Constant Mild Depression?

[Hallucination]

Is it possible to always be down? I mean nothing too serious but how can I describe it?

Melancholy and the Infinite Sadness?

Maybe it's just a case of being too hard on myself and expecting too much.

Yes this seems amazingly trivial and it is but has anyone else here felt similair?

(Of course you all have, I just need a kick up the arse I guess.)

I regret posting this now.

It's totally possible. lot of things can contribute to it so it can be harder to deal with than people might think. I had a freind who was clinically depressed once. I found it hard to understand or even relate to because I couldn't see why. The bad part was that neither could he. IHe didn't know why and that made it even worse. You start to thik somthing is wrong with you when in reality it's quit common. Somthing may be "wrong" with you but it's definately not somthing to be ashamed of. There are times when I feel melloncollie, actually quit often but it's not somthing that lingers with me or causes problems. I think everyone goes through it. It's when it starts affecting your day to day life when it's time to get actual help.

 

[najeena]

An old-fashioned GP who I know and trust told me that other than medication, excercise can help with depression. Walk a mile every day, he said, and keep it up. The chemical that regulates our moods , seratonin, is released with mild excercise. No high, like a runner might get, but enough to get you back in balance, chemically speaking. Like the anti-depression drugs, it takes a while to get the effect, but it works. Light therapy can help those with SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder)

 

[Devlin]

BonoIsMyMuse: First, you're not whining. They're frikkin gobshites. Bullocks.
Secondly, I am willing to go kick some gobshite ass for you.(Okay, I'm feeling slightly violent today.)

Thirdly, if one can't feel free to express oneself (within reason!)here, then I quit.
Right, guys?

 

[VintagePunk]

Is it possible to always be down? I mean nothing too serious but how can I describe it?

I know I'm months late for the original poster (this thread has just resurfaced), but this might help someone else.

There's a condition called Dysthymic Disorder, which is like a milder, chronic form of depression (or Major Depressive Disorder):

A. A person has depressed mood for most the time almost every day for at least two years. Children and adolescents may have irritable mood, and the time frame is at least one year.

B. While depressed, a person experiences at least two of the following symptoms:
Either overeating or lack of appetite.
Sleeping to much or having difficulty sleeping.
Fatigue, lack of energy.
Poor self-esteem.
Difficulty with concentration or decision making.
Feeling hopeless.

C. A person has not been free of the symptoms during the two-year time period (one-year for children and adolescents).

D. During the two-year time period (one-year for children and adolescents) there has not been a major depressive episode.

E. A person has not had a manic, mixed, or hypomanic episode.

F. The symptoms are not present only during the presence of another chronic disorder.

G. A medical condition or the use of substances (i.e., alcohol, drugs, medication, toxins) do not cause the symptoms.

H. The person's symptoms are a cause of great distress or difficulty in functioning at home, work, or other important areas.

 

[verte76]

If the depression isn't really serious I wouldn't worry. Actually I'm usually slightly depressed myself.

 

[JMScoopy]

i used to feel depressed and get upset easily all through highschool (aka pain and misery), but now a few years later, i've become much harder in that i dont give a shit what other people say, do, think, etc. although the torture of school has left some unreversible damage, such as my nasty temper (which i control very well, and i controlled EXTREMELY WELL in highschool, although it might've been better if i didn't a few times) and my impatience. also, i guess my emotional equipment got damaged, because i really dont display too much emotion (other than anger) and nothing seems to really bother me anymore, and compassion nearly doesnt exist for me(outside of family). i havent cried (while sober ) for at least 5 years now, or have even felt like crying. i guess my point is, dont deal with depression the way i did by blocking it out and becoming semi-bitter and angry.

btw, i can still have a good time and have fun, im not some emotionless, coldblooded, sociopath serial killer.

im pretty sure a nice girlfriend would cure me though.

 

[Lynz778]

This happens to me too. Especially at parties or gatherings and things when I just think, is this it? I prefer to be on my own. I don't get dragged down with reality so much. I also get nervous about everything. Everything.

But I actually thing this comes with everyone who has a deeper side. To think a lot means to feel a lot, and the way the world is means the bad usually overrides the good.

But it does mean you are twice as happy when the good kicks in. I think you need to understand your level of emotion and kind of play to it.

(I think this is the longest post I've ever made )

 

[girlhappy]

But it does mean you are twice as happy when the good kicks in. I think you need to understand your level of emotion and kind of play to it.

