Am I depressed?

Let's start with the symptoms I don't have: suicidal, loss of sleep, loss of appetite. I also do well in classes and can socialize/laugh with people regularly.

But I'm still much more blue/melancholy than many others I know. Sometimes it's worse than others, but I constantly feel burdened by the skepticism I have in life, the questions I have unanswered, and the lack of connection I feel with people and life in general. This burden keeps me from fully enjoying anything. I find myself asking questions like "can I justify the fun I'm having right now?" and "what's the point of this activity?" I am not motivated in anything I do. I get nothing out of school because I can't get myself to care about it. I have no dreams for the future because there's nothing I'm passionate about or want to do. Basically, this burden keeps me detached, unsure, insecure, and unable to simply embrace life. I don't cry myself to sleep and I often distract myself pretty well so that I don't think about these things, but I know I'm never happy. It's been like this for years.

One other thing, though this is more off and on. Sometimes, out of the blue, I'll get in a mood of complete bitterness and evil. I'll be cranky, want nothing to do with anyone. I'll laugh in God's face, be entertained by others' misery, and basically enjoy and praise the chaos in the world. These moods just pop up now and again. I'm not sure if they're flukes, or if they're glimpses of honesty.

So am I depressed or what? I at least feel more burdened than most people... would you agree?

We cant say if your depressed or not, we are not proffesional and only proffesionals can determine that. By what you say, I would say go to your doctor and tell jim/her how you are feeling, they can help you way more than a bunch of people on internet forum.

Best of luck mate

ok thanks. I'm just looking for opinions because my symptoms seem to be borderline.

what makes you angry?

I very well could be wrong, but it sounds like typical teenager angst..

Honestly, life in general is like that. Just when we grow older, we understand our surroundings a little bit better, and understand what we like and don't like.

As you said, you're not suicidal, or have insomnia, and etc. Though it seems from your post that you're finding trouble with just trying to be content with life. That can be a problem if your overall view of life is just 'ugh'.

Is there anything that makes you happy while you're distracting yourself to fill the time?

Life is about finding stuff that makes you happy/content. It's all about having interests and hobbies. Some like reading, writing, music, tv/movies, getting involved with sports, outdoor activities(hiking, biking, camping, and etc), working out, growing a garden, learning about history, science, philosophy, theology, and etc.

That's life. It's very monotonous. It's all about trying to find what makes you content.

Do you have a best friend? Luckily, I have an older brother who's always there for me. There's a saying I like... 'I don't know what life has in store for me, but as long as I'm around people I like, I'll be okay.' You might simply need a good friend.

Well, one of my problems is that I don't have many passions or interests. I can never pursue a hobby very long without getting bored with it.

Perhaps part of my problem is that I've always viewed life from a distance, sitting back and analyzing. And I've found that very little is worth anything. Now, after judging the world that way, it's hard for me to connect and trust anything.

Whatever the case, I still feel more burdened than the average Joe. There always seems to be an overshadowing frustration and discontent that keeps me from simply embracing and living life. So this may not be full-blown depression, but at least seems like a mental state that I don't know how to escape from.

TheAcherMan said:

Well, one of my problems is that I don't have many passions or interests. I can never pursue a hobby very long without getting bored with it.

Perhaps part of my problem is that I've always viewed life from a distance, sitting back and analyzing. And I've found that very little is worth anything. Now, after judging the world that way, it's hard for me to connect and trust anything.

Whatever the case, I still feel more burdened than the average Joe. There always seems to be an overshadowing frustration and discontent that keeps me from simply embracing and living life. So this may not be full-blown depression, but at least seems like a mental state that I don't know how to escape from.

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I suffered from a panic disorder. I use to have eczema real bad. So, my doctor gave me a bunch of prednisone and basically told me to take 'em whenever I needed to.

Well, I did and started having severe outer body experiences and horrible panic attacks. It lasted I'd say a year or so, and even today I'll still get mild panic attacks every now and again. For me I simply got over them. I said to myself if I'm not dead yet, then it's nothing to be worried about.

For your response back to me, family is honestly the one and only real thing that makes people happy. Drugs, sex, video games, being rich, reading, running, camping, and all the other things you can think about can be fun, but is not the fulfillment we really want in life.

I don't know how your family situation is, but if it's a good one, you just get this joy in your heart when you're around them. It's a type of ease, where just being around them makes you happy. Honestly, I left and my friends left me(Usually how it works after high school and in college), but now all of my best friends are my family. With my two best friends, being my brother and my cousin.

Being alone can cause anyone to feel melancholy about life.

I would suggest that you speak to a professional about your symptoms. I myself have depression and am currently taking medication and seeing a Christian Counselor. Before I was diagnoised, I often wondered if I had depression because I didn't have all the symptoms, such as suicidal thoughts. After talking to a counselor, she diagnosed me with dysthymia, which is chronic depression. Basically the symptoms are the same, but they might not be as severe (which was the case for me) and usually it is depression that seems to come and go over a long period of time. If I were you I would do some more research on dysthymia. There is plenty of good information about it on the internet.

I hope this information helps! I know how much of a struggle it can be to try and figure out what is going on.

Okay there is a constant low grade of depression called dysthymia. Do see a psychologist to talk about this. He/she will probably send you to a psychiatrist who be the medicaiton prescriber. No you ain't crazy to feel this way either.

I think most people feel that others are having an easier time of it in life or don't have the same insecurities they do. Maybe not the same insecurities but their own unique ones. We are all broken, otherwise we wouldn't need a savior.

Definitely go to a doc and get some help.