[Satan]

that sounds kind of normal, i mean i think it's really hot when my boyfriend gets mad. and the whole being bad thing too.

[pbradley]

Originally Posted by alteredcourse

pbradley, do you think that people are the sum of the chemicals in their brain?

No, I believe that concepts such as "people" are too complex to be defined solely in reductionist terms.

[infinitemusic]

Originally Posted by terriblecanyons

I used to be depressed a lot, mostly because of a lot of really shitty things happening all at once and letting them get to me. But I changed my outlook on life and my philosophies and now there's no reason to be depressed. Maybe you should take a step back and reflect on what you want and how you look at life.

That's true, but it's so hard to pull yourself out of depression. I was depressed almost constantly since I was about 11 until last year (age 20). I agree that you can pull yourself out of depression by changing your outlook, but I tried for almost a decade before I really had that "clinching" moment where everything made sense. I think counseling is one way to do do that that can be really helpful to most people. But if it's pure chemical imbalance, there's really nothing you can do, unfortunately, except for medication.

if by "soul" you mean the individual consciousness of a living creature, then that's fine. but to most humans and religions a soul is an indestructible, everlasting, non-corporeal presence, existing whether or not a body/brain is alive. I don't believe in that "soul"

Who cares? It's not that hard to see what s/he meant. Do you feel the need to inject your theology into everything?

I have my own philosophies in life, but I can't help the way I personally feel, regardless of anything. I have been reading the Tibetan Book of the Dead a lot, and there's a lot of wisdom in there. I have looked at things differently. But I still feel sad. I wish I could lie to myself. Erase my memories. I dunno. I don't think any one thing has triggered it. Suicide runs in my family, and I was abused when I was little, so subconsciously I'm sure that all has made me disconnected. Which is weird. I am not a cold or uncaring person, but I am definitely disconnected. Contradicting? Maybe. I'm not sure. I just don't feel like I fit in or belong with people. Yet I'm also extremely popular. What the fuck?!

Pretty much everything you've said in my above quote applies to me, so I can relate to you. I think the thing that really pulled me out of my depression was the simple realization, like someone said above me, that we only get one life. And then beyond that, that the world is so huge and there's so much to do and to see that I can't possibly be unhappy. I'm excited.

I mean, just think about it for a second. The universe is so huge and massive and we have the opportunity, even with all the odds against it happening, to be alive and self aware and we have the ability to do practically anything we want. You can be pessimistic and blasé about everything if you choose to be, just like I used to be, but these days I'm constantly in awe of things around me, because there's so much beauty and wonder to be found. People seem to think maturing means giving up the ability to truly appreciate the world and I see people like that all the time. Fucking pretentious and uninterested in anything. And uninteresting. Why do you have to be that way? I'm probably as smart as you, if not smarter, and yet I'm always finding things to be interested in. Frankly, I think the more intelligent you are, the less bored you tend to be because there's so much to be interested in.

Not to mention the fact that your life is only as pointless as you allow it to be. You have the ability right now to make someone's life better. Seriously, volunteer your time. If you feel so shitty, why not stop wasting your time and at the very least make good use of it? Or since you don't want to buy anything, how about you donate it or buy gifts for poor kids. I know they'd appreciate getting donated gifts that are fun, not just the Christian propaganda they get now. Maybe if you don't allow your life to be pointless and your time to be wasted, maybe if you see the smiles on the faces of people who you've helped in some way, you'll finally see what I'm talking about.

God, I'm really rambling here and maybe being a little harsh. Sorry, I'm tired. But do you have any idea where I'm coming from? You aren't allowing yourself to enjoy anything, and you're wasting all of your time. Do something, anything, worthwhile.

EDIT: seriously, what the fuck is wrong with you people? I've seen so many posts in this thread saying that life is pointless it makes me sick. You look around and see the pain of a billion people and all you can think about doing is learning to live with it and focusing on small personal gains? You people enable and allow atrocities to occur constantly. No wonder you're depressed. If half of the people sitting around crying about how awful the world is did one fucking thing a day to make it better, it would make more of a difference than you could every imagine.

