Weekly Prompt #22: Depression Questions & Answers
Welcome back, group! I hope you are all being easy on yourself this week.
Last week we discussed: Are you feeling the weight of seasonal depression during the holidays? Thank you to all who participated and shared their thoughts for discussion. I enjoyed them. I hope you all did too. If you didn't share yours, please share them here and I look forward to reading and discussing them with you
This week's prompt: Depression-related Questions & Answers
I invite all of us to participate and ask any questions related to depression or any thoughts you may have. Please know all thoughts and questions are valid so no matter how small or big it seems, do share with us and we will discuss our thoughts on it together.
Join us in the 24/7 Depression Support Group Chat!
@ASilentObserver I've never been diagnosed with squat as I've only talked to a therapist once and admittedly, I was too scared to keep seeing them. I feel like I don't "check enough boxes" to be depressed, like I never feel sad enough for long enough. Yet it seems every year there are months I really struggle with my mental health or go through periods of feeling worthless/wishing harm upon myself. Like, a month can be a good one as a whole but I'll still struggle with suicidal thoughts or even self harm. Whether or not they become more than thoughts/how often they appear will vary (right now my negative thoughts are very loud though this is a stressful period of life).
I guess part of me just wonders if this is just a "type" of depression or if I'm just someone who experiences strong negative emotions (I remember reading about how some people could be depressed for years but it's not as obvious/strong as depression that only lasts for months? Not sure if I'm phrasing that right). I suppose the point is that I just feel a lot of doubt about if I'm really "depressed" or just continually stressed out/emotional and responding in negative ways. Or maybe it's something else entirely?
Sorry if I phrased any of this weird. I just don't know where I can share the types of thoughts I've been having without someone freaking out but still take me seriously and listen
@celerysticker Thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts with us, Celery. It sounds like you have struggled with difficult mental health challenges for some time now. Wondering if depression fits or something else fits can add more uncertainty during already stressful periods. How have you been dealing through these stressful periods in your life?
@ASilentObserver I've been trying to handle it mostly by trying to find short term solutions on my own, which admittedly isn't the best idea. Honestly I have gotten rather far on my own but I'll be the first to admit that it's very hard to keep myself accountable, especially when I don't have other people to help with that.
Sometimes all I can do is simply ignore whatever big issue is pressing down until I have the time to actually process it. Which can work? Though I'm still trying to learn how to properly process my emotions.
@celerysticker It sounds like you have been facing a lot of stress and pressure to find solutions on your own. Managing so much by yourself over time can really take its toll. However you are determined but also self-aware that ignoring issues isn't sustainable long term. It is admirable that you're looking to improve how you process difficult emotions - focusing on self-care is so important when life feels overwhelming.
@ASilentObserver My question comes from curiosity about our fellow Cupsians...that is:
Does anyone else here know that his/her/they depression is at least partly genetic?
This is a simple yes/no question--I am not asking & would never ask for specifics, for obvious reasons. Limit your answer to one word or tell me as much as you feel comfortable with.
I'll start things off. In my case it's a definite yes. My father suffered terribly from his depressive episodes when he was alive; at least one of my cousins had his for a few years in the early part of his life. While I've been through a great many episodes, I gotta admit I've never been as immobilized as Dad was when his depression was at its worst.