# How do you cope with those sudden bouts of depression?



## Flame Sixtyone (Aug 27, 2009)

when you're sitting at home, and then you start feeling all lonely and depressed about life. how do you guys cope with it?

it could be either by trying to embrace it, or by trying to forget about it and doing something fun on the internet or somewhere else


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## Jayne311 (Aug 20, 2009)

If it isn't close to when I can go to bed, like in the middle of the day or something, I watch slideshows I created on my computer. I get pictures off the internet of things I like to look at, like castles and waterfalls and beaches, and I put them onto Power Point and just watch them until I feel better. 

If I don't feel like doing that, I try to make myself stay busy with anything at all. If I can't get myself to do a lot, I try to focus on getting the smallest thing done, even if it only takes a minute of my time. 

Sometimes I find the only thing I can do is sit there and do nothing until I feel better though. It's odd, but there are times when I don't even have the mental energy to turn the computer on to watch my slideshows in the first place. It sucks when you aren't home alone and you have to pretend to be fine so people don't ask questions.


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## Flame Sixtyone (Aug 27, 2009)

wow, the slideshow idea seems different and cool. I may try it sometime


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## Indigo Flow (Oct 3, 2009)

Jayne311 said:


> If it isn't close to when I can go to bed, like in the middle of the day or something, I watch slideshows I created on my computer. I get pictures off the internet of things I like to look at, like castles and waterfalls and beaches, and I put them onto Power Point and just watch them until I feel better.
> 
> If I don't feel like doing that, I try to make myself stay busy with anything at all. If I can't get myself to do a lot, I try to focus on getting the smallest thing done, even if it only takes a minute of my time.
> 
> Sometimes I find the only thing I can do is sit there and do nothing until I feel better though. It's odd, but there are times when I don't even have the mental energy to turn the computer on to watch my slideshows in the first place. It sucks when you aren't home alone and you have to pretend to be fine so people don't ask questions.


I hate pretending to be fine when my parents are home. I like the slideshow idea though. I have to listen to music, it's the one of the only things that can cheer me up, it also distracts me and means if i'm listening to my ipod, no one talks to me. Sometimes if i'm coming home from college, i'll take a walk around london until i feel a bit better so that when i get home i don't look so upset.


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## secretlyshecries (Sep 10, 2009)

One upside to my bouts of depression is the bouts of creativity that come with it. It makes me feel like writing, making something on photoshop, video editing, drawing... 

A lot of the time I just distract myself though. Watching a good TV show or movie often makes me feel a lot better.


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## Andy43 (Feb 9, 2010)

I know these bouts all too well. I like to listen to music or watch a movie. The good thing about these bouts, for me at least, is that they don't last too long. They are easily cured by something that gets my mind off of things. 

Also, when I used to be depressed almost all the time, optimism changed my life. I'm not sure if depression is the same for everyone, but for me it's just a mindset. I find that whenever I get depressed I get stuck in pessimistic loops. Optimism allows you to see things in a new light by concentrating on the good things in life and not the bad things.


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## wxolue (Nov 26, 2008)

I just remind myself that I've been depressed before and ive gotten over it before.


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## origami potato (Jan 9, 2010)

I miss my creativity.  My depression has crushed most of my motivation to create art. But normally I just wander the internet, watch movies or play video games to avoid it. (oh and cry my eyes out when it gets really bad)


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## RobertWiggins (Mar 27, 2010)

I get out and go for a run

Exercise always helps me feel a little better.


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## Jayne311 (Aug 20, 2009)

I like to listen to music too. I find that if I do something out of the ordinary, I feel better. Like if I'm not at home, I'll take a different and less familiar way home, and that makes me nervous but also makes me focus on something outside of my own head. It's like it scares me out of being depressed for a while. Exercise also helps. If I'm too depressed to want to even move, if I give myself a few hours of quiet, I usually get over it and it doesn't come back for a week or two. 

