Depression - How to get motivation?

[Justin Bailey]

Stumbled on this thread again. How are some of you guys doing with your depression? I hope better.

[Burgess]

Hi vampire,
Some tips for you to deal with depression.
Do start some light exercise like yoga, eat a well balanced diet and increase water intake. Share your problems with your family and pals and avoid caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants. If you do not eat well take multivitamin regularly.

[Justin Bailey]

Thank god, I'm not gonna kill myself anymore, you saved my life

[linqua]

XD

[Justin Bailey]

I know it's kind of mean, but as someone who has been... sick for a long time I can't tell you how disgusted I've become when I hear shit like that from people, I know they're just trying to help, but it's so insulting to us, it's like they don't understand the scale at which things are in our minds. They don't understand the doom. Most people's understanding of depression is being bummed out for a little while, and that's far from what it is. Depression is nothingness. Nothing works, nothing helps, nothing you do is right, nothing anyone else does is right. Not a single thing gives you joy and you have no hope. Every moment in your head is this up and down, back and forth, neurotic pattern of thought thats constantly trying to figure out what to do and is constantly coming up with no answers, and it feeds your self hate, and it feeds your hopelessness. Every moment ends with thoughts of ending it. If you pass a certain point you become obsessed with death, suicide is a constant thought and the only logical option.

At least that's how it feels to me. But I'll start drinking more water and taking vitamins.

[megano28]

I've been there man, the thing about depression is that it puts you into that vicious cycle. You don't want no one to help you. You don't want to go out. You don't want to get in your daily work out. Fighting depression is one of the hardest things you'll ever have to do, especially if you were like me and had no support from anyone. It isn't as easy as it's made to sound, but the steps given are the starting point. I managed to fight my demons and I'm winning for the time being. Pessimism is depression's best friend and to act like it's only matter of time before you put a bullet in your brain only means you won't be getting better any time soon. I needed a slap of reality to realize I was headed to an early grave to get me out of it. Maybe you do too?

That first step will be the hardest because you don't want to get out of it, but the rest follow with time, patience and willpower

[Justin Bailey]

I was just trying to express my point of view.

[megano28]

As was I

[chrisharbin]

Originally Posted by Justin Bailey

I know it's kind of mean, but as someone who has been... sick for a long time I can't tell you how disgusted I've become when I hear shit like that from people, I know they're just trying to help, but it's so insulting to us, it's like they don't understand the scale at which things are in our minds. They don't understand the doom. Most people's understanding of depression is being bummed out for a little while, and that's far from what it is. Depression is nothingness. Nothing works, nothing helps, nothing you do is right, nothing anyone else does is right. Not a single thing gives you joy and you have no hope. Every moment in your head is this up and down, back and forth, neurotic pattern of thought thats constantly trying to figure out what to do and is constantly coming up with no answers, and it feeds your self hate, and it feeds your hopelessness. Every moment ends with thoughts of ending it. If you pass a certain point you become obsessed with death, suicide is a constant thought and a the only logical option.

At least that's how it feels to me. But I'll start drinking more water and taking vitamins.

I suffer from chronic depression. People that are "well" do not understand.

Actually, EDIT, many people that ....ing trained to deal with people who are chronically depressed don't understand :grrrrrrrrrr:

[Justin Bailey]

Originally Posted by chrisharbin

I suffer from chronic depression. People that are "well" do not understand.

Actually, EDIT, many people that ....ing trained to deal with people who are chronically depressed don't understand :grrrrrrrrrr:

I know what you mean, man. And they all mean well, it just gets so frustrating when you hear someone go "Oh, you know what you need to do, you need to go for a jog/you need to do some yoga/you need to take some this or that/you need to blah blah blah. When I get bummed out I go for a jog and I feel great after" as if they want to die and then go for a jog and they're great. They mean well, but their lack of understanding can be frustrating. For both sides.

[Vinchester]

To all the depressed people in this thread that lives in the UK,

it's the ....ing weather.

No, seriously. I'm from Thailand and being here really depressed me. In the last 18 months I have gone through times when I was near breakdown (nothing suicidal just feeling very bummed for a few days) Being from a tropical country where the sun shines the whole year makes me realize how gloomy the UK weather is. All day of blue and grey, and even the daytime is short! I remember reading somewhere that people in the Scandinavia who has to live with long and dark winters really kill themselves over this.

The constant sun back home just makes life more vivid, clearer and... warmer lol!

EDIT : on a more serious note, depression in certain cases are a clinical issue i.e. you need a real doctor because something's wrong with your body. For me, I'm gonna fight my inner demons with my own strength because my condition is not severe. I think the cure is to find the passion in your life and immerse yourself in things that are beautiful to you. If that doesn't work then try reading about Buddhism. The religion specializes in dealing with suffering.

[chrisharbin]

Originally Posted by Justin Bailey

I know what you mean, man. And they all mean well, it just gets so frustrating when you hear someone go "Oh, you know what you need to do, you need to go for a jog/you need to do some yoga/you need to take some this or that/you need to blah blah blah. When I get bummed out I go for a jog and I feel great after" as if they want to die and then go for a jog and they're great. They mean well, but their lack of understanding can be frustrating. For both sides.

