For those of you w/ depression...

[Rosa Mystica]

Can you tell when a depressive episode is coming on? Or does it hit you out of the blue unexpectedly?

For me, I can usually tell when an episode is coming on. It almost always begins w/ a feeling of deep, unrelenting pain that feels different from typical pain. After this, a whole slew of other depressive symptoms follow, and before you know it, I'm going under again.

Can anyone else relate?

 

[sarahbug]

Yeah, that's often how it happens for me too. I'll start to notice that I feel a deep saddness for no real reason, and it slowly turns into full on depression.

I'm sorry you are having to deal with depression. I know how awful it is.

 

[stray bullet]

No. My moods swing.

 

[fishstix]

No. There are really no episodes for me. It lasts for so long that it seems that it never goes away. Sometimes it gets worse when stuff happens, but of course I can never tell when stuff is going to happen. Looking back, I can sort of tell when it started but that's about it.

 

[breezynosacek]

It used to be that way for me. It's not anymore. Much of it believe it or not had to do with what I held in my belief system.

There are certain things that go with depression. A thought process, have you noticed?

That is satan's attack. For years, I would go through severe depression, in fact, I think I've been diagnosed as depressed for ages.

When I became a Christian, I realized that I could work my way out of it through prayer and action. In other words, I rejected the depression and analysed it. Why did I feel depressed? If there was no reason (I was not angry or resentful, I didn't feel stuck in circumstances, or whatever else that causes situational depression) I would start praising God, find something physical to do and work and work until it was over.

For me three different things have gone on.

1. Feeling stuck caused me to feel depressed because I never saw an end in sight.

2. Physically, my body is addicted to adrynaline from all of the trauma and abuse I went through, my body is used to having the adrynaline kick in. If it gets low, I really go through withdrawals and get depressed. Activity, like vigorous cleaning, yard work or something kicks it back in and the depression goes away.

3. Satan would attack me with thoughts brought on by another attack. They are lies of satan that seem plausible but aren't. If I give in to the first thought that he plants then he sets me up for further thoughts and it gets me tangled up in depression. The only way out of it is to confront the lie. Once again, praise and thanksgiving help me through it. But so does confronting the lie with the Truth.

4. Melancholy is just a natural personal trait that I believe is learned/accepted behaviour. It is marked by sadness or depression for no obvious reason. If there is no reason and you don't like it bind and rebuke it.

"But for Cain and his offering He had no respect or regard. So Cain was exceedingly angry and indignant, and he looked sad and depressed.
And the Lord said to Cain, Why are you angry? And why do you look sad and depressed and dejected?
If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin crouches at your door; its desire is for you, but you must master it." Genesis 4:5-7 Amplified

 

[oceanofdreamz]

Well I haven't been dionosed with depression yet but it'sd kinda given I have it. Yeah it just hits me... I feel it right before it hits and boom it's there

 

[lala]

I felt a sudden need to withdraw myself from the society and from then on, was diagnosed with depression.

 

[LynneClomina]

when i think i'm getting depressed, nothing seems to come of it.

when i suddenly wind up in the hospital, then i kinda got a clue....

 

[Staind]

I feel horrible during the night, don't want to talk to anyone or do anything (so I don't). During the day I'm generally OK, but I have cynical and pessmistic thoughts and certain people can trigger a depressive mood that lasts all day.

 

[urbanfaerie]

heh.. i didn't know there was life outside of depression.

i jus know some days are easier the others.. i just learned to make due with what i got. somedays thats napping all day, to ease the load off. sometimes excericse is uplifting., it just depends on the day. some days u just dont wanna do nothing.

 

[lala]

heh.. i didn't know there was life outside of depression.

i jus know some days are easier the others.. i just learned to make due with what i got. somedays thats napping all day, to ease the load off. sometimes excericse is uplifting., it just depends on the day. some days u just dont wanna do nothing.

Ya. It just seems like a natural part of my life. Once, I felt a little happier than usual and I got freaked. Somehow, depression has became my form of invisible protection.

 

[Adrianl]

Can you tell when a depressive episode is coming on? Or does it hit you out of the blue unexpectedly?

