ok random thought, i was noticing that when i have days of severe depression and self loathing and sarrow yada yada yada, it a lot of times lines up with extreme moments of stress, be it work, financial, etc etc. Is t conceivable that chemicals in your body are released fom stress and can fuel an inbalance resulting in depression? or is it purely a psychological thing, i tend to think biologically, bc i cant think of anything that would make me depressed, other then the usual no one too love garbage. anyway, thoughts?
There's certainly a biological basis for depression, which is why antidepressants help. To a large extent, nearly all emotional responses have their basis in some sort of neurochemical interaction. Stress causes the release of various endocrine hormones such as adrenalin. If you believe in evolution, that stems from our history where stress usually meant some animal about to eat you, so the adrenalin helps give you energy or strength, but the flip side is, the same hormones that excite the central nervous system to provide energy can also deplete or decrease availablility of serotonin and dopamine, which are associate with mediating your moods. The interesting flip side of that is that exercise stimulates the release of hormones and neurotransmitters that lift mood, so oftentimes, if you're depressed, and you work out at the gym, you find you're less depressed afterward. But, that said... if you're upset about a tough financial situation, or not having a good relationship, or problems at work, it's completely understandable that you could simply feel overwhelmed, and that can, from a psychological perspective, cause you to feel depressed. But the other piece is... depending on what's going on for you, it's possible that you're in a place in your life where you're feeling comfortable enough that your unconscious is allowing things in your past to break loose and come to the surface, and those sorts of things can manifest as depression or anxiety or grief. It's also not uncommon for people between to go through a period of major change and reflection and upheaval sometime between age 27 and 30. In psychological terms, it seems to just be something that comes at that point in life, a point of reflection and "where am I going". In astrological terms (if you believe in that), it's called your Saturn Return, and a lot has been written about it in the astrological literature.
wow...thanks that was a good reply. I try to stay away from pharmaceuticals, because by profession i am a pharmaceutical chemist (so yeah high stress), and im 27 almost 28, lol, and finances are rough, and i am dying for some human affection, so i guess you hit all th nails on the heads lol
That WAS an awesome response to your original post. Cool stuff. For me, I know that I tend to let things churn away in my head. You've likely seen me say it before, but I'll say it again. Be aware of what is bothering you. Is it something you can change? If not, accept it and move on. If it is, then do something about it. The other trick is to stay focussed on today. Worrying about tomorrow or stewing about regrets of the past doesn't generally do anything for you other than make you feel bad. I believe in exercise. I find it really helps me to feel better - about myself and things in general. And finally - remember that we're all here for you. If you're down - say so. Sometimes you just need to get stuff off your chest.
^^ very good advice ^^ Exercise can really help to elevate mood. The other thing I would say is, you mention that you're dying for some affection. Humans have a biological need just for touch. Not sex per se, just touch, as in hugs, touches, and so forth. If you aren't getting enough of that, feel free to ask for it from family and friends, it can make a big difference. Also, thinking about what it is you're after can help. You're dying for affection, so do you want just to be touched, do you want a relationship, do you want sex? All are different things and all can be valid depending on what feels right for you. Just don't fall in the trap of feeling like you *need* a relationship in order to be happy or healthy... it can make your life experience richer, but happiness ultimately comes from inside yourself, not from someone else or from being in a relationship, and working to understand that and feel good about yourself for who you are and in your current situation is an important step.
thanks guys, i feel like i just need some one to hold me sometime ya know, i just want that intimacy, and a relationship would be great. as far as the exercise goes, i get plenty of that, i probably exercise waaaaay more then most people lol. but i agree it definitely helps, running is the only time my brain stopps going in over drive. just me, the trail, and my ipod, so awesome.
"But the other piece is... depending on what's going on for you, it's possible that you're in a place in your life where you're feeling comfortable enough that your unconscious is allowing things in your past to break loose and come to the surface, and those sorts of things can manifest as depression or anxiety or grief." Yup. That's what is happening to me. I've been off anti-depressants for two years, but I have had a lot of anxiety attacks in the past months .. that I'm not sure if I should get back on them or just keep up with my coping methods.
for dare2beproud: Only you (and a competent therapist or psychiatrist who's evaluated you) can make that decision, but my experience is that in many cases, the anxiety is, as you postulated, fueled by something bubbling up from your unconscious. If you can handle it without medications (and without making your life absolutely miserable), you should be able to let the feelings out and let go of them, and once you do that, the anxiety and other issues associated with it should lift. If you have access to a counselor or therapist, it would be great to have professional help, but plenty of people go through what you're going through without it.
Depression caused by stress isn't that uncommon. It's happened to me way too many times now. I find that having a few days to forget about things and kick back is the best to get over it. However when there's underlying problems it's a bit different..
Hey dude. What you explained seems exactly the same as me. I haven't had many or any serious down spells as of late, surprisingly, as I have exams. However when I do have them, they are often followed up by moments of frustration or stress. At one point the stress and depression became so bad I felt like my heart was coming out of my chest. . .FELT like it, wasn't actually so other ECers, don't worry. I have had maybe one or two down spells which I think were caused by stress, but for the most part, it has worked the other way around. Since joining EC I haven't had too many of them. . .but who knows, maybe I'm just going through a clean period. We will see. By the way, Calchip, Wicked advice mate. You have always been a shining beacon of clarity and advice. You're a true bloke, mate. Keep it up!
I'm dealing with the same thing right now. Depression caused by stress. I just had my meds increased last week, and now I feel much better. It's more common than you might think.
Hey, I can also relate to this, some times I get like this for weeks at a time, frustration, pressures and stress-- You just got to look foward to the good times ahead & don't put your mind on it so much
