What's wrong with me, I'm so down and depressed so much of the time and I don't know what I can do to make the feeling go away..

[ConfusedWorried]

I can be feeling on top of the world and then in seconds without anything happening I feel like I am stuck in a dark hole unable to get out nothing seems to cheer me up, I don't know what to do..

[Gambit62]

Have you been to see your GP. If not would suggest that you try starting there. Try to make a double appointment and think through and make notes of what you might say when you are there. The GP may want to do some blood tests to rule out things like Thyroid so it's worth thinking about the following: do you feel better as the day goes on or worse? have you had any weight changes recently? are you finding the you feel the cold/heat more? do you get bouts of diarrhoea/constipation ... just anything else that might seem unconnected but is a physical change that you have noticed since the problem started. You could also try doing the questionnaire on the NHS website.

If you already have a diagnosis of depression and are on medication then it may be worth looking at whether you are on the right medication. It might be that you would benefit from a talking therapy. Some people (including myself) find that mindfulness meditation helps - try 'Mindfulness: a practical guide to finding peace in a frantic world' by Mark Williams and Danny Penman - it is based on a mindfulness course that is used with patients with anxiety and depression and comes with a CD of meditations that you can use as and when you find them useful.

Exercise can help - even if you don't feel like it.

One thing to bear in mind is that depression seems to flip the link between motivation and action with the result that you need to do something before you feel like doing it.

Do you know what triggered the current down - did you lose someone close - family, friend or split with a girlfriend or did it just come out of the blue? is work difficult or finding work? money problems or some other sort of stress.

Anxiety and depression are quite closely linked and they are often treated with the same medications.

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I can't say anything to help you at this time as I do similarly, but I can empathise and suggest you find a counsellor or therapist to talk things through with and maybe also a mild dose of meds if the GP thinks you need that too.

Suex

[Hidden]

Hi, I've been depressed on and off for over 10 years. I've been on medication and it helped, also done psychotherapy which can provide some invaluable insights into who you are and fully accept it. We are alive human beings and there are endless variations as to how we can feel from day to day. GP+meds+psychotherapy is a solid route, but I would also like to recommend a book by Ekhart Tolle 'The Power of Now'. It's helped me realise that I don't have to be ruled by my thoughts and my pain. Hope you feel better soon.