Depression

[Paddy™]

Look at it this way from what I inferred from the posts I quoted from you. You say that you had suicide thoughts which were somewhat contributed from being trivialized by people close to you. If that was so, then why are you still here now, and not dead? I'd take a guess, and assume that you just got over it at some point.

Dude...

I'm not "over it", I'm still suffering from depression and anxiety, and I'm nearly 30. I'm unemployable as a result of it. It's likely that I'll never be rid of it. My not being dead isn't evidence of anything except I didn't die.

If someone is feeling so depressed that they attempt or contemplate suicide - whether it's a "phase" or not - is irrelevant to how dangerous it is to ignore or downplay it. A dead kid isn't any less dead because they weren't "properly" depressed at the time.

I personally have also gone through similar phases where I felt depressed, and occasionally had suicidal thoughts, but they've all evaporated now. I guess that it has either been a result of, or have contributed to a view I now have on life that "Shit happens. Get over it, and complaining won't help anyone at all". Just a personal view on life though. Not something I'd impose on anyone else.

It's great that you got through it and you were able to move on, but it's not something a person can simply will to happen. Different people are affected in different ways. If someone posts on a message board that they're having trouble with depression and need advice, it's probably not because they've got the Monday morning blues.

I'm just saying that while I do agree it is not something that should be trivialized, it is perhaps a tad silly to call it something else than really a phase that we go all may go through, and eventually get over at similar points in life that we deal with in different ways.

What does calling it "a phase" accomplish? It pre-supposes that it is a phase, and that no further investigation is necessary. It makes the person experiencing it feel stupid, weak, embarrassed and ashamed for not overcoming it or for feeling overwhelmed by it. It's counter-productive, at best.

Teenagers are known to be mopers, and one in four people are known to suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives. It's not worth the risk to even have a category labelled "just a phase" when mental illness and suicide is such a major problem.

[SchnidlersLeest]

Teenagers are known to be mopers, and one in four people are known to suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives. It's not worth the risk to even have a category labelled "just a phase" when mental illness and suicide is such a major problem.

I wouldn't attribute mental illnesses to being treated like shit. It's not like every other teenager is mentally ill.

[Kreekakon]

Stop trying to blame yourself. Your living the narrative that your parents used because it worked for them. If you were thinking ridiculously and they knew that, why didn't they try to help you?

I understand you may have just felt stressed out, but if your feelings reach a point of suicidal thoughts, that says to me there was more than just the concept of grades giving you anxiety.

Oh dang, I have to stop forgetting to mention certain details...

Like I said, I should've made it clear earlier that my case was NOT as severe as many other people were. It was mainly upset feelings mixed with occasional suicidal thinkings that ended in an instant. Usually they occurred whenever got got my grades back on my larger exams, and evaporated a while later only to re-ignite the next time I got grades.

My parents probably would've gladly helped me if they knew what I was thinking, but I always kept it to myself. They never knew a thing. Who knows? Perhaps even back then I sub-consciously knew that what I was thinking was trivial, and it wasn't worth burdening other people with my troubles.

Again, this is my own case, which by now largely has little to nothing to do with the larger scale of things at hand right now.

Dude...

I'm not "over it", I'm still suffering from depression and anxiety, and I'm nearly 30. I'm unemployable as a result of it. It's likely that I'll never be rid of it. My not being dead isn't evidence of anything except I didn't die.

Okay, I genuinely apologize for my insensitive comment on that part. I'm really sorry for having made that assumption.

If someone is feeling so depressed that they attempt or contemplate suicide - whether it's a "phase" or not - is irrelevant to how dangerous it is to ignore or downplay it. A dead kid isn't any less dead because they weren't "properly" depressed at the time.

Yes, I realize this, hence later in my post earlier I say that even though it may very well be a "phase", it is not wise to ignore it, and still should be dealt with accordingly. My main point was just to say that it likely is a phase people go through, but not that it should be ignored.

It's great that you got through it and you were able to move on, but it's not something a person can simply will to happen. Different people are affected in different ways. If someone posts on a message board that they're having trouble with depression and need advice, it's probably not because they've got the Monday morning blues.

Yeah those were just my own personal experiences, and I understand that not everyone can have it go past them that easily.

