Depresssion doesn't make you sad all the time.....

[superchick22684]

I found this article online today and wanted to share it because of how much it applied to how I feel about my depression. I thought it might apply to others.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jan/03/depression-doesnt-make-you-sad-all-the-time?CMP=share_btn_link

[aml0017]

This is interesting. I often experience depression as an after effect of prolonged periods of severe anxiety. I do experience it more like the author of the article does, I just feel so detached from everyone and everything. I do find it difficult to get out of bed in the morning, and have an overwhelming urge to cry alot, but otherwise my life goes on as normal.

[Two One]

I actually strongly agree with this article. It's a great read. My depression was a side effect of chronic, debilitating anxiety and I noticed I didn't have the "typical" depressive symptoms. I wasn't sad all the time, I wasn't sleeping more than usual etc. When I experience my depressive symptoms, it's something my psychiatrist refers to as existential depression. Typically I question why I'm here if all my life is being constantly worried and suffering from anxiety. I feel alone and detached from people, even my friends. It's exactly like the article said, I will go out with my friends and laugh and all that but deep down I feel like my presence there means nothing. I just feel so distant from everyone when I have one of my episodes.

Interestingly enough, I also experience suicidal thoughts a lot more during times of high anxiety rather than depressive episodes.

[Im-Suffering]

Depression is simply despondency (resulting) from seemingly unresolvable problems. To the psyche, it sees no constructive way out. And so depression is a natural byproduct of errors in not only judgment but the thinking of the individual. Depression could be considered intermittent, as the problems are temporarily solved, or some distraction comes between the depression and the problem. Such as a new relationship, or coveted item. (shopping). However if the problem is not tackled with a final and swift decision, And with clarity, then soon the symptoms will set back in. One can even learn to blame outside conditions, such as the weather, or the seasons per se, in those cases it is not the rain you see, that inherently causes depression, but the associative pattern of memories that comes into awareness. The mood of the weather would seem to match the psychological mood.

If one learns to address and swiftly make decisions in his or her best interests, believe and trust in the self rather than let the midnight oil burn out worrying unsuccessfully over a period of time, than despondency will not set in, and that is the foundation for depression as a chronic state. They have simply lost faith in themselves to handle the overwhelming problems, as they term it, of life. Whether through faulty beliefs or parental conditioning leading to repeated failures for example.

Repeated successes symbolically would lead to empowerment and the belief in ones own decision making, adding faith to the mix. Knowing you will not let yourself stay in undesirable conditions because you feel good about who you are. Knowing there is always a way out, and making consistent strides in your best interests to solve the situation restoring faith in the self. If a woman is stuck in an unfulfilling marriage, or maybe the opposite, has no relationship and the clock is ticking, for example, she should make swift decisions to work her way out and begin at once to act out those decisions. Depression could not set into such an environment.

Acting in her best interests there would simply be no room for depressive or even suicidal thoughts.

[trivedisites]

There was great description in that article. Thanks for share superchick!!

[occidental]

Interesting article

[Harriette3409]

I agree to those points specified in that article. One needn't be sad to experience depression. Many people express their feelings in different ways. When I am tensed I normal try to cover it up with a smile. The way of dealing a situation differs from person to person. I have a friend of mine who is suffering from drug addiction. He is very tensed and depressed that he is unable to handle what he does after he gets drunk and at the same time he cannot stop drinking too. I was exposed to several addiction treatment centers in Canda Rehab Reviews recently and I strongly feel this program can help him out.

[superchick22684]

Good to see this thread is still active. I actually had to refer back to the article because its been so long since I actually posted it. In fact when I did post it I fully expected people to disagree with it, so the fact that people have been able to relate to it is nice.
I received my diagnosis of anxiety and depression almost ten years ago but looking back I had both to a milder degree for many years before being diagnosed. I'm one of those people that the article refers to that most of the time doesn't act or seem depressed because its all under the surface. Over the years I've learned how to make it look like everything is okay on the outside even when some days it feels like I'm dying inside.
Depression and anxiety qualify as two of the invisible diseases that you can look completely healthy but on the inside your mind is racing or it feels like your world is falling apart. That's probably one reason that I don't talk about my anxiety or depression because I feel like people will look at me and go "There's no way you're depressed, you're always in such a good mood." That's because I have years of practice of creating an "I'm okay" facade.