Severely Depressed Woman Misunderstood Her Symptoms, Says She’s Sorry For Not Seeking Treatment Sooner
“People think the only depression symptom is sadness. People think depression is crying. People think depression is dressing in black. But people are wrong. Depression is a constant feeling of being numb. Being numb to emotions, being numb to life. You wake up in the morning just to go to bed again.”
This quote highlights some of the many misunderstandings that many people have about this insidious mental illness. Even those living with depression can take a long time to realize and accept that something might be wrong with their mental health – and that a nagging, permanent state of anxiety and exhaustion, which only alcohol seems to alleviate, is not just a natural consequence of a busy lifestyle.
Imgur user Ekad felt ‘flat’ for quite some time before she, with the help of a supportive husband, decided to seek mental help. With hindsight, Ekad feels like she should have recognized the signs of her mental disorder much earlier, and is now encouraging others not to repeat her mistake.
Because there is no shame in mental problems, and no reason to suffer in silence. Major depressive disorder affects approximately 17.3 million American adults, or about 7.1% of the U.S. population age 18 and older, so you are by no means alone in this.
If you are feeling lost, exhausted, bereft, and simply not yourself, go and see a doctor about your mental issues!
Here’s what people had to say about the helpful post
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I disagree...she is obviously depressed..but the type of depression that gets overlooked is what i call living in the grey zone..where you rarely are happy,where you rarely are sad..people tend to brush it off as just being a dude...but it is as bad as not wanting to get out of bed,etc
I get this a lot. Pretty much whenever I’m not straight up sad. I don’t ever really feel that happy anymore unless I’m all alone but when I’m around others I just wish I was asleep.
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I'm struck by the reply that basically said "I take comfort in knowing I can always kill myself. It puts me in control." That's hardcore! But it's totally true. When I'm doing badly, it helps to know I can always pull the ripcord. That's something I (understandably) don't share with a lot of people.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Load More Replies...
You need to be tested for several other issues first. Soooo many things can cause depression symptoms but that wouldn't automatically mean you suffer from the illness; depression. Test for example for thyroid issues, levels of vitamine B12, your iron levels including ferritine. Check if you have ADD instead. Or CFS. Depression is the easiest diagnosis but if your symptoms are causes by ADD for example, you'll get a wrong treatment and won't get better.
Yeah.....insist on getting tested for other things too. My GP pushed psych meds at me for two years based on a questionnaire (fine print at the bottom: "brought to you by Pfizer"). I finally ended up in the ER at the peak of a gradual increase in fatigue, forgetfulness, confusion, weakness, general malaise, and finally, the trigger to call the ambulance, suddenly having a hard time breathing. Turns out I had atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm) - according to the cardiologists, caused by undertreated hypertension and undiagnosed anemia, both likely caused by sleep apnea (when you stop breathing in your sleep, which greatly reduces the oxygen in your brain and body). I had to have my heart electroshocked to bring the rhythms in line, blood pressure meds and blood thinners, and now starting sleep apnea CPAP treatment now. Still working on the anemia. Don't buy the depression line if you don't think it applies. Make your doctor look deeper, or find one who will.
Good advice! I went to the doctor sensing that something had changed, that something was going wrong in my body. When the thyroid test came back normal, the doctor sat down with me and explained that what I was feeling was just the tip of the iceberg and that it would get much worse unless I started taking Valium ASAP. Well, I didn't even buy the meds but cut back significantly on my workload. It didn´t help, I kept feeling fatigued and, well, off. Fast forward five and a half years and I finally had another symptom, a dull pain low in the abdomen, so off to a gynecologist who found a fibroid in the uterus. He said it would go away on its own. Another couple of months and there is a little bit of blood in my stools. Colon cancer! That was no fibroid... I say "Thank you" to modern medicine and great doctors. I am very, very lucky to be alive - to do battle with depression. Life does not come with a guarantee.
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I scored 27....but help is so expensive that I gave up.... Sigh im glad at least that you got help!
If you think you have depression or anxiety, don't just Google DASS and accept what result you get. It doesn't address all types of depression or anxiety by a long shot. Also, don't be like Shireen and just "dig deep". That kind of thinking is a great way to make things even worse, by increasing feelings of inadequacy when you're not able to magically push through. Yeah, you may get your work done, but if your problem isn't workload stress, you're not addressing your issues. Ask for help.
