Functional Depression

[!Luck]

Does anyone who claim to be depressed and still functions, not really depressed?

[Penneywize]

I don't think functionality has anything to do with it; let me clarify: Being depressed can certainly affect your ability to function, but functionality alone does not disprove depression.

If you need help, get some brah. Don't fool yourself into thinking you're fine just because you 'function' on a day-to-day basis.

[rong]

What he said. People live with all kinds of mental illness and often hide it from everybody whilst just managing to get by. They are no less ill at this point than when they finally get the help they need.

[bikes]

just because people can function doesn't mean they aren't depressed.

[KoRnholio]

just because people can function doesn't mean they aren't depressed.

Indeed.

Depression (and most mental illnesses) are not like most medical diseases where it's a simple matter of "diagnosis = yes or no". It's a matter of severity and how much of a detriment it is to one's lifestyle.
The definition of clinical level depression involves significant disruptions in functioning, eg work/sleep/personal life.

There are plenty of slightly and moderately depressed people out there who can get by without counselling or medication. But even if the depression isn't at a clinical level, one would often still benefit from counselling and perhaps even medication to improve their life/functioning.

[!Luck]

I just don't get it. Feels like such 1st world problem. When you can't find food to eat, can you really be depressed? Or are you too distracted by surviving that depression doesn't exist. And if you can will yourself to function, how can you be depressed? If a large portion of the population is depressed, maybe that is how we are designed to exist. It's foolish to be happy when we are designed to be depressed.

So many great people had depression, where they great in spite of? or because of their depression. It just seems a natural normal part of life to be sad most of the time, which drives one to action to better oneself or die.

List of people with major depressive disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[lolzzz_321]

[Jack Sawyer]

Lack of sun leads to depression yo

Lack of Vitamin D Linked to Depression | Men's Health News


However LOL at this

You probably need from 5 to 30 minutes of exposure to the skin on your face, arms, back or legs (without sunscreen) two times every week.

How Much Sun Exposure Do I Need for Vitamin D?


This is more on the spot
You need a lot more vitamin D than you think

[JKDS]

I just don't get it. Feels like such 1st world problem. When you can't find food to eat, can you really be depressed? Or are you too distracted by surviving that depression doesn't exist. And if you can will yourself to function, how can you be depressed? If a large portion of the population is depressed, maybe that is how we are designed to exist. It's foolish to be happy when we are designed to be depressed.

So many great people had depression, where they great in spite of? or because of their depression. It just seems a natural normal part of life to be sad most of the time, which drives one to action to better oneself or die.

List of people with major depressive disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Whats this designed to be depressed/designed to exist stuff?

It seems like the argument you're making is that only financially well off ppl get depression...but im sure there are many prisoners and bums in the united states that would argue with you about that. People that dont fit that description, but are currently being turned down at job interview after job interview after job interview might also disagree. Surely ethiopians that are being taken advantage of in Africa might feel depression due to an inability to fight back.

Somewhat relevant

Hyperbole and a Half: Adventures in Depression

[Galapogos]

This emo thread tricked me into reading it with its fancy title.

[bikes]

I just don't get it. Feels like such 1st world problem. When you can't find food to eat, can you really be depressed? Or are you too distracted by surviving that depression doesn't exist. And if you can will yourself to function, how can you be depressed?

this line of thought is a big reason why mental illness goes largely untreated and untalked about. people who have legitimate problems find it so hard to get help because lots of people think....ugh i dont wanna type about this anymore


no different than telling people with cancer "well why dont you just 'will' your way through it and if you try really hard maybe your cancer cells will return to normal'

[boost]

this line of thought is a big reason why mental illness goes largely untreated and untalked about. people who have legitimate problems find it so hard to get help because lots of people think....ugh i dont wanna type about this anymore


no different than telling people with cancer "well why dont you just 'will' your way through it and if you try really hard maybe your cancer cells will return to normal'

Ya, I agree. But having dealt with depression both my own and friends'/family's, I have to say that it's really difficult to know what to do when your friend/family is depressed.

[rong]

Hookers and blow

[mbiz]

I was going to say good to see depression is as misunderstood as ever, but most of the replies I agree with!