It's a serious problem. Don't take this wrong and I haven't read the whole thread but for many professional help is the only thing. And THAT is frustrating too because you may not find the right doctor at first. One thing I can say is there is nothing that will "pull you out" w/o serious dedication. I know the anger, the helplessness, the lack of a will to live. I got lucky and found the right doctor and right place to go. Now it's just checking up on my meds but I did the whole shabang at one time. Groups, classes, got educated on the subject and got around others in the same boat. Frustrating because I don't like to listen but it really did help allot. Learned about myself. This probably just sounds patronizing but it's not meant to be. I live it.

[Justin Bailey]

I'm at a point where I'm almost more afraid of a normal life than I am of actually kicking the bucket.

[chrisharbin]

understandable. It's a tough road, I know the journey.

[Justin Bailey]

It's an incredibly exhausting road. It's debilitating. I don't mean to whine.

[chrisharbin]

You are not whining, you are reaching for help. I don't have the professional help, all I can do is hope that something I say "clicks" and that you can move a little further away from darkness and understand that you are not alone.

[Justin Bailey]

I'm not even really trying to reach for help. I'm pretty dead set on what I want haha.

[Micah55]

hey dude, i tried to skim through all the posts as best as possible but I think this is a point that alot of people dont really touch on when it comes to depresion and that is, learn to let go of thinking.

It sounds kind of funny but there really is an amazing 'power of now'. To me constantly thinking, thinking about your future, thinking about your life is extremely obessesive and addicting, trust me dude 90% of what is hurting you is your own thoughts. Like in a way you can become addicted to your own misery... I've been there, I am still am there, being miserable is addicting because all it takes if for you to sink far back into your shell, it can help you escape reality in a really painful way, think of it as cutting yourself in a way. You simply are causing yourself pain to maybe relieve more physical or immediate anxiety.

I'm not really good at expressing myself in posts like these man but I saw you showing some frustration over advice that I've been given alot and I found the same problems in as you, exercising and eating healthy and all the stuff can make you feel great but it still doesnt really stop you from thinking those really dark negative thoughts when your totally alone. Don't let it consume you.

Really hope this helps you man.

[Justin Bailey]

I just need to let jesus into my heart

[rahul_mukerji]

Actually sometimes that helps: Belief.

I can't tell you the number of times I've seen people's belief gets them through the hardest times. Whether it be belief in Mother nature or Jesus or Krishna or a stone that has a picture of a gecko.

And, from personal experience, I've seen beliefs literally change circumstances, which no amount of logical reasoning can seem to explain. Sometimes things just work !

And ummmm .... Friends, the positive kind, help a lot .... A LOT !!

[Justin Bailey]

Yeah It's always been fascinating to me how just through their belief system some people can just convince themselves of things, or change their thinking or whatever.

[Anonymous]

I saw where you said you didn't want to be on a lot of pills, I was put on just one for depression and I've noticed a drastic change. Stuff seems funny again, I play guitar more and enjoy it a lot more, I hang out with friends more now. It was just a big change. I'd totally recommend it. I hate being on pills as well, but its helped.
You don't know me or anything, but listening to someone that has been there and done that may help you.
Hope you find some help man.

[Blake1970]

I just need a big break from everything. I have never been one to use up most of my vacation hours all at once, but I'm just mentally tired of the bump and grind from working and being around people. I'm going to workout at my gym, read, play guitar and try and relax.

[TheBigGroove]

Originally Posted by Blake1970

I'm going to workout at my gym, read, play guitar and try and relax.

And honestly this is some great medicine. I know the guy a few posts back was getting really pissed off that people were recommending stuff like this, but for me it was the only way out of the deep depression I was in during my sophomore year of college.

That year, I lost my brother (best friend for about 15 years) and my girlfriend (who I'm still in love with) in the same car accident while they were coming to pick me up for winter break. I can't tell you the depths of this self-loathing depression I got into for the remainder of that school year....I still don't even remember much of that year or the year following...it was basically just snapshots in a blur of misery.

BUT, I got out of it. And how? by drastically changing my life/daily routine. Changing both "little things" and "big things" in my life. I don't think the people in this thread have been trying to give quick-fix type advice here (i.e. drinking water and taking vitamins) but these sort of things undeniably will help. They will give you something else to focus on if even for a few minutes a day. Then, gradually, those minutes will turn into hours, and those hours to days. Getting out of depression, at least for me, meant changing almost every aspect of how I lived my life...no more drinking, no more meaningless sympathy lays from my female friends, no more smokin ganja, no more 12-hour final fantasy marathons...no more of a lot of things that unknowingly just made it all worse.

I do acknowledge that everyone's story is different...and that my depression was brought on by a traumatic experience in my life. But seriously man, ANYTHING is worth a shot at this point.

And honestly, if anyone is ready to kill themselves, how is taking a pill not an option at that point?

[Gothic Headhunter]

Not sure if this applies to everyone, but when I feel depressed, I try to keep myself laughing as much as possible.