(I think this is the longest post I've ever made )

Yea, i am still waiting for double happines when good kicks in. And i believe in that. It is just ..sort of waste when you have to suffer well. (a bit of DM). I mean, the thing is you got to take the distance and look at the world that way. That is hard to accomplish if you are oversensible person, atl east in my opinion/experience. Anyone?

 

[melon]

Is it possible to always be down? I mean nothing too serious but how can I describe it?

...

Maybe it's just a case of being too hard on myself and expecting too much.

I know what you mean. Sometimes I think it's a case of being ambitious and feeling frustrated that you can't progress at the pace that you want to achieve.

If it were up to me and money wasn't an issue, I'd have been an independent filmmaker by now. It frustrates me that I don't have the money or resources to do what I want. Rather, I feel depressed that I'm stuck working a job that I consider "trivial," while still dreaming about what I could be doing.

Anyway, I hope I interpreted your post correctly. Reading that you're a bit hard on yourself just resonated well with me.

Melon

 

[Carek1230]

^Your post makes perfect sense, Melon and also hits home with me. It is exasperating and frustrating when one has such aspirations and just seems to be spinning wheels, not making it to the point you feel you really want to excel to, for variety of reason. Keep on plugging away I say.

 

[ZeroDude]

Well I find it both interesting and indeed hopeful that many feel the same way although it is a shame that such empathy doesn’t seem to be as apparent within a day to day basis.

It is true though that I like many others feel as if we aren’t being given the opportunity that many who have less vision and/ or skill in our chosen fields are.

Whether or not this is down to self delusion or actual truths it remains immaterial due to the fact that people who often think like this, including myself can be thought of as arrogant without the need for justification.

As with Melon I also find myself doing something that is completely unrelated to what I really want to do in life. In fact I’m doing a course in ICT that could lead me into being an IT consultant when I truthfully want to be a published poet, author and a songwriter.

Thank you all though and hopefully we’ll all find ourselves more fortunate with time.

 

[xtal]

Is sleeping a lot a sign of depression???

I usually like to get about 8-10 on average night's sleep. My mother says that it's too much and I should get on Prozac, but my doctor says that it's not a bad thing to sleep a lot, and doesn't think I am depressed and be medicated.
I have up and down days, everybody does. The days are harder when my mom comes to visit and belittle me. But I am not a generally unhappy person.
I think you should visit a psychiatrist or doctor to better explain this more thoroughly. I know I'm gonna.

 

[ILuvLarryMullen]

sleeping 8-10 hours is not a lot in my opinion, that's how much i sleep and I'm not depressed. I don't know how old you are, but most people i know that are in there teens or early 20s sleep about this much.

 

[VintagePunk]

A diagnosis of depression would never be made based on sleep habits alone. There is an entire list of physical, cognitive and emotional criteria to run through.

Also, even if you did fit the criteria for depression in other areas, sleeping more than normal would not be a symptom of depression unless there was a change in sleep pattern that coincided with the onset of depression. For instance, if you've always slept for 10 hours a night, and continue to do so, but the onset of other depressive symptoms only came three months ago, your sleep habits wouldn't count toward depressive criteria.

 

[tommyvill]

Is it possible to always be down? I mean nothing too serious but how can I describe it?.

I guess it's all because of your avatar, zerodude...
Freud would tell you that referee Collina represents your super ego that criticyse ev'ry thing you do...
(sorry, just kidding, I know...but I alway though that sometimes a smile can save a day

 

[girlhappy]

How i dearly wish i was not here, like Morrisey says.Yes, there is always hope.

 

[BrownEyedBoy]

I think some people are just that way. I think I am. Ever here of those 4 personality traits?

Melancholic
Sanguine
Phlegmatic
Choleric

Most people have 2 prominent ones. I tend to be a melancholic phlegmatic.

i'm melancholic choleric.

 

[meegannie]

I've been depressed for as long as I can remember. It's just something I've tried to learn to live with.

 

[Carek1230]

I am having a really crap day today. I do not like days like these. It hurts to smile or laugh. I just want to sleep and maybe things will feel better and brighter when I wake up.

 

[Windmilllane]

I am having a really crap day today. I do not like days like these. It hurts to smile or laugh. I just want to sleep and maybe things will feel better and brighter when I wake up.

 

[girlhappy]

I am having a really crap day today. I do not like days like these. It hurts to smile or laugh. I just want to sleep and maybe things will feel better and brighter when I wake up.

Carek, you have such a good heart, i am sorry to hear that!Sounds so familar!

 

[Carek1230]

Thank you, that makes me feel better! I had a long talk with my mom on the phone tonite and she made me feel better. I just chalk it up to a bad day. We all have them. Tomorrow's another day! You guys are the best tho! Thanks!

