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Why do I feel depressed even when my life is going great?

291 Answers
Last Updated: 05/14/2022 at 3:02am
Why do I feel depressed even when my life is going great?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Alex DS Ellis, MA, LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

Feeling depressed or anxious can be so overwhelming. I want to help you feel better and be able to enjoy life. You are not alone and you deserve emotional support.

Top Rated Answers
TeddyBear11
January 24th, 2018 6:04am
Depression mostly is not concerned with the facts of life, and it does not matter if life is going well. It is a mental state of mind, although outer conditions may greatly affect it.
JJill1
January 24th, 2018 9:18pm
We all experience moments of saddness and depression throughout our life, no matter the circumstance. Especially if diagnosed with depression, I see it as more of an illness, not a feeling, if that makes any sense. So you can be very happy and content but have those moments where the cloud weighs.
Daydreamer7
February 5th, 2018 4:44pm
Trying not to be too obvious here, it could be a regret of something that you wished to acquire (still do) but can't. For example, you've wished to visit Egypt and since a close friend of yours has posted pictures of their trip, you don't have a very positive feeling despite everything is going well. Too add to the discomfort, your account balance might be enough to sustain you and your family but cannot afford such a trip so, temporarily you're stuck and can only hope to be able to visit your dream location in the distant future.
bunnyssong
February 10th, 2018 7:08am
Depression is not always dependent on what happens in your life. Depression affects you, and is affected, by what you think, what you feel, what goes on within your body (physiology), and what happens outside (ex. events, the people around you, etc). Even if life is going great, it could be that something is happening inside your body that is out of your control. It may be that there is an imbalance (i.e. too much, or too little) in the chemicals in your brain. It's just like when you get fever. You don't decide to get sick, it just happens somewhere in your body.
MoonlitPetey
February 11th, 2018 2:13am
Depression can be more than a feeling. It can be a physiological condition. A qualified therapist and/or specialist can help you understand and deal with the condition, as well as strengthen and train your thought life to become an effective tool you can use to combat depression! You can get out from under this, with a little help :)
Anonymous
February 11th, 2018 3:55am
Everyone can get depressed, even people who have everything they wanted. So even you can be depressed
CaringCat94
February 14th, 2018 3:32pm
There's not set formula or reason for why we might feel depressed. Even when everything in our lives is seemingly "perfect" we can still suffer from this illness. Depression isn't just a mental health issue but also a physical ailment which effects the brain due to a lack of happy chemicals.
ConnerAlexzander
February 14th, 2018 5:22pm
Depression doesn't happen just because something is going wrong. Many people have depression even if they have wonderful lives; in fact, one of my favorite role models (Jared Padalecki) has depression. He says he doesn't know why, but he knows that its best to just carry yourself anyways, and not to be afraid to ask for help when needed.
ExitReality14
February 17th, 2018 8:10am
Depression is a chemical imbalance in your brain. It is not necessarily liked to external circumstance.
Anonymous
February 21st, 2018 6:31pm
I think sometimes we all feel down even when life feel's like it is going grate. I would say this is normal for everyone but we need to try and put our finger on what is making us upset and down.
Anonymous
February 27th, 2018 7:57am
You don't always need a reason to be depressed. It can be due to various other various factors like biological factors such as chemical imbalance in your brain. It does not necessarily have to be only because of some traumatic event
calidescopeheart
March 13th, 2018 10:09pm
Feeling depressed can stem from a lot of things, not just how your life is going now but also the past. Sometimes feeling depressed has nothing to do with the current day, and more to do with mood and emotions. Please know that it's okay to feel depressed or down, this is a normal part of human emotions, but if you find you are constantly feeling down, you can try to pick your mood up by doing things you enjoy doing or things you have fun doing or make you feel good. Another way to relieve these negative feelings is to lean on your loved ones such as friends, family or listeners on 7 cups for support. If these feelings persist and you've tried doing all of the above, you can try writing down your feelings and thoughts in a journal, to better understand why you are feeling this way or consider reaching out to someone more professional such as your doctor or a counsellor for help. You should never feel ashamed for seeking help, it takes a lot of courage to get to the point where you can share what's going on inside and find healing and recovery.
