Any tips on fighting Depression??

Hugh Freaking Dillon

whispering hands wrote:

I'm debating if I should still go to my shows this upcoming month.. But honestly I think I need that.. Don't know guess we'll see where I'm at in two weeks' time.

I have a few words of advice, being a depression sufferer for many years now.

-don't stop life. I am personally still working on this, and fail at it all the time. it's a daily struggle. I have skipped a few shows (Alice in Chains was the most recent example) because I felt too depressed to function that day. It was so exhausting acting normal for work and my kids,I just couldn't go. But I regretted it later, as I always do. I almost skipped Cornell the other night, but I'm glad I didn't.

-don't let anyone ever tell you that it will get better, the "keep your chin up" shit. because when it doesn't, you feel even worse about it. if it's clinical, don't let anyone (yourself included) brush it off as the blues. people mean well when they say that, but they are responding in that way because either they don't know how to respond to it or they just don't understand, so if you hear that, they probably aren't the right person to be talking to.

-I'm on meds, and I personally hope I never have to go off them.

-if talking to a professional is a viable option for you, then do it. I think everyone, well or not, should get a mental check up. It's as important as your physical well being. Because it actually will start to affect your physical well being if it gets bad enough.

-I finally went and spoke to someone when I couldn't stop crying, for no particular reason. I was burnt out from working two jobs, about 80 hours or so a week for about 4 years, and then Vince "Greyhound Bus Beheader" Li happened. That was the tipping point. Reading about that happening just outside my city put me over the edge. It wasn't a very hard push, I guess.

-just don't stop talking about it. cliche or not, it actually works. even if just makes you feel better for the moment, it's worth it.

Hugh Freaking Dillon

The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:

Never heard that, but if it's true that's very interesting. It must have to do with thinking and staying positive. Mind over matter is a powerful tool. If it works then it can only be a good thing.

yeah, a former professor I had who was into Tai Chi and all of that stuff claimed he knew someone in Japan who cured themselves of cancer simply by sitting and visualizing their body attacking the cancer for hours a day.

truth? who knows. but you're right, positive thinking is incredibly powerful.

mca47

The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:

guacamolejoe wrote:

The Waiting Trophy Man wrote:

How exactly is that going to help her? Might as well tell her to wish her depression away because that's going to have as much effect: zero.

Works for cancer patients :angel: . Much higher success rate :ugeek: ....just saying.

Never heard that, but if it's true that's very interesting. It must have to do with thinking and staying positive. Mind over matter is a powerful tool. If it works then it can only be a good thing. [/quote]
I work in cancer research and it's somewhat true that "staying positive" helps. God certainly isn't going to remove the malignant cells, but the belief is what helps.
What I've seen over the years is that the patients who are positive are the ones who are more likely to keep up with treatments, eat right, excercise, fight through their symptoms, etc. The positivity is what changes those other factors...the factors that actually keep you alive longer.
Folks who get depressed often go down the downward spiral much faster and tend to not live as long.

justam

whispering hands wrote:

That's it, just what the title implies.. I've dealt with this all my
Life.. But this one is horrendous; brought on by the news that my Dad'd organs are atrophying one by one.. And they gave him a year or less.. I've not been able to recover..
Any ideas that might help?? I have been crying at work, at home.. Driving.. It's starting to make me sick now.. Anything you guys do that might help??

My best advice is to communicate.
Talk to your best friends.
Write your thoughts and feelings down.
Listen to music.
Play music yourself if you can.
Go outside and walk!
Reading good material helps too.

Just communicate!

even flow - question mark

Friends, friends, music, friends, friends, friends, writing poetry, friends, friends, and maybe family if you feel like going the route.

gimmesometruth27

Hugh Freaking Dillon wrote:

whispering hands wrote:

I'm debating if I should still go to my shows this upcoming month.. But honestly I think I need that.. Don't know guess we'll see where I'm at in two weeks' time.

I have a few words of advice, being a depression sufferer for many years now.

-don't stop life. I am personally still working on this, and fail at it all the time. it's a daily struggle. I have skipped a few shows (Alice in Chains was the most recent example) because I felt too depressed to function that day. It was so exhausting acting normal for work and my kids,I just couldn't go. But I regretted it later, as I always do. I almost skipped Cornell the other night, but I'm glad I didn't.

-don't let anyone ever tell you that it will get better, the "keep your chin up" shit. because when it doesn't, you feel even worse about it. if it's clinical, don't let anyone (yourself included) brush it off as the blues. people mean well when they say that, but they are responding in that way because either they don't know how to respond to it or they just don't understand, so if you hear that, they probably aren't the right person to be talking to.

-I'm on meds, and I personally hope I never have to go off them.

-if talking to a professional is a viable option for you, then do it. I think everyone, well or not, should get a mental check up. It's as important as your physical well being. Because it actually will start to affect your physical well being if it gets bad enough.

-I finally went and spoke to someone when I couldn't stop crying, for no particular reason. I was burnt out from working two jobs, about 80 hours or so a week for about 4 years, and then Vince "Greyhound Bus Beheader" Li happened. That was the tipping point. Reading about that happening just outside my city put me over the edge. It wasn't a very hard push, I guess.

-just don't stop talking about it. cliche or not, it actually works. even if just makes you feel better for the moment, it's worth it.

all good advice here.

the hard one is to not stop life. i struggle with that one a lot. sometimes it just feels better to insulate yourself in your own little corner of the house and stay there for awhile until ya feel strong enough or together enough to venture out again. going to the gym helps me quite a bit.

and you are 100% correct. the keep your chin up stuff does not work. worst advice ever...

chadwick

hit hard & often
bend the knees

Attaway77

I've already buried my father and sister and I'm only 36. Nothing prepares you for this sort of stuff, even when you know it's coming. I personally believe in God and I do my praying when happy or sad, I exercise when happy or sad, I throw back a few when I'm happy or sad… I always remind myself whether I'm happy or sad you only get one life, and with that comes a lot of good times and bad times, how you deal with it is up to you. It's always great to seek answers and talk with somebody, but in the end, it's up to you on how to handle/deal with it all… Life is the hardest job you will ever have, everything else is part time…….

decides2dream

don't fight it.
wallow in it.
drink too much, eat too much, f*ck too much - whatever.
then, breathe. work on yourself ... love yourself ... take care of yourself. if you need meds, take them. do whatever you need to get by. ask for the love and assistance you need. i hope you get all that you need.

brianlux

This is interesting- I did a search for the word "Depression" and scanned through 36 pages of thread topics and this is the only one on depression I could find. Good to know this is a happy group!

Of course, I'm kidding. If we went through the "How are you feeling" thread it would be rife with comment about depression.

Well any way, seeing as my wife is away for a few days I thought it would be good to continue watching the box set she gave me last year of all of "George Carlin's Stuff" and I watched the 1996 show, "Back in Town" which was very funny but also very depressing. Sort of like laughing through the beginning of the collapse of society. Funny, true, depressing. What a weird combination of feelings. Maybe I should go do something fun like stick a hot poker up my ass (also one of George's idea).

8-|

JWPearl

Therapy,medication,relaxation,music and socialisation and keeping busy and dogs are good for company as well, had depression for 22 years I know sometimes you can't rid it but you can ease it by these steps