What Depression Is Like

[Lil Red]

if you've ever wondered how to talk to friends that are depressed, or what being depressed feels like, or even how to explain to others your depression, you must read this from Hyperbole and a Half (warning: language). i'm only posting two snippets from the article, but please read it all. 

 

It's weird for people who still have feelings to be around depressed people. They try to help you have feelings again so things can go back to normal, and it's frustrating for them when that doesn't happen. From their perspective, it seems like there has got to be some untapped source of happiness within you that you've simply lost track of, and if you could just see how beautiful things are... 

 

At first, I'd try to explain that it's not really negativity or sadness anymore, it's more just this detached, meaningless fog where you can't feel anything about anything — even the things you love, even fun things — and you're horribly bored and lonely, but since you've lost your ability to connect with any of the things that would normally make you feel less bored and lonely, you're stuck in the boring, lonely, meaningless void without anything to distract you from how boring, lonely, and meaningless it is. 

................

And that's the most frustrating thing about depression. It isn't always something you can fight back against with hope. It isn't even something — it's nothing. And you can't combat nothing. You can't fill it up. You can't cover it. It's just there, pulling the meaning out of everything. That being the case, all the hopeful, proactive solutions start to sound completely insane in contrast to the scope of the problem.

It would be like having a bunch of dead fish, but no one around you will acknowledge that the fish are dead. Instead, they offer to help you look for the fish or try to help you figure out why they disappeared. 

[Basilisa Marie]

Allie Brosh is one of my heroes. 

[CatherineM]

Winston Churchill called it his black dog.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Winston Churchill called it his black dog.

 

I like that. That's what I'll call mine.

[homeschoolmom]

I like that. That's what I'll call mine.

Just don't feed it.

[Thy Geekdom Come]

Just don't feed it.

 

My black dog eats rainbows and happiness.

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Did you guys hear about the controversy over anti-deppressants? 

[MissyP89]

Thanks, Red.

[arfink]

Did you guys hear about the controversy over anti-deppressants? 

 

Stop now. Kthx.

 

Red, thank you so much for sharing this! :)

[OnlySunshine]

Did you guys hear about the controversy over anti-deppressants? 

 

Let's not turn this into another debate, please.  I am so tired of hearing about the controversy.  <_<

[OnlySunshine]

Since I was 16 years old, I have had to combat depression.  It took me until I was 25 to realize it doesn't define who I am.  I take medicine for it and I am the happiest I've ever been.  I used to fail classes so often but now I'm making straight As!  I care about myself and I'm working to improve my life.  Yes, I have depression.  It doesn't have me.  I'm not a victim.  I'm a survivor!

 

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBR2G-iI3-I[/media]

Edited May 9, 2013 by MaterMisericordiae

[Thy Geekdom Come]

I wish someone had told me that I was a melancholic instead of leaving me to assume depression all those years. I've gotten out of the terrible depression I had as a teenager, and I've been better for years, but I'm still a melancholic and I still have what most people would call depression.

[franciscanheart]

All you need is Jesus. :amen: Pray more.

[CatholicsAreKewl]

Let's not turn this into another debate, please.  I am so tired of hearing about the controversy.  <_<

Not really a debate. I won't bring it up, though. 

[MissyP89]

Not really a debate. I won't bring it up, though. 

 

Feel free to start a new thread. :)