[fingers1]

This past May I suddenly came out of depression due to the bright spring sunshine after a very long depression. I went into overdrive and was waking at 5 am each morning. I spent a lot of money and erected a Victorian
greenhouse in our garden. This energy lasted 5 weeks and then I returned to my usual semi low mood as predicted by my using 5mg Olanzapine.
(my only med) I noticed that I started to look after my personal hygiene
more and started to cover my bed in each morning, my sense of humour has also returned (laughing) I also became more sociable. I am still depressed as I have little energy . I can gauge that my mood has improved as I have started to do things each week. I am diagnosed as having Bipolar 2 with a very slow cycle and a large element of Seasonal affective disorder.
I am hopeful and optamistic that I am going to improve towards a period of normal mood as has happened in the past.
I have so far avoided my usual winter deep depression by spending
60 days in the sunshine of Spain.
I would like to know what you do or don't do to tell how depressed you are.
I have also noticed that the elephant does not sit on my lap during the day.
Fingers1

[gayleggg]

If I don't make my bed or shower I'm really depressed. When all I do all day is stay on the computer or lay on the couch I'm usually depressed. When I feel like the weight of the world is on my shoulders I'm depressed.

When I'm not depressed I am creative and full of fun and energy. I stay constantly busy and get bored easily.

When I'm deeply depressed, I camp out on the sofa for days and nights. I also feel like my body is made of lead. When I'm slightly depressed and active, I get these instant crying urges where my eyes cringe and I want to burst out a wet one but don't. Sometimes I'll emit a sob, then back to a decent mood. I think this is where my antidepressant is doing its job battling the depression.

[avlady]

i also have seasonal affective disorder and know how bad the depression in the winter especially can get. i don't like cold days either. i try to stay in the house as much as possible and get exercise from an elipitical machine. i hate the level of depression gets, so low, i can't take it anymore sometimes and landed in the hospital a few times because of the depression. i havn't been there for a few yeas now, but feel like i need the hospital almost every day, but i fight the feeling.

[Mrs. Mania]

I know depression has hit when I start squirting tears. Especially when I'm in public. It really sucks when you can't control tears from rolling at the checkout, uuggghhhh. I also ignore personal hygiene. I force myself to socialize with my family to help pull out of it.

i know i'm really depressed when:

i'm not listening to music. (or if i do it's on really low) like it sounds like it's coming from behind a door

cry for no reason

close and lock my door

have really intense thoughts (which usually keep me from anything else)

go overboard with SH

[fingers1]

Originally Posted by shattered sanity

i know i'm really depressed when:

i'm not listening to music. (or if i do it's on really low) like it sounds like it's coming from behind a door

cry for no reason

close and lock my door

have really intense thoughts (which usually keep me from anything else)

go overboard with SH

Yes ! Not listening to music (the love of my life) is a big one.

fingers1

[Gale-in-UH]

Depressed. I can only get from my bed to the couch - Everything I force myself to, such as, cleaning - preparing food - dressing (forget a shower) causes painful anxiety - only my responsibilities to my two dogs seems somewhat painless.

[furiousfever]

I start sleeping for fifteen hours a day, sobbing randomly and uncontrollably and thinking about suicide non stop.
I'm doing this **** right now. Fingers crossed it doesn't get worse?

Also, when I'm disinterested in sex.

A sunny day seems cloudy.

When happy people makes me sick.

[LettinG0]

Originally Posted by AlwaysChanging2

When happy people makes me sick.

I'm glad I am not the only one

[Tucson]

When I cannot get out of bed, it is the worst. When I can get some tasks done with allot of effort, I am doing better. When I can get allot done, and I am sitting upright on the sofa, I am doing good. It only gets better when I can shower every day.