Had it since about 18yr old. I function OK. Dont ever get in someones face about it, you clearly dont understand it.

edit: ok you can if you want but itd be a jerk move

[bigred]

Nomming the best vig ever leads to super depression

[!Luck]

I guess i suck at communicating. All I ever hear for depression is that

1) Get therapy
2) Get drugs
3) LOL not real.

From my small sample size of friends that take #1&2 are still doing 1&2, that's 10 years later and they are no better. For what it's worth this subject can't be talked about in my friend circles, cause I end up offending those who have it. and sound emo to those who don't. Which is why i post here. I suck at communication sometimes and i am not trying to offend anyone here. I just see as problem that may not have a real solution and was wondering if anyone thought like that.

or maybe i am tired of hearing people tell me to get #1 and #2 yet the studies on drugs are inconclusive and therapy, well itlike picking a fund manager to beat the market.....

[kiwiMark]

Speaking as somebody with made-up depression, why has nobody made fun of the classic !luck mistyped OP, gets me every time

I just don't get it. Feels like such 1st world problem. When you can't find food to eat, can you really be depressed? Or are you too distracted by surviving that depression doesn't exist.

I don't get why this matters - there are lots of problems that aren't as important as starving to death.

And if you can will yourself to function, how can you be depressed

Depression or not, this is never a yes-no question, right? Like most people can will themselves to get up in the morning and go to work because they want the benefits of this, but an awful lot of people can't will themselves to get regular exercise, even though they want the benefits.
My personal experience is that the stuff you just can't seem to make yourself do becomes smaller and smaller things to the point it's ridiculous, but there's always stuff you can do and stuff you can't, and working your way up from accomplishing tiny tiny things to tiny things to silly small things to small things etc. etc. is one of the most helpful things I can think of. I definitely do not feel it's any way a case of a tick in the depression box meaning "this person can't make themselves do anything at all".

maybe that is how we are designed to exist. It's foolish to be happy when we are designed to be depressed.

"designed" and "foolish" aside, this is a thought that plagues me pretty often, that the happiness dealio is just a carrot held in front of us by our brains.

(random tangent, I feel the most creative when I'm upset/angry/in-a-negative-emotional-place I guess because I use that creativity as a coping mechanism, so maybe it's not so weird to see how many people with depression achieved cool shit, but I'm talking out my ass so...)

[d0zer]

Does anyone who claim to be depressed and still functions, not really depressed?

As others have said, depression isn't an on/off switch, and "functions" isn't black and white either. You can have 'mild' depression that negatively affects some areas of your life in certain ways, but you can still hold down a job. Then you can have severe depression that affects you so detrimentally that you can't maintain a job, have a social life, be tolerable to your family etc. Then there's every shade of gray in between.

Generally for something to be considered a pathology, it has to inhibit your ability to function normally in the world (job, social life, relationships, ... ). Of course there are people who loosely throw around the term depression, just like it's popular to throw around the term "OCD" to describe finicky behaviour, but that doesn't mean that real depression and real OCD don't exist.

[drmcboy]

Does anyone who claim to be depressed and still functions, not really depressed?

silent remain, i fool possibly, remove doubt when the post?

[kiwiMark]

late but ill take it

[drmcboy]

Don't eat for 3 days. After the three days are up, decide if you want to eat or post ITT. If it's eat, good news, your concerns about depression are 1st world problems, I'll delete the thread for you. Using this kind of absurd logic is probably one of the reasons why your friends keep telling you to get therapy.



Lots of people kill themselves every day. Many are 'functioning' right up to that moment. Therefore, they should not seek help until after they kill themselves. Are you arguing that suicide is a part of the human condition and we should just accept it?

[BennyLaRue]

I guess i suck at communicating.

Is that the cause of your depression?

No, seriously, there are lots of mental illnesses. Don't limit yourself to some crazy self diagnosis regarding "depression" that you came up with in conversation with degenerate people who can't even play poker well. Get an educated opinion from a well-respected professional (not some person who your friends without results has used) review your treatment options, decide then if it's bullshit or not.

[!Luck]

Is that the cause of your depression?

