[SRS] Depression Discussion and Support Thread Part II

[fatpat23]

Schizophrenia is not the same you *******.

both are mental health problems dealing with chemical problems in the brain you dumb shiit. have you taken any courses in psychology or just another e-scholar

[exy]

He's sad there's something missing. Depression is sadness, and when you want something and don't have it- you don't just get over it like most people do, you get sad.

[Ratfish]

it occurs as the result of prolonged dietary nutrient deficiencies. a diet comprised of sufficient quantities of healthy fats and all micronutrients/vitamins will reverse/prevent it. basically, eat enough n-6/n-3 fats in as close to a 1:1 ratio, eat 3/4lb of ruminant liver a week and get enough monounsaturated fat from nuts/avocado and saturated fat from grass-fed ruminant flesh. you'll have healthy myelin sheaths on your neurons and proper neurotransmitter signalling.

[lukethedork]

I haven't seen any hardcore evidence showing that chemical imbalance is the cause of depression.

I have seen evidence linking depression and chemical imbalance though.
But from what I have seen the chemical imbalance can both remain or dissipate when the person stops being 'depressed'. So inconclusive.

They are linked surely, but I am not convinced that the chemical imbalance is the cause of the depression.
I think the persons depression causes the chemical imbalance, not the other way around.

Luke.

[Armando777]

Those things may seem great to a person who doesn't have it but to him it's the norm.

A starving kid in Africa could be wondering why we (North America) don't feel like we're on E all the time because we have food and shelter and don't have to have a dollar a day to survive.

Depression is sometimes a chemical imbalance or brought on by some kind of trauma...maybe in one quick instance or over time.


In all seriousness...people who haven't actually had it (there's a difference between being sad and being depressed) and those who haven't...and for those who haven't been depressed, they'll never really understand it.

Something is missing in his life or he has something unresolved. Some people are very beautiful, yet it only takes people to look at them strangely or oddly to change their absolute perception about themselves. Unsatisfied life or maybe he was abused.
Could be chemical.
I think sometimes all the "good" things you listed can bring on even more stress. Because since he has all those things why isn't he getting the fulfillment in his life?

I think he just needs to write down all the positive things in his life and convince himself on how good he has it.

[darkhack]

From every angle and stand point: Depression isn't objective and therefore not real.

It's a state of being. It's thus subjective and not part of reality.

It can't be explained, quantified and can at best be theorized.

It all boils down to choice. Choice is an instinctive action taken towards our own sense of being / current life standing.

It's entirely subjective.

The very definition of real is something that is objective, something that you can see, touch and feel externally.

Saying it's not real doesn't mean our perception of it can't happen, people.

It's not real. I don't doubt that and never will. Not one way or another.

The problem of most is that people in these states see these states of being as bad. They see it as seeing life from a bad angle. Well, I honestly keep myself able to see the good, the bad and all the middle angles of life. Why the **** would I want otherwise? I can prove to ya'll that you can have more than one emotion at a time. I can prove to you that you can be depressed at the same time as being overly content with yourself. If you have an underdeveloped pathology, then, develop it. The systematic justification of depression is unjustified and entirely bull****. I don't even believe this. I know this.

[user58374]

OP is there any way (i know this sounds weird) but i know how he feels....

I went to a community college and lived on campus in Eunice, LA. Its a very small town and the people out there lived a different lifestyle from me and all looked at me like i wasnt from around there. I felt overly accepted. I was a goodlooking, smart, athletic, and single college student. If you want the truth, the first few days were great. Everyone was very accepting of me and telling me hello and then it got to the point where they saw i was not interested in meeting people but there for an education i would get torn down behind my back and things would get said like "he thinks hes better than everybody" and the girls who wanted me were beginning to think I was gay for not sleeping for everyone... The lifestyle there was just bad enough to take a really good person and change him into a bad one where i would have to worry how others around me thought. I hated it. I actually caught a mental breakdown and i had to dropout of school... if you want one quick story, i had my booksack with me in the lunchroom and i got up to get food in a different room and when i came back there were 3 random strangers sitting in the table i was trying to eat just to ask me questions about myself..... YOU DONT EVEN UNDERSTAND. Freaked me out.

[lukethedork]

Agree Darkhack.

People make themselves depressed.
I don't allow this of myself.

@DGB
WTF you talking about?

[randomuser19]

It's not an illness that you can see, touch and feel, like a virus, more of a state of mind.

I've had it bad and I can tell you it is one of the worst things I have ever experienced. I still suffer with it but I am a lot better than I was.

