How do you control your depression?

If I'm feeling down, sometimes video games help, but occasionally I'll just get out of the house and take a nice, long drive around the area. I wouldn't recommend that with gas prices as they are now, though.

I considered that I was depressed a few weeks ago, you see when I'm doing stuff I'm fine, but if I ever have nothing to do and get bored, my mind tends to wander and start to think way to much over things. I was like that for a few days, even crying to myself, but I fixed it by not letting myself get bored by introducing new hobbies (LEGO, reading more, going for walks) and just not spending as much time playing video games. I'm much better now and if I ever start to get bored I will do something about it instead of sitting there thinking to much.

Has anyone said drinking? 'Cause I'll say it, drinking.

I don't have depression. But when I'm pissed off or mentally exhausted, I will usually watch Seinfeld late at night, play MW3, or listen to some relaxing indie/80s new wave.

I'm not depressed right now, but I have been at different times in my life. I usually cheer up a lot when I think about how I am better than everyone else.

That's probably not good, though.

I don't have have the means to get a therapist or medicine for my depression, so I tend to deal with it by keeping myself occupied with other matters, sure, sometimes your mask breaks and you fall right back into it, but it helps.

My main forms of distraction are listening to some loud-ass music, podcasts, videogames and to look up information about random stuff like a motherfucker. Gaining information, no matter how useless it is, usually gives the brain a big shot of dopamine as a reward, giving a natural high.

I open 4chan and go "Oh, right. There is more disturbed people than me" and go back to what I was doing.

@Sooty said:

Between this and the STD thread I feel I've entered down a very dark alley on this website...

@Winternet said:

I open 4chan and go "Oh, right. There is more disturbed people than me" and go back to what I was doing.

I start half of those threads.

I don't control it. Been on and off for the past 3 or 4 years. Tried medication but that made it worse.

I usually just hide away and listen to music though. Knowing that people have bigger problems than me always brings me back in the end. That and my dogs and cat. Humans in general just piss me off most of the time.

@Tireyo643:

I love playing games and what not too... but honestly, I think that they help in the short term only, at least for me. Like a band aid.

Working out helps a lot, I hate working out more than anything in the world, but that flow of adrenaline while running... can't be topped by sitting on my butt.

A lot of depression/anxiety involves your body reacting in very primal ways to very un-primal dilemmas. So I find running to be very helpful.

Meds. A lot of 'em.

listening to the Stones, quite loud

pearl jam helps, or stooges, or dolls, or neil young

something to give perspective

some movies help, the dreamers, into the wild, PJ20

ignore it and deny it...

also try to do something productive that i can do, write something, get on the treadmill, or sleep and listen to podcasts....

Lindt white chocolate coconut bars.

@VisariLoyalist said:

@handlas said:

masturbate

This is going to happen regardless

...masturbate more? ;)

Christ man, your topics often read like cries for help. The only way to stop being depressed is to actively decide you're not depressed anymore. Depression is an entirely self manufactured state that people take themselves to because they feel they need to be there.

@Arkasai said:

Christ man, your topics often read like cries for help. The only way to stop being depressed is to actively decide you're not depressed anymore. Depression is an entirely self manufactured state that people take themselves to because they feel they need to be there.

...

I don't frankly. I'm not depressed right now but get the feeling I soon will be and am utterly dreading it. I don't cope well at all in those times and truly feel for anyone else out there who goes through it. Just do whatever you can to... well not to forget it but to cover it up for a little while.

I don't, I feed it. Fill my time with games, movies, internet, cannabis, music, animals, family. When I've run out of things and boredom sets in, the depression and anxiety are the worst.

@Tireyo643 said:

@Jeust said:

@Tireyo643 said:

@Jeust said:

you should try spirituality.

For me believing in something above me, helps me to regain confidence and strength.

You already know that I believe in a higher power. My spirituality is just on overkill and burnout at the moment.

@TheDudeOfGaming said:

Drinking, you have to try it.

By seeing the people around me who are depressed and wrap themselves around alcohol... just messing their lives up, just because they drink too much... I ain't going to succumb to the influence by even trying. Drinking isn't going to solve any problem I got, neither is medication.