Writing this from my garbage mound that doubles as a desk, with a house full of undone chores and 2 week old unwashed hair, I think she may have a point.
A degree in psychology, but not knowing the definition/symptoms of depression. Well, that education was a waste of money.
Yeah I felt these exact symptoms really bad for the almost the entire school year last year (*because* of school) and my therapist told me she didn’t think I had depression so I ended up telling myself I was being dramatic :/ definitely not good, but I’m wondering if it was more recently classified as depression so they didn’t learn it or something like that (I don’t really know how things like that work though)
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I have bad anxiety, but nobody understands/believes me. People don't think I have anxiety because I'm happy and I'm not crying 24/7. People just don't get it.
If you live in the USA, search for mental health and your county or parish name. Many counties and parishes in the states have county run mental health services with sliding scale fees, based on income. The great news is that their services are free for many people. The bad news is that the facilities have many patients, and not enough staff. The workload can be overwhelming, so there is high staff turnover. However, it's a great place to work with mental health professionals.
She has a psychology degree....but is going to a psychologist for...help? Did i read that correctly? A pyschologist cant prescribe any medication. So any help she may get is what...therapy? Yet her depression could be due to a chemical imbalance in her brain ,etc. And this woman has a psychology degree? And she wonders why she didnt recognize her depression sooner....okkkkayyyyy
Doctors need Doctors too... so what’s wrong with a psychiatrist seeing a physiatrist??
Load More Replies... 
I diagnosed myself with depression when I was at university - I was mising lectures, extremely emotional extremely angry, very numb and sometimes I would just stare into space. I went to the doctor and she suggested a focus group; no medication thankfully - I decided that I didn't want a focus group for many reasons, so I decided to fight it myself. I dug deep, asked for help when I need it at university, I got a tutor and graduated. Graduated basically cured my depression because there was no more stress or anxiety. There are things at home that caused my depression at home but I have that mostly under control now... I know this won't work for everyone but sometime you have to dig deep, look at yourself in the mirror and realise that you're much stronger than you think you are.
I've been dealing with depression off and on for the past 12 years now and I can honestly say it's not just about being sad and weepy. For me, one of the feelings connected to my depression is guilt. If on my days off from work I don't do anything, I feel guilty. Another way my depression manifest that most people don't think about is anger. When I am upset about something, I express in anger rather than sadness. Some days with depression, I sleep all the time and then there are days that no matter what I do I can't calm my brain enough to sleep
Not hears of the DASS test before. Been treated for depression on and off since I was 11. Off work (with chronic pain and back injury as well) since 2001. Got a 36 for depression and just a couple of points above normal for anxiety and stress. Stopping work did wonders for the anxiety and stress (I was fired for being off sick with doctors' notes) I can occasionally do things as long as I am willing to miss the next few days (sometimes a few weeks if it involves travel and other people) sleeping between taking meds. The knowledge that life is only a temporary situation and will eventually end helps me keep going.
I've always wondered, if I had a 'f**k this' button somewhere on me, that could permanently shut me off in an instant, how many times would I have pressed it. I reached double digits in my mid-twenties. I'm fourty now, and add another to the counter every few weeks. But hey, we're all eating a big s**t-sandwich in this world, so who cares. I'll score 33-16-34 on that test and carry on regardless, like many others now counting their mood swings and low spots in decades.
This is all fine and good.....IF you can see a doctor. Many of us cannot. And the answer to that is 'suck it up, buttercup' from everyone. We are dying, people like me. There is no help for us. An occasional few minutes on a hotline isn't helping. I have gone through years of what she described above, and no one cares. No one. Some of us have no one to care about us. We're the ones that die and no one cares or notices. We don't matter anyway because we don't have loved ones to care.
PLEASE talk to someone-anyone who can make you feel the slightest bit better (or at the VERY least doesn't make you feel like s**t). People care! Please! I don't want you to feel alone. If you are reading this and not Kristi Lindey, upvote if you care.
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S**t I just took it and also got a 34. Still, I have been getting help and feeling better than I was several months ago. Still, school has been overwhelming since it started and I haven't had the best day today, which tends to heavily trigger symptoms. I'm glad I'm getting help and that I'm hopefully going to be tested soon for symptoms of ADHD/Autism.
