a lot and eating well, im almost always kinda tired. It used to be worse, and I would sleep 11 to 12 hours a day. It can still be incredibly difficult to get out of bed on many days. My body feels achy and heavy and it feels very uncomfortable to open my eyes and get up.

I've recently begun taking medication. Im in my second week, so we'll see how it works out. I've been feeling decent lately, besides the lack of motivation and focus.

 

[Lyndon]

11-12 hours sleep is almost average for me, 16 hrs is a bad day. If I took my medicine every day I would sleep 16 hrs a day average, so I only take the sleep inducing meds every two days, and live on a 48 hr cycle, oversleep the first day and under sleep the second day. When I'm a little manic I average about 8 hrs a day(averaged over two days) my ideal seems to be about 10 hrs a day.

Its too dangerous for me to take anti depressants that make you sleep less, because they can and do induce mania, which is my biggest problem, even though it doesn't happen often.

 

[DreadFish]

11-12 hours sleep is almost average for me, 16 hrs is a bad day. If I took my medicine every day I would sleep 16 hrs a day average, so I only take the sleep inducing meds every two days, and live on a 48 hr cycle, oversleep the first day and under sleep the second day. When I'm a little manic I average about 8 hrs a day(averaged over two days) my ideal seems to be about 10 hrs a day.

Its too dangerous for me to take anti depressants that make you sleep less, because they can and do induce mania, which is my biggest problem, even though it doesn't happen often.

Yeah, I've read that certain antidepressants will induce mania in those with bi-polar disorder.

So far, this med, Viibryd, hasn't been too bad on me. It's given me some GI problems, but nothing too severe.

 

[Lyndon]

I wish you all the best, I'm not familiar with the newer meds, I have a friend with severe depression that can't find ANY anti depressants that work for her, so if you find something that works, that's great.

 

[DreadFish]

I wish you all the best, I'm not familiar with the newer meds, I have a friend with severe depression that can't find ANY anti depressants that work for her, so if you find something that works, that's great.

Much appreciated. I wish the same to you.

 

[illykitty]

Nice thread. And yes, being depressed doesn't mean one is sad all the time. Can still laugh and have fun. Might be hard to know someone is depressed until they tell you. Then don't think the person is making things up because you see them happy. They could be having good times when around you or hiding it well.

But most of all, it's very hard to deal with. I've been like this for many years (and not for a lack of trying). Heck I'm going to get some help again, hopefully this time's the charm. It's not easy though to have to reach out times and times again, failure after failure.

 

[Deidre]

I had a bout of depression last year and into this year, over my grandmother's illness and then, death. I was functioning around friends and at work, smiled...laughed, but felt a nagging pain inside of me that was hard to describe. There were days, I wanted to just sleep the day away. There were moments when I felt like I was somehow on autopilot, existing, but not living. That to me, is how I could best describe depression, and how it feels. I can't speak for others, but that's probably the closest I've come to experiencing something that caused me to not feel at all like myself for a while. Best healing wishes to all who suffer from depression.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Excellent thread!

Here's a couple of useful sites -

How To Help Yourself Get Through Depression on a Day-To-Day Basis

Healing Depression by Taking Care of Your Mind, Body, and Spirit

Best wishes 2 all!

 

[The Neo Nerd]

I have done a lot of research on depression for uni and not once have i come across lack of subjectivity or the teaching of evolution as the cause.

Just throwing that out there.

 

[wintersolstice]

Here is a list of some symptoms of depression.


It should be noted that these can be normal reactions to normal life events. However depending on the metric, the severity and length of these events will determine whether or not you are considered depressed or not.

Thanks for your posts about depression. Your lists of causes and symptoms are an important reminder that depression is not just an off day or blue mood. It is a condition that affects the mind, body and spirit.

 

[psychoslice]

I had clinical depression, where I just slept all the time, just crying to go home, I didn't know what I meant about going home at that time. One night I was just lying on my bed and felt myself let go, all of a sudden I felt that I was expanding throughout the universe, I felt one with all there is, and that is when my depression ended. I still have schizophrenia but I don't have depression with it.

 

[Deadtroopers]

There's also physical depression, where your body is physically depressed, sleeping a lot, lack of energy, etc., but no emotional symptoms like feeling sad, depressed, unhappy etc. I suffer from physical depression because of side effects from my manic depression medicine I have to take, but I have no symptoms of emotional depression, I'm perfectly happy and satisfied with my life, etc, but tend to oversleep, not all the time, but often.

Have you tried reducing the dose or, if you take it in the morning taking it before bed instead? I don't mean you should cut this drastically, halving it say; but if you are taking 500mg bringing it down 25mg at a time a week/month at a time until you reach a happy medium. This has worked for many that I know. One person I know has gotten rid of meds altogether and altered his behaviour and outlook on life instead. They are now happier and living a more fulfilled life than ever.

 

[Deadtroopers]

11-12 hours sleep is almost average for me, 16 hrs is a bad day. If I took my medicine every day I would sleep 16 hrs a day average, so I only take the sleep inducing meds every two days, and live on a 48 hr cycle, oversleep the first day and under sleep the second day. When I'm a little manic I average about 8 hrs a day(averaged over two days) my ideal seems to be about 10 hrs a day.

Its too dangerous for me to take anti depressants that make you sleep less, because they can and do induce mania, which is my biggest problem, even though it doesn't happen often.

Just everyone be sure not to confuse bi-polar and depression, the meds that work for one can be quite dangerous for the other.

 

[Lyndon]

It takes a certain amount of medicine to get me to sleep, by taking it every second day instead of every day, I've effectively cut my dosage in half.

 

[psychoslice]

I can't sleep at all without my meds, damn it.

 

[Deadtroopers]

Nice thread. And yes, being depressed doesn't mean one is sad all the time. Can still laugh and have fun. Might be hard to know someone is depressed until they tell you. Then don't think the person is making things up because you see them happy. They could be having good times when around you or hiding it well.

But most of all, it's very hard to deal with. I've been like this for many years (and not for a lack of trying). Heck I'm going to get some help again, hopefully this time's the charm. It's not easy though to have to reach out times and times again, failure after failure.

Romiley Depression Group in Stockport. It actually works. If there is anyway you can get to it, give it a go. Highly recommended. Otherwise let me know roughly where you are and I'll try and point you at folk who might help.

Oh, and you are not a failure. Would you try and run a race on a broken leg? Generally I have found this thing doesn't happen overnight. This wall you keep running into got built over time. You have to take it down a brick at a time, seeing how all those bricks are keyed into one another so it doesn't fall on top of you. I'm confident that with support you can at least beat the thing to a draw.

I didn't look but whether you believe in a god or not; that god believes in you. As do I and many others. I can say that because I have seen it work. You may never be absolutely clear of it but you can get control and you can get your life back. Trust me; you are stronger than you think you are.