Depression Support Group
Depression is a real and debilitating condition that is often misunderstood by family and friends. Its meaning can range from a prolonged period of sadness to an actual mental illness with specific symptoms. Find and share experiences with others who are going through the same struggles.
I am going through a really rough patch, and just need some comfort and maybe some advice if you have any to offer.
I've been spiraling downward for months now. I guess it began with my break up at the end of the summer. He was my first love, and it was not a good break up. He thought I was cheating on him, which I would never ever ever have done, and it hurt like hell. Since then, he has been to therapy and discovered that the root of the issues we had at the end of our relationship is a social anxiety disorder, and our relationship had thrown him completely out of his comfort zone. I have been talking to him off and on since the break up - just email mostly, but on the phone a couple times. Sometimes it seems he is getting past things and maybe we can make it work again in the future; at other times he emails me asking "one last time" whether I have been telling him the truth about everything or not (ie. the cheating.)
While trying to deal with that emotional rollercoaster, I have been experiencing the most stressful semester of my life. Our University faculty went on strike for 2 and a half weeks only 1 week into the semester, so basically all of September was shot. Classes resumed Oct 6th, and due to university senate by-laws prof's could not have any assignments due or tests/midterms in the first 2 weeks back to classes. The effect of all this has been an extremely condensed evaluation period for the rest of the semester. Last week alone I had 4 assignments due, 2 midterms, and a quiz. I have another paper due on Wednesday that requires me to cover 4 readings from 19th century writers and compare them all. I have thus far completed ONE of these readings. I know I should have worked on it over the weekend, but I was so exhausted after last week and so close to the brink of self-destruction that for the sake of my sanity and well being I had to take a couple days off over the weekend to try to have some fun and just relax. I spent the whole weekend with my best friend watching movies and it helped a lot... until Sunday, that is, when I decided I better get down to business on this paper. I tried to get the readings done yesterday, but I've been having a really hard time focusing on anything lately that I'd read a page only to realize I have no idea what it said. After a couple hours of trying, I gave up... figured, maybe tomorrow I'll be able to get my mind on track. Well, I was wrong. I've been sitting in my room all afternoon and evening (it is now midnight in my timezone) trying to concentrate and get this shit done, but at this point have only gotten through one of the four readings. Needless to say, I am freaking right out... and if ANYONE has any tricks up their sleeves that they use when they need to concentrate but find themselves unable to, please please please please please do share! I am desperate!
On top of all the stress of school and trying to mend a broken heart, I am having a lot of financial difficulties. My student funding was finally just released TODAY, the first of November. I should have the money in my account by the end of the week, thankfully. Because they had taken so long to assess my application for aid, I have had to live off of a bank credit line for the past 2 months - paying over 5% interest on every penny I spend. I can't find a job in the city I am in because the economy here was completely automobile based and, well, I assume you can figure it out from there.
Aside from all of these real-life woes, I have become exceedingly depressed in the past few weeks, and finding it very difficult to remain motivated. I keep wondering what the hell the point is in trying to succeed... and I can't come up with an answer. It just all seems to pointless that I don't even want to bother anymore, with anything. I know that I am going to die one of these days, and I can't help but wonder if, due to this simple truth (that one day I will no longer exist), the idea of success of any kind is completely vain and pointless. Why should I bother spending so much energy on educating myself and trying to influence the world around me when one day I will cease to exist to the world, and the world thereby will cease to exist to me? What is the point in loving anyone or caring about anyone if we will cease to exist to one another? What is the point in seeking pleasure and happiness, when the journey involves so much pain, and in the end we revert back into nothingness? Why not just maintain our nothingness, lacking the toils of pain and the seduction of happiness? ...These are the types of thoughts crossing my mind lately. Usually when I am depressed and ominous or dark thoughts cross my mind, I find it rather easy to shut them out through a bit of rational thought. But this time it is different... I can't find any flaws in my dreary thoughts. And it scares the living day lights out of me.
I've been spiraling downward for months now. I guess it began with my break up at the end of the summer. He was my first love, and it was not a good break up. He thought I was cheating on him, which I would never ever ever have done, and it hurt like hell. Since then, he has been to therapy and discovered that the root of the issues we had at the end of our relationship is a social anxiety disorder, and our relationship had thrown him completely out of his comfort zone. I have been talking to him off and on since the break up - just email mostly, but on the phone a couple times. Sometimes it seems he is getting past things and maybe we can make it work again in the future; at other times he emails me asking "one last time" whether I have been telling him the truth about everything or not (ie. the cheating.)
