Different Perspectives on Depression

Please can we have some listeners perspectives on the best ways to speak to people expeincing depression.For example I've heard it can be insensitive to say 'this will pass' but equally it would be unhelpful to promote the belief that it will last forever.

7.I think that happiness is of course possible withoutsadness , but in fact this is very similar to the debate over good and evil.I believe that experience of sadness either in the extreme from of depression or negative life experiencesmay make you appreciate happiness more but the existence of is not dependent onthe other , that would be like saying that if you have never experienced very cold weather you cannot possible experience hot weather , I give this analogybecause I think depression is in many cases triggered by external events of varying severity which are interpreted subjectively.In addition to this I think that when many people are asked when were they happiestthe most common answers are early childhood , a time which for most people was predominantly without many of the perceived negatives of adult life , being death , responsibilityand a realization of our own insignificance.In addition to this I believe that depression is the ultimate result of being mortal and is linked to a fear of death and awareness of our own lack of power and significance and hence leads to individuals becoming very introvertedand focused on these topics irrespective of if they are aware of it or not.Of course I am aware that my perspective raises a paradox ,' if people are depressed because they are afraid of death then why do we have suicides?'personally I believe this is a attempt to win back power and control over external events and our own mortality, but of course I am aware this is very general and I think it's also important to look at each individuals experience as unique something I attempt to do as a listener.

What are ways of combatting depression?

I think this varies depending upon whether it is a situational or chemical depression. Situational depression is easier in some ways because once the situation is resolved, the depression generally gets better, whereas a chemical imbalance can result in years of ongoing depression due to the need to find the right combination of meds and coping skills. Then sometimes the body seems to become immune to the med, and the process of trial and error of finding a good mix starts over.

Definitely, our thinking impacts coping with depression. Finding ways of distracting ourselves in the midst of depression, and making a list of things that are good about us that can be read can be helpful. Having index cards with personal affirmations can be helpful.

Acknowledging that right now we feel depressed, but we can manage to get through this time can be helpful. Doing little things with self-care, such as taking a hot bubble bath or shower, rewarding ourselves with something small because we are holding on instead of giving up, talking to a friend about anything in general can be a good tool - it reduces isolation. Advocating for ourselves can help - speaking up about our needs can be helpful.

Medication is a definite plus for many people. Those who stay on an antidepressant for 6 months or longer, have less relapse with their depression according to research. This means that encouragement for medication compliance is a plus.

Can we teach ourselves to think positively?

I believe this is definitely possible, but horribly difficult. It means learning that feelings aren't always right, and finding truth in the midst of depression can be hard to do. Touching base with those who care about us to get an outside opinion can be helpful. Using a log to address our feelings and thinking can be really good to see if there are any patterns we can work on. Plus, it helps us to recognize what we might do with our thinking in the future.

Does depression always remain a part of you?

If it's chemical, yes, it likely will. It can be managed, but for some people, the depression will always be there. In situational depression, most generally the depression will lift once it is addressed or resolved.

One of the things that can be looked at for those who have chronic depression that is resistant to other treatments, is ECT. The process of inducing "seizures" can turn the depression around for some people. The down side is, it can cause memory loss during the time of treatment, and it doesn't work for everyone. Some people require maintenance treatment every 6 months to a year to maintain the benefit. This has been shown to be very beneficial to those who are senior citizens.

1. What is depression?

It's a cranial intruder that gorges itself on positivity and exudes negativity, feasting until it's large enough to span your thoughts and squash your confidence to the size of an atom. It weighs you down, clouds your vision,and steals your energy. And yet it is your doppelgger. It looks like you, it sounds like you, and as it whispers thoughts and changes what you see, it slowly takes you over. It starts to become you, and you it, such that intruder and host become inextricable. No matter how hard you fight, depression is inexhaustible. One day, its voice will be louder than yours.

2. Why do our brains allow us to become depressed?

Feeling depressed is a completely normal emotional reaction to events in our lives. Went the feeling persists to the point that it has a significant negative impact on your life, your relationships, your job, etc., it becomes a much bigger issue. It could prolong due to the feedback you're giving your brain. If you're doing, thinking, and saying things that remind you why you're depressed, your brain will react in kind. Conversely, your brain could be putting out the unhappy chemicals all on its own, independent of you. And that's what I call a defective brain, so you're going to want to send it back to the shop for repairs.