I eventually got my **** together and went to see a counsellor. I owe her so much - You have no idea how much she helped me. I'm not sure about shrinks as people tell me they are pill-pushers and just ask you a lot of stupid questions and get you to do stuff that doesn't help at all.

[GrokTheCube]

Yes. Depression is very real, just like all sorts of other mental illnesses.

There are many different causes for depression, some psychological, some physiological.

[warsaw_]

Depression is most definitely real, but not totally understood.

Once you understand that what makes us feel "happy" and "sad" is all based on brain chemistry, it's easier to understand how a chemical imbalance can lead to somebody feeling numb despite having externally "positive" things in their life. However, some people don't have permanent chemical imbalances that require medication. Sometimes it is just lifestyle choices that lead to erratic shifts in your brain chemistry.

I definitely went through a period where I felt extremely depressed, but since I took up the lifestyle of lifting/eating better, I just feel better. That doesn't work for everybody, but sometimes it is in the person's hands, other times it isn't. That's why it's so widely misunderstood. People often have a difficult time comprehending such nuances.

[One Badass Mofo]

lol @ 20 year old sages thinking they know everything while doctors and depression sufferers knows nothing

[lukethedork]

Warsaw, I agree with part of your post.

You can consciously change the chemicals in your body. It just takes a certain way of thinking and/or training.

[TheAdlerian]

My friend claims he's been depressed for years and takes all sorts of meds on and off. He gets really quiet at parties and ducks out early and unnoticed. Also, he's a pathological liar.

Arguments against his depression are:

A) He's rich
B) He's good looking (no homo)
C) He has a good, loving family
D) We went to a top school
E) He has a great job and a great apartment

Whenever someone mentions an actor/singer going into rehab and calls them beta or says that they're making excuses, he goes off about how you can't explain depression and that it's not something that goes away, etc. (the usual). My suspicion is that he's doing it for attention and to have an emotional excuse/loophole for being a beta ******* at times. It can't help that he comes from a family full of women. Thoughts MISC?

Depression can be chemcial in origin, but that's pretty rare.

Depression is mostly a state of mind meaning that your personal philosophy of life is depressing. Your thoughts trigger chemical changes that help keep you feeling physically crappy too.

We know this is the case from when something happy occurs or we're watching an action film, because we feel physically excited. A film is a great example because nothing is really happening, but we forget and get into the film as if it's real, so the belief that it's real triggers the chems in our body to real happiness and excitement. If you sit and watch a film clinically always knowing it's a story with actors etc then you may not get excited at all.

How this can be depressing:

A) He's rich: I'm not rich enough. Because I'm rich I can't trust anyone. Because I'm rich I'm expected to do XYZ.
B) He's good looking: I'm not good looking enough. I am taken for granted because I'm cute. Girls are too easy to come by and plus they don't like me for my personality.
C) He has a good, loving family: My family is boring and not edgy. I wish I had more spicy parents like ones who are rock stars.
D) We went to a top school: What did I really learn there? I probably could have gone to any school and learned the same things, but since I went to Harvard everyone thinks I'm a rocket scientist, what jerks. All the kids there were rich assh@les, and i guesss so am I.
E) He has a great job and a great apartment: If my parents had gotten me music lessons, I'd be a rock star (this can be athlete, snow boarder, or whatever). My job was supposed to be great, but how many times have I done the same thing this week, too many times. My apartment is nice, but I'm sick of it already. I saw George Clooney's place in Italy, and that's living.

So, to us all kinds of things look good, but a depressed person will find the micro faults and compare their situation to some giantly high standard and all of the good stuff sucks. That's how depression works.

Side Note:

This is a classic comic book idea where the rich spoiled ass gets a rude awakening and suddenly becomes a great person. That's what a guy like this needs.

Do something like go volunteer in some ghetto and meet people next to nothing and almost no chances. He needs something to wake him up and shake his philosophy.

[ocpunkelite86]

this. I got like train negged for calling bull**** on it. I don't get people who have no issues at all and they are "depressed" for no reasons at all. I cant imagine these people living in countries were **** get real or being in a combat zone. I'm fully aware the could be chemical imbalances that would make someone sad but I believe people are just over playing this **** and so are doctors.

No... Take it from someone who thrived in combat zones and has suffered from depression (because of injuries). It is a very real state of mind and it isn't something that can be as easily dismissed as over playing.

That being said I do believe there are tons of people who FAKE depression

[TheAdlerian]

Depression is most definitely real, but not totally understood.