[atsonicpark]

See, the thing is, though, I do go out of my way to help people, I have donated a ton of money to charity in the past year, and I am not whining about my problems -- I'm just replying to this thread. I don't just sit around
and feel sorry for myself.

You do raise some good points, though trust me when I say that I've went really out of my way to feel... fulfilled... in life. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do, exactly.

Also, I definitely am interested by a lot, a lot more than my mind can ever grasp. I have an encyclopedic knowledge of film, music, and video games at this point, and I have achieved some degree of success with the various artistic endeavors I've explored in my life. Still... there's some soul-sucking invisible entity that can't allow me to be happy. Whether I have a million dollars or 0 dollars, I'm not happy. Whether I give that million dollars to everyone who needs it or not, I'm not happy. Whether everyone loves me or everyone hates me, I'm not happy. I just feel like I've completely lost the idea of what it means to be "happy", personally. And my life is now a series of "oh, cool, it'll be exciting when [THIS] happens... looking forward to [THIS] or [THAT]...." I think I'm just burnt out, really.

But, eh, I don't feel too bad about it. I mean, I can't just blow my brains out or something, what would that solve? I just gotta live with my unhappiness. People always say "do something about it, change things". I've changed everything multiple times, but it still doesn't change that I haven't been truly happy... well... ever. People are certainly happy with me and the things I do for them, but eh.

[amerikangod]

I was an ultra depressed dude for about... four solid years of my life. Like, to the point where getting out of bed every day was an existential dilemma and suicide was a serious consideration. Never took medication, never got counseling, never even talked to anyone about it for advice. I got through that shit on my own, with a lot of thought and self-examination. I basically had to restructure myself from the ground up. But I feel infinitely stronger for it.

Without writing an essay (and I easily could), my basic advice is:

1) Determine what you really want, and just aim for it without concern. If you don't know what you want, just learn to enjoy the ride. In the end, we're all dead anyway, whether you live a terrible life or a great one. No matter your path you're still reduced to nothing. This should be freeing.
2) Don't romanticize your depression or sadness. It's extremely easy to get trapped in something because of this, especially if you've had it long enough that it's become your comfort zone.
3) Get regular exercise and proper rest, and eat well enough. It crazy how much of your mood is affected by these basic things.

[Satan]

just keep doing what you like to do. keep yourself busy and keep your mind off it. your moods will most likely lift of their own accord. this is going to sound cheesy or whatever but "this too shall pass."

[amerikangod]

OH MY GOD SO CHEESY. It's as if I just ate one of those stuffed crust pizzas.

[atsonicpark]

*jerks off, cums*


Hey, changed my mind, I was happy there for about 3 seconds.

[amerikangod]

And now I'm just fucking turned on.

[static-harmony]

Originally Posted by amerikangod

And now I'm just fucking turned on.

You and me both.

[atsonicpark]

I'm always surprised that my dick can produce that much groin goulash.

[static-harmony]

Nah, I just like the emotionally unstable dudes.

[atsonicpark]

Hee. I love une vraie femme.

[ALIEN ANAL]

My whole family suffer from depression and anxiety
i think everyone besides me are on medication of some sort

I just cheif a lot but i dont know if it helps with it

[atsonicpark]

Amitriptyline (Elavil, Endep, Vanatrip, Adepress, Adepril, Amiline, Amitid, Amitone, Amitril, Apo-Amitriptyline, Damilan, Damilen, Dohme, Elanil, Elatrol, Eliwel, Emitrip, Enovil, Etafron, Flavyl, Hexathane, Horizon, Kamitrin, Lantron, Laroxil, Laroxyl, Latilin, Lentizol, Levate, Limbitrol, Novotriptyn, PMS-Levazine, Proheptadiene, Redomex, Saroten, Sarotena, Sarotex, Seroten, Sharpe, SK-Amitriptyline, Sylvemid, Trepiline, Triavil, Tridep, Triptanol, Triptilin, Triptisol, Triptyl, Tryptanol, Tryptizol, Tryptme, Tryptomer) is

[barnaclelapse]

Fukitall.

