Depression...

**Curious_AJ** · 14th August 2007, 11:39

great that you got going viffer...

yeah, hanging out with people is good, though I usually prefer to hang out with others that make me forget all about anything else but what we're doing at the time,.. that's why mariokart tournaments ae a good idea... they help one focus on something else.. heh...

but speaking of hanging on threads where you are a bit "out of the culture" so to speak... its like me and KB, I don't have a bike (yet) but I hang out here coz I like the people, and feel that I fit in well, In most cases anyway.

**ManDownUnder** · 14th August 2007, 12:54

Originally Posted by Curious_AJ

but speaking of hanging on threads where you are a bit "out of the culture" so to speak... its like me and KB, I don't have a bike (yet) but I hang out here coz I like the people, and feel that I fit in well, In most cases anyway.

AJ - If Indy can't help (I don't know what licence or bike he has - sorry...) you're welcome on the back of mine anytime at all... talk him into a Thu night ride.

**thehollowmen** · 14th August 2007, 22:32

I'll put up my hand and say I'm a chronic sufferer.

**Curious_AJ** · 14th August 2007, 22:41

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

AJ - If Indy can't help (I don't know what licence or bike he has - sorry...) you're welcome on the back of mine anytime at all... talk him into a Thu night ride.

yeah, would be all good... bar the fact that I'm lacking gear...

**ManDownUnder** · 15th August 2007, 09:50

Originally Posted by Curious_AJ

yeah, would be all good... bar the fact that I'm lacking gear...

If you have warm gear and a jacket I can possibly supply the helmet and gloves.

**Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)** · 15th August 2007, 11:43

Originally Posted by Curious_AJ

yeah, I KNOW people's lives suck even more than mine... I've been told that every day of my life "you have the good life, youre privelaged, you have it all, you have money, you have family blah, blah, blah, fucking blah!"

I'm sick of all the "step" talk... "steps" don't work for me... i can't make conscious steps to makemyself feel better... but the point of the matter is, I'm ready to give up. I wont kill myself, but I'll probably just leave things to turn out as they turn out, because i CANT do anything, im powerless over my own self... I don't care anymore.

Then quit analysing and live on a day to day basis.
Keep it simple.
Give in - sometimes that is all that is needed - I've been so fed up with shit happening in my life I just say fk it - who gives a shit - I don't - I will just keep to the basics of sleeing, eating, showering, and go for a walk.
Don't listen to ya head blabbering on negatively - distract it.

**Winston001** · 15th August 2007, 12:25

Originally Posted by Bloody Mad Woman (BMW)

Then quit analysing and live on a day to day basis.
Keep it simple.

I will just keep to the basics of sleeping, eating, showering, and go for a walk.
Don't listen to ya head blabbering on negatively - distract it.

Yep. Try to distract your thinking with tasks, just simple things, especially anything which gives you pleasure, hobbies etc.

I'm amazed to see that this thread has 800 posts and over 16,000 views. That tells us there are a lot of people who are touched in some way by depression. Quite humbling.

**vifferman** · 15th August 2007, 12:44

Originally Posted by Winston001

I'm amazed to see that this thread has 800 posts and over 16,000 views. That tells us there are a lot of people who are touched in some way by depression. Quite humbling.

I thought this site - like most - was mostly about entertainment.
Wunnerhowmany of the 16K views are just people enjoying the freak show...

**Hitcher** · 15th August 2007, 12:56

Originally Posted by Winston001

I'm amazed to see that this thread has 800 posts and over 16,000 views. That tells us there are a lot of people who are touched in some way by depression. Quite humbling.

I believe that "depression" (the clinical condition, rather than a bad case of angst-ridden sulks) is more widespread than is recorded or reported. Like many medical conditions, different people are affected differently by depression, with many being able to effectively self-manage their affliction reasonably well most of the time. Others are more profoundly affected and require medical and psychological interventions, some of which may help, some of which may not.

The hardest thing for most "sufferers" is actually talking about or describing their condition, and what this means for them. Given the general prejudice in New Zealand regarding any form of mental illness or disability, I have been blown away by the willingness of some members to openly share their experiences in this thread. All strength to you. I have been even more impressed that the usual wunch of bankers who take delight in others' misfortunes have largely refrained from commenting in this thread in an inane and deconstructive manner.

