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.
angelite
i was feeling a down today and was on the phone with my mom for a while. i was telling her how sometimes i start crying over small things, such as a t.v. show, when i do not recall always being this emotional.
she told me something that i found very interesting, and it actually helps me understand myself a bit.
she told me that when i was about 3 years old there was a commercial that came on t.v. where a little girl was eating an ice cream cone and a dog ran up and licked it, knocking the ice cream off the cone and the girl was upset. she said every time i saw this commercial i would start crying and saying "oh no! her ice cream, momma her ice cream." and it would take her a while to console me. she said after the first couple times she soon learned to quickly change the channel if that commercial came on.
i have always been pretty empathetic towards others, especially in bad times - i can't watch a movie or read a book without crying myself to sleep afterwards sometimes, as that is the only thing that makes me stop thinking about it. i feel like their pain is my own. this further proves to me that i often cannot control my bouts of depression.
do you think that instances such as this in our childhood could help predict people who are more prone to depression in the future? some depression is situational, but some of us will fight it our entire lifetime. i wonder if more thought was attributed to these sort of signs when we're young, if they could eventually do something to help prevent chronic depression in the future.
she told me something that i found very interesting, and it actually helps me understand myself a bit.
she told me that when i was about 3 years old there was a commercial that came on t.v. where a little girl was eating an ice cream cone and a dog ran up and licked it, knocking the ice cream off the cone and the girl was upset. she said every time i saw this commercial i would start crying and saying "oh no! her ice cream, momma her ice cream." and it would take her a while to console me. she said after the first couple times she soon learned to quickly change the channel if that commercial came on.
i have always been pretty empathetic towards others, especially in bad times - i can't watch a movie or read a book without crying myself to sleep afterwards sometimes, as that is the only thing that makes me stop thinking about it. i feel like their pain is my own. this further proves to me that i often cannot control my bouts of depression.
do you think that instances such as this in our childhood could help predict people who are more prone to depression in the future? some depression is situational, but some of us will fight it our entire lifetime. i wonder if more thought was attributed to these sort of signs when we're young, if they could eventually do something to help prevent chronic depression in the future.
deleted_user
I remember my teacher in first grade would send home notes to my mom wondering why I never smiled.................................I went 35 without medication when the signs were there.
angelite
misinterpreting signs for "just being kids"
deleted_user
dkimball: I had teachers say the same thing! I was very quiet in certain classes. I always told my mom it was because I didn't like any of the kids in my class, but I was just super shy, and who knows, maybe depressed too. My mom just brushed it off and assured my teachers I was fine because I did have friends. Interesting that similar things happened to other kids.
deleted_user
I just thought of another thing. I rememebr crying myself to sleep a few times, but nothing stands out too much. I did make wierd noises in my throat when I was young, like 3 or 4. Not sure how to describe it, but my mom took me into the doctor becuase she thought I might have terrets or something (I don't). The doctor said it was normal, and kids often do it to comfort themselves, especially if they are in stressful situations. At the time I didn't think I was comforting myself, but maybe that really was part of it. There were things going on that it would make sense for me to do that.
deleted_user
i think it's quite possible to predict. I know from my own childhood I'd be much more sensitive to things than most other kis.
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