I tend to

[bonkers65]

I tend to isolate myself because I don't wear the mask that well and I don't want people to see me like this. I guess I'm ashamed of being depressed and I know I shouldn't be. My self esteem is - 0

[Trend]

It's not your fault! You may feel ashamed, but you have nothing to be ashamed of. You didn't ask for this illness. It is fate appointed. It is difficult to suffer with depression. It takes a lot of strength to endure and reach out. That is exactly what you are doing. Please try to force yourself not to isolated too much. It leads to a lot of self preoccupation. Those negative thoughts are lies. You can learn to ignore them....second by second. There is hope. You can feel better. You may check out recoveryinternational.org. You are not alone. I send much love to you Bonkers65

[bonkers65 in reply to Trend]

Thanks Trend. I know it's not my fault I am depressed but there's still a lot of stigma about depression.

[Centavo]

I’m similar in that I’d rather not be around folks when I’m struggling, because I don’t want them to feel down! Shame is hard to break free of. Because of having shame most of my childhood it has stuck. Mostly my shame is associated with not learning to read.

[JoanyAnne357]

I'm right there with you. It's really hard and most people don't understand. Keep your chin up!

[Hidden]

I feel that way. People just don’t understand it.

[perkofawallflower]

I know the feeling. I want to isolate myself if I get into an argument with someone or I feel overly anxious. I hide in my room and don’t go out to hang out with friends or family. But when I do that I tend to wallow and just overthink the situations and have it on replay. It just makes it worse. I find despite feeling guilty or ashamed, I should put myself out there. A lot of times I mind read and think others think less of me. Now I know it doesn’t matter what others think but it’s how I view myself. Working on self esteem is very hard when we only see the negatives about ourselves. Maybe try writing down positive things about yourself. Also journaling your feelings may help. I like to look up positive quotes and affirmations. I also find looking at other posts on here and commenting gives me a sense of accomplishment. It also makes me feel good about myself because I could offer a little nugget of advice to someone else.

[bonkers65 in reply to perkofawallflower]

Thanks perkofawallflower. Yes I do a lot of overthinking. I'll try some of your suggestions.

[perkofawallflower in reply to bonkers65]

You’re welcome. Overthinking seems to be a commonality among people with anxiety. I overthink way too much and my mind becomes a wrecking ball and it spirals off into a totally different place. Quieting the mind or distracting it is key but it’s easier said than done.

[AZ1970]

If we could will ourselves out of depression, we wouldn’t need this forum. Please don’t believe the lie that you “shouldn’t be depressed”. If you want to go,out, go out. You may even feel a bit better.

[ErikViking]

Oh my gosh, it's so easy to isolate...I don't want to crawl out of my bed. But life forces me to. Once i get going though, once the brain wakes up and I get some fresh air, it gets a little better. Or maybe it's the meds kicking in...anyway, i put the mask on and get on with it...counting the minutes until i can get home and take the mask off. When can we not wear that mask any longer? I'm praying for that day!

Praying for you as well, take care,

Erik

[debbiegk]

You are not alone. You have no need to be ashamed, but I understand. When I feel depressed, I want to be by myself as well, but the times when I do make myself get up and get out and talk with others, I feel better. It takes a lot of strength and a lot of courage to reach out! I have found that understanding how I'm feeling helps me remember my value and that I am not alone. I found some encouraging information that might help you feel encouraged as well. I have attached the link: bit.ly/2mFxWoz