RINM1230
March 28th, 2018 9:09pm
Maybe at this point you feel depressed because you cant let go of feeling that way and feeling any other way. You may feel incomplete and not realize it. Some people need drive and need to be doing things to be happy. Even if life is good, not being open to new things and new feelings can hold you back into a depressed state.
Anonymous
March 30th, 2018 11:58pm
Depression is a chemical imbalance in the brain, it affects people no matter how good your life is going. Depression doesn't care about how great your life is.
D0ncella
April 4th, 2018 8:28pm
Sometimes we try to fill empty spaces with the wrong things. Emotionally we need to care about us and then understand what we truly need and want after that.
Anonymous
April 4th, 2018 9:06pm
Exactly because I’m depressed when nothing is going wrong, and I realise the depression is simply coming from within.
Anonymous
April 5th, 2018 9:04pm
A couple possibilities - 1. This could be physical and a result of something as simple as a poor diet, lack of exercise, and poor sleep (or any combination of the aforementioned). There could be other physical/biological reasons as well so a visit to the doctor may be in order. 2. When you say "my life is going great" - by whose standards are you basing that? You may be doing all the things others think are "great" or that society has told you is "great" but don't really give you a sense of meaning, purpose, and/or fulfillment. If this goes on for more than a week or two, I strongly recommend consulting with a professional.
Greatlistener1357
April 6th, 2018 3:39pm
You an become to exhausted from a great life and in the long wrong that can make you feel depressed.
Emmur
April 6th, 2018 3:48pm
It's kind of like feeling alone even when you're surrounded by tons of people. Depression can hit you in the best moments of your life. It's nothing that you're doing; but it's best for you to utilize your coping skills and friends to help make everything okay as soon as possible. :)
SHEisthereforyou
April 11th, 2018 5:26pm
Depressions can have a lot of different triggers. Maybe you just don't recognize them or you should think about it if it's really depression or only a down phase.
ruedabega13
April 11th, 2018 8:43pm
You could actually be depressed! Depression isn't about just feeling sad, it is actually a chemical imbalance in your body. You should try talking to your doctor about it!
Anonymous
April 11th, 2018 8:59pm
Sometimes they're just old grievances that you blocked out in the past coming back. Some people tend to not thinking about things when they're sad just to get over it faster, and although it works, it's usually not a long term solution. Eventually you need to come to terms with it, mentally and at times physically. By mentally I mean actually thinking about things, assessing the situation and telling yourself that it's okay and if you think none of that works, then you physically go out and do something about it. Bad break up? Get back in touch and get your closure. Fight with someone? Apologise. Life is short, and you need to enjoy every bit of it. There is no point in being upset over the past because that's just something you can't change but what you can do is work on the present and have a greater future!
BrodieAlexander
April 12th, 2018 3:37am
Depression isn't just a feeling! It is an illness as well. On top of that there are so many different reasons for why depression effects each individual. Genetics and brain chemistry come in to play, trauma from childhood, or even the weather can all play into why you could be depressed. Be thankful for the life you have but don't beat yourself up because you aren't happy with it. Depression is an illness that discriminates against no one.
Anonymous
April 25th, 2018 11:13pm
Maybe there is something missing. Is there something you worry about? Something you think you don't have that could make you happier?
Anonymous
April 27th, 2018 9:10pm
It could be as your thinking about the bad things instead of focusing on the good things,
CoreDad87
May 2nd, 2018 11:46pm
Depression can be a chemical imbalance in our brains. No amount of good things going for us can change our overall emotional mood all the time
Anonymous
May 11th, 2018 5:59pm
mostly it's about how you think... CBT and mindfulness audio self help guides, especially the motivational catefory on 7 cups is really helpful
DireFang96
May 11th, 2018 9:29pm
It may happen that you're something missing. Someone around you that will help you, and will support you, while needed.
humbledbygrace
May 20th, 2018 11:10am
Depression is more than a feeling. It is a chemical imbalance which is non-discriminatory against a 'good' or 'bad' life, which are simply labels given to things/feelings/events, according to our beliefs and social norms.
Anonymous
May 25th, 2018 3:27am
Depression isn't always dependent on how life is going for you, at least from my experience. Depression can plague you at any time and for any reason, sometimes without a reason. Hope you feel better! :)