I also scored very high. The only thing is, I know what can help me and it's not psych meds (tried every one under the sun a few years ago after a bad breakup, and they don't do anything for me at all). Finding a good job (I'm currently looking), finding a partner (I've been alone for a long time, despite looking), finding a social circle (haven't found one, and don't currently have close friends). Got any of those in a bottle? Nope - I didn't think so.
I ended up taking a lot of pills and ending up at the hospital, before I was diagnosed with stress, depression and anxiety. I wasn't trying to kill myself. I just didn't want to go to work the next day. Please listen to your body. I had strong signs, like crying in the parking lot before going into work, but ignored them and pressed on, until my body and mind couldn't cope anymore. I've been on sick leave close to a year now and is on medication. I'm slowly getting better.
31 17 26. I anticipated something like that, but I don't have the time to go to the doctor. I am my own help fow now, my out of the ordinary character got me out of past depressions, it'll get me out of this one too, in time. Good luck guys and gals, we'll overcome it <3
Went to check one of DASS test and I scored 'Severe' in each categories (Depression, Anxiety, Stress). I don't feel that severe but the tests says so.
I did one online and it said I had severe anxiety while I only had minor anxiety, so it’s best to get a a professional test done.
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can also be a sociopath. most successful business people have some of that in them. I know A lot of people who wanted and became Shrinks who had mental issues them selves. Being a Psychologist doesnt mean you can treat your own conditions
"socipath. most successful business people have some of that in them" Are you certain of that? Do you have proof?
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I love how people use memes. What a good, quick and easy way to trivialise mental illness. Good job!
She might also be physically or mentally overwhelmed( 4 kids and maybe needs a new hobby, change of scenery or make over). Not saying it isn't chemical but being overwhelmed can cause depression too. Maybe needs help with the house on occasion.
did ... did you just recommend a 'make-over' for severe depression??
Load More Replies...
She makes it sound like anyone going thru a rough stretch has depression. I know I've been suffering from depression for at least 4 yrs since my divorce not because of it but because of my living conditions after it - moving back into my mom's. No matter what I do it's difficult to get back out on my feet again as a single person with pets. I've been depressed, suicidal several times, and continue to bust my a*s to keep myself busy w. My lousy job and my pets. So many people want a pill to solve their issues and the discussion they should have w. their Dr is what lifestyle changes they should make to lift them out of their depression. But nah, too often people would rather risk taking a pill and suffer its unknown side-effects. Unfortunately not all of us can find that magical anti-depressant where we don't suffer from the horrible side-effects.
Hollister18, antidepressants are not magicall pills, do not fix any issue, they do not make you happy, but antidepressants can help you be not miserable enough to be able to function. Side-effects vary between different ones and vary greatly between different people. 'NoYFB' points out in their excellent comment that it is important to also investigate if there is a different mental health issue present. If what you suffer from is not depression, yes, the side effects will be bad.
Load More Replies... I disagree...she is obviously depressed..but the type of depression that gets overlooked is what i call living in the grey zone..where you rarely are happy,where you rarely are sad..people tend to brush it off as just being a dude...but it is as bad as not wanting to get out of bed,etc
I get this a lot. Pretty much whenever I’m not straight up sad. I don’t ever really feel that happy anymore unless I’m all alone but when I’m around others I just wish I was asleep.
Load More Replies... I'm struck by the reply that basically said "I take comfort in knowing I can always kill myself. It puts me in control." That's hardcore! But it's totally true. When I'm doing badly, it helps to know I can always pull the ripcord. That's something I (understandably) don't share with a lot of people.
Suicide Prevention Lifeline https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Load More Replies... You need to be tested for several other issues first. Soooo many things can cause depression symptoms but that wouldn't automatically mean you suffer from the illness; depression. Test for example for thyroid issues, levels of vitamine B12, your iron levels including ferritine. Check if you have ADD instead. Or CFS. Depression is the easiest diagnosis but if your symptoms are causes by ADD for example, you'll get a wrong treatment and won't get better.
Yeah.....insist on getting tested for other things too. My GP pushed psych meds at me for two years based on a questionnaire (fine print at the bottom: "brought to you by Pfizer"). I finally ended up in the ER at the peak of a gradual increase in fatigue, forgetfulness, confusion, weakness, general malaise, and finally, the trigger to call the ambulance, suddenly having a hard time breathing. Turns out I had atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm) - according to the cardiologists, caused by undertreated hypertension and undiagnosed anemia, both likely caused by sleep apnea (when you stop breathing in your sleep, which greatly reduces the oxygen in your brain and body). I had to have my heart electroshocked to bring the rhythms in line, blood pressure meds and blood thinners, and now starting sleep apnea CPAP treatment now. Still working on the anemia. Don't buy the depression line if you don't think it applies. Make your doctor look deeper, or find one who will.
