[Whydepression?]

Im sure this has been addressed many times already but it new to me, how many feel like your negative thoughts are reality?

I can be working on the computer and a negative memory comes into my mind and it immediately causes my mood to take a dive. I start sweating and my stomach churns and I begin the cycle of guilt.

I know alot of people due to my social circles and unfortunately know the problems others are having. A thought comes into my mind about someone else's problems and I feel the pain like its happening to me. It doesn't make sense but I start convincing myself that I am the other person and their drama becomes my own. Is this common or just my depressed mind playing games? Thanks everyone for your thoughts!

[pandarama123456789]

You are not alone in feeling that way. I feel that I am sensitive to other peoples emotions, like their feelings influence how I feel. I think some people are just sensitive of other peoples moods and they pick up on them and can feel how that person feels

[sue mac]

I think of things iv done in my past that prob (hopefully) no one rembers that makes me sick feeling to my stomice worst feeling. Ur not alone

[NYCDoglvr]

Here's a mantra I've adopted: feelings aren't facts. I call those thoughts "depression think" so I don't personalize them. In the short term it helps to get active, go for a walk, to the mall, anything but sit with my thoughts. When it gets to the point where I can't stop the thoughts I call my shrink.

You are not alone. My mind defaults to negative thinking ... I can be speaking about something fairly benign or (dare I) positive, and then immediately think of something negative and go down from there. It has become so routine that I didn't even know I was doing it. I just was barely happy because the negative thoughts would intrude.

I am working on changing the negative thoughts to more positive ones. First step, is realizing I am doing it, and then acknowledge it. And then, think to myself "what would I say to my best friend?" and then try to think of something positive to replace the negative thought.

I also feel quite anxious by some of the negative (hurtful or fear-driven) thoughts (part of my Dx) which cause me to have physical symptoms: nervous stomach, tingling feeling in my arms, my face feels hot, I feel very light headed.

I am sensitive to others, as well. Empathizing with others is a great trait! But when it interferes with how you are feeling (to the point of getting depressed), it is destructive. Internalizing TOO MUCH will cause me to get supremely depressed...so right now, until I am strong enough, I try to avoid as much "triggering" stuff as possible (I am staying away from the mainstream media and journalism right now because I get too upset, scared and triggered).

Have you spoken with your T about this? It's really important to find someone to help you change your brain and how it thinks. I see my brain as a vast network of little rivers and until recently, the little streams and rivers all went into a lake of sadness and depression. I am learning now to try to change my way of thinking so my lake isn't of sadness / depression (I hope that makes sense)

Keep posting. You are not alone. Let us know how you are doing.

[Whydepression?]

Wow, thanks! You have summed up my feelings exactly. I will be seeing the Phy about possible med change but I appreciate the suggestions on thought change.

That has always been a challenge for me to wrangle my thoughts, I have a tendency to ruminate and make things worse. I feel the same way about avoiding the news, everything seems to be a report about a death, an abuse, a court trial - basically human tragedy 24/7. That's hard to process when I can't quite handle my own emotions.

Thanks for the support. Even though I feel bad for anyone who is going through the same experience, its comforting to know thats its not just me