Beyond the Blues
Understanding depression is difficult; hear from Psyche's community of peers on their experiences with this mood disorder.
Depression; Do Not Suffer In Silence.
I am not a sufferer of depression by any means, I am naturally a very jolly, upbeat person. However I have experienced depression in my life, really badly, four times now. I have recently just come out of the other side of a really bad spell of depression, luckily this time it only lasted a few days. So with all of my last depression experiences in my mind, I want to offer you all the best advice which I can offer if you are currently suffering, because depression is such an awful place to be. So if you are currently suffering I really feel for you and I send you all my love.
By Hayley Dodwell5 years ago in Psyche
Navigating Depression in Business as an Artist
Like many other unfortunate writers, I have been supporting myself by working in a dead-end job. Many of my skills I've developed while getting my BA in writing are in terrible neglect as I continue working at a resale e-commerce company which finds little need for someone good with a pen.
By Sean Catino5 years ago in Psyche
What Causes Depression
According to the World Health Organization, 300 million people worldwide suffer from depression. In the United States alone, approximately 6.7 percent of all adults have experienced a severe episode of depression in the last year. The good news is that older adults are among the few who have a lowered risk. It is estimated that only 1 to 5 percent of older people suffer from depression.
By Kevin Roache5 years ago in Psyche
The “Great” Depression Part 1
Some days are really hard...you try and try but nothing ever seems to work out the way you need or want it to. Does that sound familiar? The days when you barely have the energy to get out of bed. You ignore phone calls and text messages. Somehow you just seem to wander around in a foggy forest within your mind. The fog and darkness set in and you literally feel like you are in a labyrinth of sorts. It’s a feeling that is extremely difficult to explain to someone who has never wandered in the darkness. Sometimes you see a bit of light in the distance that you try to reach...and yet it remains out of reach. You find yourself laying in bed at 3:00am...unable to sleep but feel completely exhausted. Now that we have established a basic understanding of the how deep depression can feel, what do we do about it? The stigma of mental illness is a real thing. Many people are afraid to seek out a counselor or therapist. They hide their feelings away from others because they don’t want people to think they are “crazy” or even the terrible R-word that I wish wasn’t part of our vocabulary. Depression is not an easy battle. After all, you are fighting against you. It truly is a paradox. The battle can be ridiculously intense. It can leave you wounded in ways that are extremely difficult to come back from. Everything becomes so personal and somehow the slightest little thing can send you over the edge. I’ve personally worked in the mental health field for 8 years but I have also been battling the depression and anxiety fight for many many years. Some days are rough. I’ve had stretches where I’ve laid in bed for a week or two...mentally and emotionally exhausted in ways that even start to make me feel bad physically. What’s the point of all this I’m sure you’re wondering. How to you cope with your depression? When I talk with my clients I encourage them to watch “What About Bob?”. People laugh at this movie, and to be honest there is a lot of comedy within it but there is a serious underlying message. When people are depressed they want to get rid of it right? They go to a counselor or therapist and set a goal to get over their depression. It doesn’t work that way. That’s the honest truth. Think about trying to lose weight. If you weighed 300 pounds and you set a goal of losing 100 pounds and then you mess up and now you feel like shit. Some people give up right then and there. Much like with losing weight, depression battles need to start with really small goals. Your ultimate goal is to get over the depression but it isn’t gonna happen in an hour or a day. If you set the goals too high and somehow slip up, it can make your depression even worse. You gotta take baby steps. Set yourself small goals. Sometimes a goal needs to be just getting out of bed. I know to some that will sound silly, but when you accomplish a goal, it makes an impact on your mental state. Think about losing the weight again. Today I’m gonna walk for 15 minutes. Write it down and track it. Next time go for 20 minutes. Write it down. Celebrate it. Pat yourself on the back for accomplishing this simple goal. If the next day comes and you miss, you start the process over again. I get that it sounds like a real pain in the ass but in the