Good advice! I went to the doctor sensing that something had changed, that something was going wrong in my body. When the thyroid test came back normal, the doctor sat down with me and explained that what I was feeling was just the tip of the iceberg and that it would get much worse unless I started taking Valium ASAP. Well, I didn't even buy the meds but cut back significantly on my workload. It didn´t help, I kept feeling fatigued and, well, off. Fast forward five and a half years and I finally had another symptom, a dull pain low in the abdomen, so off to a gynecologist who found a fibroid in the uterus. He said it would go away on its own. Another couple of months and there is a little bit of blood in my stools. Colon cancer! That was no fibroid... I say "Thank you" to modern medicine and great doctors. I am very, very lucky to be alive - to do battle with depression. Life does not come with a guarantee.
Load More Replies... I scored 27....but help is so expensive that I gave up.... Sigh im glad at least that you got help!
If you think you have depression or anxiety, don't just Google DASS and accept what result you get. It doesn't address all types of depression or anxiety by a long shot. Also, don't be like Shireen and just "dig deep". That kind of thinking is a great way to make things even worse, by increasing feelings of inadequacy when you're not able to magically push through. Yeah, you may get your work done, but if your problem isn't workload stress, you're not addressing your issues. Ask for help.
Writing this from my garbage mound that doubles as a desk, with a house full of undone chores and 2 week old unwashed hair, I think she may have a point.
A degree in psychology, but not knowing the definition/symptoms of depression. Well, that education was a waste of money.
Yeah I felt these exact symptoms really bad for the almost the entire school year last year (*because* of school) and my therapist told me she didn’t think I had depression so I ended up telling myself I was being dramatic :/ definitely not good, but I’m wondering if it was more recently classified as depression so they didn’t learn it or something like that (I don’t really know how things like that work though)
Load More Replies... I have bad anxiety, but nobody understands/believes me. People don't think I have anxiety because I'm happy and I'm not crying 24/7. People just don't get it.
If you live in the USA, search for mental health and your county or parish name. Many counties and parishes in the states have county run mental health services with sliding scale fees, based on income. The great news is that their services are free for many people. The bad news is that the facilities have many patients, and not enough staff. The workload can be overwhelming, so there is high staff turnover. However, it's a great place to work with mental health professionals.
She has a psychology degree....but is going to a psychologist for...help? Did i read that correctly? A pyschologist cant prescribe any medication. So any help she may get is what...therapy? Yet her depression could be due to a chemical imbalance in her brain ,etc. And this woman has a psychology degree? And she wonders why she didnt recognize her depression sooner....okkkkayyyyy
Doctors need Doctors too... so what’s wrong with a psychiatrist seeing a physiatrist??
Load More Replies... I diagnosed myself with depression when I was at university - I was mising lectures, extremely emotional extremely angry, very numb and sometimes I would just stare into space. I went to the doctor and she suggested a focus group; no medication thankfully - I decided that I didn't want a focus group for many reasons, so I decided to fight it myself. I dug deep, asked for help when I need it at university, I got a tutor and graduated. Graduated basically cured my depression because there was no more stress or anxiety. There are things at home that caused my depression at home but I have that mostly under control now... I know this won't work for everyone but sometime you have to dig deep, look at yourself in the mirror and realise that you're much stronger than you think you are.
I've been dealing with depression off and on for the past 12 years now and I can honestly say it's not just about being sad and weepy. For me, one of the feelings connected to my depression is guilt. If on my days off from work I don't do anything, I feel guilty. Another way my depression manifest that most people don't think about is anger. When I am upset about something, I express in anger rather than sadness. Some days with depression, I sleep all the time and then there are days that no matter what I do I can't calm my brain enough to sleep
Not hears of the DASS test before. Been treated for depression on and off since I was 11. Off work (with chronic pain and back injury as well) since 2001. Got a 36 for depression and just a couple of points above normal for anxiety and stress. Stopping work did wonders for the anxiety and stress (I was fired for being off sick with doctors' notes) I can occasionally do things as long as I am willing to miss the next few days (sometimes a few weeks if it involves travel and other people) sleeping between taking meds. The knowledge that life is only a temporary situation and will eventually end helps me keep going.
