I Can’t Get Out Of Bed Everything Seems Pointless
Hi there, I’m a 18yo girl in my first year of university. I’ve been diagnosed with depression one year ago. I’ve messily written down some thoughts I had today, maybe many others are in a similar condition. I’d love if you had some advice :> even though i hardly ever accept them. I’m sorry if all this will sound whiny
University has started only some weeks ago. I did my best to stay active. Even if I didn’t have friends there, everyday I’ve done my best to attend both morning and afternoon classes and stay among people. Even if i didn’t have anyone to hang out with, after classes I’ve always tried to have a long walk, since my therapist always says that walking would make me feel better. But now I feel exhausted… for a couple days I’ve been feeling so tired, even though I’ve got enough sleep. I had an important test scheduled for today, but couldn’t get out of home to attend it, even though I woke up about 5 hourse before it. I tried to motivate myself thinking that attending the test would give me something to talk about with my classmates, but today even that seemed not to matter to me. I really long to have a connection with people, to have a group op friends to hang out with, but somedays, like today, I feel like there’s nobody I like enough, like there’s a reason more why it would be pointless to try to interact with others.
thank you for reading so far
Load Up On Vitamin D And Vitamin B
I was relieved that Dr. Weiss included blood tests to check vitamin D and vitamin B-12 levels, as well, because deficiencies in both of those vitamins can cause severe depression. They are included in my list of 10 Nutritional Deficiencies That Can Cause Depression. According to a 2009 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, as many as three-quarters of U.S. teens and adults are deficient in vitamin D. Last year Canadian researchers performed a systematic review and analysis of 14 studies that revealed a close association between vitamin D levels and depression. Researchers found that low levels of vitamin D corresponded to depression and increased odds for depression. In another 2009 study, more than a quarter of severely depressed older women were deficient in B-12. I take each of those vitamins in liquid form so that they absorb quickly and efficiently.
Looking After Someone Who Has Depression
If you’re close to someone with depression, their condition can affect you too. Your relationship, and family life in general, can be strained, and you might not know what to do or how to help.
Talking about the situation can help. Finding a support group, or talking to other people in a similar situation, can make it easier to cope. If the condition is causing difficulties in your relationship with your partner, you could contact a relationship counsellor who can talk things through with both of you.
When suffering from depression, men are less likely to ask for help than women. They’re also more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the symptoms.
You May Like: Can Hormone Imbalance Cause Depression
Alcohol Tobacco And Other Drugs
The misuse and abuse of alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and prescription medications affect the health and well-being of millions of Americans. SAMHSAs 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reports that approximately 19.3 million people aged 18 or older had a substance use disorder in the past year.
Ways Id Describe Depression To A Friend
- Itâs like I have this deep pit of sadness in my stomach that I canât get rid of.
- I watch the world go on, and I continue to go through the motions and plaster a smile on my face, but deep down, Iâm hurting so much.
- It feels like there is a huge weight on my shoulders that I canât shrug off, no matter how hard I try.
Iâd spend each day counting down the hours until I could go home and lie in my bed and watch âFriends.â Iâd watch the same episodes over and over. Those familiar episodes brought me comfort, and I couldnât even think about watching anything new.
I didnât completely disconnect socially or stop making plans with friends the way many people expect people with severe depression to act. I think, in part, itâs because Iâve always been an extrovert.
But while Iâd still show up to social functions or drinks with friends, I wouldnât really be there mentally. Iâd laugh at the appropriate times and nod when needed, but I just couldnât connect.
I thought I was just tired and that it would pass soon.
You May Like: Nobody Will Help Me With My Depression
Will Depression Ever Go Away
The reason many people think that depression is a permanent part of who they are, even on days when they feel better, happier, and not depressed, is because they think of depression as some sort of a mysterious condition inside them that causes them to feel depressed.
In other words, when they feel happy, they think theyre not showing any signs or symptoms of depression, but they think that a dangerous, mysterious, invisible condition within them still remains, waiting to sabotage them and make them feel depressed at any moment.
First of all, remember that its both poisonous and absurd to think in terms of symptoms of depression, because it encourages this type of stressful, ridiculous thinking. So dont do that, and avoid the mistake that people in white lab coats make every single day.
And, second, appreciate that it makes no sense whatsoever to think that depression is some sort of a mysterious, invisible, condition that always exists inside you, just waiting to exhibit its terrible symptoms at any moment.
Using this rationale, if a person is happy for the first 99 years of his life, but then becomes depressed the very last year of his life, you would say that hed been living with depression his entire life, but just didnt know it until the very end, when he finally exhibited symptoms of it.
This is completely absurd! Instead, it makes way more sense to appreciate that his condition changed during his last year, and thats when he started dealing with depression.