I'm not as depressed as I used to be. When I was, I could be so creative. I would get out the art supplies and paint and draw for hours, or write songs and poems that took up pages and pages. I'm happy that I'm not so depressed anymore, but I miss doing those creative things, and it's harder now.


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## estse (Nov 18, 2003)

Sleep. Wishing for death. Etc.


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## mee (Mar 20, 2010)

I find the key is to try and ride the middle between the highs and lows. It can be tempting to really latch onto really strong, positive feelings when they roll around, even if it isn't real often. IME this just makes it harder when the 'correction' comes though. I find that by disassociating myself from the good stuff, I can do so much easier during the depressive stints as well, and am more balanced overall.


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## giggles (Apr 30, 2009)

well personally, when i get very badly depressed... i'll usually talk myself out of it. like yknow, tell myself my thoughts are "wrong", i should be greatful for what i have, and be happy, etc
which is quite difficult, BUT once you make it a consistant thing to do whenever your feeling down, it starts to really take affect then.
i think thats the best way, for me at least!!
and also music-if you listen to your fave song/album it sorta works, gets ya feeling better almost instantly
and also jesus


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## strawberryjulius (Jun 28, 2009)

I usually keep going on with what I have to do for the day because I know that'll make me feel better rather than sitting on the computer all day.


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## anonymid (Oct 16, 2005)

Jayne311 said:


> Sometimes I find the only thing I can do is sit there and do nothing until I feel better though.


This is pretty much what I do. I just allow myself to feel it and don't really try to fight it at all. I let it take its course, and gradually it fades.


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## WalkingOnEggShells (Mar 17, 2010)

I just embrace it and feel sad. If I'm in the sad mood, usually I don't want to feel better just like that. Talking to a friend and complaining/getting things off my chest helps sometimes, but other times I don't want to be a downer on other people's moods and I mope by myself.

Once I'm in that funk, I actually just want to be in it for a bit. Let it swirl around my head, feel it, etc., and then either sleep it off or just get up and do something else/bounce back.


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## malaise (Aug 18, 2009)

I'm a very moody person, and I don't know why, or how to control it. It sucks because no one around me understands, they just see me as the "difficult one". They don't understand that it's not so easy to just come out of it like that. Sometimes I get depressed and then it goes away the next day, other times I can stay depressed for weeks, even months. During these periods, I can also get extremely angry at the drop of a hat, and lash out and have violent tantrums, so I prefer to isolate myself so I don't go batsh*t on anyone.

I live with my older sister, and have told her that when I get in these moods to just leave me alone and give me space. Last week I was in a sh*tty mood, and she said to me, "What, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Geez, you're ALWAYS in a bad mood". I was seriously about to harm her, but I just went up to my room and avoided her, and have avoided her since. This morning I wake up and get this e-mail from her, all about how _hurt_ she was that day because I being "hostile" towards her, and how she doesn't appreciate being given the "silent treatment" and how it makes her _feel_ and even pasted some f*cking article (lol) about the psychological effects of "silent treatment" and blaf*ckingbla. EXCUSE me if I don't want to bash your face in and need to avoid you for that to happen.



> It sucks when you aren't home alone and you have to pretend to be fine so people don't ask questions.


When it gets bad sometimes I just have isolate myself, I just can't supress it and pretend I'm okay for other people. But then I get accused of being avoidant and giving the silent treatment, so what the **** should I do?


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## Flame Sixtyone (Aug 27, 2009)

haha I'm surprised no one mentioned eating. that's like my favorite thing to do when i'm depressed :lol


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## Tiffx (Sep 28, 2009)

Eating, definitely. 

I also try and drown everything out with music. It does help.


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## brainfog (Mar 1, 2005)

I don't cope very well at all. When I get severely depressed I simply can't get motivated to do anything no matter what I try, it is like my mind and body switch off, i just don't have the physical or mental energy or strength. So needless to say I don't do very much at all.


