I am so out of it!

[NurseMira]

HK,

I have no idea what is wrong with me lately. I am so unmotivated to do a damn thing. All I want to do is stay home and be alone all the time. I have no passion to do anything anymore. I stopped drawing, I stopped writing, I stopped doing anything interesting. I am always quiet lately and have to struggle to keep a conversation going. I am not really hating life, though. Things are actually been going good. I just have been very insensitive lately and not affectionate at all. Am I depressed?

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[FUNKMAN]

NurseMira,

Don't know what the heck to tell ya...

Just hope you feel better soon
:)

FUNKMAN

<img src="http://www.grandfunkrailroad.com/covers/closer100.gif">

[ADF]

At the finale of the Halloween bar crawl, I was sitting next to you in that little booth area. However, you seemed um, occupied with someone else. Perhaps some more activity of a similar nature will get your spirits up. Either that or it could be the weather. A nice spring day will pick most anyone up.

<img src= http://thereisnogod.faithweb.com/images/third.jpg width= "300" height= "100">

[Noellevious]

Mira: Have you seen that Zoloft commerical with the depressed egg? Every female I know loves that damn egg. If he can't make you happy, borrow some of his 'Loft. ::hugs for Mira:: :)

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"I dig amputee chicks." - Ron
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Noelle <font face="Webdings"> Y</font face="Webdings">'s the Rooster! </marquee behavior=alternate>

[sexy bastard]

mira maybe it is the weather or maybe its also just your body trying to shut down I dont know...all i know is whenyou try to draw or try to write at least in my experience it doesnt work then i feel very blah......all i can say isyour a very sweet woman and very kind and hope you feel better......(hug) to make you feel better

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the epitome of masculinity (yeah right)

[HordeKing1]

MIRA - Although a diagnosis can only be made in a clinical setting it is very clear that you have some symptoms of depression, namely:

1. General feeling being unmotivated and lethargic
2. Avoidance of outside contact - You want to be "at home alone."
3. You no longer are interested in things that formerly you were passionate about (drawing, writing and "doing anything interesting.")
4. You have trouble interacting with people and "have to struggle to keep a conversation going."

Everyone goes through some periods of depression and many depressions are entirely normal. (For example, depression upon loss of a loved one.)

However, there are times when the depression is severe and long lasting. In these cases, the depression is a serious disease and should be taken very seriously. It is not something you can simply snap out of.

From your description it would appear that you are deeply depressed. The fact that you have these feelings while recognizing that "Things are...going good" further supports this.

I suggest you talk to a mental health therapist, as the feelings you are expereincing have an effect of perpetuating the cycle of depression. Many depressions are treated very successfully without any medication.

If you'd like to discuss this further, as always, just e-mail me.


http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[NurseMira]

HK,

Since I was a child, I have always been seeing social workers, counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists. I have been in and out of depression for a long time. Sometimes, it has gotten so bad that I wasn't sure what I was going to do with myself. In college, I took a 'depression screening day' test and I had four counselors rush into the room asking me if I was ok. They said that I fell into the 'severely traumatically depressed' catergory. I know that my thoughts and views on life through my eyes have effected relationships and friendships. But, I guess that I just feel that my problems or depression is never that bad for me to seek attention from a proffesional. ::shrug::

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[sexy bastard]

i respect you for not feeling that your depression/problems do not make you go to a professional, and also everyone goes through bouts of depression in their life some of course are more severe then others, but also i think that people go to professionals because they feel they cant take it anymore, in which is perfectly fine also, but it always helps in my own depression to talk about it to others whether its a professional or a friend.
=)

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the epitome of masculinity (yeah right)

[Gvac]

Mira -

It very well could be depression, but it may be something else, too. You are a very intelligent person, and maybe you need to be mentally stimulated. My job doesn't require too much brain work, so I regularly do word puzzles and the like (as well as read) as much as I can.

Give it a shot.


<img src=http://gvac.50megs.com/images/tjasig.jpg>

[HordeKing1]

The symptoms describe sound far more serioius than boredom.

Someone who is bored will not lose interest in doing things she likes. Quite the opposite; they'll jump at the chance.

Mira, e-mail me if you want to talk.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[fatty]

HK, i wanted to email you but the f'n thing is down. i consider you a very smart individual and you always have facts and examples to back your statements up. but.... <P>
where do you stand at just getting over something? no drugs, no f'n therapy, just sucking it up and getting over it? I'm not talking about Mira cause obviously i am not educated enough about her situation to speak intelligently. <P>
but i get severely depressed even though i got a great family, great friends, and a girlfriend who i love more than life itself. i don't want to do anything and i just hate life and want to cry. but i just suck it up and get over it. sure it takes weeks, months sometimes. but i just tell myself that this is what happens to people and eventually it goes away. <P>
my point is i feel like everyone gets like this, and even though it is different for every person it is basically the same basic shit. so why make such a big deal? i think people can't get over it because they feel they need to find some solution rather than just realize this is a part of life and you must deal with it the best you can. <P>
by the way mira i hope you're feeling better. hobbes hopes so too. <P>

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Fatty makes us happy!