Looks like there aren't any people looking at my update either, so I ain't going to answer anyone in this thread after this.

then try one thing: try to step back from the events in your life, and look at them without passion. i find that everything in my life has a reason to be there, good and bad.

I have absolutely no comprehension of what you just said.

You feel as more intensely as you are submerged in the situation that causes you intense emotions. If you take a step back from your life, and try seeing from the outside of the hurricane, you might get a clearer perception of your own life.

Here, I'll keep it simple:

-Take meds, if they help. Some people can't handle it, and don't want to just 'compress' their feelings, which honestly results in more harm than good.

-Cater to your interests. It's alot simpler than it sounds. If you are a crazy motherfucker on the inside, then pound the shots and go dancing at bars with chicks you've never met. I gave a chick a lapdance the other night. Why? I was crazy stupid drunk, and she was carrying a list around of stuff she needed to do on her 21st birthday. That was on the list. (Well, assuming you could find a healthier way to do something like that. Alcohol will destroy your liver.)

-Don't bottle up your feelings (this is not a card to whine) - I mean, if you feel like shit, don't be a buzzkill for everyone else, but really: go hang with your bros. If you sit around and wallow in your own feelings, it's only going to multiply that.

@Tireyo643: I'd say learn to play an instument, even go to a tutor for it. It's really rewarding.

For me (living with clinically diagnosed depression), I find the absolute best way to stay metally well is exercise - man, the endorphins released through it... there is nothing better

i dot think your truly depressed but if you are or think you are go see a doctor now, and explain what your feeling he/she can tell you if you depressed/stressed or what not, and help

I'm on a lot of bipolar meds but video games always calm me the eff down. Or I read...about depresssion or depressing books. I like to revel in my sadness, sometimes, and it actually helps. Not for everyone, though.

@Jeust said:

@Tireyo643 said:

@Jeust said:

@Tireyo643 said:

@Jeust said:

you should try spirituality.

For me believing in something above me, helps me to regain confidence and strength.

You already know that I believe in a higher power. My spirituality is just on overkill and burnout at the moment.

@TheDudeOfGaming said:

Drinking, you have to try it.

By seeing the people around me who are depressed and wrap themselves around alcohol... just messing their lives up, just because they drink too much... I ain't going to succumb to the influence by even trying. Drinking isn't going to solve any problem I got, neither is medication.

Looks like there aren't any people looking at my update either, so I ain't going to answer anyone in this thread after this.

then try one thing: try to step back from the events in your life, and look at them without passion. i find that everything in my life has a reason to be there, good and bad.

I have absolutely no comprehension of what you just said.

You feel as more intensely as you are submerged in the situation that causes you intense emotions. If you take a step back from your life, and try seeing from the outside of the hurricane, you might get a clearer perception of your own life.

I'm not really feeling any better.

Denial and humor, the classic Sad Clown technique, also ice cream.

Wouldn't say I'm really that depressed, but I don't know. There are times where I just can't stand life and just want to sleep all day, even though everything in life is pretty easy and normal.

I just make jokes about everything and do activities to keep my mind off it, even if it's like going to work. Video games keep me distracted too.

Medication.

I either try to stop thinking about it, eat food, or sleep.

I find myself asking that exact question, and the only answer I can find is that I can't control it anymore. I've tried food, sleep, exercise, getting inebriated, masturbation, playing video games, listening to music, getting on meds, going to the institution, therapy, cutting, writing faux-suicide notes, playing bass, etc., but none of them work. I'm at a point in life where I have no idea what I'm going to do with my life, and it terrifies me beyond belief.

@Vinny_Says said:

, smoke a blunt, etc...

I've actually found that smoking alone is more depressing than not smoking. But that might just be me.

Also, did no one post this? Seriously?! This is the happiest, chillest, feel goodingest song ever.

By not being an asshole.

@CrazyBagMan said:

By not being an asshole.

What?

@benpicko: Why?

He posted that three months ago, I think this conversation's over

@Giantstalker said:

He posted that three months ago, I think this conversation's over

THE CONVERSATION IS NEVER OVER.

!!

No, the conversation's over. There was no need to bump a three-month-old topic over that.