This site and its members impress the hell out of me at times. This thread is one such time.

**jrandom** · 15th August 2007, 13:07

Originally Posted by Hitcher

(the clinical condition, rather than a bad case of angst-ridden sulks)...

I'll have you know that those of us with bad cases of angst-ridden sulks are quite offended by that trite dismissal.

**Ocean1** · 15th August 2007, 14:59

Originally Posted by Hitcher

I believe that "depression" (the clinical condition, rather than a bad case of angst-ridden sulks) is more widespread than is recorded or reported.

The “clinical” tag is relevant, but it doesn’t define a difference between the root cause of the problem for those with a “valid” reasons/cause for depression (situational) and those who live with depression in an otherwise normally stressful life (clinical). Some may have a built in pre-disposition but most (if not all) of those who live with clinical depression can identify the situational stresses that caused the original problem. It’s just that their brain failed to resume normal service after the stress was removed or reduced to normal.

It’s been noted here before that in both cases the physical cause is primarily a lack of serotonin (and arguably endorphin complexes) available in the brain. The thing many fail to recognise is that this doesn’t just affect the ability to regulate mood, it affects the ability of the brain to work at all. Serotonin is a necessary part of the function of the brain’s neural synapses, the literal equivalent of the CPU in that machine in front of you. Depressed people aren’t just less able enjoy their lives, they’re less capable in almost every data processing capacity the brain has. Chronic sufferers score low on almost every neural performance diagnostic tool available, in extreme (but rare) cases the lack of serotonin causes complete catatonia.

That’s just fucking tragic, really depressing. Drugs sometimes (usually) help, but they sometimes have a tendency to lower the highs as much as they raise the lows. Sufferers usually do “come right”, although they may always be more vulnerable to that particular evil. One day there will be a better “cure”, in the meantime there are useful analogies to be made with the usual solutions for a recovery from physical damage. Exercise. Identify everything that builds a positive improvement and that which detracts from it. CBT is a good tool to work out a “personalised” strategy. Saatchi & Saatchi had it right, work hard to accentuate the positives, eliminate the negatives. Start now. Smile at someone, double-dare ya.

**Curious_AJ** · 15th August 2007, 21:24

Originally Posted by ManDownUnder

If you have warm gear and a jacket I can possibly supply the helmet and gloves.

good thing I just got myself a leather jacket then (second hand of course, as i don't approve of directly contributing to that industry, and because I believe that as much use as possible should come out of something like leather)

so, I would indeed have the warm gear and jacket.

oh, as for stopping analysing... I can't I'm an analyst at heart... I need something all-consuming to quit thinking about a particular thing... or something monotonous, so that I can just zone out and focus on the process of doing the task...

hence why I wouldn't mind an entry-level office job next year if i can't get anything in the animal field. (due to deciding to get the certificate and take time off studying in order to cope with some of my junk)

**ManDownUnder** · 15th August 2007, 21:38

Originally Posted by Curious_AJ

good thing I just got myself a leather jacket then (second hand of course, as i don't approve of directly contributing to that industry, and because I believe that as much use as possible should come out of something like leather)

so, I would indeed have the warm gear and jacket.

Cool... but lets rule out tomorrow night for a ride... seen the forecast (100mm of rain... heavy falls etc etc etc). An ideal night to drown your sorrows LOL... literally!

Not ideal for a ride though.

Originally Posted by Hitcher

This site and its members impress the hell out of me at times. This thread is one such time.

Ditto, especially of late. I was tempted to write to TV3 or someone following the Kahui twins and other recent dramas and point out a few thinsg that we (as an online society) are doing right... maybe others could follwo suit. The thing holding me back was a fear of the authorities looking and saying "oh no... donated money is income therefore the dole/benefit etc to be passed on is cut accordingly).

Originally Posted by vifferman

I thought this site - like most - was mostly about entertainment.
Wunnerhowmany of the 16K views are just people enjoying the freak show...

There are about 200 of mine... so let me rephrase how many of the 15,800...? Which (I have to say) it a delightfully cynical view on it LOL... kinda refreshing in a Douglas Adams type way