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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
I have been diagnosed with depression, and put on meds but I'm not sure I am depressed. I don't feel really bad, just a bit bored with life, and quite unfeeling. I don't have any problem with eating or sleeping, my mood isn't consistant, sometimes I do have quite a lot of energy. I don't feel a lot of guilt. I just feel a bit lazy and unmotivated. I've seen really depressed people, and they are nothing like me. They don't eat, talk or do very much. I do.
I've been very shy and nervous all my life. My psychiatrist blames this on depression, but I've only been unhappy since I was 11. (I'm now 17). There have been some short times when I've been happy since, and sometimes I am quite excitable. Could it just be that I am unhappy because I am nervous and I don't cope with stress very well? I can't think of anything I want to do with my life, and I've sometimes thought about killing myself, but it just doesn't seem like I'm suffering from depression when I compare myself to descriptions of depressed people and real depressed people I know. I don't think my psychiatrist understands me. How do I know if I'm really depressed?
Posted by stjames on July 11, 2001, at 15:01:30
In reply to Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
I can't think of anything I want to do with my life, and I've sometimes thought about killing myself,
Non-depressed people do not think about killing themselves
but it just doesn't seem like I'm suffering from depression when I compare myself to descriptions of depressed people and real depressed people I know.Everybodies depression is different. You do sound depressed.
james
Posted by sl on July 11, 2001, at 15:05:52
In reply to Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
It's not all black and white, y'know. There's different LEVELS of depression. You sound a little depressed. The people you're describing sound a LOT depressed.
sl
> I have been diagnosed with depression, and put on meds but I'm not sure I am depressed. I don't feel really bad, just a bit bored with life, and quite unfeeling. I don't have any problem with eating or sleeping, my mood isn't consistant, sometimes I do have quite a lot of energy. I don't feel a lot of guilt. I just feel a bit lazy and unmotivated. I've seen really depressed people, and they are nothing like me. They don't eat, talk or do very much. I do.
>
> I've been very shy and nervous all my life. My psychiatrist blames this on depression, but I've only been unhappy since I was 11. (I'm now 17). There have been some short times when I've been happy since, and sometimes I am quite excitable. Could it just be that I am unhappy because I am nervous and I don't cope with stress very well? I can't think of anything I want to do with my life, and I've sometimes thought about killing myself, but it just doesn't seem like I'm suffering from depression when I compare myself to descriptions of depressed people and real depressed people I know. I don't think my psychiatrist understands me. How do I know if I'm really depressed?
Posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 15:26:08
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed?, posted by stjames on July 11, 2001, at 15:01:30
> Non-depressed people do not think about killing themselves
I'm not being argumentative, but I am a day patient at a mental hospital (only because I dropped out of school), and I know many people there who don't have depression and have tried to kill themselves.
Posted by kid_A on July 11, 2001, at 16:17:33
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 15:26:08
> I'm not being argumentative, but I am a day patient at a mental hospital (only because I dropped out of school), and I know many people there who don't have depression and have tried to kill themselves.
Perhaps your getting caught up on words, I don't really think it matters what you call it, but thoughts of suicide, and specificly actions taken because of those thoughts are not what we would hope for in a healthy person. Our species would not get that far if it were 'normal' to always have suicidal tendencies and the will to act upon them...
Do you want to be happier than you are? Do you want to not feel like nothing matters? Maybe you arent sad about a specfic thing so you dont feel like you are suffering from depression. Whatever you would like to call it, you do seem to have some traits that would qualify you as a possible candidate...
It took me a long time to realise, especially in the end, but its a good thing to have dreams and goals and aspiriations, no matter how unlikely... those are things that drive us forward rather than keeping us mired in our own self-absorbed state of malaise...
Posted by MB on July 11, 2001, at 18:37:26
In reply to Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
> I have been diagnosed with depression, and put on meds but I'm not sure I am depressed. I don't feel really bad, just a bit bored with life, and quite unfeeling. I don't have any problem with eating or sleeping, my mood isn't consistant, sometimes I do have quite a lot of energy. I don't feel a lot of guilt. I just feel a bit lazy and unmotivated. I've seen really depressed people, and they are nothing like me. They don't eat, talk or do very much. I do.