[Kewlkat]

Nurse mira-try gettin some exercise and see if that helps. Hoep u feel better =)

http://www.chaoticconcepts.com/bans/RFnetNJBytch.jpg

This message was edited by NJBytch on 4-10-02 @ 2:26 PM

[HordeKing1]

FATTY - There seems to be some problem with the site's e-mail forwarding.

You can look at member information to get the e-mail and send any inquiries that way instead of via a link. If it's a personal problem that you want to discuss in private, use e-mail, otherwise post here so others can contribute as well. Please feel free to use both methods when applicable.

Your inquiry is one that I get asked fairly often. I've commented about it in other posts, but it's worth repeating (especially since I don't remember in which posts I discussed it.)

There are many flavors of depression. There is the normal sadness (even deep sadness) that everyone experiences from time to time. An example of this is a sadness or depression over a breakup, or not getting a promotion or job you wanted. There is depression that is incredibly deep and dark brought on by events, to which depression is a normal response. The death of a loved one is an easy example of this.

People almost always recover on their own from these types of depression without the need to resort to meds, but often therapy is helpful and can speed the healing process and lead to greater self awareness and empowerment.

Then there is the very serious major depressive disorder. This is a depression which an individual cannot overcome or heal by themselves. This is the depression that if not unchecked may lead people to suicide or attempted suicide. Most people do not understand this depression and that it is very serious. Such a person requires therapy and possibly although certainly not always, medical intervention.

I'm not an MD and thus cannot prescribe drugs. Yet, I am able to help the vast majority of people with conventional therapy. There is a percentage of people for whom therapy is not enough. For these people, medication is needed, not to make them happy, but to return their brain functioning to a normal chemical balance. When this is accomplished, therapy can help the people heal.

A non MD therapist, refers clients to a psychiatrist for purposes of a medical workup and medical monitoring. Therapy is conducted by the original (non md) therapist.

To sum up, although everyone can benefit from therapy and the self-confidence and self-awareness it brings, in many cases a person can just "get over it." In some cases, therapy is essential. In some people, therapy must be coupled with medication.

The most salient point to keep in mind is that depression is a real sickness, same as hypertension, or pnemonia and must be treated when it occurs.

It was a great question and thanks for posting it.


http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[NurseMira]

That's the thing. This is why I never seek help or go any further with it. I keep telling myself that I should suck it up and live. I guess this is the reason why everyone always thinks that depression isn't serious.

GVAC...thank you for the compliment. But, I can't even get myself to do anything like that.



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[HordeKing1]

MIRA - Most people do not understand the nature of depression and almost no one who isn't in the field or sufferng from it gets how serious it is.

Don't be discouraged or infuriated by people who tell you to "snap out of it." Their intentions are certainly honorable. It's far better to educate them about the insiduous, all pervasive nature of this disorder.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[TLM]

That's the thing. This is why I never seek help or go any further with it. I keep telling myself that I should suck it up and live. I guess this is the reason why everyone always thinks that depression isn't serious.

HK and Mira... do you think that you may not "seek help or go any further with it" because the mind feels more comfortable with patterns, whether they are healthy or not?
Perhaps you feel more comfortable in your current depression/pain than to go through the pain of getting better?

Either way Mira, I love you, hope you feel better and realize how great you are.

P.S. I'd like to see some of your writing next time we talk.

<img src="http://home.earthlink.net/~tlm378/_uimages/Crow-sig.jpg">

[HordeKing1]

TLM - That's a very interesting question. Our brain works by sorting things into patterns and catagories. It's the way we evolved to efficiently classify things. Male/female, tall/short, person/animal, etc. It's one reason why some see faces or other objects in smoke.

Life stage theorists, (like Erikson) postulate that when a person has not resolved a central conflict in a particular stage he or she will revisit it as many times as needed until they "get it right." Erikson is optomisitic that a person who revists a particular crises will develop an adoptive ego quality to replace the pathology caused by the failure to resolve the conflict.

In practice, it is very hard to make a change of this magnitude. Therapy helps, as does serious and deep introspection. The advantage of therapy, is that a non-judgmental outside person is more easily able to view a situation objectively.

http://members.aol.com/rnfpantera/hking2

[ADF]

I think there's a difference between feeling a bit out of sorts and clinical depression. I'm no psychiatrist (but my girlfriend's a pediatrician), but I think the Horde King is right when he says that a diagnosis can only be made in a clinical setting. I think our society is too dependent on medication. I've never seen a psychiatrist or a psychologist, but I think I'd rather see the latter as he or she can't prescribe drugs. I don't see anything wrong with going to a "specialist" in order to help you get out of a funk. If you're psychotic, drugs should be in store for you, but these drugs for "social anxiety" and such seem a bit over the top to me.

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