How do I know if I'm actually depressed or just constantly thinking about myself?
Sadness is not depression, and every depressed person is not just sad. There’s a lot more going on.Are you just thinking about yourself a lot? In what way? More of a thoughtful, hopeful and ambitious (or obsessed) way? Or are you gloomy, hopeless and more ‘suicidal’ in your thoughts?Depression is a constant sad feeling accompanied bylack of interest in things/activities that you used to enjoy before,lack of energy or ‘feeling low’ all the time, andendless thoughts of committing suicide or escaping your current circumstancesfor at least 2 weeks.Clearly, just thinking a lot about yourself is not depression. If you are feeling more than just this (refer to the above 3 points), then you should talk to a professional and seek help.Depression creeps in silently and can stay with you all your life. There’s always help available. If you’ve asked this question, you should take a step ahead and find the solution too.Good luck!
How can I tell if I'm depressed or if I'm just looking for excuses, being weak, and just don't want to deal with things?
They’re one in the same to be honest with you.Depression/Low Self Esteem are inner connected with a low desire to care or even deal with things.I’ve dealt with it my entire life, but I’ve found there’s always a source to it, always triggers.The trick is to stop letting people tell you how to take care of yourself. More times than not it’s a parent or sibling or someone close to you that’s caused you to feel this way. Even if it’s by neglect from one of the previously mentioned.Best thing you can do is to develop a healthy support system, find friends or family if you’re lucky that care about you and will help you through it.Don’t look at it as something you can’t get over, I’ve eliminated an entire side of a family, and my mother because they were driving me to the point of suicide. Once I removed them from my life and accepted it, I felt almost instantly better and have been putting my life together ever since.Have faith, you’re not alone. And don’t let anyone tell you your feelings aren’t important, if you’re unhappy, you’re not weak. The greatest strength is being honest and vulnerable, the rest of the world might not be able to handle that.But that’s their weakness, not yours.You’ve got this, you just need to eliminate the source of your sorrow from your life. And if it’s something you can’t control (if you’re a minor for example) find a counselor at school to talk to or a professional.Best way is choose to start removing it from your life, because you’re the only one who can.Best of luck <3
Could I be faking depression?
I used to ask myself this question a lot. Yes, I genuinely felt miserable a lot of the time, but sometimes I felt OK. I rarely felt like I couldn't do stuff, but somehow I would just… not do it.I would wonder if there was some sneaky part of me, hiding somewhere deep down in my mind, that was choosing to be that way. Like I had deliberately chosen to avoid doing chores and homework and all that stuff, and then chosen to lie to myself and pretend I didn't really have a choice. I wondered maybe it was because I really was just lazy and didn't want to admit it to myself.Is that anything like what you feel? Does that sound at all like the thoughts that run through your head when you wonder if you're somehow faking depression, even though you aren't consciously deciding to fake it?Well, maybe your thoughts are like mine and maybe they aren't. People are really different in lots of ways. So maybe this won't help you, but maybe it will.In order for you to be faking depression without intentionally choosing to do so, some part of your subconscious mind would have to be influencing you, convincing you to feel miserable and to stay in bed and all that stuff.But, you know what?That’s exactly what depression is.Now, if you're anything like I was, your brain probably just made a million excuses in three seconds, for why that isn't true and you don't really have depression and maybe you are consciously faking because there was that one time…But even if I'm wrong about everything I've said so far, here's one thing I'm pretty sure I'm right about: you aren't enjoying your life a lot of the time.That's reason enough to get help. You don't actually have to know whether you have depression. If you are faking it, there must be something going on in your life that motivates you to fake depression. A counselor can help you discover what that might be. If you have some completely different illness, a counselor can help you discover what that might be. If you have no illness at all, but something entirely different is happening, a counselor can help you discover what that might be.Seriously, go talk to a counselor, a clinical psychologist, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker… whoever is available. Tell them what's going on in your life. Heck, tell them why you think you might be faking depression. I can only guess what's going on with you. Somebody like that can actually help.
Is depression an excuse not to do work?
I am pretty sure I have depression. It has been going on for a few years and I show all the symptoms but I am too scared to tell anyone. but I have really struggled recently. I hate not doing my work because it makes me feel like I'm a terrible student and worthless which just escalates the situation. It ends up making me self harm because I can't cope with the stress. At the same time my depression makes it harder for me to concentrate and get my work done. my stress levels are through the roof, but I know I can't just stop doing the work because then my grades will suck. (I'm in honors and aps so there is a lot of work). I've always had good grades and have been on the honor/high honor role. my parents would flip **** if I got bad grades. I've always been the smart role model because I'm the oldest and I'm scared I won't be able to keep it up. Every time I do bad on a test my parents just think it's because I'm lazy and on my phone, but I really think it could be depression. Is this a valid reason why this is happening to me or am I just a crappy student?
Is it possible that I'm not really depressed and I'm using depression as an excuse for all my failures?
Anything is possible, the question is whether it’s probable, and the most likely conclusion. This is difficult for an individual to honestly determine, especially if they ARE depressed, in any objective kind of way.Failures are magnified in the midst of depression, accomplishments forgotten. If one can blame an illness for when they fall short, then how can they take credit for their successful ventures?Depressive individuals tend to overanalyze and think too much about the past, getting caught up in useless what if thinking to the point of dwelling overmuch and failing to look forward and live in the moment. This is not necessarily a bad thing, just one to acknowledge and be mindful of.People who are depressed are often over critical of themselves, and measure their lives against those of others in ways that may not be equitable.“Susie is married with three children and I’m divorced from someone I’m still in love with”“Fred has his PhD and is on the tenure track and I never finished my bachelor’s degree”“Jen has her own successful business and a beautiful home while I’m stuck in a dead end job, living in a cramped apt with roommates in a bad neighborhood”Social media can be toxic in this way, especially if you consume it too much and take it to heart.Accepting depression is not making an excuse for failure. It’s learning you may have certain limitations, finding out how to function within them, and planning to have a toolbox to fix things when times get tough.Best of Luck!
My boyfriend has depression and anxiety, and uses it as an excuse for everything. What should I do?
My boyfriend is 29. Im 22. We have been dating for 1 year now. Its a struggle to do anything with him, because if hes not "in the mood" to do anything then we CANT do it. He will say he has to much anxiety to go out and go shopping or do whatever I might want to do. -He will back out of plans with me and say hes too depressed to do anything. -Ill have plans to sleep over, and he will last min say he just wants to be alone. -Im always on edge wondering what his MOOD will be like. Its getting ridiculous. - I cant rely on him to do anything for me, because more then likely he will back out of plans. ----BUT when he wants to do something, I always go along and am always willing to do what he wants to do. --Excuse my language but I feel like im being SCREWED. I dont doubt his depression but sometimes I feel like hes just using it for an excuse, and really hes just a selfish person only concerned with his own feelings...What do you think? Any advice? Thanks!