[xRavenx]

Anyone notice that there are certain things you do to mask or distract yourself from depression that are not so healthy?

I am noticing I need to be more mindful of avoiding certain patterns where I have a tendency to avoid facing my depression. Sometimes I engage in behaviors that either not good for me, forms of self-medicating, risky sex, etc. Sometimes I drink too much or take too many pills, but a big one for me is hanging out with the wrong people just to hide behind my depression.

They are usually not the healthiest people, so we feed off of each other, or I let certain friends or people back into my life out of loneliness. It's just when I'm depressed, I try to do anything to temporarily alleviate that feeling at any cost. I know I need to work on changing this, but it's hard. Something usually triggers, and I fall into this pattern. Can anyone relate?

[Shazerac]

When I get depressed I tend to isolate and stay in bed. Don't have enough energy to do anything risky. At least you are aware you're doing this. Maybe when you're feeling better you can come up with some kind of plan for coping with depression that isn't as harmful to you.

[CarriB]

I try not to leave my house when I'm depressed. I'll go to work, do the motions, then come home and sit on the couch.

[StewieGG]

I used to have risky sex before I met my boyfriend. For me it was because I was very manic and full of myself, I felt like I could do anything. I met with a man I met on the Internet in a city I'd never been in before and had risky sex. I really regret my behavior at that point in my life, I feel a lot of guilt now and when I'm depressed I feel disgusted at myself.

When I'm depressed I self harm and become very delusional, especially about my boyfriend. I can relate to you even though my experience is a bit different.

[xRavenx]

Originally Posted by CarriB

I try not to leave my house when I'm depressed. I'll go to work, do the motions, then come home and sit on the couch.

My depressions often start that way where I isolate, not go anywhere, etc., but then eventually I start getting impulsive and energetic (in a bad agitated way), yet I feel depressed and very anxious. Maybe I'm starting to lean a little more towards a "mixed state" rather than when I'm in a low-energy depressive state. Either way, it's hard to stop. I want to be able to make good choices for myself, but it's hard. I also have intrusive thoughts.

[Theresa1991]

When really depressed I will just try to avoid any contact with people. I will do my stuff and then go home to watch movies and drink. I have sometimes been wondering if my hypomania is a disguised depression though. I get very energetic but also pretty irritable. My dad explained his manic states away with "just a reaction of the body to depression". But he also chased my question if he might be bipolar away like a fly. Anyway I can pretty much hide my depression from people around me.

[JustJace2u]

I tend to isolate myself and shut down when I get really depressed.

[wiretwister]

the deeper I go the more I reach into my Soon-kyu obsession ... but to be fair it did stop my last su ...

[Wander]

With mild/moderate depression I am a master of disguise, esp at work. No one would have a clue. If anything I act extra chirpy to compensate. This only exhausts me and isolates me further though. Being honest is better for our health but that is not always possible. When very depressed I usually end up in hospital if unable to function or hide in my flat and keep up with the basics if able.

Like others, I tend to isolate myself. I do that for two reasons: (1) I hate being around people when I'm depressed because I feel like sh#t and don't want to talk to anyone, and (2) I don't want people seeing me that way.

I'll also spend a money on random things just to make me feel better, not necessarily because I want them.