What does calling it "a phase" accomplish? It pre-supposes that it is a phase, and that no further investigation is necessary. It makes the person experiencing it feel stupid, weak, embarrassed and ashamed for not overcoming it or for feeling overwhelmed by it. It's counter-productive, at best.

Teenagers are known to be mopers, and one in four people are known to suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives. It's not worth the risk to even have a category labelled "just a phase" when mental illness and suicide is such a major problem.

My post doesn't really imply anything further about how people should get over it easier, because it just is a phase. Like I said earlier in this post, I still acknowledge that it is often a problem, and definitely should be dealt with accordingly.

All I was saying was that it very well likely is a "phase". I am not implying anything further beyond the name, nor am I implying that it should be treated as a trivial manner (Maybe I did somewhat with that assumption with your case so sorry again for that...). Even as such a thing I completely agree that I should be taken seriously, and the person in question should be helped depending on their own situation.

[Ashtoreth]

It certainly contributed to my own suicide attempt when I was 18;

You say that you had suicide thoughts which were somewhat contributed from being trivialized by people close to you. If that was so, then why are you still here now, and not dead? I'd take a guess, and assume that you just got over it at some point.

Teenagers are known to be mopers, and one in four people are known to suffer from a mental illness at some point in their lives. It's not worth the risk to even have a category labelled "just a phase" when mental illness and suicide is such a major problem.

I wouldn't attribute mental illnesses to being treated like shit. It's not like every other teenager is mentally ill.

With so many misunderstandings in this thread, it's getting hard to keep reading.

[Kreekakon]

With so many misunderstandings in this thread, it's getting hard to keep reading.

Yeah, there are a lot of those in this thread, and I'm sorry for maybe having caused more than a few of them...

[Damascus Rose]

Yeah I hate when people say stuff like "it's just a phase" "just get over it!" "everyone goes through the same thing". It's just not true and it's hurtful. Whoever says this stuff just doesn't understand it and sadly this is the reaction of probably most people, which is why I haven't told anybody except my family and a close friend. Sadly my mom said those things to me and it was pretty bad to hear, but my dad was supportive. It's a lot more than just sad feelings, it changes everything about your life, especially the way you see the world. Sometimes it's the worst thing just walking through halls at school seeing all the other people being happy while you feel like you're drowning. I was almost completely non-functional for a long time, I could never focus on anything or do any valuable work even when I did manage to go to school (im in highschool). I never attempted suicide and probably never will because I have people there for me, so I live for them until I get better enough to be living for myself as well. But I can say there are some times when everything feels so hopeless and death seems like the only option, but I know that will pass quickly if I just go walk around and take my mind off it.

Maybe everyone has phases where they feel depressed but I really doubt those people have something so severe as this. Maybe something is causing it in the short term and it will pass eventually for them, but for me I don't really know any cause, even if I do have 'nothing to worry about'. I think it's maybe just the way my mind works and my personality, that's the only thing that makes sense.

[Bridge]

Obviously depression brought about by hormonal imbalances and the confusing social climate during the teenage years is not comparable to clinical depression. Even if you in particular do have severe depression, that does not mean it isn't usually a phase that passes. I have gone through something similar to what you describe, bouts of crippling depression that seem totally insurmountable and they passed for me. I get the blues every now and then, even days where I'm so depressed I can't function, but that is normal. Again, this assumes that you don't actually have a reason for being depressed. If it's just a looming feeling of sadness you either wait it out or seek help, but if it is caused by something in particular the only way to resolve it is to fix that particular problem.

P.S. You're in high school? At 33? Or is your age incorrect?

[VaeVictis]

On top of all this i live with another family atm so that just makes it worse.

That's certainly rough. Can you speak openly to any one of them?
If things get too difficult, you can PM me. I'm going to bed soon, but I check back here often.

Things never really get to difficult for me reson is my big self confidence the things we do is to talk like every thusday but that nothing much.

I see. So when an opportunity comes up to talk, it's too short to be very substantial. Is that what you're saying?

yeah i guess

Are there counseling services you can take advantage of? If you're in school, there's usually at least one. If not, do you know of any community resources open to you? Maybe there's a support group you can join.

[Damascus Rose]

P.S. You're in high school? At 33? Or is your age incorrect?

Oh shit, yeah my age is wrong. I fixed it

[Kman]

i haven't felt this shit in months but thats mainly due to anxiety and it has made my entire week suck