Is it normal to still be severely depressed after...

72% Normal
6 Comments

I am 21 and was diagnosed with dysthymia at 17 (mild depression). Since then things have only been getting worse and now I find myself having a psychiatrist and a counselor who help a little but I find it extremely hard just to get up in the morning. I exercise consistently and eat well, have some friends and practice my instrument a lot but am still searching for a summer job.. Despite all this I feel like shit and am angry and lonely 75% of the time. I'm gay and partially closeted but I hate it. I don't relate to other gays as they tend to be flamboyant or "masculine" and weird af. So... is it normal to have this depression without relief?

Voting Results
72% Normal
Based on 25 votes (18 yes)
Help us keep this site organized and clean. Thanks!
[ Report Post ]
Comments ( 6 )
  • plainsight90
    9 years ago

    Many people deal with this. It gets better, trust me.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    2
    2
      -
    • wonderwhy
      9 years ago

      I've heard this too many times. I remember feeling shitty since I was. a kid. So how long does it take?

      Comment Hidden ( show )
      1
      1
        -
      • plainsight90
        9 years ago

        Well, I felt like you (plus random anxiety) during middle school, high school, and a few times in my life when I had too much time to think. It really sucked. But then, I got a few hobbies such as hiking, jogging, and volunteering. I also quit my shitty job and got a better one all while going to college to get my degree. I guess you could say I "forced" myself into doing these things and keeping busy.

        I also talked to my doctor and she put me on an antidepressant and we tracked my progress together.

        I can't tell you how long this will take for you to get over these feelings, but, you gotta "fake it til you make it." You are still young. Don't give up. Find something worth living for :)

        Comment Hidden ( show )
        0
        0
          -
        • wonderwhy
          9 years ago

          People often tell me they are jealous of my passion for music. I'm a music major and play my instrument a lot and have "found" my hobby. I live for helping others discover the joy in music but still find myself very empty. I'm on antidepressants and have not found relief from the 4 different ones I've taken. I'm busy faking smiles and laughs and it's getting pretty fucking old.

          Comment Hidden ( show )
          0
          0
  • dickheadalert
    9 years ago

    I'm 21 now, and only fully came out last year. Once I did that, most of my MDD (Major Depressive Disorder) was lifted....only to be replaced by anxiety attacks. I see psychiatrists as well, and to be honest, they can't see inside your brain. They can only base their diagnoses on what you tell them. Depression is a somewhat "normal" human emotion, a chemical imbalance as I'm assuming you'd know. Most anti-depressants will over time worsen your condition, and as I've found, some stimulants will too.

    I've been majorly depressed since I was 10 year old. Now I'm 21 and I still have the downer days, but they're not as bad as they used to be. My advice would be to keep doing things you enjoy.

    Anger, on the other hand, needs a close eye. I've had a serious assault conviction put on me by the courts, because of one impulsive moment when a homophobe decided to have a go at me as I left the local gay bar on my first night there. I put him in hospital with a broken nose, four teeth gone and one less kidney, the charge only being downgraded from Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) because he was seen provoking me, AND struck first when I insulted him. I still haven't found an effective way of releasing anger from the past, so I can't help you there. As I said above, do as much as you can to keep your mind from dwelling on depressing and angry thoughts.

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    1
    1
  • Avant-Garde
    9 years ago

    Could part of your depression be stemming from your sexuality and the stigma that surrounds it?

    Comment Hidden ( show )
    1
    1