No, seriously, there are lots of mental illnesses. Don't limit yourself to some crazy self diagnosis regarding "depression" that you came up with in conversation with degenerate people who can't even play poker well. Get an educated opinion from a well-respected professional (not some person who your friends without results has used) review your treatment options, decide then if it's bullshit or not.

I guess i read enough about the permanent affects of drugs that even if I have something I would never take them. And therapy, seems to be habit forming too, so I do not want an addiction to that either.


Why is the answer always to seek "professional" help. Guess I don't think that anyone knows anything. Like going to medieval doctors.....

Also suicide has been around for as long as humans and at times it was considered acceptable (samurais). I guess that's the beauty of the internet, I can rant here and pretend to be semi normal else where. And see how people, who for what it's worth react in intelligent ways to many issues, react.

I guess, I don't understand the hate that posts such as this draws. Isn't possible that the non conventional answer or way of thinking is more helpful?

Lastly, I was surprised that Kiwi's comments were by far the best.

[supa]

No hate bro but I can't keep it in. Do you feel like you should change your name to ):fuck?

[supa]

Oh, try this. Look at my avatar. It will either make you really happy or really mad but you won't be depressed anymore.

[JKDS]

K, luck has to be trolling at this point.

[Micro2Macro]

I guess i read enough about the permanent affects of drugs that even if I have something I would never take them. And therapy, seems to be habit forming too, so I do not want an addiction to that either.

Why is the answer always to seek "professional" help. Guess I don't think that anyone knows anything. Like going to medieval doctors.....

Would your life be better or worse on the right medication?

[lolzzz_321]

I was diagnosed w/ situational depression (idk if this is even real depression). I talked to a professional for a couple months. When we first met, he recommended I get some blood work done. Turns out my Vitamin D was way low (Jack Sawyer FTW). He wanted me to get on some antidepressants but I didn't want to.

For me, it was all about finding life direction. I do alot better with structure, but a few days off doesn't hurt me (I don't have to be doing something all the time). If I go weeks or months with out some type of challenge/structure, then I start to get anxious and depressed.

I didn't think the therapy was habit forming, but I think I'm kinda wired to figure out things myself. I couldn't figure out the depression thing myself, so I'm glad I talked to a professional.

[kiwiMark]

Lastly, I was surprised that Kiwi's comments were by far the best.

K, luck has to be trolling at this point.

HEY

[BennyLaRue]

I guess, I don't understand the hate that posts such as this draws. Isn't possible that the non conventional answer or way of thinking is more helpful?

How is admitting you don't know everything the conventional answer?

If you need to fly somewhere, are you going to do that yourself too? Heart surgery?

Nowhere did I say you should take drugs or therapy. I just said speak to a professional about your options - lolzz's Vitamin D situation is a perfect example of something you might hear that you weren't expecting. People with potential mental illnesses can't expect themselves to properly judge a situation that their mental illness might not allow them to.

[drmcboy]

Isn't possible that the non conventional answer or way of thinking is more helpful?

not if the non conventional answer is to do nothing and let people be miserable until them kill themselves. Obviously there is a ton more research needed and we will probably never 'cure' depression but doing nothing is a ridiculous strategy with no upside. Feel free to join a research team.

the 'hate' is generated because you act like you want to discuss an issue, then make absurd statements like 1st world problems, suicide is ok because samuris did it, and don't use professionals. People hate trolls and they hate stupid people, you can decide which you are.

[boost]

I was diagnosed w/ situational depression (idk if this is even real depression). I talked to a professional for a couple months. When we first met, he recommended I get some blood work done. Turns out my Vitamin D was way low (Jack Sawyer FTW). He wanted me to get on some antidepressants but I didn't want to.

For me, it was all about finding life direction. I do alot better with structure, but a few days off doesn't hurt me (I don't have to be doing something all the time). If I go weeks or months with out some type of challenge/structure, then I start to get anxious and depressed.

I didn't think the therapy was habit forming, but I think I'm kinda wired to figure out things myself. I couldn't figure out the depression thing myself, so I'm glad I talked to a professional.