Once you understand that what makes us feel "happy" and "sad" is all based on brain chemistry, it's easier to understand how a chemical imbalance can lead to somebody feeling numb despite having externally "positive" things in their life. However, some people don't have permanent chemical imbalances that require medication. Sometimes it is just lifestyle choices that lead to erratic shifts in your brain chemistry.

I definitely went through a period where I felt extremely depressed, but since I took up the lifestyle of lifting/eating better, I just feel better. That doesn't work for everybody, but sometimes it is in the person's hands, other times it isn't. That's why it's so widely misunderstood. People often have a difficult time comprehending such nuances.

Your logic is wrong.

What you think about activates brain chemistry.

Sometimes, and illness like low thyroid can make you feel so run down that you start thinking like a run down person. But, that's about as common as low thyroid being responisble for fatness. Mostly, fatness is caused by the person's personality and how they view food, not their biochemistry.

As I said in my last post, we all know that watching an exciting movie gets us hyped up physically and that's because for the moment we believe what's on the screen. So, if we believe a bunch of sad things about life, we will cause the brain to produce feelings of sadness.

[StudmuffiN45]

Id say yeah, Ive been depressed the past couple months. My dad legitly does not like me and no matter how good I do I cannot please him. Plus my family is broken right now. I have no money, I have had a couple job interviews, where I have 2 nd and 3rd interviews and get shutdown. I have talked to a couple girls only to get chosen over every time, with the you are a great guy but I just like so and so more. Finally, I have always had bad acne, so a month ago I went on accutane...now I hardly want to go anywhere, my face looks like a pepperoni pizza. Right now Im trying to make the best of things, I know my acne will clear up, Ill be moving out next year, there are always more girls, I turn 18 soon so more jobs are available. But that doesnt change the present and it really sux, and I have classic depression symptoms.

cliffs:
depressed
girls chose over me
no job
dad hates me
pizza face + accutane
lethargic, no appetite, worthlessness
not suicidal lol, know things will get better

[Al.Capone]

My friend claims he's been depressed for years and takes all sorts of meds on and off. He gets really quiet at parties and ducks out early and unnoticed. Also, he's a pathological liar.

Arguments against his depression are:

A) He's rich
B) He's good looking (no homo)
C) He has a good, loving family
D) We went to a top school
E) He has a great job and a great apartment

Whenever someone mentions an actor/singer going into rehab and calls them beta or says that they're making excuses, he goes off about how you can't explain depression and that it's not something that goes away, etc. (the usual). My suspicion is that he's doing it for attention and to have an emotional excuse/loophole for being a beta ******* at times. It can't help that he comes from a family full of women. Thoughts MISC?

I hate liars man. That has nothing to do with depression.

But depression is real. Before I got depression I thought it was a made-up load of nonsense. Then I spent the majority of my teens moping around hating life, then my 20's trying to find my identity again, hitting some real lows along the way, even thoughts of suicide etc. Depression is a thought process, it's totally invisible because it goes on inside somebody's mind, but it is most certainly real. When you have hundreds of millions of people around the world claiming they have experienced something and they all describe similar symptoms, chances are it does exist.

[mynameisuntz]

Without reading this thread, I'll offer input:

1) Yes, depression is entirely real.

2) Not all depression is the same, and thus we distinguish. MOST instances of depression fade away on their own within a matter of months. For most people who have experienced depression in this thread, it probably did not require medication or therapy.

3) Depression that does not fade away on its own is diagnosed as a chronic, clinical problem: major depressive disorder.

4) All depression is a chemical imbalance - all of it. Every case. No exceptions. Just as happiness is determined by neurotransmitters and neural activity, so is depression. Our emotions, moods, memory, cognitions, beliefs, etc. are all determined by chemicals. Considering our default state is to NOT be depressed when it's not in response to something environmental, it can be assumed that depression is a chemical imbalance. See the dopaminergic/noradrenergic systems in the brain.

[mynameisuntz]

is it really? i had the exact same thing that you are describing and in no way think it was a chemical imbalance. never was on any meds either and i am fine now. but thank you for your diagnosis, Dr. *******.

Age: 21

your case my be chemical, i'm not arguing that. but all cases are not and they are definitely still real cases of depression. hell i thought that **** would kill me.

edit: my case may have become chemical but it was brought on by my perception of myself and the world around me.

All depression is a chemical imbalance as our moods, attitudes, and emotions are a reflection of neural activity. Just because it doesn't require medication to solve doesn't mean it's not a chemical imbalance.

[MareeWanna]

No, it's all in your head.

[mynameisuntz]

No, it's all in your head.

Exactly. Like, neurotransmitters and synapses and stuff.