Are you smoking pot? Smoking a lot of pot (few times a day) when I was younger made me feel exactly the way you described yourself to feel.
Posted by MB on July 11, 2001, at 18:43:28
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 15:26:08
> > Non-depressed people do not think about killing themselves
>
> I'm not being argumentative, but I am a day patient at a mental hospital (only because I dropped out of school), and I know many people there who don't have depression and have tried to kill themselves.Not all people who try to kill themselves *have* depression, but I would bet that almost all of them are depressed at the time of the attempt...did you have something happen in your life that triggered this boredom and lack of interest with life? The pot question was not meant to be insulting, it was an honest question. I was quite the stoner back in the day, and it caused me some problems (boredom and lack of interest like you described). I'm really sorry you aren't feeling well. I hope the people at the hospital can help you. Maybe you have something called dysthimia...it's kind of a low-grade depression. Just out of curiosity, why did you quit school? Are you in the hospital day program directly because of quitting school?
Posted by stjames on July 11, 2001, at 18:45:42
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 15:26:08
> > Non-depressed people do not think about killing themselves
>
> I'm not being argumentative, but I am a day patient at a mental hospital (only because I dropped out of school), and I know many people there who don't have depression and have tried to kill themselves.James here....
Yes that is true, perhaps it is better to say "mentally ill"
James
Posted by geekUK on July 11, 2001, at 19:12:54
In reply to Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
Firstly I would like to say I am 21 so close(R) to your age than most of the old fogies out there (sorry guys). so I anotated your message.
I have been diagnosed with depression,
- >You need to think why? can I ask? Who sent u?
just a bit bored with life,
- >I am damn bored and damn depressed (now/BP II)and quite unfeeling.
- >apathy? nothing feels good or bad?
I don't have any problem with eating or sleeping,
- > point taken.
my mood isn't consistant, sometimes I do have quite a lot of energy.
- > consistant with mild depression (so I think)
I don't feel a lot of guilt.
- > nor do I
I just feel a bit lazy and unmotivated.
- > yep, see unfeeling apathy. what is there to go for.
I've seen really depressed people, and they are nothing like me. They don't eat, talk or do very much. I do.
- >A poster cam,pain for not ever getting to that state.
>
> I've been very shy and nervous all my life.
- > check
My psychiatrist blames this on depression, but I've only been unhappy since I was 11.
- >check,
(I'm now 17).There have been some short
- > emphasise the use of short. people generaly would reverse the happy4sad
times when I've been happy since, and sometimes I am quite excitable.
- > beware the dreaded hypo-mania demon! Rahh!
Could it just be that I am unhappy because I am nervous and I don't cope with stress very well?
- >I cant think of a better reson to get therapy myself, to cope better. (cog. behaviour?)I can't think of anything I want to do with my life, and I've sometimes thought about killing myself,
- > check, and this is a big point on the side of getting help. death is NOT trivial, Its the end of (your) world.but it just doesn't seem like I'm suffering from depression when I compare myself to descriptions of depressed people and real depressed people I know. I don't think my psychiatrist understands me. How do I know if I'm really depressed?
- > from my experiance the doctors dont know much themselves. The main thing is, is this taking a great deal out of your life? you might benifit you might not, but I would advise sticking to it.so to conclude, you are right on pointing out things could be worse. they could. but do you want them to? These are important times, setting up a life independantly over the next few years. lot of stress. If you think you have stayed the same since 11 then see how the diagnosis go's. If you feel you have got worse since 11 then definitly see how the diagnosis go's. Ya really getting one sided veiws from us bablers it seems.
so keep it touch, someone is always barking here.
MCP.S.
older babblers, please feel free to critisise me, older is meant to equate wiser after all.
