Subtle differences

As a person who has been treated for long term depression, I realise that depression carries with it many different symptoms. However, I am also trying to understand if my emotions can be all categorized under depression or would they be more accurate under other terms such as low self esteem, frustration, discouragement, etc.

I have had specifically low self esteem issues relating to childhood bullying. The bullying is long ago and done with, but the self esteem is still an issue and was transferred from school into the workplace which is now highly critical of job performance.

Frustration is another issue I deal with constantly as I and many other people face challenges that our society places in our paths making it difficult for many people to get themselves out of situations they are in. Many people are willing and able to perform and commit but society is very limiting at times. This knowledge and personal experiences in trying to conquer certain challenges and or obstacles brings frustration and eventually discouragement if the fight does not seem to bring the rewards or results we fought for.

Feeling so discouraged, be it from job search with constant rejection or constantly failing relationships, or difficulty communicating one's needs to many other challenges in life that remain unresolved, eventually can lead to discouragement. Once this sense of discouragement sets in, a person can lose their sense of purpose or passion. This can result in a person feeling empty or lost and unmotivated.

While depression does consist of these traits or symptoms...how does one determine how much is simply part of depression or individual issues that can be resolved individually as unique issues by themselves? This is my conflict right now. Are doctors simply treating the individual problems as symptoms of depression so it is easier to just prescribe something to make me physically feel better...or are these individual issues that should be dealt with as something other than depression with their own unique needs that could more accurately be resolved?

Good questions. I think depression is a symptom of these other things and when you deal with the other things through talking and good counseling that the depression will resolve. At least, I have found that true in my case. It is just finding that person you can trust to talk to that I have a problem with.

I am tired of simply popping antidepressants and nothing else being resolved. I know that my self esteem is an issue. I know that my thoughts are distorted, I know that I am not alone in this poor economic time with issues of low paying jobs, or no work. I need help in learning to deal with the frustration, the anger, the discouragement, the shame, not to mention empty nest syndrome soon to come from my two sons having been my whole world for the past 22 years and now suddenly the time has come for them to branch out and spread their wings. I will be alone and they have been my whole purpose in life...What now?

I keep thinking of an 80s song Don't Worry, Be Happy. I wish I could just choose to be happy amongst all of this. Is it really just a matter of choice? How does a person just choose to change their whole thought patterns? I am staring at a picture of a target that says Bang Head Here lol

I think these are all symptoms that build what we call depression. While it can be a medical condition, it's often something caused by life experiences. It's often an emotional issue.

Also, medication isn't nearly as effective as therapy with medication. I would suggest you find a therapist who fits you, who you can get to know and trust, who you know will be kind to you, who will listen, and who you can work with to find yourself again and enjoy all the things you have.

A therapist can help you see things you never thought about. They can help you find changes in your life you need to make or root causes of problems you face.

I had a therapist for a little while. She was nice, but the social program she was funded through only gave me 18 months with her then she had to end it. The wait lists here for services are long so it is like an assembly line here for medical help...mental or physical.

In the meantime, I owe many thanks to people online here like yourselves for helping me when I need to vent. I am grateful for the time you take to read and reply. It is very kind of you all.

I have been very busy trying to get some housework done for my older son's girlfriend visiting from Texas for a week. She arrives tomorrow, the 12th. I am nervous about her arrival and her first impressions of us. I know her parents are from a higher income bracket than we are. I am hoping not to have any anxiety attacks while she is here or a feeling like I want to hide away. She is very nice from what I have gotten to know of her online.

I just hope this depression holds up until she leaves.

I struggle with many of those things as well, I mean I think the ostracism and bullying I faced as a child really took its toll on any self esteem I might have gained. Also I find things in general very frustrating, especially the current state of my mind. Anyways I am not sure if those are necessarily separate issues than depression considering environmental factors can contribute to mental disorders, things like bullying can therefore contribute to things like anxiety and depression as well as related issues.

Depression isn't just one simple easily defined 'thing'. It is all sorts of neg. thinking, learned experiences like the bullying you had to deal with as a child, empty nester issues, causing you to feel like you have no purpose. All the things you wrote about can lead to clinical depression.

Now, how to 'choose' a different way to think, put behind or learn to live with the childhood bullying or finding a new purpose. End frustration over low inclome too.

Do you have close friends who have one or two of the same issues you can share with. I've found that when I have someone around me who has a similar issue, they can really understand it and validate my feelings, which does really help lift me up.

What doesn't work well is to go to a support group and "*itch" about it and cause it to be ingrained even deeper into my brain. I've gone to such sessions, like when I went to Al anon. I really got into the wrong group.

Talk therapy is so important in depressed, frustrated, etc people. But as you said, you can't have a threapist right now, so use us here at PC if you don't have irl people to help you, Nicks Nose!


We are all pulling for you

I am trying self hypnosis. Ha, ha, ha, ha, because I'm a loner.
But I agree with this one author who practices self hypnosis that often a person uncovers a feeling or emotion that caused the depression, but like a Russian handicraft doll another issue, feeling, emotion keeps on being uncovered and they all have to be worked through.
Self hypnosis is kind of boring but it suits me because it needs to be done routinely.