For me, I can usually tell when an episode is coming on. It almost always begins w/ a feeling of deep, unrelenting pain that feels different from typical pain. After this, a whole slew of other depressive symptoms follow, and before you know it, I'm going under again.

Can anyone else relate?

usally i start to feel sad before a depressive episode then i get really down and want to be left alone or at least be able to talk to somebody usally i start to feel better in a few days then it might be awhile before the next episode

 

[Alice the Sister]

it depends what pills you are on.

 

[brotherChristian]

I often forget that I am not the only one.
I had depression for 17 years without diagnosis. My general malaise, apathy, despair, etc. was balanced with a healthy portion of irritability and anger. It was the irritability that I would notice first, then I would notice my intense desire to sleep for 72 hours at a time.
Never while wallowing in my self-pity and self-hatred would I have believed there was anything that could have been done; it was just a fact of life for me. Not so now. Medical treatment and Christian faith have done right by me.
Depression in many is caused by a deficiency of serotonin (one of the brain's neurotransmitters) and can be treated with fluoxetine or other serotonin re-uptake inhibitors. A person suffering from this type of depression is just like a person with diabetes or any other chemical imbalance/deficiency. It needs to be treated. If pharmaceutical treatment doesn't seem to counter the depression, there may be other psychological factors at work and therapy is an obvious route.
The greatest successes in treating depression have come from a combination of therapy and drugs. For me, it was fluoxetine and my then recent acceptance of Christ which helped me become the care-free (yet still professional), stop-and-smell-the-flowers (but still get the work done), nonself-loathing person that I am today.
The bottom line is, you do not have to live with it.

 

[I'ddie4him]

I can usually tell when a depressive cycle is coming in a day or so in advance. It starts with feeling overwhelmed and feeling like I wanna cry for no reason. they usually pass after a few days and things are relatively normal til the next one hits.

 

[MrsGnomeCrusher]

Sometimes I could feel it coming on and there wasn't a darn thing I could do to stop it. Had various ups and downs. Was once on meds, sought psych help. Didn't help. Finally came a low point and I went again to find psych help. It helped a bit. Was able to understand more. Then I accepted Christ. Wow! My life is far from a bed of roses, but walking with Him, I able able to deal and cope and get better. I now have a reason on "why" I'm like this (PTSD).

Also, for me, the way I eat plays a major role in how I react/deal with everyday life. I just received a medical diagnosis after five years of going to doctors. They just tell me I'm "depressed," although I have physically felt unhealthy. Related to my medical condition is hypoglycemia--low blood sugar. The stuff I've been reading on this is amazing. With this problem, many people were considered "crazy" and even had electro shock therapy! Since I've been changing my diet, keeping track of what's going in my body and when, I feel that my moods have been under more control.

What I'm saying is that you have to make a commitment to get better. It's not just going to happen. You're not going to wake up one day and things will be okay. There are so many reasons why you feel and react the way you do. You need to be proactive in getting yourself there.

 

[Endearing lil Influenza]

I suffer clinical depresion, generalised anxiety disorder and possibky borderline personality disorder...I am undergoing both medication and therapy... to tell the truth I do not remember when were the last time i lived a day free of trauma(from "haunting" memories of child abuse/fears of abuse/... weary from fighting... I do not remember when was the last day in which i did not lie motionless on the groud/curl up tp a ball

my sleeps are tormented with disturbing and occasionally violent nightmares yet in the morning it is difficult for me to get off bed as all i really want to do is curl up in a ball for I hate to face yet another day...

to me... depression/anxiety is a norm... a depressive episode however... is when my depression (either trigered or out of the blue) gets to the stage that i refuse to eat or do anything.... i spend much of the day curled up in a ball.... I feel no motivation to read the bible yet when i do read the bible it does not sink in... I cry for hours tearless cry(i cry till i run out of tears... my eyes are sore, yet it does not get it's relief as everynow and then a drop of tear "creeps" out to reirritate my eyes)

the pain in my heart is so strong tht i tremble and shake... I'd put a hot water bottle against my chest to sooth the pain in my chest as i lie motionless on the ground until i fal asleep.

 

[Stanfi]

If I am tired, I a more succeptable. I can usually fell the foggy haze coming in.