 

[Zoomerang96]

i'm not depressed.

there's really one area of my life that's of concern, but i'm usually relatively successful in occupying my mind with other things that prevent me from dwelling on it.

hahahahahahaha

no, that's not true at all.

 

[JGWIW]

Re: Re: Constant Mild Depression?

I know I'm months late for the original poster (this thread has just resurfaced), but this might help someone else.

There's a condition called Dysthymic Disorder, which is like a milder, chronic form of depression (or Major Depressive Disorder):

A. A person has depressed mood for most the time almost every day for at least two years. Children and adolescents may have irritable mood, and the time frame is at least one year.

B. While depressed, a person experiences at least two of the following symptoms:
Either overeating or lack of appetite.
Sleeping to much or having difficulty sleeping.
Fatigue, lack of energy.
Poor self-esteem.
Difficulty with concentration or decision making.
Feeling hopeless.

C. A person has not been free of the symptoms during the two-year time period (one-year for children and adolescents).

D. During the two-year time period (one-year for children and adolescents) there has not been a major depressive episode.

E. A person has not had a manic, mixed, or hypomanic episode.

F. The symptoms are not present only during the presence of another chronic disorder.

G. A medical condition or the use of substances (i.e., alcohol, drugs, medication, toxins) do not cause the symptoms.

H. The person's symptoms are a cause of great distress or difficulty in functioning at home, work, or other important areas.

I was trying to think of the name - that's it! Dysthymia - I have it too. Different from clinical depression (typically lasting an intense few weeks) - dysthymia can be life long. My doctor says exercise exercise. Off course me being the non-exerciser that I am, this was of no help. What I found to finally lift me out of this continuous funk - get involved in doing something for others. This has really filled the "hole". When I find myself (as I have been for the last 2 weeks) slipping back, I look and see its because I've let myself fall back into self absorbtion. Not that I'm totally selfless either - I still indulge, pamper myself, become angry or give in to my woes from time to time. But overall, this was the ticket for me. Now where's that treadmill...

 

[Carek1230]

I just posted in the other Depression thread and I think I will post here as well. I'm looking for someone who may have been taking Effexor and went off of it. I talked to my doctor this week and I'm going to go off of it after some time. I just wanted to compare notes or get an idea if anyone here has experienced this. It's not something you can just quit cold turkey. I'm going to do a month of half the dosage I've been taking followed by another month of half THAT dosage. Wish me luck and I hope I hear from someone out there!

 

[briarrose]

My friend stopped Effexor cold turkey. She ended up feeling drunk for about 2 weeks. She said her head was spinning constantly and she was always dizzy.

I hope you don't have any of those effects, but since you'll be tapering off of it I doubt you will. Good luck!

 

[Carek1230]

Thanks....I am definitely tapering off of it, can't stand that dizzy feeling, it's horrible. It's difficult to focus and concentrate or drive like that. We'll see how it goes and I will share it here in case there is anyone else out there in the same boat or who this info might help.

 

[BonoIsMyMuse]

I somewhat stupidly stopped taking Zoloft cold turkey after being on a moderate dosage of it for a year. My doc at the time wouldn't listen to a word I said when I went in for appointments--five minutes, and he'd be writing me another long-term prescription for something that was making me dizzy and thirsty and was making me gain weight.

I don't deny that there was a time when I needed it. I was really a mess for a few months, and the medication helped me to take a deep breath and regather my thoughts and energy. What I realized over time, though, was that what I really needed to overcome my depression was to learn to cope with things differently. No pill was ever really going to help me do that.

It's been nearly a year since I went off the medication, and I'm still very glad that I did. I spent that year feeling a little fuzzy and out of focus. I was going through my everyday life, but I didn't feel as if I was feeling anything fully. I've had some hard times since then, some bad enough that I've considered going back on medication, but I guess what I learned in the end is that I'm a lot stronger of a person than I thought I was when I first became depressed.

I bet you are, too! Good luck with the process

 

[Carek1230]

^Thanks. I agree with a lot of what you say. Mindset and coping is very important and I have learned those skills over the years. I am giving it a go and will see what happens, fully aware of side effects but with a mindset of strength that I can do it. I don't want to rely on the medication, I don't feel I need to any more altho as you say there was a time I really did need it.

 

[waynetravis]

B. While depressed, a person experiences at least two of the following symptoms:
Either overeating or lack of appetite.
Sleeping to much or having difficulty sleeping.
Fatigue, lack of energy.
Poor self-esteem.
Difficulty with concentration or decision making.
Feeling hopeless.

I sometimes feel like that