Depressed and not sure why...

[southbiochem]

I’m suddenly feeling unnaturally depressed for some reason… :frown:

Just got off the phone with my mother and she noticed as soon as I said "hello" that something was wrong, yet I can’t explain what…

I can honestly say I’ve never felt quite like this before…

(Sorry, just venting I guess)

This is a safe place to vent, it's OK

So, let me play the psychoanalyst a bit and try to come up with a reason..

Now, you're taking care single-handedly of you sick grampa..

not only his illness is serious, but it also means you're putting on hold your life and your plans to study..

now, since you joined you have always been chipper, much like your user name and almost prone to joke about your situation..

but it's obvious that it can't always be like this, and that you can't always put a happy face..

so maybe, your situation has taken its toll on you...which would be understandable and normal..

but who knows...I might be wrong

so, nothing much I can do for you but this

[TimU]

Be patient and good changes come soon. Sometimes time is best medicine from depression and other psyhological things. At the moment of our bad, really shit days, it seems us that all are bad, nobody can't understand, life is shit and etc. But day by day you're going understand that it's not so bad as you thought before, and mood changes by itself. It's firstly.

Secondly, tell what's in your soul to your friend, another close person. You going feel yourself much better than before, and sure they'll help you. Or tell us here or through private messages.

[Undreamt]

if you know why then its not depression.

[Shiner]

I've suffered from anxiety and depression since I was probably 7 or 8 maybe earlier but that's about the earliest memory I have of internal thoughts that really should have been alarm bells to seek attention, however I didn't.

To put it into perspective, mine is probably genetic as my mother has been on anti-depressants for many decades, I will never touch them though, especially not SSRI (selective seratonin re-uptake inhibitors). I went through my dark days and I've always had to combat my anxiety but as mentioned theres great ways to get you out of the blues, even if its just a seasonal or one off thing.

1. lighting as mentioned. I love big open living and nice white well lit things. Sitting in a small cramped messy dark room will only make things worse. Keep it clean and bright

2. Exercise. Regular exercise, especially sessions that really break your body down and give you DOM's is absolutely fantastic. Although saying this, something as simple as a 4 mile run on a treadmill or in real life, keeping your heart rate at the point where you sweat the most is amazing. You will feel depleted, but the hormone rush and feeling of accomplishment is great.

3. write it out. If you have any worries on your mind, write them down, then expand about why they are actually bad. In many of mine (dealing with the anxiety phase of things) its a great way because its a visual way of showing myself that I am stressing over nothing.

[partis]

Thank god your not jovial all the time jovial :-) you may feel better today huh....

[justbry87]

I get SAD as well, it usually starts to creep in right around after
my birthday [October] and lasts till mid Spring. I know this because
I've watched my actions for a whole season and how it changed as
the weather got warmer and as the sun stayed up longer.

And you can tell, my posts here have kind of dwindled or have pretty
much gone to shit since the colder season have progressed.

Working out helps. It produces natural chemicals in your brain and
it makes you feel good afterwards, and not mention it helps you stay fit.

I meditate, there's various ways and it does help.

I try to get lost in a book.

I want to say talk to a friend about your problems, but I haven't had a good
experience with that. I've just learned to cope on my own, mostly cause I'm
always alone.

good luck. There'll be days that's better than some, but you just gotta try to be
positive and try as best you can.

[KingOfSnakes20]

First I will say depression sucks. I've suffered with depression ever since I was a little kid. I even went through a pretty nasty pill addiction for roughly a year because I was looking for something to hide it. Mine is mostly because I'm a natural pessimist and when I get into a stressful situation or there is something that is very important to me I always assume the worst is going to happen. It almost feels like you're covered with a blanket and someone is pulling it tight.

I kinda give this to people as a solution for a lot of things and maybe you won't believe me but try martial arts. Any martial art that has forms is a good way to help find inner peace. If you can find a Wushu or Shaolin Kung Fu school near you that, IMO, is the best. Not only does it teach you the normal stuff that martial arts teaches but it incorporates Tai Chi which is amazing for calming down.

[Jovial]

Their is such a thing as seasonal depression if you've had something like this before, during other holidays seasons

Actually, Christmas had been for the longest time, my favourite holiday. It is the only time I ever really visited my grandparents (back when they were alive), and I kept the tradition going by bringing what little close family I have together – we go all out. I decorate just short of the ugly Christmas sweaters… :p

[Jovial]

Thanks for the messages, just to give you the scope of the situation…
True, I do always bounce back quick, in fact a 45 minute citrus bubble bath was a great cure (yes, I was reading). Unfortunately I was so out of character I disturbed my mother (and yes, I was actually beginning to feel physically ill at said time), which set up a chain reaction and ended up with her and my sister out to see me, a quick jaunt to the clinic, and dear mother staying for a few days. Last I heard she was coming to visit a week before Christmas… so now I know…

when you’re in a funk… never… answer… the… phone! :p

[Geminize]

when you’re in a funk… never… answer… the… phone!

Really?!

Let your mother and sister come to your rescue. Just draw some boundaries if you need them to leave. Unless you have a stressful relationship with them, I don't see the problem.