Depression

@MITech,

i just started going to a university this year and am currently on winter break. but i notice i'm feeling lots of anxiety while i'm here on break. everyone that was on campus left back home to family. and i'm up at my house, which is on the other side of town from the university. sadly my only family in the US is my mom and she's in chicago, she'll be coming to visit soon though Smile

i also don't sleep correctly, from being at the dorms at the university and college life, i stay up all night and sleep during the day. could this be the cause of having some sadness? i have anxiety in school because i always wonder why i'm there. i'm studying mechanical engineering but how am i supposed to know if it's something i'll enjoy doing? i also don't want a 9-5 job after college, it'd be great to be self employed, but i think just not knowing what is to come gives me anxiety, but when i do know what is in my future i become bored and sad. maybe i'm just focusing on the negatives too much Sad

i'd rather not do medication as i don't want an imbalance in my brain. reading and just thinking about my problems makes the intensity of the anxiety go down a bit. is there something to do for the anxiety though? i know that staying busy is a good thing but as stated earlier, you kinda just don't want to do anything. i'm also taking out loans for college, and i think that's bothering me too. maybe i'm just being really picky about negative things in my life :/ also i wanted to ask if anyone has had sadness or anxiety from having a weird sleep cycle.

i know that having anxiety and sadness can come from just hanging out with friends. what usually happens is when you go hang out with friends and have a good time, especially if you're outside, you will feel lots of joy, and the next day you feel sad and some anxiety because you're not doing anything like you were the day before. now that i think about it this may be why i feel anxiety now, because the dorms were always bustling with people and stuff was always going on. up here i'm living alone for a couple weeks. i must just be having a hard time adjusting.

there's just some things i don't understand. am i expected to graduate from college and work the rest of my life to pay off my loans? i'm expected to buy my own place, and raise a family or something? if anyone has some words of wisdom from life experience that could help cheer me up whenever i think about it please let me know. i usually try to have some things in the back of my mind to think about when i feel sad. so if you have anything inspirational do share Smile

i think it'd help me out Smile

2 Replies

@Petrovich phil,

Petrovich;39141 wrote:

i just started going to a university this year and am currently on winter break. but i notice i'm feeling lots of anxiety while i'm here on break. everyone that was on campus left back home to family. and i'm up at my house, which is on the other side of town from the university. sadly my only family in the US is my mom and she's in chicago, she'll be coming to visit soon though i also don't sleep correctly, from being at the dorms at the university and college life, i stay up all night and sleep during the day. could this be the cause of having some sadness? i have anxiety in school because i always wonder why i'm there. i'm studying mechanical engineering but how am i supposed to know if it's something i'll enjoy doing? i also don't want a 9-5 job after college, it'd be great to be self employed, but i think just not knowing what is to come gives me anxiety, but when i do know what is in my future i become bored and sad. maybe i'm just focusing on the negatives too much i'd rather not do medication as i don't want an imbalance in my brain. reading and just thinking about my problems makes the intensity of the anxiety go down a bit. is there something to do for the anxiety though? i know that staying busy is a good thing but as stated earlier, you kinda just don't want to do anything. i'm also taking out loans for college, and i think that's bothering me too. maybe i'm just being really picky about negative things in my life :/ also i wanted to ask if anyone has had sadness or anxiety from having a weird sleep cycle.

I think that this type of anxiety and sadness, to an extent, is quite common in college. Like you said, staying busy, can probably help a lot; going out with friends, getting some exercise (exercise is known to have anti-anxiety benefits), etc. You should remember that a lot of people are going through the same thing, to some degree. Your choice of major also isn't going to tie you down to one path or another. You have your whole life ahead of you after college to still find out what career you want (self-employment is certainly possible). Most people change their majors at least twice through college, and they usually end up in a career that is different from their major; most people change careers at least a few times before settling on one.

College loans can be stressful to think about, but just remember that the investment in a degree, from a financial standpoint, will usually pay for the loans and much more. As for your sleep cycle, that is a cause for concern, but it probably isn't causing your anxiety and sadness. Usually it's the other way around- the anxiety and sadness cause sleeping problems. Getting back to a regular sleep schedule could help you with this. There are also many OTC medications and supplements that can help you sleep and/or help with anxiety.

