[cheesewanton]

In the past people told me that they suffer from depresion, and while I wish I could relate to them and empathize with them, I'm not sure that I've ever felt the same thing. I have, in the past, been overly saddened at the thought that only I existed, even to the point of crying and feeling great discomfort in my heart. But I don't know if that counts as depression. At that time I was not suicidal, but that distress lasted for many months.

So precisely what does depression feel like?

[bpcyclist]

For me, when it's really, really bad:

It is like I am trying to live in another world, an evil, black, cold, hellish place devoid of peace or love or caring or life. Loss of hope, anguish, shattering physical exhaustion, no interest in or motivation to do anything but sleep, no appetite, cannot do any activity of daily living, won't answer phone or door or text, care about absolutely nothing, excruciating abdominal and chest pain that never relents, confusion, and a strong desire to be dead immediately. All of this with the firm and deep belief that it will never, ever, ever stop.

[stahrgeyzer]

When it's bad for me it makes my body fatigue, I feel so sad that I start thinking about suicide, I want to sleep a lot. I have no hope, motivation, or passion. When it gets extremely bad it's very difficult to explain, but it feels like I'm under water and everything seems like it's in slow motion, I have this urge to cry hard.

[Fuzzybear]

Great question. I find the answer difficult to define, for me.

Love to all those suffering

[wiretwister]

I am functioning ok now , but when it gets bad I call it the black beast . . . . that is the best description I can give . . .

[T4bbyCat]

Something painful that consumes you, colors everything black, makes it nearly impossible to do anything, including posting in forums like this. I wish I were more eloquent, but it's hard to convey if someone never experienced it themselves.

[zapatoes]

For me it feels like it’s dragging me down, fatigue sets in often, want to sleep, turn down invites, and depression can then spiral.

[WastingAsparagus]

I haven't had a true, severe depression in a while, but when I'm there, multiple things happen.

1. I feel sluggish as molasses. I feel like every particle in my body is slowed down and I can't move any faster than about one-quarter speed.
2. I don't talk unless it's strictly necessary. Like I'll say one-word responses and only talk if someone addresses me directly. Otherwise I don't bother.
3. I feel sad. The weight of the world is upon me and there's nothing I can do to solve every problem out there.
4. I don't initiate anything with friends or family: I just sit in my room, sometimes listening to music (usually of the sad variety) or staring at the wall.
5. I can't get up in the morning even if there were a giant foghorn, someone yanking me out of bed, or a million little dwarves trying to wake me up and reminding me what beauty there is in the world.
6. My neural circuits don't work. I can't recall basic facts or information, or sometimes just don't want to, if addressed by others.
7. I can't concentrate for a good period of time on nearly anything.
8. There's nothing anyone can possibly do to rouse me from my state.

Possible trigger:

9. I think about death, dying, and suicide.

Okay, that's enough description of it. But hopefully it makes some sense what I said.

[MatBell]

Like despair

[The_little_didgee]

Most depressions I have been through caused limb heaviness that made it extremely hard to move and get out of bed. I usually slept most of the day. A blackness penetrated and consumed my mind (It is hard to describe). I never felt particularly sad, just emotionless and extremely unmotivated. The strangest symptom that I had involved eating. It caused me to burst out in tears.

I've had two nasty depressions that caused restlessness and a feeling that my abdominal organs disappeared. I got suicidal during my last one but never told anyone. Those thoughts lasted about a month. I was too lazy to act on them.

[TishaBuv]

Although one psychiatrist diagnosed me with MDD, I’m not sure if mine is only profound sadness and frustration from a real life problem. I feel very much like the above posters sometimes. It feels like a heaviness, like being underwater. I mostly get done all the things I need to do, but I’m in a fog and crying, even sui ideation, though won’t act. It’s my inner critic beating myself up. It’s a negative inner voice. I could get away from the situation, but haven’t, huge mixed emotions and worries the MI is within me, so I don’t leave. I’ve also been triggered by a couple of real life fallouts with loved ones and their behavior and attitude towards me was shocking. I’m very sad about that, but no choice but to move forward, which I can do, although bruised forever.

However, since I started taking an anti anxiety med, that severe feeling has stopped and the severe crying has stopped. But, I still have the issue and feel the emotions.