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## Lostsoul26 (Oct 24, 2008)

I try to distract my mind by reading a book, watching a movie, exercising, go for a drive. play guitar. Anything to break the cycle of negative thoughts.


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## metallica2147 (Feb 15, 2010)

I usually don't do anything. Sometimes it gets really bad though, but it always passes. I tend to use TV or music as an escape.


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## Danni (Mar 29, 2010)

being with my cats


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## swiv2D (Oct 20, 2005)

Most the time I just sit still and think it all through or play videogames, they're good stress relievers. 
I'm ashamed to say this but I sometimes direct my anger towards my family, I don't mean to and I 'll always apologise to them and they know I'm not like that but what I hate is them not asking what's bothering me.


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## CopadoMexicano (Aug 21, 2004)

sleep it off.


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## thesilenthunter90 (Mar 18, 2010)

I have moments when I feel really good and positive and feel like everything is gonna work out. Then I crash into a depression. Feel hopeless and awful, I make rash decisions like deleting facebook and you tube accounts and just generally hate myself so much during these moments.

How I cope? I dont really cope, i just endure and hope that some day it all works itself out.


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## cinammon (Mar 18, 2010)

I am going through a sudden bout of depression right now. Sometimes I try to sleep through it, sometimes I try to read self help material or muddle through it like I am now. Sometimes I like to go out and it is odd, my father yelled at me, he doesn't understand my anxiety and feels the only way to deal with me is to yell. I blink when a camera flashes all the time, I just started doing this the last 5-6 years ago and when he was taking pictures of me, he was yelling at me all the time. Earlier I went to church and I saw some people that I knew and they were glad to see me but because of my boring personality, I don't have a deep connection with others. There are a few that ignore me and are mean to me because of my shyness, although I treat them nicely. I am making myself go to church because when I don't go for a long time and then go back it is harder to get used to going on a regular basis. Then my father also yells because he feels I am moody and argumentative alot and he wants someone who agrees with him all the time and does what he wants them to do. He is controlling as well so when I disagree about something he sees it as being argumentative. So I am going to start praying more, working on socializing and getting a job and making friends. In his view, everything I do is wrong. So I don't focus on that, I am instead focusing on doing what I have to do to achieve my goals with God's help. I called a few people today and two called back, one sent me a text and I sent a text back, one I had the wrong number and three didn't call me back. The phone is quiet tonight and that happens but I give myself credit for those I did reach out to call.


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## Dempsey (Jun 27, 2009)

I wait it out. It helps knowing I'll feel better later on.


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## SilverNova (Mar 19, 2010)

WalkingOnEggShells said:


> I just embrace it and feel sad. If I'm in the sad mood, usually I don't want to feel better just like that. Talking to a friend and complaining/getting things off my chest helps sometimes, but other times I don't want to be a downer on other people's moods and I mope by myself.
> 
> Once I'm in that funk, I actually just want to be in it for a bit. Let it swirl around my head, feel it, etc., and then either sleep it off or just get up and do something else/bounce back.


I do exactly that.

I also go out during a sunny day and just find a place to lay quietly away from people. The sun always helps me feel better. <<I didn't realize how hippy that sounds but it works.


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## riverboat (Oct 20, 2009)

brainfog said:


> I don't cope very well at all. When I get severely depressed I simply can't get motivated to do anything no matter what I try, it is like my mind and body switch off, i just don't have the physical or mental energy or strength. So needless to say I don't do very much at all.


yeah, i pretty much do this and shut down anywhere from a few days to two weeks without doing anything but staring at the TV and never leaving my apartment. Its a hassle when I have things due for school, but if I don't feel like it, I don't feel like it.