Many schools seem to offer workshops or group meetings for people with depression, anxiety, or general stress (especially around finals time). You could look into this, and try it, before resorting to medication. If your anxiety and sadness gets to the point where it is enough to disrupt your normal life (sounds like it is at that point), you should probably see a psychologist or counselor for advice.

Quote:

i know that having anxiety and sadness can come from just hanging out with friends. what usually happens is when you go hang out with friends and have a good time, especially if you're outside, you will feel lots of joy, and the next day you feel sad and some anxiety because you're not doing anything like you were the day before. now that i think about it this may be why i feel anxiety now, because the dorms were always bustling with people and stuff was always going on. up here i'm living alone for a couple weeks. i must just be having a hard time adjusting.

Yea, and depression is even more common during the winter time, possibly having to due with less sun exposure. It may be difficult, but you really should try to find some activity you can do where you forget about your problems and anxiety; exercise, going out with friends, reading, playing a musical instrument, or anything would help.

Quote:

there's just some things i don't understand. am i expected to graduate from college and work the rest of my life to pay off my loans? i'm expected to buy my own place, and raise a family or something? if anyone has some words of wisdom from life experience that could help cheer me up whenever i think about it please let me know. i usually try to have some things in the back of my mind to think about when i feel sad. so if you have anything inspirational do share i think it'd help me out

I doubt it would really take you the rest of your life to pay off your loans. If you maintain a lower standard of living for a few years after college with the starting salary of an engineer (or even other jobs), you could probably pay off the loans. Then again, I don't know what loans you have, so this is a guess.

I don't think any of these things you mention are truly "expected" of you. Plenty of people decide not to go to college, not to work 9-5 jobs, not to buy houses and raise families. Maybe your family and others encourage you to do these things...they know that for many people a college degree will lead to a higher-paying white collar job, that would usually make for an "easier" life than not having a degree and having a blue collar job. Of course this isn't for everyone; some people enjoy working with their hands and working outside, and could never be happy in an office environment. They might make less money, but to them, it would be worth it.

When it comes to yourself, you should be asking yourself what do YOU expect of yourself? Are you someone who really believes that a high-paying job and degree are the measure of a person? Do you really need to expect anything more out of yourself than to simply work hard and be a good person (ie treat others how you want to be treated)? These two things are all I would want to expect out of anyone. Beyond this, there are all sorts of degrees and jobs that you could decide to follow, but you need to find what suits you, ultimately. This decision is not one that will be finalized in college. College is about getting the degree and learning about things that interest you along the way...also you should be having some fun! Just realize that everyone deals with the problems you mention, and they certainly don't need to be solved in college. You will have time after that to figure out your own path. Smile

1 Reply

@Pangloss,

Pangloss;39147 wrote:

I think that this type of anxiety and sadness, to an extent, is quite common in college. Like you said, staying busy, can probably help a lot; going out with friends, getting some exercise (exercise is known to have anti-anxiety benefits), etc. You should remember that a lot of people are going through the same thing, to some degree. Your choice of major also isn't going to tie you down to one path or another. You have your whole life ahead of you after college to still find out what career you want (self-employment is certainly possible). Most people change their majors at least twice through college, and they usually end up in a career that is different from their major; most people change careers at least a few times before settling on one.

College loans can be stressful to think about, but just remember that the investment in a degree, from a financial standpoint, will usually pay for the loans and much more. As for your sleep cycle, that is a cause for concern, but it probably isn't causing your anxiety and sadness. Usually it's the other way around- the anxiety and sadness cause sleeping problems. Getting back to a regular sleep schedule could help you with this. There are also many OTC medications and supplements that can help you sleep and/or help with anxiety.

Many schools seem to offer workshops or group meetings for people with depression, anxiety, or general stress (especially around finals time). You could look into this, and try it, before resorting to medication. If your anxiety and sadness gets to the point where it is enough to disrupt your normal life (sounds like it is at that point), you should probably see a psychologist or counselor for advice.

