What is wrong with me?

Hello,

I'm 17 years old and for the past week I've been battling major depression. The depression comes in waves, and these waves typically last for an hour or two -- sometimes three. The depression is pretty bad. I'm unable to feel happiness or see the point in anything, and to be honest I contemplate suicide when the depression comes on. The depression eventually leaves and I feel like my normal self. I haven't experienced any manic or hypomanic episodes.

I'm not impulsive, aggressive, or angry. I'm able to sleep just fine -- in fact I sometimes oversleep if the depression hits in the morning or at night. It just feels like an emotional roller coaster, and I'm wondering what could be wrong with me? My mother is scheduling an appointment with a mental health professional, but I want to have a rough idea before I visit the doc.

Here is a typical day from this past week:
Wake up
6-8 AM ; Extremely depressed. Tired. Lazy. Questioning Why I'm Alive
8-11 AM; Happy. Normal Self.
11-12 PM ; Random Sadness
12 - 4 PM ; Happy, probably doing an activity
4 - 5PM ; Depressed
5- 9M ; Happy

It started in all honesty about two weeks ago. I was in school [I'm now on winter break] and for 30 minutes each day I'd become randomly depressed. Now the episodes have become longer and more severe.

My family members recognize when I'm depressed but they forget about whats happening once I become happy again.

PLEASE HELP WITH IDEAS

Well, time of year and the added stresses will affect some people that way. You have been experiencing these symptoms for a relatively - all be it excruciating - brief time. It could be SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), it could be stress. But, it also could be something more serious. Continue to monitor and perhaps track your experiences. Inform your school counsellor and see your family doctor.

Tell the mental heath professional what you are saying here. You moods will vary according to the days activity and who you are with.

Be specific, write down how are you are feeling like what you did here. It would be great if you made a little mood chart for a few days. Also how is your diet and overall activity level? Because that can definitely exacerbate depression. For instance after having sugar you have a crash and feel bad, caffeine abuse can also do this. Eating before bed can interrupt sleep cycles and have adverse effects on mitochondria which are the energy production plants in cells.

Hello dear BostonKid. I'm really sorry to hear you are suffering these horrible feelings, and that they are bad enough for you to feel that sometimes you'd rather not be in the land of the living. Believe me, I KNOW first hand how bad things have to be to induce these extreme feelings. Have you ever had any official diagnosis? If not, have you read or heard of any disorders that sound very much like the one you are suffering from? Lastly, do you have a therapist or health care professional helping you?

If you don't yet have any of the above, please could you start by enquiring at your local health centre if they have a mental health care worker. It does seem that you have very rapid mood cycling over the course of the day AND plus you said your sleep is still pretty OK, oversleeping if anything. I tend to over sleep when I'm depressed, but my depressions are due to BPD and last for long periods.

Someone mentioned S.A.D. and that's a valuable point. S.A.D. IS very real and can have adverse effects on many folks lives. I think I suffer this too, sometimes alongside the existing depression. I'm not a professional mental health worker but I do think it's important that you get to see someone concerning your debilitating disorder.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

listen those hours your feeling depressed you need to stand up for yourself. i was depressed 4 years and im free. stand up for yourself NO MATTER WHAT