For people with depression, how do you best describe what you are going through to someone who does not understand?

[MarcsSG]

As title states.. This is actually in response to my other post whereby my superiors just dont understand how tough this is. Even my counsellor cant comprehend the exact crippling feeling of depression, only guess based on what is stated on the web. And it’s really not their fault, cus I too use to be ignorant like them about depression before I gotten it myself. It can be quite difficult to describe what depression exactly feels like to someone who never gone through it before.

Like for one, people think we just dont have the discipline or “mood” to get ourselves to do things when it’s not just about being in the mood that straightforward. It’s something more complicated but I just dont know how to describe the feeling or explain the reason

[sweetiepye]

To me depression is like trying to walk through mud with no motivation to do so. My head is full of fog and my thinking and emotions are false. So I can't really trust myself in a sense. It's different for everyone and you have to find your own way of coping with it.Trying to get others to understand is next to impossible. I would ask my Doctor for a short note of explanation if my job was involved. I do have some good news for you, you can get better. I have myself and I can tell you it takes work, but it's so worth it. Let me know if you have any questions. Pam

[hypercat54]

Hi for me it is the lack of motivation to do anything which is most distressing. I am lonely and want company but can't summon up the energy to go out and find others. I also can't do things I have to such as clean my home and am very bad at self care.

I don't try and explain my depression to anyone unless they, or someone they love, has suffered from it then they know anyway. I have friends who have said they don't believe in it and I don't feel any burning desire to tell them anything. All I do say is that just because they don't believe in it doesn't mean it's not real and leave it at that. There is no point in flogging a dead horse and no reason why any loved one has to understand is there? After all it doesn't mean they don't love you any more but just that they don't understand. x

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Marcs

Regards Depression and my Short Term Memory problems, I am now not interested explaining my needs or health conditions with anyone, although here and else where I still wonder if people actually understand what is going on with my health concerns.

Sometimes I read script an wonder with many elsewhere if they understand the pathways they have opened up for themselves, it can be quite distressing and I feel sometimes I wish I could scream to them what they are heading into. Life is to vital to take the wrong pathway, we live with the life we have, we cannot do anything, we have been put on this world to learn, Depression is a difficult taskmaster

Now getting old I live for the day and dam the past, the future has not been born, I live for the day and with my memory problems the past is dead and I need to be informed what I had done before my evening meal the day before.

I am sitting here now wondering if this could be my last holiday, I come here, I want to help although I wonder what good have I done on the umpteen sights I visit.

The way I feel this is where it all began, my fight against Depression. I feel I need encouragement and I am so cynical now I cannot see any light at the end of the tunnel.

I will be here when the fat lady stops singing.

BOB

[MarcsSG]

I understand what everyone is going through from reading all your experiences as I feel the same way too. Sadly the people here in the military are not as empathetic.. And i HAVE to somehow make them understand so that is pretty stressful. As what sweetiepye has said, I too feel confused with some of the things I am going through so I cant really describe with words to my superiors too, and it makes things worse because they think that I am malingering

[fauxartist]

I can't unless they are willing to understand...it's like explaining what ice-cream tastes like to a Martian ...