Practice These Coping Skills Every Day
I recommend doing many if not all of the following coping skills and techniques once a day when experiencing depression. Its important to know you probably wont be motivated to do any of them at first because depression frequently saps motivation. In other words, know that its normal to feel unmotivated until youre halfway done.
The patients I work with who frequently practice these coping skills get better.The seven techniques can be memorized with the acronym MY PEERS.
1. Meaning: Find small ways to be of service to others.
Find personal meaning by serving something larger than yourself. Remember service doesnt have to be big to count. Consider this, Success, like happiness, cannot be pursued it must ensue as the unintended side effect of ones personal dedication to a course greater than oneself. Viktor E. Frankl, Mans Search for Meaning
2. Your goals: Find workable goals that give you a sense of accomplishment.
Most people feel guilty when talking about goals because they set unreasonable or unworkable goals. A goal is workable if its:
If something goes wrong with your goal, adopt a what can I learn from this? attitude . Also, be careful when comparing your progress with others. We usually compare our biggest weakness with another persons biggest strength. This is unfair .
3. Pleasant Events: Schedule pleasant activities or events.
4. Engagement: Stay in the present.
5. Exercise: And, eat right too.
Don’t Miss: How To Ease Pms Depression
Risk Factors For Depression
Depression can affect anyoneeven a person who appears to live in relatively ideal circumstances.
Several factors can play a role in depression:
- Biochemistry: Differences in certain chemicals in the brain may contribute to symptoms of depression.
- Genetics: Depression can run in families. For example, if one identical twin has depression, the other has a 70 percent chance of having the illness sometime in life.
- Personality: People with low self-esteem, who are easily overwhelmed by stress, or who are generally pessimistic appear to be more likely to experience depression.
- Environmental factors: Continuous exposure to violence, neglect, abuse or poverty may make some people more vulnerable to depression.
Smoking Drugs And Alcohol
If you have depression it may be tempting to smoke or drink to make you feel better. Cigarettes and alcohol may seem to help at first, but they make things worse in the long run.
Be extra cautious with cannabis. You might think it’s harmless, but research has shown a strong link between cannabis use and mental illness, including depression.
The evidence shows that if you smoke cannabis you:
- make your depression symptoms worse
- feel more tired and uninterested in things
- are more likely to have depression that relapses earlier and more frequently
- will not have as good a response to antidepressant medicines
- are more likely to stop using antidepressant medicines
- are less likely to fully recover
A GP can give you advice and support if you drink or smoke too much or use drugs.
You may also find the following pages useful:
- getting help for drug addiction
- alcohol support
Recommended Reading: How Long Does It Take To Beat Depression
Do I Need Health Insurance To Receive This Service
The referral service is free of charge. If you have no insurance or are underinsured, we will refer you to your state office, which is responsible for state-funded treatment programs. In addition, we can often refer you to facilities that charge on a sliding fee scale or accept Medicare or Medicaid. If you have health insurance, you are encouraged to contact your insurer for a list of participating health care providers and facilities.
Life After Depression: How To Thrive What Helps What Gets In The Way
Depression keeps itself alive with an intense, overwhelming sense of hopelessness. This hopelessness kills the motivation to reach into the world for support, something that is already fragile because of the stigma that is so often attached to mental illness.
New research, published in the journal Psychiatry Research, offers a reason for hope. There is life after depression a strong, healthy, happy life and the research has found the factors that will help to make this possible and those that will get in the way.
In a study involving more than 2,500 people who had experienced a major depressive disorder at some time in their lives, researchers found that about two in five people were able to fully recover and experience full mental health. The researchers defined full mental health as:
- experiencing happiness or life satisfaction almost every day for the last month
- a full year without depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts or substance abuse and
- positive social and psychological well-being.
The research revealed important findings about what helped, what hindered and what had no bearing at all on the likelihood of thriving after depression.
Don’t Miss: What It Feels Like To Have Depression
How To Pull Yourself Out Of Depression With Flow
Pulling yourself out of depression takes effort . Depression makes it so that you typically dont feel up to spontaneous bursts of energy. Its unlikely that youll suddenly decide to spring out of bed, head outside, and paint a gigantic mural that decorates the entire front of your house. It is very likely, though, that you go buy some painting supplies and paper, and spend time every day painting, even if its just for a short amount of time.
Depression can make it hard to think of ideas. To get around this depression roadblock, create a collection of activity ideas, things you like, used to like, or would like to try. You can use a jar or a box, and you can decorate it to make it look attractive to you. This is your flow jar, so have fun making it look appealing. Using craft sticks, note cards, or anything else you can write on and that fits in your flow jar, brainstorm activities that could bring you flow. Keep these ideas in your container, and when you need activity ideas, pull one out and immerse yourself in it .
There really is no limit to flow-inducing activities, as long as theyre safe. They can be artsy, crafty, musical, athletic they can involve nature or urban settings they can be indoor activities or outdoor.