While trying to deal with that emotional rollercoaster, I have been experiencing the most stressful semester of my life. Our University faculty went on strike for 2 and a half weeks only 1 week into the semester, so basically all of September was shot. Classes resumed Oct 6th, and due to university senate by-laws prof's could not have any assignments due or tests/midterms in the first 2 weeks back to classes. The effect of all this has been an extremely condensed evaluation period for the rest of the semester. Last week alone I had 4 assignments due, 2 midterms, and a quiz. I have another paper due on Wednesday that requires me to cover 4 readings from 19th century writers and compare them all. I have thus far completed ONE of these readings. I know I should have worked on it over the weekend, but I was so exhausted after last week and so close to the brink of self-destruction that for the sake of my sanity and well being I had to take a couple days off over the weekend to try to have some fun and just relax. I spent the whole weekend with my best friend watching movies and it helped a lot... until Sunday, that is, when I decided I better get down to business on this paper. I tried to get the readings done yesterday, but I've been having a really hard time focusing on anything lately that I'd read a page only to realize I have no idea what it said. After a couple hours of trying, I gave up... figured, maybe tomorrow I'll be able to get my mind on track. Well, I was wrong. I've been sitting in my room all afternoon and evening (it is now midnight in my timezone) trying to concentrate and get this shit done, but at this point have only gotten through one of the four readings. Needless to say, I am freaking right out... and if ANYONE has any tricks up their sleeves that they use when they need to concentrate but find themselves unable to, please please please please please do share! I am desperate!
On top of all the stress of school and trying to mend a broken heart, I am having a lot of financial difficulties. My student funding was finally just released TODAY, the first of November. I should have the money in my account by the end of the week, thankfully. Because they had taken so long to assess my application for aid, I have had to live off of a bank credit line for the past 2 months - paying over 5% interest on every penny I spend. I can't find a job in the city I am in because the economy here was completely automobile based and, well, I assume you can figure it out from there.
Aside from all of these real-life woes, I have become exceedingly depressed in the past few weeks, and finding it very difficult to remain motivated. I keep wondering what the hell the point is in trying to succeed... and I can't come up with an answer. It just all seems to pointless that I don't even want to bother anymore, with anything. I know that I am going to die one of these days, and I can't help but wonder if, due to this simple truth (that one day I will no longer exist), the idea of success of any kind is completely vain and pointless. Why should I bother spending so much energy on educating myself and trying to influence the world around me when one day I will cease to exist to the world, and the world thereby will cease to exist to me? What is the point in loving anyone or caring about anyone if we will cease to exist to one another? What is the point in seeking pleasure and happiness, when the journey involves so much pain, and in the end we revert back into nothingness? Why not just maintain our nothingness, lacking the toils of pain and the seduction of happiness? ...These are the types of thoughts crossing my mind lately. Usually when I am depressed and ominous or dark thoughts cross my mind, I find it rather easy to shut them out through a bit of rational thought. But this time it is different... I can't find any flaws in my dreary thoughts. And it scares the living day lights out of me.
Sounds as though you are going through a really tough time at the moment. The reason you should keep going through IS because you will succeed, and when you have achieved your degree, you will no doubt look back and see how it was all worthwhile. If you want to talk, you can talk to me.
pessimism
optimism
and here is a great place to start:
www.wikipedia.org
seriously if ur shooten just to pass with sixty percent do the aboved mentioned scan write the opinions and tie ins then reread two of the reads slower and more thoughtfully..
If you still have the same opinions change nothing but mabey spruce up ur writing some, then ur done, but not quite yet...
Get a rubberband streach it between ur fingers on one hand and shoot a paper clip at that stupid wanaB teacher...
I am somebody who has been through all the hardships associated with depression. The support I got from my friends and family helped me to cope with the impact of depression. From that experience, I would like to give an important advice to any relative or friend of a depressed person. Most importantly, you should help the depressed person to undergo an appropriate diagnosis and treatment. The help you provide should involve encouraging the patient to stick with treatment until symptoms start to alleviate, or to go for another treatment in case no improvement is noticed.
It may also require you to make an appointment and accompany the patient to the doctor. You may also need to ensure that the depressed person is taking medication. While on medication, you should also give the depressed person encouragement to stick with the instructions given by the doctor regarding the usage of alcoholic products. Such basic support can really have a telling influence on the chances of recovery of the patient. To know more about this topic, visit the following links.
http://www.pillwatch.com/theme/depression.html
http://www.allaboutdepression.com/tre_01.html
honestly, sometimes i wish i was dumb and simple so i could just lalala my days away without all the worries that come part and parcel with being intelligent..........