When is depression depression?

The way I understand it...if you are depressed and just don't know why you are...that's clinical depression. But if you KNOW what's getting you down...that's just plain old depression...

Do I make any sense to anyone???

I guess this is why I found this site. Lots of things have clobbered me...all at once...and I am trying to wade through them BEFORE I just resign myself to it and become clinically depressed.

Looking at what I have to change in my life is tough...because I am precluded from workable solutions...

Here's what Imean. I applied to enter a music degree at my age of 63. Nope..."I wouldn't fit in with the 21 year old freshmen."

Okay...I try another university...serendipitously finding a better degree program by being forced to look further afield. Okay. I pass the board with my audition...but the school is a two hour drive each way...five days a week. I have two months to decide to either go...or not go.

See what I mean??? I know what the problems are...but the solutions are out of reach.....

At 63...the sound of the clock ticking gets louder each passing day.

I am carrying the pail for everyone. Just put my sweetheart through Law School (she's 55) and still need to help out the kids (twenties). But I can't put the pail down.

See? I KNOW what's depressing me...

I am afraid of moving into a "why bother" situation...where I'll just concede defeat. From there...my life's certainly over......how depressing!

From what my T told me years ago you're right. If there's a "reason" it's sadness, grief or whatever. Clinical is a chemical imbalance that needs no environmental cause. Having said that, I THINK that being in a bad situation long enough or experiencing a traumatic event can alter ones chemical balance. Maybe someone will correct me if I'm wrong.
And no, you don't need to go into "why bother" mode! Maybe there's a far better opportunity out there just waiting for you to find it. Don't give up!

I do think you are correct about being "knowably depressed" can move into a clinical definition if it goes on long enough. I feel like I'm being pulled apart, piece by piece...like everyone that depends on me is eating me alive.

Nice, huh?

Oh yeah! I can feel the birds of prey picking at my dry bones right now! Can't even make time to go to my Dr for taking care of everyone else! I feel you!

I put my wife through law school...so she's looking for a placement right now. She's 55 and the firms want Ms Perky Pants instead of a tried and true mom...that's done everything in life. Go figure...

I got bounced from going back to school...because I'm too old (63) but they couldn't say that because of the anti-age discrimination laws...so they said that "you won't fit in".

After three weeks of feeling defeated...useless and old...I found another uni that fell over itself to take me...but it's a two hour drive...each way...five days a week to get there.

I think technically clinical might be defined as severity and length of symptoms. Not sure. I don't think I see it that way at least not the DSM definition but I can't remember exactly what it is.

What you are talking about is situational depression. Where you know the situations that are causing it. If there are solutions that you think that will resolve it but are out of reach you may need to rethink it.

My therapist is always telling me that we often feel trapped and out of control and think we have no choices but in reality we really do have lots of choices they are just not the ideal ones we have in mind.

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Yeah...I concur. But I am a rational 63 year old that always finds my way out of troubled situations. I guess it's all being coloured by the fact that I can see the sand in my hourglass accelerating its' way out the bottom! Still...when you are at an impasse...and you can actually see it...but your are damned if you do and damned if you don't...what??? Where do you go??? I am pulling out my hair over this.....

well...not really.

I feel for you in your situation. The way I see it, no matter what our age, we should live life to the fullest until we die. I am 52 years old, but I still would like to go back to school if I can find a way. I don't want to think I am too old. What seems to stop me from doing things is that my job has me working 10 to 11 hours a day. When my workday ends I am too physically and mentally tired to do anything else. Then I have these mandatory courses I am supposed to do for my job and that has monopolized me for 2 months now.

I would venture to say that being depressed...and you know why...is, in itself, depressive!

All my support base is in the US. All my dear friends are there. Here, in Australia, I really don't have any BFF's. I am completely isolated. There's a project I am working on...for "me"...that I was sure going back to university would help. But the "powers that be" are just not giving me a break....

You are so right about being too tired to accomplish anything after a long day at work. But it figures that all those things you want to do...are for yourself...and you are too tired to do them. Yep. Me, too.

I have the same understanding.
An example:

I think I was seeking behavioral advice and was told what I was experiencing was actually "clinical" or "major" depression even though there was every reason for how I was feeling (and once therapy started, there was about a million more reasons(childhood)) And, then it became Bipolar Type II !

My nephew recently declared himself "depressed" as a way of explaining the trouble he kept getting into...running with his buds, stealing, selling, using whatever chemicals they do these days, etc. So, all effort was made, hospitalized out of town, parents very supportive running back and forth, etc.

This was all kept quiet but when my brother finally told me about this, I gave him my opinion (above). Depression is when I can't get out of bed and take a shower, brush teeth...for days, don't wanna talk to anyone. At times it was so bad I wanted total silence... no tv, radio.

It is NOT the ability to BS people and connive to get funds together for your drug of choice. OR, coming down from same.

I was so mad at nephew for pulling this, at brother and wife for believing this after all I've been through. But, my family has pretty much put their heads in the sand regarding my "problem". Support?

Now, nephew has a job at the country club, (he's real cute and good at the BS) and he's miraculously cured.

My other (younger) brother suffers depression (maybe schizoaffective but won't do treatment) and I was talking to first brother about him and he said to me "depression? what is depression?... all (his son) needed was to just get busy and stop thinking" ???????????????????
(I told you (your son) wasn't depressed in the first place ahole )

I wasn't able to speak to him for awhile...I think he realizes he screwed up.

For me, there's a distinct difference and depression can clobber me when there's no reason for it, when there is a reason, when I'm starting to get ill, when there's some psychic trigger I'm unaware of even. Sometimes I think I've had delayed reaction to stuff.

but, that's just me and my opinion

stephanie

That's exactly how it is for me when it is real bad. Except weeks or months, sometimes days.

I think the current definition of Major Depressive Disorder or "Clinical" depression is pretty good. If it were up to me I might add in previous history of episodes but then it might be someones first episode. That is where it is really up to the clinician to ask a lot of questions about what may be the cause and history and stuff. Not just say oh you meet the criteria here is a med.

http://www.nami.org/Content/Navigati..._D_Episode.pdf

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