Posted by SalArmy4me on July 12, 2001, at 15:50:49
In reply to Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
You can diagnose yourself on: http://www.psychologynet.org/dsm.html
or use the algorithm at:
http://mhc.com/Algorithms/Depression/
Posted by Jane D on July 14, 2001, at 0:42:24
In reply to Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 11, 2001, at 14:53:18
Edward,
It certainly sounds to me like you could be depressed. Not all depressed people look alike. I think you've read descriptions of one particular type of depression. You might want to take a look at the following page on atypical depression (despite the name atypical is not atypical)
http://www.psycom.net/depression.central.atypical.html
These descriptions might feel more familiar to you.You ask how you can know if you are depressed. One way is to wait for the AD's to work. When you stop being depressed it suddenly gets very easy to tell the difference.
Hang in there. Life gets better after 17.
Jane
Posted by Edward on July 14, 2001, at 7:28:32
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed? » Edward, posted by MB on July 11, 2001, at 18:43:28
> did you have something happen in your life that triggered this boredom and lack of interest with life?
Not really. I feel uncomfortable when I'm with people a lot of the time, or I just don't enjoy being with them, so I don't really go out and see people that often. I don't do anything all day at the unit, so I guess it's just normal that I would be bored.
> The pot question was not meant to be insulting, it was an honest question. I was quite the stoner back in the day, and it caused me some problems (boredom and lack of interest like you described).
I did smoke a huge amount of pot for a few months fairly recently, and it definately made me feel much worse after a while, so I gave up and I'm back to normal now.
> Maybe you have something called dysthimia...it's kind of a low-grade depression.
Maybe I do. I diagnosed myself with that on a web page a couple of days ago. I didn't meet the criteria for major depression however. My psychiatrist just ignores me when I ask him about dysthimia.
> Just out of curiosity, why did you quit school? Are you in the hospital day program directly because of quitting school?
Yes I am. I quit school because I'm too lazy to work and I'm scared of the teachers. I'd get so worked up and scared every time I thought I was going to get into trouble that I'd think of killing myself. I used to cut myself a lot when I was feeling stressed (every day). I feel like such an idiot getting so wound up about it but I can't help it. I've had therapy for months, but it doesn't seem to do anything. My last therapist has stopped having sessions with me because she thinks I've sorted everything out.
Posted by Edward on July 14, 2001, at 7:36:20
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed?, posted by stjames on July 11, 2001, at 18:45:42
> > > Non-depressed people do not think about killing themselves
> >
> > I'm not being argumentative, but I am a day patient at a mental hospital (only because I dropped out of school), and I know many people there who don't have depression and have tried to kill themselves.
>
> Yes that is true, perhaps it is better to say "mentally ill"
>Mental illness, emotional problems or just a lot of unhappiness led these people to attempting suicide, therefore not just depression. What I'm trying to say is that just because I have thought about killing myself doesn't necessarily mean I can be diagnosed with clinical depression.
Posted by sl on July 14, 2001, at 10:59:00
In reply to Re: Am I really depressed?, posted by Edward on July 14, 2001, at 7:28:32
It's not "lazy". That might be what it feels like, that might be what people say, but it's not right. Lethargic, apathetic...those state your physical condition without saying you're doing it on purpose (that's the implication of lazy).
You need to nudge your therapist in the direction of anxiety disorders co-existing with depression or dysthymia. (by the way, the reason your doctor might ignore you when you say that word is it's just a fancy word for "mild depression")
I'm no doctor, but to me you sound social-phobic. Social Phobia usually means you're afraid of interacting with people and social situations. Anyway, your doctor needs to look at some of the anxiety disorders that can and do exist side-by-side with depression.sl
> Not really. I feel uncomfortable when I'm with people a lot of the time, or I just don't enjoy being with them, so I don't really go out and see people that often. I don't do anything all day at the unit, so I guess it's just normal that I would be bored.
> Yes I am. I quit school because I'm too lazy to work and I'm scared of the teachers. I'd get so worked up and scared every time I thought I was going to get into trouble that I'd think of killing myself. I used to cut myself a lot when I was feeling stressed (every day). I feel like such an idiot getting so wound up about it but I can't help it. I've had therapy for months, but it doesn't seem to do anything. My last therapist has stopped having sessions with me because she thinks I've sorted everything out.
This is the end of the thread.
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