Yea, and depression is even more common during the winter time, possibly having to due with less sun exposure. It may be difficult, but you really should try to find some activity you can do where you forget about your problems and anxiety; exercise, going out with friends, reading, playing a musical instrument, or anything would help.

I doubt it would really take you the rest of your life to pay off your loans. If you maintain a lower standard of living for a few years after college with the starting salary of an engineer (or even other jobs), you could probably pay off the loans. Then again, I don't know what loans you have, so this is a guess.

I don't think any of these things you mention are truly "expected" of you. Plenty of people decide not to go to college, not to work 9-5 jobs, not to buy houses and raise families. Maybe your family and others encourage you to do these things...they know that for many people a college degree will lead to a higher-paying white collar job, that would usually make for an "easier" life than not having a degree and having a blue collar job. Of course this isn't for everyone; some people enjoy working with their hands and working outside, and could never be happy in an office environment. They might make less money, but to them, it would be worth it.

When it comes to yourself, you should be asking yourself what do YOU expect of yourself? Are you someone who really believes that a high-paying job and degree are the measure of a person? Do you really need to expect anything more out of yourself than to simply work hard and be a good person (ie treat others how you want to be treated)? These two things are all I would want to expect out of anyone. Beyond this, there are all sorts of degrees and jobs that you could decide to follow, but you need to find what suits you, ultimately. This decision is not one that will be finalized in college. College is about getting the degree and learning about things that interest you along the way...also you should be having some fun! Just realize that everyone deals with the problems you mention, and they certainly don't need to be solved in college. You will have time after that to figure out your own path.

and here i was starting to think there's something wrong with me because i'm not sure what i want to do yet. i don't think a degree is a good measure of someone, it's not too hard to get i think. it takes money and time X_x. thank you for the input Smile

you're right though i should have my own expectations. i'm glad to find out that nothing is usually decided until after college. thank you Pangloss :bigsmile:

0 Replies

@MITech,

MITech wrote:

Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with depression?
Its just that I have a brother who won't go to school because he is so depressed.

I guess every one is different. I don't think you can lump all depressed people into one category. Mental illness runs in my family. That is why I think it sometimes is a hereditary thing. The only thing I can say that makes some sense to me, is that isolation is the worst thing for a person who is depressed. Ya need people who love you to be around you. Its no good to be alone. When you're alone, all you have is your thoughts to keep you company. Its not easy to be around a person who is depressed. It takes a strong person to be able to deal with it. But, if you love him, spend time with him. Don't let him be alone. Sometimes, they just want someone to talk with. someone who can listen. Talking things out seems to help. Being around those who love you is more important than any medicine they can prescribe. And, sometimes, medicine may help. But, try and do things together. Like fishing or hobbies that you both enjoy. But, the most important thing to me, is to not be alone.

1 Reply

@MITech,

Depression usually manifests itself through repetitive negative thoughts. Until a year ago, my moods would fluctuate rapidly for no apparent reason, so I started analyzing my patterns of thought. What I found was that when I thought, my thoughts were basically a dialogue, i.e. I talked to myself and myself talked back, as it were, where one would subvocalize and the other would not. The culmination of this process was I realized that the dialogue part was redundant, and I actually already knew what was going to be "said" in my mind before it happened, and actually mentally uttering and listening to the words was unnecessary. So I started cutting off any verbal thoughts as soon as I became aware of them, leaving behind something that carried the same meaning but did not take seconds or minutes to be translated into sentences. As a result, words have for the most part stopped appearing spontaneously, except when dealing with numbers which I haven't figured out how to think nonverbally yet.

I realized that (for me) emotions are more a matter of thought than of anything else...like, what I would have described as bad mood would typically take the form of constant verbal complaints to myself in my mind. There was more "ugh, I'm unhappy" to the bad feelings than actual impulses. After I started to eliminate verbal thought, I learned that if I refrained from turning negative emotional impulses into thoughts and just ignored them completely, not even thinking about not thinking about them, they wouldn't influence me.

(And vice versa for positive ones, except I can channel those into smiling or laughter or suchlike and retain the resultant happiness while still avoiding verbal thought.)

