I think I understand what you're saying. I've suddenly started feeling really bad lately too. Like you said, for a while, I was on the better side of ok.. then just a few weeks ago... my depression and anxiety both decided to flare up again and for no obvious reason. I've been sleeping a lot too because it's the only time I don't feel this way. I wake up feeling even worse though. Sometimes I feel like I was just put on this earth to suffer my entire life and then die. I don't feel like I have any kind of purpose here other than that. I have suffered with depression and anxiety for 12 years and I can recall more bad days than good ones. It does seem to get worse around the holidays and when it starts getting cold outside and getting dark a lot earlier. Maybe that's why you're suddenly feeling this way. I'm starting to think it's one of the reasons I've been feeling so miserable.

I'm sorry I don't really have any advice for you. If I did, I doubt I would be feeling as miserable as I do. Just hope you know that you aren't alone here. Lately, I've been finding this site to be helpful. It helps sometimes to know that I'm not the only one going through what I'm going through, even though that's how I feel anyway, 99% of the time. Coming on here and knowing I can vent without the fear of being judged is comforting though. I used to write a lot in my journal, which I also found helpful sometimes. It's just been so hard to get up the motivation to even do that though.

Really hope you feel better soon. Again, I'm sorry I probably wasn't much help.

Thank you no you were alot of help it does help to know im not alone and i think.youre right about the weather and night change. I really hope things get better with you aswell

I can relate, there are times when I feel like avoidance of triggers (or life in general) is the only way to go. As I dig myself out I realize that this is not the best way to handle it. But then I do it again and again. As time passes I get better about facing things head on.

As for the cause of depression, ...

I stopped paying attention to the experts when they talk about the causes of depression because they seem to say it is either caused by chemical imbalance, DNA, or life experiences. Hmmm, they covered it all except for alien abduction and experimentation on a UFO hiding on the other side of the moon.

All 3 seem reasonable to me.

Can you pinpoint any events that seemed traumatic that may have caused things? Was there a sequence of events that led up to things?

Rather than resign yourself to long periods of sadness, making doctor appointments is a good place to start. The primary doctor is most likely to check for physical things that may be at the root. Then a therapist or psychiatrist can evaluate you for emotional causes.

And then comes the balance of "who is more right" and "what is the best treatment".

If you have done all this, I am sorry for repeating things.

Depression can come on gradually or all of a sudden. I believe that it forms slowly and once it reaches a certain point it "pops" through.
Don't be too concerned about the future...all we have is the present anways.
:)

yes I know what you are talking about ....there are many levels of depreshion and many reasons we get it ......it can be past dowen ..Dan .....that is how it is in my fathers side of the family .....I have always suffered from depreshion at one leavel or a nother ......if you don't get help and you let it go to far and you break .....like I did .....than your have a 50 presant chance it will hapen again .....so this is my 4 time I have had to be on meds and they can't get me up to ware I schould be ....but at least now I have a life ......and can enjoy things ...I do have to look after my self ......I don't know what will hapen to me if I break again I don't think about it .......but your situation is diferant ..........if you haven't goten help you can get it now befor it goes any further ............you don't want to break ...I am not able to function ...the first time I stoped talking and dident even look at people if they talked to me ......they had to give me ect because I was going dowen to far to fast ................................but don't forget I have alwayes been depressed ..................your case is diferant ...you don't need to go there and don't have to you just need help .....if you are seeing a counclor or phicitrist that is great if not you schould ....if you are on meds ..than you need to have them adjusted ....if you are not on meds than I think you schould realy think about going on some ....in your case you might not have to be on them to long ......they keep you on them untill you show enough improvement ....and are feeling good ...than they keep you on them for at least 6 months or a year longer ...to make sure you are ready to come off ..the meds ............one thing we all need to help us heal is to talk ..we have to get everything that ever hurt us to come out ...because all these hurts pill up on top of eachother ....and eventually if we can't get rid of them ...bu talking ...we get depressed and than we need to let everything out .......so it could be one big event that triggered depreshion or a bunch of smaller events ..that have piled up ....and have just become to much .................it can also be ...cemecals in the brain are not right ......that is not what I have .....and I don't think that is what you have but I am no doctor ...I want you to know I am here for you ....take good care of your self ....I will keep you in my prayers ....God bless