[gooober]

yes it is..i work in a psychiatric ward.. you should see the people

[chpalmer24]

Its absolutely real brah. Its funny, but before it happened to me I thought it was complete bs too haha

I have A-D going for me as well, but I'm on anti-depressants and they have really helped. By all accounts there is no reason I should be depressed - my life is pretty amazing, but I was really having a hard time getting through things.

[mynameisuntz]

It's amazing how many people think depression is bs...It's literally no different than saying cancer is made-up.

Do people understand we have the technology to actually see brain activity and can prove neurological differences between people who are depressed and people who are not? How can anyone say it's bs in this day and age?

[OhioStateBucki]

I think it's become very distorted. I had "depression". Was positive I "had it" and had all the symptoms etc. Became suicidal at some points. I hid it for over a year until breaking loose in front of my parents. After that I was supposed to receive medication but ended up saying fuk that after some serious thinking for a couple days. One of the best decisions of my life.

This is my theory on it all, and to many of you I am calling it bullsh*t in terms of most people's definition. Read this in it's entirety with an open mind before criticizing and then I am up for a constructive debate.

I would say that depression is definitely real but it truly is a mindset. I am aware that there are physical changes in the brain but I believe that the mindset we take creates those imbalances. Similar to a placebo effect, which is a ridiculously powerful thing, in that we begin to think that we are depressed and then our body sort of believes us.

I know people use the drugs for it and they help, which makes sense. It replaces those imbalances. But when those people stop taking them, two things happen:
-One: They believe the medicine "cured" them and now have a new mindset (one that believe it is not depressed) and the body rethinks itself into happiness
-Two: They think the medicine is the only thing that helped and that it's a purely physical/genetic issue (similar to obese people and thyroid claims) and as a result taking them off the meds makes them go batsh*t insane/depressed again

Like I said, I used to let myself get depressed like this and thought about suicide a few times. Then I realized how powerful our mind really is and that if you force a thought process onto your own mind you will quickly adapt to it. Obviously, this as constructive as it is destructive so it depends on you.

So it becomes more of why do people begin to think themselves into this depression? This part is easy to explain. Very few people nowadays follow their true passions or at least have an enjoyable hobby on the side. Their existence is just this belief that one day they will be filthy rich and everything will be perfect, in the mean time it's ok for like to suck etc. Their spare time is spent doing meaningless things, watching TV etc. Not that there is a problem with TV or games, but if you do not have a legitimate hobby or passion to pursue you won't be happy. Then they begin to think themselves into depression.

So basically my theory boils down to attitude and mindset, just as most other things in life.

When was the last time you saw someone following their dream become majorly depressed? (The type of depression we refer to as medical, not a your dog died type of depression)

The people I have heard of being depressed are always the ones under extensive pressure to become a billionaire, an athlete or something that they don't necessarily desire to be but for whatever reasons try to force themselves to do.

[WRXbrah]

Mental illnesses come in all forms. Doesnt matter if you're good looking, rich or have a perfect life. These illnesses can use depression.

If these people lived in 3rd world countries and grew up poor or ugly, they more than likely would still exhibit depression except it would be validated by real issues and not just in their mind.

[Dysfunqtional]

my uncle is 53 and was married but now divorced, he can't get a girlfriend to save his life and he will most likely die alone with no kids. Do you think he is depressed? Hell yes he is, if it wasn't for my family living close by to him and hanging out with him and his few friends he probably would have killed himself by now.

[low blow]

Depression probably is real but its definitely a modern day disease - how come its only in the last 30 years (especially since SSRI's have been developed) have so many people been diagnosed with "depression".

O you've had a hard life and feel bad? Depression
O you can't handle you aren't super model thin? Depression
O you aren't smart/successful ? Depression

Just like somebody said in the beginning of this thread, 80% of the worlds population think we should be on cloud 9 with the abundant food/opportunities we have....yet many aren't.

so at the end of the day 80% of people with depression are just pussies and need to harden up

[OhioStateBucki]

Depression probably is real but its definitely a modern day disease - how come its only in the last 30 years (especially since SSRI's have been developed) have so many people been diagnosed with "depression".

O you've had a hard life and feel bad? Depression
O you can't handle you aren't super model thin? Depression
O you aren't smart/successful ? Depression

Just like somebody said in the beginning of this thread, 80% of the worlds population think we should be on cloud 9 with the abundant food/opportunities we have....yet many aren't.

so at the end of the day 80% of people with depression are just pussies and need to harden up

See my post at the bottom of page 3. Will take a couple minutes to read as I put some detail into it but essentially it seems we agree.