This probably won't be of much help to your brother: I've suggested it to several of my friends, and they found that it was impossible to do.

0 Replies

@Elmud,

Elmud wrote:

I guess every one is different. I don't think you can lump all depressed people into one category. Mental illness runs in my family. That is why I think it sometimes is a hereditary thing. The only thing I can say that makes some sense to me, is that isolation is the worst thing for a person who is depressed. Ya need people who love you to be around you. Its no good to be alone. When you're alone, all you have is your thoughts to keep you company. Its not easy to be around a person who is depressed. It takes a strong person to be able to deal with it. But, if you love him, spend time with him. Don't let him be alone. Sometimes, they just want someone to talk with. someone who can listen. Talking things out seems to help. Being around those who love you is more important than any medicine they can prescribe. And, sometimes, medicine may help. But, try and do things together. Like fishing or hobbies that you both enjoy. But, the most important thing to me, is to not be alone.

Did you find out why he's depressed and wont go to school?
Sorry that's to MITech

0 Replies

@MITech,

If you have a legitmate problem that's making you feel sorrow, you aren't depressed.
Depression doesn't have to be, but can be, self brought sorrow. While it can be, you don't necessarily have to case the problem that makes you sad but when you're depressed you choose not to solve the problem.
People go into depression because they like the idea of them having a problem and being sad over it more than they want to solve the problem.
Depression is a super selfish, highly Ego modivated disorder.
Misery is sorrow caused by something out of your hands.

2 Replies

@Paggos,

Paggos;67596 wrote:

Depression is a super selfish, highly Ego modivated disorder.
Misery is sorrow caused by something out of your hands.

You make it sound as if somebody chooses to be depressed. Would this mean that, to become depressed, one would have to be self-obsessed? Vain? An attention seeker?

I believe that the line between, as you put it, 'misery' and 'depression' is much finer than you think. Depression requires a trigger, at least, usually there is some form of trigger, which may be the smallest little thing, but can 'set of the works'. Therefore one must have a cause of depression, which one must first attempt to identify before trying to fix the problem at hand.

Of course, it could very well be a series of problems; a collection of small things that can add up to something quite overwhelming if that trigger allows it to be that way. I find it hard to believe that one would just wake up one day and feel self-pity or sorrow for absolutely no reason at all. True, they may not consciously know or understand the reason for their emotional state of mind, but, burried somewhere deep in their mind, there is always (as far as I know, so don't take this for fact) an underlying cause; a problem, fear, or sense of urgency to some regard.

It could very well be out of ones hands, and most probably would be, as if one could quickly or easily fix to root of their despair, then surely it would not develop into depression. Otherwise it is just something that one cannot do anything about, but rather just sit back and watch events unfold, which could easily make it so much worse.

0 Replies

@MITech,

Like i said, depression is in your control because you can control what to do in your surroundings. Misery is uncontrollable.

0 Replies

@Petrovich phil,

(Sorry about any initial confusion, I thought that Petrovich had started the thread, and so posted this in reply without addressing him. :brickwall:Thankfully my good friend pointed this out and this is the result.:a-ok:)

Petrovich;39141 wrote:

i just started going to a university this year and am currently on winter break. but i notice i'm feeling lots of anxiety while i'm here on break. everyone that was on campus left back home to family. and i'm up at my house, which is on the other side of town from the university. sadly my only family in the US is my mom and she's in chicago, she'll be coming to visit soon though i also don't sleep correctly, from being at the dorms at the university and college life, i stay up all night and sleep during the day. could this be the cause of having some sadness? i have anxiety in school because i always wonder why i'm there. i'm studying mechanical engineering but how am i supposed to know if it's something i'll enjoy doing? i also don't want a 9-5 job after college, it'd be great to be self employed, but i think just not knowing what is to come gives me anxiety, but when i do know what is in my future i become bored and sad. maybe i'm just focusing on the negatives too much i'd rather not do medication as i don't want an imbalance in my brain. reading and just thinking about my problems makes the intensity of the anxiety go down a bit. is there something to do for the anxiety though? i know that staying busy is a good thing but as stated earlier, you kinda just don't want to do anything. i'm also taking out loans for college, and i think that's bothering me too. maybe i'm just being really picky about negative things in my life :/ also i wanted to ask if anyone has had sadness or anxiety from having a weird sleep cycle.