 

[brotherChristian]

Endearing, praise the Lord that you have the will to log on to this forum. That alone shows that you have a desire to interact with others, which is a good thing. I will not pretend to know what it's like to be you, but I do know what it's like to curl up in bed for days and wish that the whole world would just go away. I also know what it is like to feel, "this is just the way life is, nothing I can do about it."
But there is something you can do. Your faith in the Lord is your greatest resource, turning everything over to Him and putting your destiny in His hands. Undoubtedly the past experiences you mentioned play a part in your depression; talking to a Pastor, Reverend, Chaplain, etc. may give you alot of help in this area. You may PM me any time (I am a minister and have experienced severe depression myself) but it's best if you talk to someone you know or at least can be face to face with.
Don't forget that there are several physiological factors that cause or strengthen depression. Go to a doctor, get yourself checked for high/low blood sugar, iron deficiency/anemia, vitamin deficiency, etc. Do what they tell you to do and you may notice a big difference in your physical well-being. When we are not physically healthy, dealing with stress becomes very difficult. It is amazing how emotional stress takes itself out on our bodies, but that is part of God's design. He also gave us the ability to heal our bodies and we should use it.
I beg of you, sister, seek the help that is out there. Depression leads to fear, doubt, anger, and a host of negative emotions. Satan would love nothing more than for you to give him a foot-hold.

My prayers are with you. God bless.

*I would have PM'd this message, but I thought it would be helpful to others who are going through the same thing.

 

[TheThirdLink]

Yes, I'm dealing with depression. Not only that, but I'm Bipolar and a little bit Manic to boot, so I can understand what ya'll are going through. But I learned the hard way that things like these are misunderstood by those who don't experience it. I learned the hard way that it's better to let others know what you are going through than let them find out, because the results could be devastating: I used to have a friend and we were really close, but when he found out I had Mania (I was going through a Manic episode and I vented heavily on him. I couldn't control that) he distanced himself from me, even after I apologized to him and explained what I had and what I was going through. So I lost a good friend just because he wasn't prepared for the truth. I learned that things like depression and Biploar and Mania can cause us to loose friends if we don't let them know. They won't always be understanding without a proper warning. Better to be safe than sorry.

My parents won't let me be properly treated though, so I don't know what is going to become of me. I dunno why they won't let me be treated for my symptoms/episodes.

I have wild mood swings and I feel that deep pain also. I have my highs and lows...where I feel really ecstatic with joy, then so low with depression and despair that I don't know how to get out of it. I feel irritated and very angry too...the whole nine yards. I even fear things excessively and my thinking gets distorted very easily. Comes in periods, or "episodes." I have these needs to sleep too and I get really tired suddenly, it's interfering with my grades in school (they are dropping) and life in general...I usually have to nap for a long time and just take really long, long breaks in order to enjoy myself and get some piece of mind, 'ya know? I find myself having cravings for isolation or talking to people (interaction) when this happens. And you know what? My parents don't understand this. When I am tired, my mom accuses me of being lazy. When I get angry, my dad accuses me of being "smart-mouthed." And my own sisters pick on me because they think that depression and all of that "isn't real, it's just made up." Well, they don't have it, so I don't expect them to understand.

In order to get over my depression, I have found that I have to push my tasks and responsibilities aside until I can properly deal with them again. Us with depression (or more) have to take more time out for ourselves than normal people do. Because we need it most in order to function properly.

Hey, do you like to doze in sunlight? I have found that light soothes my depression when it comes on. So I usually nap in it.

I am also seeking God like wildfire. I am chasing after Him with this hunger I cannot explain (even though I have been saved for ten years), especially when I am having an episode. I bury myself in the Word...almost drown myself in it. And I've been praying more than I ever have before. I am constantly telling Him how I am feeling. It's like I have put my prayer mode in overdrive and I can't stop relying on Him for everything. It has helped some and it feels so natural. He's always there to give me His peace and stuff...but the mania/depression still comes. Here one day, gone the next. BUT ANOTHER EXCUSE TO PRAY, PRAISE GOD!!!

CHURCH TOMORROW! I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR SOME GOOD 'OL PREACHING, PRAISE GOD!!!!

Goodnight.