[Rob Instigator]

don't worry, be happy was the number one jam

[SONIC GAIL]

Depression pretty much sums it all up for me. I, as most others have really nothing to complain about when I compare my life and circumstance to those around me. God has blessed me. I am thankful, but I am not happy.
I pretty much live for the sake of my kids. When I had kids I didn't really know why I was setting myself up so young for such responsibility. I realize now that they are the reason I get up in morning. They are the reason I am not so far gone that there is no point of return. I can't just kill myself because they need me. I can't just go and take all the drugs I want. I have to make sure they survive. But in the same turn why? They will most likely end up with my crazy and feel the same way I do as adults. What have I done!
THer is also that damn Catholic Block that hangs around in my subconscious "Suicide is Murder."
For the record the antideppresants don't do shit. They leave me unfulfilled.
Some have mentioned here the factor of intelligance level. IGNORANCE IS BLISS. I don't claim to be a genius or anything. I do see that those who lack in the area of intelligance seem to be very happy people, and those that I consider smarter than the average cookie seem miserable. They don't care why things happen. They just live and they are happy with boredom. I admire that.
I am just coming to acceptance that I have to keep on living till god sees it fit to remove me. It's hard when your mind is divided against itself, but you have to just keep breathing.

[infinitemusic]

Originally Posted by atsonicpark

See, the thing is, though, I do go out of my way to help people, I have donated a ton of money to charity in the past year, and I am not whining about my problems -- I'm just replying to this thread. I don't just sit around
and feel sorry for myself.

You do raise some good points, though trust me when I say that I've went really out of my way to feel... fulfilled... in life. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do, exactly.

Also, I definitely am interested by a lot, a lot more than my mind can ever grasp. I have an encyclopedic knowledge of film, music, and video games at this point, and I have achieved some degree of success with the various artistic endeavors I've explored in my life. Still... there's some soul-sucking invisible entity that can't allow me to be happy. Whether I have a million dollars or 0 dollars, I'm not happy. Whether I give that million dollars to everyone who needs it or not, I'm not happy. Whether everyone loves me or everyone hates me, I'm not happy. I just feel like I've completely lost the idea of what it means to be "happy", personally. And my life is now a series of "oh, cool, it'll be exciting when [THIS] happens... looking forward to [THIS] or [THAT]...." I think I'm just burnt out, really.

But, eh, I don't feel too bad about it. I mean, I can't just blow my brains out or something, what would that solve? I just gotta live with my unhappiness. People always say "do something about it, change things". I've changed everything multiple times, but it still doesn't change that I haven't been truly happy... well... ever. People are certainly happy with me and the things I do for them, but eh.

Well then all signs point to it being a chemical balance or something like that. I mean, it's really easy for me to say "you're still not doing it right" or whatever, but I don't know. You really might just be burnt out. Who knows. I know how you feel because I've felt that way and I wish I could come up with some way to make you feel better, but I don't know if there's anything, really. I know when I was younger I had the tendency to be the kind of guy who only felt happy when he was sad. I don't know if that applies to you or not. Basically, I really feel like I've been in your shoes and I don't exactly know what it was that got me out of that bad place, but hopefully you'll find something.

In a way, I think maybe you should really address your feelings. If it's not a chemical imbalance, it might be that there's some underlying thing that is making you feel numb. In my experience, I had to get much, much worse before I got better. I was insane, truly insane and self-hating for awhile before I got beyond it. To me it seems like you're mostly indifferent to everything around you. Another thought is, why not stop searching for happiness, as trite as it sounds, sometimes you can find something when you stop looking. But I'm no psychiatrist, so take that all with a grain of salt. I'm just trying to think about how I dealt with things when I was in your place.

Also what amerikangod said is all good advice. Exercise is surprisingly good at helping your mental state. I think getting more exercise might have played a part too, now that I think about it.

[terriblecanyons]

I sure do love it when people post with obnoxious colors so I can't even read what the hell the post said so I just skip it