i know that having anxiety and sadness can come from just hanging out with friends. what usually happens is when you go hang out with friends and have a good time, especially if you're outside, you will feel lots of joy, and the next day you feel sad and some anxiety because you're not doing anything like you were the day before. now that i think about it this may be why i feel anxiety now, because the dorms were always bustling with people and stuff was always going on. up here i'm living alone for a couple weeks. i must just be having a hard time adjusting.

there's just some things i don't understand. am i expected to graduate from college and work the rest of my life to pay off my loans? i'm expected to buy my own place, and raise a family or something? if anyone has some words of wisdom from life experience that could help cheer me up whenever i think about it please let me know. i usually try to have some things in the back of my mind to think about when i feel sad. so if you have anything inspirational do share i think it'd help me out

It might seem weird to thank a post like this, but I really did feel like it, simply because these thoughts you're putting across seem so similar. I'm not at University this year, but I'm 16 and currently making decisions on which A Level subjects to take, which can determine which type of university course you take, so I've also been thinking about the future a lot.

I often get these kind of feelings when things change in life, like you say about being with friends and then later wallowing in their absence. I thought I would be really happy to be leaving school a few weeks ago, and I do now, but initially I really did feel crap. Because of that, my thoughts about the future set in even deeper and, like you said, I just began to think about all possible negative aspects.

You made a point that although it's good to keep busy you don't really want to do anything, and I felt exactly like that. I remember thinking that a good bit of gaming on the PS3 would cheer me up, but then I sat down and felt as if I couldn't even be bothered to plat anything. I overcame this and started playing, but then it just felt futile and I stopped. That was especially strange, deciding not to do something that would usually be fun and entertaining.

Also, what you say about sleeping patterns, I have never become fully nocturnal as you seem to be, but I know that I always feel annoyed and anxious with myself if I wake up late in the day. I don't know whether there is any rational physiological explanation for this, but I almost always feel happier if I wake up to see the environment I am in during the morning, it's quite strange how much of an effect that can have on me.

The best thing I can tell you is this: these times will pass, and you will feel happy again, it's just something you have to get through for the time being; a fact of life, but it's definitely not something to worry about.

I often think about that when I'm feeling down, usually for no apparent reason. I have also begun thinking about that when I'm at my happiest, and it makes me feel grateful for that happiness.

I hope that's helped, and don't worry about expectations for your future; I don't have much life experience, but if there is anything I'm pretty sure of, it's that expectations are a load of bollocks, just like psychics and testicles. You do whatever you want, as long as it doesn't involve becoming a "psychic" and conning people out of hard-earned money.

1 Reply

@bk-thinkaboom,

Philosophy helped me when I was depressed, but maybe it depends on how depressed you are. A combination of philosophy (mainly metaphysics, ethics, and aesthetics), psychology, and psychiatry can be of great help.

1 Reply

@hue-man,

Maybe if you have someone who loves you enough to be able to deal with depression, well, that helps a little.

0 Replies

@Mr Fight the Power,

Mr. Fight the Power;27662 wrote:

As someone who has battled depression for a little while, I can say that it is not a matter of events affecting moods, but of moods affecting the way we perceive events.

It is very easy to say that one who is battling depression simply needs to stay occupied, but depression sours any desire one might have for doing anything, so convincing oneself to stay occupied is extremely difficult.

He should consider psychological help, and approach the problem with a combination of medication and more personal attention. The medication can grease the gears to get him on the right track, but in will never be a permanent solution, and if a permanent solution isn't found, the medication will only create another issue.

It is a very, very delicate situation to deal with, and the one thing I can tell you is that the worse thing you can do is to be sure that you understand what is going through his mind. Since it is a likely a matter of the way he perceives things, thinking or saying that you understand what he is going through will sound hollow at best, patronizing at worst.