3. What are ways of combating depression?

Depends on what the cause is. CBT is a common method for treating depression, and can do wonders if it's your thought process, actions, etc. that are causing the unpleasantness. Stopping the automatic thoughts before they get worse, fighting back against the intrusive thoughts with positive affirmations, finding ways ways to distract yourself, exercising, meditating, seeing a therapist,and overall just doing things that make you feel good are all great ways to help combat depression. For some, however, their brain is dead set on making them feel miserable, making many items on this list unhelpful or even impossible. In those cases, medication might be the best option.

4. Would we be better off without emotions?

No. Emotions are a necessary aspect of the decision-making process. Without emotions, we cannot make decisions, about anything. Even something as trivial as how to organize a stack of papers. We cannot possibly function without emotions.

5. Can we teach ourselves to think positively?

Yes, but it's important to know our own limitations, as well. Constant positivity and optimism work for some, but for others it feels fake, forced, naiive, and they only feel worse when they can't or simply don't have faith in the positive outlook. And that's okay! The important thing is to recognize that the bad isn't always going to happen, and that live has more than negatives. The good and positive can and do happen, to everyone, even you!

6. Will we ever evolve not to feel depression?

Will we ever evolve not to feel elation? Prob'ly not. Emotions are how we perceive, interpret, and deal with life. Depression included. Though sometimes our brains go haywire, that's true of nearly every species that has a complex brain.

7. Is happiness worthwhile without sadness?

I don't think you'd recognize happiness for what it is without something to compare it to. We need a valley to recognize a mountain, and a stationary point to recognize something is moving. You need some sort of negative emotion to understand the positive ones.

8. What causes depression?

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsweek/what-causes-depression.htm

9. Does depression always remain a part of you?

If you're depressed due to events in your life, then you can overcome it and move past it. You'll always remember what it felt like, and the struggles you went through, but you can return to something like how you were before. If you're depressed due to brainy things like a smaller hippocampus and such, then yeah, it will always be there. Medicine is asplendid marvel of science, but it can't fix everything. You can use medication and therapy and other things to learn to live with the disorder, but you can't make it go away. You just have to become stronger than it.

What is depression?

Almost everyone experiences feeling depressed at some point in their lives during difficult periods in their lives - feeling down in the dumps, they have trouble concentrating, sleeping, etc?and it?s pretty normal. Fewer people (but still, a lot) deal with things like clinical depression or depression as a sub symptom of another disorder (like bipolar) or a specific ?type? or depression?like postpartum, seasonal affective disorder?etc. Lots of names, little specifics that set things apart?what sets depression apart from Depression is length of time. The longer it lasts, the more likely it is you?re facing a mood disorder as opposed to a normal reaction to a set of events.

Why do our brains allow us to become depressed?

depressed or Depressed? Little d is a completely normal reaction to a set of events, it allows us to acknowledge and react to those events appropriately. Big D (clinical/long term) is more complex, and I don?t know if it?s really a question of our brains allowing anything. There are plenty of studies that show that depression (and stress) shrinks a brain?s gray matter. People compare brains to super computers. Maybe it?s a glitch in the processor.

https://psychiatristscottsdale.com/do-antidepressants-protect-the-brain/

What are ways of combating depression?

1. Admitting you have it. Denial is a big factor in depression. Step 1, like with anything else, is admitting you have depression so you can take steps to cope with it.
2. Know the benefits of psychologists/therapists/psychiatrists/medication. Don?t start taking medication for two weeks, say ?Well I feel better now.? and then stop taking it because you don?t need it anymore (this is a problem with any mood disorder) - and find someone or a team that works for you. Not all mental health providers are created equal, and it?s perfectly alright to say ?This person isn?t right for me, I?m going to find someone who is.? - but don?t use that as an excuse to not stick with treatment.
3. Let your network know. At least one person. Your spouse, your best friend. Tell someone that your struggling with depression. This takes a little bit of the load off your shoulders, but it also lets your inner circle know what you behavior (withdrawal, sadness, etc) isn?t due to them. When your behavior changes, people tend to question ?Is it something I did?? And you don?t want your loved ones thinking that way.
4. Find a coping technique that works for you, even if you?ve heard it all before and rolled your eyes at it, it really is important to have something to turn to when you?re at the end of your rope: meditation, exercise, dance, photography, reading, painting, bird watching, soccer, watching stand up comedy. Something you love and can care about, and that can keep you grounded and the troublesome thoughts at bay. Learn to keep your mind present, don?t think about whatcouldshoulawoulda, and don?t obsess about what might be tomorrow. Concentrate on what you can get done right now, today.