I've always wondered, if I had a 'f**k this' button somewhere on me, that could permanently shut me off in an instant, how many times would I have pressed it. I reached double digits in my mid-twenties. I'm fourty now, and add another to the counter every few weeks. But hey, we're all eating a big s**t-sandwich in this world, so who cares. I'll score 33-16-34 on that test and carry on regardless, like many others now counting their mood swings and low spots in decades.
This is all fine and good.....IF you can see a doctor. Many of us cannot. And the answer to that is 'suck it up, buttercup' from everyone. We are dying, people like me. There is no help for us. An occasional few minutes on a hotline isn't helping. I have gone through years of what she described above, and no one cares. No one. Some of us have no one to care about us. We're the ones that die and no one cares or notices. We don't matter anyway because we don't have loved ones to care.
PLEASE talk to someone-anyone who can make you feel the slightest bit better (or at the VERY least doesn't make you feel like s**t). People care! Please! I don't want you to feel alone. If you are reading this and not Kristi Lindey, upvote if you care.
Load More Replies... S**t I just took it and also got a 34. Still, I have been getting help and feeling better than I was several months ago. Still, school has been overwhelming since it started and I haven't had the best day today, which tends to heavily trigger symptoms. I'm glad I'm getting help and that I'm hopefully going to be tested soon for symptoms of ADHD/Autism.
I also scored very high. The only thing is, I know what can help me and it's not psych meds (tried every one under the sun a few years ago after a bad breakup, and they don't do anything for me at all). Finding a good job (I'm currently looking), finding a partner (I've been alone for a long time, despite looking), finding a social circle (haven't found one, and don't currently have close friends). Got any of those in a bottle? Nope - I didn't think so.
I ended up taking a lot of pills and ending up at the hospital, before I was diagnosed with stress, depression and anxiety. I wasn't trying to kill myself. I just didn't want to go to work the next day. Please listen to your body. I had strong signs, like crying in the parking lot before going into work, but ignored them and pressed on, until my body and mind couldn't cope anymore. I've been on sick leave close to a year now and is on medication. I'm slowly getting better.
31 17 26. I anticipated something like that, but I don't have the time to go to the doctor. I am my own help fow now, my out of the ordinary character got me out of past depressions, it'll get me out of this one too, in time. Good luck guys and gals, we'll overcome it <3
Went to check one of DASS test and I scored 'Severe' in each categories (Depression, Anxiety, Stress). I don't feel that severe but the tests says so.
I did one online and it said I had severe anxiety while I only had minor anxiety, so it’s best to get a a professional test done.
Load More Replies... can also be a sociopath. most successful business people have some of that in them. I know A lot of people who wanted and became Shrinks who had mental issues them selves. Being a Psychologist doesnt mean you can treat your own conditions
"socipath. most successful business people have some of that in them" Are you certain of that? Do you have proof?
Load More Replies... I love how people use memes. What a good, quick and easy way to trivialise mental illness. Good job!
She might also be physically or mentally overwhelmed( 4 kids and maybe needs a new hobby, change of scenery or make over). Not saying it isn't chemical but being overwhelmed can cause depression too. Maybe needs help with the house on occasion.
did ... did you just recommend a 'make-over' for severe depression??
Load More Replies... She makes it sound like anyone going thru a rough stretch has depression. I know I've been suffering from depression for at least 4 yrs since my divorce not because of it but because of my living conditions after it - moving back into my mom's. No matter what I do it's difficult to get back out on my feet again as a single person with pets. I've been depressed, suicidal several times, and continue to bust my a*s to keep myself busy w. My lousy job and my pets. So many people want a pill to solve their issues and the discussion they should have w. their Dr is what lifestyle changes they should make to lift them out of their depression. But nah, too often people would rather risk taking a pill and suffer its unknown side-effects. Unfortunately not all of us can find that magical anti-depressant where we don't suffer from the horrible side-effects.
Hollister18, antidepressants are not magicall pills, do not fix any issue, they do not make you happy, but antidepressants can help you be not miserable enough to be able to function. Side-effects vary between different ones and vary greatly between different people. 'NoYFB' points out in their excellent comment that it is important to also investigate if there is a different mental health issue present. If what you suffer from is not depression, yes, the side effects will be bad.
Load More Replies... 
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