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## cgriffit (Sep 14, 2012)

*Recent state of anxiety & depression*

Hey everyone. I'm really hoping I can get some insight from one of these forums...I'm a 2nd year medical student who moved to NYC 1 year ago from Miami and for the past 2 weeks, I have been experiencing some of the worst feelings I've ever had and I'm so confused about whats going on-its exhausting. A little background- I have always been somewhat of a small "hypochondriac" (being afraid of getting diseases & illnesses), but it has in the last 2 months, started to become more serious and consuming. After thinking I was having serious heart issues, I went to my primary doc and cardiologist and they said my heart was perfect as well as all my blood tests & physical-absolutely healthy. So I was so elated after going through 1.5 months of absolute fear I was dieing...about 2 weeks ago, I started to have strange attacks of anxiety (I say strange because I have never experienced them before so it took me some reading to put a name to it). I would have to leave Starbucks where I was studying and run home because I was so afraid..there were so many nights in the past few weeks where I lay awake and had to literally force myself not to run to the ER because I couldnt understand what was happening...I forced myself to take one of our huge exams this past Monday and thought it would be better now that was over, and it was for 2 nights while my boyfriend was there (he lives with me but travels every week) and now he has been gone for 3 days and I have been experiencing SEVERE bouts of depression (also new to me) where I dont want to do anything, dont want to get out of bed, and am scared to be alone because I dont know whats happening to me. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist tomorrow morning which I am looking forward to so that I can get some insight into what is going on, but in the meantime-does anyone have any insight or advice as to what is going on or how I can manage this? I think what my biggest fear is which is making me more and more withdrawn and depressed/scared/anxious is that this is permanent and that I wont be able to get rid of it..this is long enough but wanted to include that I have no negative personal issues occurring right now, great relationships, wonderful family, so this is very foreign to me...thank u guys:no


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## pillz and pillz (Sep 4, 2012)

i dont cope i suffer


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## mich43l (Sep 19, 2012)

malaise said:


> I'm a very moody person, and I don't know why, or how to control it. It sucks because no one around me understands, they just see me as the "difficult one". They don't understand that it's not so easy to just come out of it like that. Sometimes I get depressed and then it goes away the next day, other times I can stay depressed for weeks, even months. During these periods, I can also get extremely angry at the drop of a hat, and lash out and have violent tantrums, so I prefer to isolate myself so I don't go batsh*t on anyone.
> 
> I live with my older sister, and have told her that when I get in these moods to just leave me alone and give me space. Last week I was in a sh*tty mood, and she said to me, "What, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed today? Geez, you're ALWAYS in a bad mood". I was seriously about to harm her, but I just went up to my room and avoided her, and have avoided her since. This morning I wake up and get this e-mail from her, all about how _hurt_ she was that day because I being "hostile" towards her, and how she doesn't appreciate being given the "silent treatment" and how it makes her _feel_ and even pasted some f*cking article (lol) about the psychological effects of "silent treatment" and blaf*ckingbla. EXCUSE me if I don't want to bash your face in and need to avoid you for that to happen.
> 
> When it gets bad sometimes I just have isolate myself, I just can't supress it and pretend I'm okay for other people. But then I get accused of being avoidant and giving the silent treatment, so what the **** should I do?


i do the same thing the people that know me well have learnt to not venture into my cave once i go in. what they dont understand is that its to shield them from the bad sh*t


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## Phill01 (Sep 16, 2012)

Old thread this. 2010 this was made.

I


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## mich43l (Sep 19, 2012)

i only find myself eating if it catches me offguard. then i realize 'aw shyte i, m trying to eat myself out of a bout of depression'! i love what i do (design) so i rarely get deppressed if i have something interesting going. otherwise i'll hibernate, listen to music, watch a movie that inspires me or run. lost 10kg when i flunked out of varsity, thats how much i ran. fit and moody as hell.


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## LainToWired (Nov 10, 2011)

I don't know, but I think it's crept up on me this week. I have no will to do anything.


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## tbyrfan (Feb 24, 2011)

I watch a movie/tv show, get some work done, or just sleep it off.