Actively engaging in experiences that create flow will help pull you out of depression.
Signs Of A Depression Relapse
Expect all-too-familiar feelings signs of depression relapse are similar to symptoms of the initial onset of depression. The earliest sign is often a change in sleep patterns, Dr. Gazda says.
Sadness, irritability and anger, problems with appetite, feelings of guilt, lack of energy, and feelings of hopelessness are also potential signs. And, of course, suicidal feelings are signs of serious illness, Belkin adds.
Don’t Miss: Is It Possible To Recover From Depression
Helping A Suicidal Friend Or Relative
If you see any of the above warning signs in a friend or relative:
- get professional help for them
- let them know they are not alone and you care about them
- offer support in finding other solutions to their problems
If you feel there’s an immediate danger, stay with the person or have someone else stay with them, and remove all available means of attempting suicide, such as medicine.
Over-the-counter medicine, such as painkillers, can be just as dangerous as prescription medicine. Also, remove sharp objects and poisonous household chemicals such as bleach.
Signs The Depressive Episode Was Really Happening
On Saturday, during breakfast, I started bitching at my husband. Stupid stuff. Nit-picky stuff. Bam, bam, bam . . . insult after insult. We kibitz, Hubby and I, but this was different, and I could sense the change in myself. I was edgy and irritated all day.
I cried while hugging my son. He comforted me saying, Dont worry, Mom, its out of your control. Dont feel like youre less because of it.
Smart boy.
Later that day, I cried while vacuuming up dog hair. It was everywhere and I just couldnt get it all. I felt so out of control. I lay down on my bed and sobbed.
I knew what was happening and was helpless to fix myself. Why cant I just get better? When will this end?
Last Monday, I recorded the video you see at the bottom of this blog.
Don’t Miss: Different Types Of Depression Medicine
What Is Samhsa’s National Helpline
SAMHSAs National Helpline, , or TTY: is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.
How Long Do Depressive Episodes Last
There is no average duration for major depressive disorder as a whole since every persons experience and response to treatment is different. Depressive events must last at least two weeks to meet the diagnostic criteria to qualify as a depressive episode.
Studies have found that the average duration of a major depressive episode is between three and four months, while other research has estimated that the average duration is six to 10.7 months.
You May Like: Is Depression An Autoimmune Disease
Psychological Depression Symptoms Include:
- doing poorly at work
- difficulties with your family or home life
It’s not always possible to tell that you’re having symptoms of depression right away it can start and progress gradually. A lot of people don’t realise they’re ill and try to carry on and cope with their symptoms. Sometimes it takes a friend or family member to notice that there’s a problem.
It Isnt Easy To Tackle Depression But The Good News Is It Can Get Better With Time Here Are Some Signs That Indicate That Youve Made Progress Read On To Know More
Depression is not easy in any way it debilitates a persons mental health, and manifests in the form of several physical symptoms. The treatment for this mental health condition is sometimes long, and it may take a while for a person to feel as if his/her life is getting back on track. But there are certain clear indicators that show that progress has happened, and its important to identify them. Are you ready? Before that, lets learn about some of the common signs of depression.
What are some of the most common signs of depression?
Crying for no apparent reason Difficulty concentrating or staying focused Eating too much or too little Feeling sad, worthless, and/or having guilt Feelings of hopelessness Having difficulty doing normal daily activities IrritabilityPhysical symptoms such as stomach aches or headaches Restlessness
Also, read:Theres a link between magnesium and depression. Heres what you need to know about it
Signs that you are recovering
You might feel that you dont experience as many emotions, as you would earlier. For instance, it is likely that you are thinking more clearly, and you take interest in everything you do. You might also not feel as tired, which is a great sign. Lets just say this means that your symptoms are getting better.
In fact, its a good idea to set small goals, so that when you achieve them, you feel a sense of accomplishment on your progress.
Limited relapses
How can you track your progress?
Don’t Miss: Depression And Anxiety Assessment Test
Causes And Risk Factors
Depression is not a mood you can just get over. It is a disease in which the brain ceases to register pleasurable activities, says Angelino. Indeed, MRI studies with depressed people have found changes in the parts of the brain that play a significant role in depression.
Women are about twice as likely as men to be diagnosed with depression. Youre also more likely to develop depression if you are between ages 45 and 64, nonwhite, or divorced, and if you never graduated high school, cant work or are unemployed, and dont have health insurance. Other risks for depression include factors such as these:
- Experiencing stressful events in your life, such as losing your job, having problems in your marriage, major health problems, and/or financial challenges.
- Having a bad childhood, such as one involving abuse, poor relationships with your parents, and/or your parents own marital problems.
- Certain personality traits, such as getting extremely upset when youre stressed.
- A family history of depression, which can increase your own risk three or four times.
Depression is far more common than you might think, with nearly one out of 10 adults depressed at any time, about half of them severely.