living with depression

yeah its hard.. i do have depression and biplor. i have the worst kind of bipolar on top of it. but tell him, dont worry if people understand him or not. its them excpeting him. i tell family and friends i dont want them to understand how my brian works, just exccept how i might be at time. then i tell people who ive just met and hang out with there might be a day i will not be me,i am honest with people about it. but also tell your friend, if he stay strong he wil be alright and he will have a normal life too, ive been off meds for about 4 to 5 yrs. ive been doing well without them. i do still have my time with depression and bipolar. but ive learned to deal with it, i keep in back of my mind it could always be worst. and there is someone else out have it worst then i do. but tell him dont worry about other understanding no one will, just as long they except him like you. people like you make it easier for people like me and him ' so high five to you

I get depressed from time to time, but I am aware that this is totally different from bipolar or similar conditions. I can understand that everyday is a battle for people who suffer from this, and the worst thing must be that so many people simply cannot grasp the fact that it is an illness - not just something that can be shrugged off. Everbody wants to feel well, but this is made much more difficult when confronted by lack of understanding. If you say you have cancer for instance, people will immediately be much more sympathetic towards you. But with mental conditions there is an entirely different attitude. It is as though a physical illness is caused by something that you can't help having and a mental illness is self-inflicted!

Depression is a kind of self-sabotage. When people do this they're being pessimistic to a massive degree. My theory on getting out of this is that people can get in this state, i believe they can also get out of it.

Depression is a dreadful illness and it can be made worse by a partner, family member or friend who does not acknowledge what you are going through. There can be a stigma attached to depression which means it does not get talked about and therefore goes untreated, people react different to a person who's illness is depression than a physical illness. You can't cure someone else's clinical depression. It is not just sadness which can be waved off with a few kind words. It goes far deeper than that. If you ago along with idea that you can somehow "fix" it for your friend, spouse or relative, you are wrong. There are ups and downs in depression recovery. It isn't quick or steady. Your friend or relative is going to go on the decline, now and then. Don't think it's because you are failing them or they are not trying hard enough. The "roller-coaster" effect is just a part and parcel of depression.