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## iNeedtoRelax (Jul 1, 2012)

This forum helps a bit, as well as anime.


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## valgal123 (Jun 15, 2009)

music. music, music, music. listening, composing my own

writing

since i have a history of eating disorders i might binge or restrict. 

i might self harm

i might try to suffocate myself. half heartedly of course

this is usually the time when i see my suicide playing out in my head over and over and over and over, all day

and then it suddenly disappears if I have a conversation with a customer or coworker

then im happy again. feel like im worthy again. the conversation just brings all the things i like about myself to my attention.


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## owlsattea (Jun 28, 2012)

I usually try to do something relaxing and something that I enjoy. Like reading or painting, sometimes I'll even take a walk. Sometimes I will call someone I trust like my mom or my aunt. I try really hard not to let the depression drag me down.


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## Kakumbus (Mar 27, 2012)

You drink coffee, or you fap or both.


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## e11ie (Aug 7, 2013)

The best thing to do when you're depressed is to simply remember that you aren't alone. Isolation is the main thing I feel and its then by myself that I feel like no one understands but it's clear just from this website alone that they do! So thanks for all the stuff ye suggested cus its all really helped.


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## Trigo (Aug 3, 2012)

Playing a good game can numb the feeling, masturbation also helps let's keep it real (taking a nap right after, when you wake up you'll feel much better)

Other than that I'm pretty defenseless.


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## lostfromreality731 (Jan 3, 2013)

How do I deal with it? Honestly I listen to music, it really helps, rock music like godhead, type o negative just soothe the pain


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## Kimonosan (Jun 5, 2013)

Well I try to find solo activities, since no one is really ever home when I am, and just do the things that I enjoy. Like I love playing the Sims 3 and watching things on twitch.tv like AndrewArcade. It's really just about distracting yourself.


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## eveningbat (Jan 21, 2013)

Looking forward to some good things in the nearest future also helps. Just as a reminder that you expect something nice to happen soon.


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## AngelaX (Apr 18, 2013)

Watch a show or movie that I like and play some games. Chatting helps also.


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## Steinerz (Jul 15, 2013)

Try to sleep it off.


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## Lune (May 25, 2011)

I'm experiencing that right now... 

I wrote in my journal about what was bothering me, took the dogs for a walk, and made iced coffee and that made me feel a little better. Now I'm trying to find someone to talk to.


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## Aksel B (Jun 3, 2014)

When I'm feeling dismal, the one thing I can always count on is my music. I would sit in front of the piano and play my favourite piece, because no matter how shaken up I am, muscle memory doesn't change so I can concentrate on it. If I'm feeling really bad, my playing blocks out the sounds of crying and my face is hidden behind the piano. When your emotions match the mood of the piece, playing it sounds amazing- and perfection after a day of depression always helps me cheer up.


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## fiji (May 24, 2014)

i like to play video games, ones where it's just mindless reflexes being used. Where there's no story to follow or mission to accomplish. Multiplayer FPS and Sports games, normally. I also tend to do it with a podcast going off on my ear, so there's 2 things I'm being occupied by, and I don't really have to put forth effort to immerse into either.


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## calichick (Jul 30, 2010)

I do only what every other girl does in this world. Retail therapy.


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## altghost (Jul 13, 2012)

Sleep is the only thing that works 100% of the time for, which sucks when it's before 9pm.. but so it goes~


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## Metus (Dec 6, 2010)

It's quite normal to get that sometimes.

I stop and reflect on the things I'm thankful for. I think of the things I can be happy about and I think of my dreams and aspirations and the things I've overcome in my past. It really helps put things back into perspective.


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## WhisperBerries (Oct 26, 2012)

I go running for so long that my legs and feet start to hurt, then I can focus on my physical rather than mental pain. Pretty messed up, but honestly heavy exercising does help, lots of endorphins.


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## apx24 (Jan 31, 2012)

Food


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