Thank you very much for your advice. Ive read so many self-help forums, and so far, this is the most sensible and feasible thing I've read. I am considering getting pyschological help, after reading this but I still fear so, because I'm scared to accept the truth that I do have a problem.

1 Reply

@MITech,

Try not to think too much about your future, if you enjoy something such as mechanics you'll probably enjoy doing it as a job but try not to worry too much about working 9 to 5, cross that bridge when you get to it because you'll never know what'll happen by then. Yes good days with friends are never as dull when you are on your own but that is not your fault, try to accept it and be comfortable being on your own, do something nice to take your mind off of it and you'll find that there are good things about being on your own too, find a balance between the two. I suffered with depression badly when I was 18 and it was changing my thought patterns and alot of hard work with no help that I eventually came out of it, i still get depressed occasionally but now that I've been there it's not so bad. Smile

Noone expects you to do anything, at least I dont think so, do what you want to do with your life, you have just as much worth as the next person and you have every right to be on the planet as the trees have.

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@MITech,

If you're really worried about what it's like why not try a taster, go along to a mechanics or wherever it is you want to work or will be working, offer your services for free for a certain amount of time, in return for experience, that way you'll find out if it's for you, lots of people do it and they sometimes get offered jobs too at the end of it.

0 Replies

@aflp09,

Don't be afraid, getting help is a step in the right direction.
As I've said in another post I have bipolar 1 with rapid cycling and mixed states with a side order of PTSD. (Ya gotta have a sense of humor)
Any further questions PM me.

0 Replies

@Paggos,

Paggos;67596 wrote:

If you have a legitmate problem that's making you feel sorrow, you aren't depressed.
Depression doesn't have to be, but can be, self brought sorrow. While it can be, you don't necessarily have to case the problem that makes you sad but when you're depressed you choose not to solve the problem.
People go into depression because they like the idea of them having a problem and being sad over it more than they want to solve the problem.
Depression is a super selfish, highly Ego modivated disorder.
Misery is sorrow caused by something out of your hands.

I saw this thread title and clicked on it and it brought me straight in here for some reason, but I am compelled to comment immediately without reading any of the rest of the thread first that there, above, speaks a person with clearly zero experience whereof he speaks.

0 Replies

@MITech,

You just need to control your emotions. That's it really. You need to realize that you are only depressed because you are allowing it to happen.

1 Reply

@kale,

kale;87488 wrote:

You just need to control your emotions. That's it really. You need to realize that you are only depressed because you are allowing it to happen.

What rot.

Have YOU ever suffered from it? You clearly have no idea what you're talking about.

Pathophysiology

The underlying pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) has not been clearly defined. Clinical and preclinical trials suggest a disturbance in CNS serotonin (ie, 5-HT) activity as an important factor. Other neurotransmitters implicated include norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA).[URL="javascript:showcontent('active','references');"]1[/URL]

The role of CNS serotonin activity in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder is suggested by the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in the treatment of major depressive disorder. Furthermore, studies have shown that an acute, transient relapse of depressive symptoms can be produced in research subjects in remission using tryptophan depletion, which causes a temporary reduction in CNS serotonin levels. Serotonergic neurons implicated in affective disorders are found in the dorsal raphe nucleus, the limbic system, and the left prefrontal cortex.
Clinical experience indicates a complex interaction between neurotransmitter availability, receptor regulation and sensitivity, and affective symptoms in major depressive disorder. Drugs that produce only an acute rise in neurotransmitter availability, such as cocaine, do not have the efficacy over time that antidepressants do. Furthermore, an exposure of several weeks' duration to an antidepressant is usually necessary to produce a change in symptoms. This, together with preclinical research findings, implies a role for neuronal receptor regulation over time in response to enhanced neurotransmitter availability.
All available antidepressants appear to work via 1 or more of the following mechanisms: (1) presynaptic inhibition of uptake of 5-HT or NE; (2) antagonist activity at presynaptic inhibitory 5-HT or NE receptor sites, thereby enhancing neurotransmitter release; or (3) inhibition of monoamine oxidase, thereby reducing neurotransmitter breakdown.[URL="javascript:showcontent('active','references');"]2[/URL]

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