I never went and talked to anyone, but this sounds a lot like myself. I've noticed that when I have obligations (school or work) I am far less likely to be depressed. Also, when I eat regularly and eat well (not like a health nut, but less pizza/cheeseburgers, and more home cooked meals with a variety of vegetables) I feel much better. Furthermore, alcohol can really trigger some nasty depression for me I've found. It's not a sure thing, and it's honestly really hard to be in your 20's and not drink occasionally. But with a decent schedule, eating well, and cutting back on drinking (especially binge drinking) I am an all around happier person.

I don't mean to claim that depression is simply a product of not eating your veggies-- I only am saying that for a lot of people, some adjustments to their life habits may show some really big results in regards to their depression.

[rong]

Guys, seriously, you need to at least try hookers and blow before a therapist. Both cost money, both may cure you, one guarantees a good time.

[boost]

Guys, seriously, you need to at least try hookers and blow before a therapist. Both cost money, both may cure you, one guarantees a good time.

What if my therapist turns out to be the girl from 50/50? And on top of that I don't even have cancer, but just a little slice of sad pie?

[Numbr2intheWorld]

Does anyone who claim to be depressed and still functions, not really depressed?

Theres people who are clinically depressed and people who say claim they're clinically depressed but really aren't. Dismissing Depression altogether because of this would be like dismissing a rape victim because some people pretend that they were raped.

[surviva316]

List of people with major depressive disorder - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I lol'ed at Rodney Dangerfield.

[Monty3038]

I've found this discussion interesting. I struggle with depression (non-clinically diagnosed - but it is what I am assuming is depression) every day. It has had a very damaging effect on my life. In the last few years my behavior has tended to be very angry, self-destructive and such... and I feel powerless to stop it. So this conversation you guys have had has interested me. Thank you to those who have seriously shared their experiences and personal information.

[supa]

Life is depressing. Try some Buddhist stuff.

Read The Way of the Peaceful Warrior. I've never met anyone who's read it who hasn't had their life changed for the better. Do not watch the fucking movie.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j...CxjROkt3PdJlhA

[!Luck]

To M2M's point, I think that in the short term my life would be better with the right medication, I just don't think it would be for the long term.

I have been working out more and as a few days ago I am making a concentrated effort to drink less. Because as boost noted, I too tend to be far sadder after a bender then if I eat well and exercise.

Numbr2intheWorld good point.

[Jack Sawyer]

Amazon.com: Power of Vitamin D New Scientific Research Links Vitamin D Deficiency to Cancer, Heart Disease, Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, Kidney Disease, Fibromyalgia, ... Diseases, Dental Problems and Depression. eBook: Sarfraz Zaidi MD: Kindle Sto

[Warpe]

I do some work with a mental health organization from time to time. There are many degrees of depression, and alcohol abuse can be both a symptom (self-medication) and a cause. Try the wagon for a while, and see how you feel.

[Rage2100]

People who have never suffered from depression will never truly understand what it feels like.

Best things I found were:
1) Exercise
2) Sunlight
3) Believing that you will not always feel like this

[thelorax]

exercise forsure

[boost]

People who have never suffered from depression will never truly understand what it feels like.

Best things I found were:
1) Exercise
2) Sunlight
3) Believing that you will not always feel like this

this is obv super simplified, but for what it is I think it's spot on. I'd add "Being around other people (preferably people you like)" It can be super hard to be motivated to get up and go out when you don't absolutely have to while depressed, but once over that first hurdle it feels really good to be with friends or whatever.

[a500lbgorilla]

Yeah, I'm pretty sure depression is one of those things where something fundemental to 1, 2, and 3 being able to work is itself not working.

[mrhappy333]

Guys, seriously, you need to at least try hookers and blow before a therapist. Both cost money, both may cure you, one guarantees a good time.

QFT

[d0zer]

I just came in here to say that 'mrhappy' has no place in this thread

[BennyLaRue]

It's a ruse, just like I'm not really of the road at all.

[kiwiMark]

but you are the road, right?

[supa]

No. He is the highway.

[BennyLaRue]

but you are the road, right?

Well, I'm a path...

[supa]

This thread makes me sad.

[kiwiMark]

No it doesn't, shut up.