Depression, is it always noticeable?

I raise this question cause sometimes I feel great, but off. I do like to do the depression quizzes on here and well, it has been saying I have symptoms depression. Now I know it is not exact science, but can I be living in a false bubble to where I don't recognize mild depression after living so many years with crippling depression?

Sure. Take pain - it is measured on a scale of 0 to 10. Last time I was overseas, I had a migraine attack with pain at 8 the day before the flight. Then the pain subsided, and on my 11 hr long flight to JFK, I had pain at 2. I was so happy! I would often picture my misery had I still had pain at 8 while strapped in a seat for hours. In comparison to that, mild pain was nothing. Maybe you go further in that you don't even recognize mild symptoms.

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Thanks hamster, the pain thing is so true. I have a bad back and yes it can hurt less and I tolerate it easier and at times have learned to ignore it.

To pose another question, should I be concerned enough to mention it to my pdoc? Or can I write it off as normal? I am lonely a lot and it is kinda depressing, but it seems it would be that way to anyone.

Tell the pdoc exactly that - that you are lonely, and it is kinda depressing, but, you think, it would be so for anyone in your shoes.

I can't tell my mood swings because they are lighter then they use to be.

I definitely don't recognize mild depression, and really don't know how to tell the difference between that and baseline, since I've had so many episodes of more severe depression.

I have a hard enough time telling situational depression from the chemical stuff. All I know is when I am mildly depressed, I feel a little sick or tired.

Thanks all, I don't see my pdoc again until June (they are so overbooked). The last time he saw me he mentioned putting me back on prozac if I become depressed. It is a pain in the rear to discuss anything before then because it has to go through the nurses and they decide what to do with it. They sometimes make bad judgement calls. Gotta love the clinics .

i think its possible to be depressed and not much notice it. i think ive lived such a major proportion of my life depressed that it just feels normal. until i fall all the way, face in dirt, the really dark places, etc euphemisms for the "serious" depression.

thats really unfortunate vjdragonfly that you have to wait so long for your appointment. its so disheartening to want help so badly and get that kind of response.

I have a hard time recognizing my depression until it gets pretty bad because a) I've struggled with it for so long, since I was very young, I have a hard time differentiating it from "normal" and b) my biggest depressive symptom is just being really, really tired. Like exhausted despite ten hours of sleep the last five nights tired. Which can be caused by a lot of things, so often I let it go for several months (oh I just need to take more b-vitamins! or catch up on sleep! or do some yoga! or work out more! coffee coffee coffee LOL) before I realize whoa I don't want to get out of bed and haven't for a couple of weeks now...

so no, I don't think it's always obvious or noticeable, especially if you have struggled with it for a long time.

My baseline has been mild depression for so long it feels normal now. But i know i didn't always feel this way, so it must be depression

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Hey, vj! June, wow. I think it's worth mentioning. Especially when you don't get to see him much, it would seem appropriate to apprise him of whatever state you find yourself in at the time, you know? Have you tried to figure out in what particular way you feel "off"? Any other things it tends to be associated with? (I guess I'm getting at a mood charting sort of thing where you see if there are patterns.)

I'm not much of a fan of the online quizzes. Personally, unless I was feeling pretty damn good, it'd probably indicate depression. (Maybe so much time there over sooo many years and the results thereof have affected how I perceive things in general???) I DO think that it can be hard to recognize milder depression when you've battled your way through the really bad ones. Kind of an, "Oh, pffft, this is nothing." And in relation, it may well be, but that doesn't mean it's not worth attending to.

I tend to blow it off till it gets really bad (just ask my psych ). This is not recommended! On the other hand, beware of over-thinking. Analyzing every nuance is crazy-making, imo. Pretty good is pretty good and just keep an eye on it Better yet if you can get another set of trustworthy eyes on it. For example, I may be the one living it, but it's not unusual for my BF to perceive shifts earlier.

I know it can get boring, but mood tracking on Optimism Online, over time, might help you discern subtler changes.

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Thanks everyone.

Innerzone, I do agree I need to talk to my hubs. I just get to where I worry my family ping me harder because I am bp, especially my daughter when I am ill with her. I did notice last week that I had been more agitated then usual. In results I did have to apologize to my daughter for some harsh words. On the other hand, since she has turned 18, she has been disrespectful, mouthy, and just plain outright does pretty much what she wants. I just feel like if I'm not all "happy go lucky", they think I need a med change. But, my husband has brought up in the past things that I have done, when I asked, very lovingly. He also used my depression when we first got together to write off my true feelings too. I did address that though. Darn those demons in my head pulling me into distrust and confusion. I just don't want to jump the gun and be put back on Prozac for possibly no reason . So torn right now.

Thanks amster-bamster, I'll have to check that one out. I think keeping up with my mood would be beneficial in the long run.