end it’s worth it. You are the only one who can accomplish one of your goals. No one else can do it for you. The same principles truly do apply to depression battles. Today I’m going to clean off a table. Write it down and track it. Tomorrow I’m going to dust off the television. Write it down. Celebrate your little victories. You still have an ultimate goal to attain but you have to celebrate little victories. Regardless of what anyone thinks of your progress, you are in control. Trust me, I know it doesn’t feel like it, but you do have the power within you. It all starts and ends with you. Much like with other parts of life you have to pick your battles. Pick them wisely. Be kind to yourself. The world is rough...and life can be a bitch...and it will continually knock you out over and over. Life continues moving while you’re standing still. You have to learn to focus on those little things. People often ignore the little things until all of a sudden they turn into something bigger. You have to fight. When you celebrate those little victories by doing something for yourself (that’s called self-care by the way) you will take some of the pressure off of yourself, even if it’s just for that day. One good day is much better than another bad one. Love yourself. Stop listening to the criticism and negativity that the world may throw your way. I’m not going to lie and tell you that it’s easy. I assure you that if you made it this far into the first part of the story, you understand what I’m talking about and you can somehow relate to this. You are not alone. Other people understand the fight your in but you have to realize that everyone’s battle is different. We are all battling something. Someone cares about you. Someone loves you. Even when you don’t care or love yourself...someone does. Those of us battling depression care about one another because we understand the battles and struggles. I care. I love you. I encourage you to keep fighting. I wish you all Peace and Love ✌️💙
By Robert Michael Ruggieri5 years ago in Psyche
Mental Health
I have depression. I have anxiety. I sometimes want to just lay in bed all day, feel nothing, and not talk to anyone. However, my depression might be different from yours, or from the person walking by us on the street. It does not make any of our experiences less valid.
By Emily McDonald5 years ago in Psyche
9 Ways to Deal With Depression
Growing up, I can remember having many bouts of depression. For whatever reason, I would feel so hopeless and powerless to my outside circumstances. Having this victim mentality did not help me at school or at home. I ended up visiting many different psychologists and psychiatrists who tried to assess my psyche. I also ended up taking various medications like Stratera and Concerta. I don't wish depression on anyone and I am happy to say I made it through. It was not without difficulty, but it was all worthwhile.
By The Breatharian Blogger5 years ago in Psyche
Seasonal Affective Disorder is Not a Myth...
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) aka Seasonal Depression: Many of you have most likely noticed, at one point in time or another (or maybe even consistently,) in yourself or someone you know, mood changes that seem to be brought on by the end of the warm and sunny Summer months and the onset of shorter, cooler days. The irritability or lack of motivation is too easily and too often brushed off as “the winter blues,” or a “seasonal funk” that people view as something totally normal that comes and goes, and likely feel that it is something that a person simply must deal with.
By Lauren MacDonald5 years ago in Psyche
Why I hug my teddy bear
Struggling with depression and anxiety all my life isn't an easy thing to do. Growing up since early childhood with no therapy and no social support and nobody to talk to about the issues and drama I've been dealing with on my own. It's even harder to do so when I have verbal speech disorder. So, I became a social introvert, just keep to myself and stay away from people who mean spirited, tyrannically, manipulative and critical, even if with some family members, friends, neighbors, teachers and students I grew up with.
By Aisha Charmalique Bowens5 years ago in Psyche
Make Friends With Your Demons
I have always struggled with mental health issues, especially with depression and anxiety. Most of the time I’m an extremely bubbly and positive person. I thrive on positive energy, I’m full of ambition and motivation and love to uplift people. However from time to time, depression creeps up on me and I fall into a vicious cycle of negative thought, mixed with anxiety and hopelessness. I’ve always imagined depression to be this dark demon that embodies you, crawls deep inside of you, lays his nest in the core of your chest and refuses to leave once he feels your warmth.
By SabrinaSpsfk5 years ago in Psyche
