percy25 Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 after being diagnosed with depression 3 years ago i feel like i have lost my former personallity and am never going to be carefree and happy again. i was 15 when it struck me and (partly from being out of school) have grown up with it... i feel it is taking me over and is suffocating me. its become so much a part of me, i know i have to accept that this is how i am but i want the old me back!desperate for assurance that im not the only one! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finding my way Posted January 23, 2009 Report Share Posted January 23, 2009 Tell us more about you, percy25 so we can get to know you. What happened with school? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mscat Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 after being diagnosed with depression 3 years ago i feel like i have lost my former personallity and am never going to be carefree and happy again. i was 15 when it struck me and (partly from being out of school) have grown up with it... i feel it is taking me over and is suffocating me. its become so much a part of me, i know i have to accept that this is how i am but i want the old me back!desperate for assurance that im not the only one!You are not the only one... Depression does not make a person. However, it does have a way of controlling ones life... You can take your life back! PLease tell us more about yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimmyfay2 Posted January 26, 2009 Report Share Posted January 26, 2009 Hey there,As someone who was diagnosed with depression ( more accurately Bipolar Affective Disorder with periodic psychotic depressive episodes... doesn't that sound impressive? ), I can assure you that you are still there under all the darkness and hopelessness. The very nature of depression is to strip us of the ability to enjoy life. Very often, the things we once loved to do now bring us sorrow because they seem empty and hollow compared to how they once were. I can speak from experience, though, having been hospitalized with a major depression when I was about 20. I never thought I would ever escape the world I was living in. I would see people all around me enjoying life and think, "don't these people get how horrible life is? can't they see how pointless everything is?" It wasn't until I was out of the depression that I was able to look back with a sense of perspective and see how wrong I was about life. Somewhere else on this site I wrote about being a worm in an apple. How a worm can only see the darkness all around him as he eats his way through the apple... if he were to describe the world, he would say it was dark and endless and confusing. Only once he is outside the apple can he look back and truly see the size of it and it's insignificance compared to the rest of the world. Depression works much the same way. You are surrounded by dark thoughts and images, but it is only one perspective. I can't tell you how you will defeat your sadness, only that it can be defeated. Be kind to yourself, and be patient. One of my favorite songs contains a line that seems appropriate:"why worry, there should be laughter after pain, there should be sunshine after rain, these things have always been the same, so why worry now..."Take care,Jimmyfay2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumboguy Posted January 29, 2009 Report Share Posted January 29, 2009 When I'm down I think of the world as a "big black ball of death."Here are some things that help get over depression:Immediate relief:Get out of the bed/house and walk/drive anywhere.Life Long work:Eating - find some good foods that are quickly made.Shrimp, tuna provide good proteinComplex carbs like long grain rice (get a rice cooker)SleepingSleep with a regular scheduleRelax yourself before you sleep by listening to soothing music, reading, meditating, or whatever works to help you feel a little more relaxed.Sleep during the day only if you need to, in order to snap yourself out of a sad mood.Stopping some behavior patternsAlcohol and drugs are a few things that can bring you downThinking negativelyAvoiding doing the steps above (or other steps to make you feel better in the long term)Challenge everythingThink of all of the influences in your life - do they make you happy or sad?MusicTVRelationshipsThoughts about selfSocietyWorkplaceThose are the things that have helped me. I am still working on them. always smile, and have humour.let yourself failget back up again IamLove 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula Posted January 31, 2009 Report Share Posted January 31, 2009 Hi allHere are my thoughts on Depression:One thing to remember... Mental illness isn't anyone's fault!All you can do is accept the fact that you could always have it...Treated with medical help it can be controlled.Treat it the best way you can and go on...It's not the end of the world... It's just a new start to a new beginning...What you hold on too... Holds on to you... Learn from yesterday & hope for tomorrow... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted February 2, 2009 Report Share Posted February 2, 2009 Hi Gumboguy and Paula,Thumbs up for both of you. I fully agree and applaud you for writing it to the whole community. Way to go. Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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