No hate mail from me. Just a "Great post!" comment. : )
I *think* I know the origins of my depression. Regardless, I don't focus on trying to discover it. Instead, I focus on working on recovering from the depression day by day. It IS hard work and I agree with some of the other posts--that sometimes a person has to hit rock bottom before they're able to look up out of the pit, accept suggestions/help, and begin the difficult journey of recovery.

Lookeehere- Why not just stay here and keep journaling? Get your thoughts out. When you need help ask. If posting on the boards makes you feel bad, at least you have your journal. You shouldn't feel guilty for asking for help.

ok star9, ill take your advice. thank you.

You can only accept help when you are ready to do so and first of all you have to acknowledge that there is a problem and then secondly that you cannot resolve it by yourself. That can be extremely hard for some ppl, after all...no-one likes to be told that they are ill or not normal do they?

A lot of the desire to be well comes from our own attitudes, some are able to do that with little outside assistance but others need to have constant guidance whether from therapy or a loved one.

For me, it hit me like a wave after my own suicide attempt a few months ago when I realised that even though ppl can help me to a certain degree I had to choose to do something about my own life and situation. I could sit there and stay in my rut and blame everything on everybody around me or I could stand up, decide that I no longer want to be miserable and learn some skills to help me help myself. I've not looked back since.

Although I have noticed that when a person is in a better and more rational frame of mind they tend to look at those who are, as you put it, boo hooing, as negative and weak. That is not necessarily true in all cases. It's just that some of them have not yet found the one thing that helps them the most.

As long as I been here, I yet to see one in this community.

Some people seem to only post for a pity party and invite other to come party with them. Like a blood-sucking leech.

Some are real hurting people who don't knw what to do, since thery feel or are all alone in this. They ned a shoulder or a hand to help them.

wow, some of the reponses to this post is really hurting my feelings, boo-hoo! i don't know how to be any different. i wish that folks here would just take people where they are at. plz stop making me feel worse than i already do because i am not to the point where i feel safe. plz don't make me feel bad becuase my posts or journals or whatever are negative. i am not where you are right now. i am glad that you are at a better place than i am. i realize that i have not had nearly as much shit in my life as some and should not be belly achin as much as i am but my belly does ache. please do not memnimize my feelings becuase i cannot express them very well. i am not from a very expressive past. i have bottled up so many things that i don't knowwhat i am feeling most of thetime and it comes out all "hey, look at me i need help". plz don't judge me because i am screwed up for no tangible reason at all. i beg you to plz not judge me, i do too good a job of that myself that i don't need help in that area. i appreciate hearing what tyou are syaing because we can learn from everything, but it still hurts a great deal to feel as if my thoughts and action are minimal. ps sorry for spelling and grammar errors

most harsh words that i've read: blood sucking leech. unfortunately for me, that is how i have felt all day, like a blood sucking leech, and now i know that it is true and it makes me sick to my stomach. OMG i hate my existence.

what a wicked world we live in... where looks and money get the most attention... those of us in DS forget thet we are all suffering... which actually makes us equals. On a computer you can be anyone you want to be... so there is no advantage to looks or wealth.. but the feelings we share.. the darkness that we share is common to us all. I'm no better than you... you are no worse than me.

Sometimes a pity party is what we need, it can be the first step in trying to find help. I don't think most of us ended up here because we felt "okay" at the time, just thought we'd sing up on a depresssion site for the fun of it. We all, in one way or another, crying out "I'm in pain, help me." Some people just say it differently than others.

Kind of relevent: I just recived a message from a friend who's in bad pain, having thought of ODing but fighting them off by herself, but she won't post to the boards because she's afraid of being called "an attention seeking whore".

great we've cometo this. so glad folks feel so welcome.

what no one else is wondering

I only joined yesterday and I've been made to feel nothing but welcome. My problems and the causes of my depression are nowhere near as severe as some others on the site, but they've not been belittled in any way. This in itself has made me feel more positive already (thanks to all who have sent hugs). We are all here for the same reason, whether we are ready to admit/accept it or not, and that is that we need help. Yes there have been some comments that can be taken as "unhelpful" but remember they are coming from someone who is in just as much pain as you and aren't personal, just a venting of a negative feeling, which can be a positive thing for that individual.

Wow. This thread got really negative after I went to sleep.

hi everyone. Im trying my best to get over my problems, accepting help from many different places. problem is i think my problems will follow me around forever! Wish there was a way to get rid of them. why cant they invent a magic pill to make our brains normal. Attually im not sure if i'd WANT to be completely normal ive got used to being a bit odd!

I posted something along the sames lines yesterday called "The Blame Game". Most people agreed, some agreed in concept but not in my explanation. And it was directed to those who do come here, are given advice, but refuse to try some of the suggestions or give up to early, and continue to blame everyone else for their situation except themselves. Oh well! We can only help those who truly are ready to be helped. I would also add that there are a few people who are in such dire straits that even with the advice and support, just can't seem to get themselves out of the hole. In cases such as these, I have no answer except to keep fighting and never give up.