Would we be better off without emotions?

No. We are a social species, and emotions are used to relate to each other and create social bonds. Without emotions we wouldn?t be able to do that, and we would never have been able to survive and thrive like we have. I mean, we?re a clever bunch, but are strength, I feel, lies in our social bonds. I do not feel emotions play much role otherwise. Reason, logic, and experience is used to make decisions, and if emotions come into play then they usually only serve to distort. But the role they do play is vital because I think we?d die off pretty quickly if we didn?t work together as we do. Although I also do feel the emotions line up with helping us fulfill evolutionary needs, like drives?you know love helps move us towards procreation and protecting our families and young (or communities/family by proxy)?anger/rage gets our adrenaline and whatnot going to give us the strength to protect ourselves in a fight/dangerous situation?fear allows us to flee a dangerous situation?so they are for 1. social bonds and 2. survival

Can we teach ourselves to think positively?

Sure we can, I know I have. And it?s been a tough, up hill battle. But for me, it doesn?t strictly mean all happy thoughts and sunshine?it just means I am no longer haunted by constant yuck and darkness. I?ve learned to keep myself focused on what?s within my power to control, what?s realistic, and the present.

Will we ever evolve not to feel depression?

That?s an unknown. We could evolve to all be depressed :P Do psychopaths get depressed? They could be the next step ;) How predatory.

Is happiness worthwhile without sadness?

No, you wouldn?t be able to identify happiness as such. It would just be a straight line.

What causes depression?

Unknown. It?s one of those ?everything? deals. Biological, chemistry, hormones, genetics, experiences?throw everything in a pot (not necessarily all at once), stir and you?ve got a depressed individual.

Does depression always remain a part of you?

It depends on the type of depression. A short term depressive episode can be recovered from?such as a life event that has caused you to feel symptoms of depression, or even a milder case of something like postpartum depression can be worked through and gotten past if the mother/family seeks help. Major depression can be a life long struggle, but it can be managed.

Awesome thread and very informative. Thanks for creating it RandKira and everyones contribution.

Well depression can be caused by number of seasons and it could be little things as well as big things like traumatic experience! Depression is most often known as the feelings of negativity and loss of interests in things that once one used to like. It can be really hard but from what I've learn is that you can't just stop thinking! And our mind is Complicated ! So we need to plan changes and then we have to implement it!

My view on clinical depression is biologically-based.

It's a chemical imbalance in the brain that can be genetic or not. I think medication works to balance the chemicals, but I am also not a huge advocate of meds. I think people can find a healthy way to overcome depression, but I do not think that true clinical depression can ever be "cured". Unfortunately, I believe that people who suffer from clinical depression will always carry it around with them and they will experience periods of time when it is high and periods of time when it is very low (not visible). I think working towards a healthy way of coping with it is what is most important, which is why I do not like meds.

I thought I would share some of my insight (from my experiences of course)

1. What is depression?
- I relate depression to being like a black dog.
It is a horirble thing that can hang over us and ends up effecting every part of our live, weather we want it to or not. It is something that can be caused because of a chemical imbalance, vary in degree of severity, can be situational or causeed by lifes experiences.

2. Why do our brains allow us to become depressed?
- Our brains allow us to become depressed when they are not functioning as they should. When pathways are not connect properly or chemicals are not balanced liek they should be.

3. What are ways of combatting depression?
- Exercising
- Getting medication from a doctor
- Getting support of a Therapist, family, friends and people that understand what you are going though.

4. Would we be better off without emotions?
- No we wouldn't, because without them we would not be able to express how we are feeling and what is going on in our lives. We would be numb people who wouldn't be able to fee!

5. Can we teach ourselves to think positively?
- We can learn to be thankful and try to focus on positive things in every situation, rather than looking at the negatives in situations.

6. Will we ever evolve not to feel depression?
- I don't think we will.....although that's personal opinion.

7. Is happiness worthwhile without sadness?
- It is good to have a balance of both....you can't have one without the other.

8. What causes depression?
- Lifes experiences, Chemical Imbalances and sturggling to manage life.

9. Does depression always remain a part of you?
- I think it does remain a part of you, but it can be managed. It doesn't define who you are, but it is just something you experience.

I can't answer these questions, but I found a great game online that talks about them. It's free and called Depression Quest. I didn't have time to get all the way through it, but of what I did play, it did a fantastic job of describing the moods and feelings.https://www.depressionquest.com