Depression is just plain nasty

[Alison]

Re: Re:

From the vid:

"when you lose all joy in life you can begin to question what the point of it is"

That is a wonderfully ambiguous statement, so let's paraphrase it two ways:

A)"when you lose all joy in life, you are placed in the terrible position of having to question what the point of it is."

B)"when you lose all joy in life, you are placed in the fortunate position of getting the chance to question what the point of it is."

I'm pretty sure that the locutor means 'A'. That is why he is so glad to get 'professional help' straight after.

He's not really comfortable with that black dog at all. He has to domesticate it and make it small.



Afaict it is 'normal' to be in denial about your existential situation. And 'normal' is a synonym for 'sane'.

The problem is family

Innit? https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/66966- ... d-they-may

I think your a bit intellectual for me but it wasn't the case of "When you lose all joy in life" I have no recollection of joy when depression hit, I discovered i was unacceptably different as soon as I started school at 5, before that I was aware that my siblings hated me, so the only pleasure I had was the countryside I grew up in, pleasure in life didn't hit till 1993 when my first born arrived, but even that became a struggle. In my childhood,like anyone of my age 51, there was no help available, my mum took me to a child psychiatrist and even he committed suicide soon after :roll:

Am I normal or not, in many ways I am, I'm a wife, mother and daughter, I do day to day activities and try to keep on top of things, all normal, yet I've been sectioned several times, spent months in hospital and wait till the next collapse which may happen in the next 15 mins or in several years time, it will happen, it always does.

Alison, madly talking late at night

 

[legrandefromage]

'Multifaceted'

I like that.

Each person's black dog is different, how each of us cope is different. How much we want to express to others is different.

To quote Captain Kirk,

You know that pain and guilt can't be taken away with a wave of a magic wand. They're the things we carry with us, the things that make us who we are. If we lose them, we lose ourselves. I don't want my pain taken away! I need my pain!

A few here know what I went through as a child to get to where I am today and I know what others have been through, those that have trusted enough to tell me and to those that I have trusted enough to tell them.

Some dont want to know, it destroys their view of the world. Telling someone can also set them on the same path and actually be worse for them. Its a tricky path and finding the right person/ institution/ organisation to talk to without the overwhelming feelings of shame and disgust that often accompany that first conversation. It can be a big block to the right path. That right path to some sort of resolution or equilibrium.

To quote Everything Everything:

Just give me this one night
Just one night to feel like I might be on the right path
The path that takes me home
Wise enough to know myself
Just give me this one night
Just one night to feel like I might be on the right path

 

[ovlov440]

I'd be aware that antidepressants can make things worse. If you become aware of any personality changes go back to the doctor and have them changed. They can and have been reported as causing more problems than they solve.

Shame my doctor never told me that, and of course who reads the microscopic list of side effects when they get new pills huh? Would have been nice to have been told that one of the most aggressive side effects is an increase in suicidal tendancies :-| Ended up being sectioned after two suicide attempts (the 2nd was very close to being successful). Two years on, life is completely different.

I have never heard of depression being called the 'Black Dog' but it is one that I will be using from now on, as the little sod has been milling around looking for a bone for the last couple of weeks. Luckily though I recognised the signs and took the appropriate steps to deal with it.

As has already been said talking is a good therapy, as is exercise.

Life does get better though

Ade

 

[The History Man]

I first became aware of the phrase in relation to Churchill and his description of his illness.

The internet now makes all this so much more easy to access and attempt to understand.

http://theconversation.com/winston-chur ... ness-36570

 

[KermitGKona88]

Re:

So it was actually Samuel Johnson who coined the phrase then :shock:

 

[torqueless]

Re:

I have never heard of depression being called the 'Black Dog'

I think that metaphor was coined by Winston Churchill.


Edit: didn't see last two posts!

 

[The History Man]

Re: Re:

I have never heard of depression being called the 'Black Dog'

I think that metaphor was coined by Winston Churchill.

Look up.

 

[torqueless]

Re:

Edit: didn't see last two posts!

But have seen them now..

but it wasn't the case of "When you lose all joy in life" I have no recollection of joy when depression hit, I discovered i was unacceptably different as soon as I started school at 5, before that I was aware that my siblings hated me,

Well, I don't actually remember any carefree days or positive emotional experiences (joy) either... and that is without being able to recognise consciously anything particularly traumatic in my childhood that might've disposed me towards so-called 'negative' emotional states.

But that is maybe why I stress the general 'existential situation' to which every being on this earth has been subject, rather than: "Such and such particular thing(s) happened to me, is it any wonder I get depressed?" Although, to be sure, there is plenty of day-to-day stuff beyond our 'existential situation' to get depressed about, personally, societally, geopolitically...

Some people seem to have a 'melancholic temperament', who knows whether it is from nature or nurture, genes or early experience? Or both? http://temperaments.fighunter.com/?page=melancholic

I don't know that much about Winston Churchill- I would have assumed that he was the typical 'choleric' temperament found at the visible top of any hierarchy. http://temperaments.fighunter.com/?page=choleric

Not to suggest that misery is only accessible to 'Melancholics'.

 

[james1985]

This thread is very educational.

I've been trying to see the better side of things, and ignoring others.
I end up concentrating on one thing and everything else is left behind.
My stressful career and lots of time away from home has been catching up with me, I have been so annoyed with myself for not having time to be at home with family, to go out on my bike (or fix one) and no time to exercise means again, I don't want to go out on my bike, as its a lot harder than when I used to ride.

I have had some time off of this and other forums, as to make up for something, I started buying loads and loads of bikes, most of which I have still not ridden.

Things reached a head a few months back, and I decided enough was enough, a new plan was required.

I have resigned from my job, and will soon be living the dream. I am going to be a trainee bike mechanic at a local, very decent bike shop. I cant wait to start. I feel like a new man, my head is clear, every thing feels 'lighter'.

No more 4 hour commute, more time at home, and as I can now ride my bike to work, my fitness is only going one way, oh, and because of all this I will also be eating proper home meals, and doing things properly.

For the first time in as long as I can really remember, I'm looking forward to what comes next, what is going to happen in the next couple of years.

Its just my pessimistic side, it has me saying its too good to be true, something will be up soon. Cant shake of that thing in the back of my mind, but I'm giving it my all.

 

[The History Man]

This thread is very educational.

I've been trying to see the better side of things, and ignoring others.
I end up concentrating on one thing and everything else is left behind.
My stressful career and lots of time away from home has been catching up with me, I have been so annoyed with myself for not having time to be at home with family, to go out on my bike (or fix one) and no time to exercise means again, I don't want to go out on my bike, as its a lot harder than when I used to ride.

I have had some time off of this and other forums, as to make up for something, I started buying loads and loads of bikes, most of which I have still not ridden.

Things reached a head a few months back, and I decided enough was enough, a new plan was required.

I have resigned from my job, and will soon be living the dream. I am going to be a trainee bike mechanic at a local, very decent bike shop. I cant wait to start. I feel like a new man, my head is clear, every thing feels 'lighter'.

No more 4 hour commute, more time at home, and as I can now ride my bike to work, my fitness is only going one way, oh, and because of all this I will also be eating proper home meals, and doing things properly.

For the first time in as long as I can really remember, I'm looking forward to what comes next, what is going to happen in the next couple of years.

Its just my pessimistic side, it has me saying its too good to be true, something will be up soon. Cant shake of that thing in the back of my mind, but I'm giving it my all.

Sounds like you’re a good few steps ahead at present. More power to your elbow. I wish you every success and happiness.

And get yourself to Mayhem.