Meet your family and friends more. Develop new interests and hobbies. Make new friends for a new relationship. Start a plan to pay off your debt. Your job is a great help to pay off your debt. Job is your friend, not a burden. You take care of it and it takes care of you. Easier said than done, but everything depends on the perspective you look at it in.
Lots of good advice here. One I didn't hear is reading. Yes, books! A good biography? I think one way to improve yourself is by looking at people we consider great. Learning about their fallibility is comforting. Everybody's got something mayn. Good luck!
when I first read imadrummer's post, I was like "what in god's name is this guy thinking?".. but after I read it and took it, it makes so much freakin' sense.. now I actually think that volunteering there will be absolutely depressing and it will even worsen your problems, but trust me, there is NOT a single thing that's more effective in alleviating depression than seeing people with huge tragic problems (especially health related) and seeing how silly you are for worrying about minute stuff.. it will make you thankful for what you have, you will always be happy even at the worst of times, because, in your head, you know that you're lucky for not having a serious health problem or losing a loved one (god forbids).. I was going through a very rough time a couple of years ago.. a teenager a full year younger than all of his classmates and 10 inches shorter, it wasn't pretty for me at all .. I kept whining, kept thinking how unlucky I am.. then, bam, all of the sudden, my dad (smoker) discovers a lump in his neck, he goes to the doctor, he tells him the "probabilities", and he asks for the tests that determine if it's the serious thing or not.. the tests took about a month to come back, and in that period of time, I was the most miserable creature you can ever find.. I cried everyday god knows for how long, I couldn't study anymore, and worse of all, I was trying to hide it from my dad because I didn't want him to feel worse.. needless to say, the last thing on my mind was my other "problems", and I was desperate.. the results came back, and thankfully, nothing was serious and it was just some a superficial fat lump that had no ill effects.. after that experience, nothing have gotten me depressed other than the death of a relative and the drowning of my best friend... whenever I feel like "dang, I suck, I am depressed", I remember what I went through back then, and I lighten up, thank god for the stuff that I have, and I focus on life from a glass half-full perspective.. debt and crap don't mean anything, be thankful for having fully functional body parts, eyes to see with, legs to walk on, and so on..
Man, I swear as soon as I finished reading this, I felt so much better. I don't know what it was, I guess when someone puts it in a different light for you, it works. I really appreciate it bro. Thanks to everyone for their advice and encouraging words. I know whenever I need to feel better I can come on here, and even though you don't know me, it feels like you guys care. Btw, Di, here I come momma!
I recently went on anti-depression medication. I don't feel any different...I just don't ever get super down, it seems. Maybe it's a mindset thing more than the actual medication aspect, but who knows. Talk to someone professional if it's serious. If not, mwloo shockingly had great advice. Listen to that.
go outside when the weather is nice. shoot some hoops. just relax. check if you have allergies. hangout with friends. etc. etc.
4 real. LOL. The "smile and you will be happy" bit is actually holding scientific water these days. Apparently, if a person makes themselves smile more than normal, their actual brain chemistry starts to change (which is the ultimate goal, I suppose). I find this kind of creepy, but it apparently works. I do sympathize, and here's a true story... (it's worth the read, or most of my friends think so...) About 10 years ago, I was at a low point, and I went to a "depression screening day" at a local hospital. I was sitting in a room with about 12 other people, just waiting for the seminar or whatever to start. 15 minutes late, a staff person wheels in an old projector. I mean, a FILM projector, with the big round wheels, etc. "This short film will introduce you to the issues of depression," she said. She started up the machine and left the room. After the test pattern, the entire apparatus jammed up. The bulb started to melt the film, projecting a lava-lamp type image on the screen. "Now THAT's depressing," I said out loud. Nobody laughed, which made it even more funny to me. I realized I was not depressed, and I left. So, not to say I have a sense of humor, but I think laughter is the key to life at a fundamental level. And it ties back into the smiling bit and brain chemistry. What I've tried to do, sometimes consciously, is find funny people to hang out with. They can be criminals and immoral and otherwise useless, but they must make me laugh. (j/k, kind of)
I know it's different being a girl, but whenever I start feeling depressed I usually go into a mode where I don't want to do anything. I start getting cynical about how I don't have enough friends, my body is lumpy, I'm not smart enough, I'll never be able to get a job, etc. This makes me want to sleep all day, never look good when I go out, and just be in an overall bad mood. Lately whenever I start to feel like that, I force myself to take care of myself, even pamper myself a bit. I do a little yoga/stretching, then take a hot, fragrant bath and paint my nails or put some sort of pore mask on my face, then get into my softest bathrobe and lay down and watch a funny tv show. It's relaxing and I feel very refreshed at night and when I wake up, I just want to go out and DO stuff. I don't know why it works. ...Now, I know you wouldn't do all this, but my point is, don't neglect your personal health or hygiene. I had a therapist a couple years ago who said the biggest thing you can do to pull yourself out of a depression is to love yourself, and take care of yourself.
Well I tried this today and I still feel like crap. Strangely though, the red on my nails make me feel a bit more sexy.
