What to do if you are depressed....?

Parents Forum
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<p>I have been feeling very down lately, mostly because of all these college admissions, and some because of outside factors like popularity, friends,grades etc..</p>

<p>I have been having very sad thoughts about my self, and sometimes, I wish I could just lie down and go to sleep forever so I don't have to worry about anything. (I don't mean commit suicide(I would never do that, because I am not that dumb!))</p>

<p>I don't want to go to a psychologist(I'm not crazy), or talk to my parents or anything(I really can't talk to them about stuff), but what do you suggest I do to cheer myself up?</p>

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<p>You don't have to be crazy to go to see a psych or a counselor or a therapist or anything. </p>

<p>Here are some tips: <a href="http://www.depressionisachoice.com/dont.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.depressionisachoice.com/dont.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

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<p>Neelesh, as long as you are not considering harming yourself, try this: just put away all of the college garbage for a few days and go have fun. Really. Most importantly, take a break from college confidential. All will work out fine in the end --- just take a break and be kind to yourself.</p>

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<p>Consider a hobby or interest. Creativity brings the greatest joy and self satisfaction.</p>

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<p>Neelesh - Just about every student crashes at some point during the college application process. It's normal. If a few other not-so-good things are going on at the same time it can be tough. So try to follow Carolyn's advice. I'm sure there are activities you enjoy. . .so schedule a few of them up and go do 'em..</p>

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<p>So so sorry to hear you are feeling a bit flat, Nee. Bad timing, eh?</p>

<p>Nevermind, eventually those feelings will go away. Sometimes the advent of a big personal change causes depression because you know you must leave your old life and your old self behind. Your old self seems inadequate.</p>

<p>With time and sometimes with a change of venue, you learn to love your new self and your new life. Then, one day you'll find you aren't feeling so blue. </p>

<p>It does help to talk to someone. Isn't there any adult you feel close to? Someone who wouldn't care if you just vented for a few hours? Or a close friend. Often things seem worse than they are when you're depressed. Talking to someone will give you a better perspective. </p>

<p>Secondly, there are basics like eating right. Eat a few fruits and veggies each day to make sure you're not gving yourself the blues by denying your body the proper vitamins. It seems dumb but eating right will make a difference--says the parent on the Parent's Forum :).</p>

<p>And not drinking. Alcohol is a depressant--so you want to avoid it if you're feeling blue. </p>

<p>And you want to get out and get some sunshine and a bit of exercise. Yes, a little jog will feel awful for the first twenty minutes--but after the twenty first minute, you'll start feeling WAY better. That's a promise, haha. :) But seriously, thirty minutes of elevated heart rate each day will deliver some wonderful endorphins. They may help to relieve some of your anxiety.</p>

<p>Finally, promise us that IF your feelings intensify or if you're feeling drawn to suicide--you will contact professional counselors. Sometimes a mind can overwhelm itself. Brain chemicals go haywire and professional care is needed--the same as if you go a bad case of chicken pox that doesn't go away. You'd seek out a doctor then, right?</p>

<p>You've already done the right thing by talking to the CC parents. </p>

<p>We'll keep you in our thoughts and we'll be wishing you the best Neeleesh. Keep in touch.</p>

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<p>I agree with everything Cheers says. If you can go out and have a walk in sunshine, it is an incredible mood-lifter. When feeling blue, the instinct is to seek darkness; but the best cure is sunshine.</p>

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<p>You've gotten great advice here, and you sound as if you have good instincts for your own mental health, too. I think one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is the great truth that doing something good for someone else will make you much happier with yourself. If you can find a way to do that in even a small way, it should help.</p>

<p>I wish you the best.</p>

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<p>Applauding what Cheers offered. I was going to suggest more exposure to natural light, exercise, avoiding alcohol, recreational drugs and isolation. I hope things turn around quickly for you. Part of growing up is knowing your own mind/emotions and understanding how to pull yourself out of these feelings. We've all been there. For me (and my son) the natural light issue is a big deal.</p>

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<p>Does your city or a local hospital have a 'teen help line' or something of that nature? If not, I believe there are toll-free national help lines. Talking to a stranger may be more comfortable for you than talking to someone you know. Talking really does help and may give you a new perspective.</p>

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<p>I'll second Momsdream - is there any history of depression and/or anxiety in you or your family? If not, the most likely explanation is stress related or season related. There is definitely something to the natural light thing. Monitor your eating and sleeping patterns for a few days, be sure they are healthy. Exercise is the best remedy for insomnia. Turn off the computer and get moving. Go to your local home improvement store and look for some "natural light" light bulbs, and change your reading light or desk lamp to one of those.
This time of year one of the best ways to get natural light exposure is to spend a couple of hours ringing a bell for the Salvation Army - give it a try.</p>

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<p>Neelesh: Just one thing to add to the great advice you've gotten so far: Try to stay away from CC for a bit (except maybe the parents' board). Some stress is probably unavoidable -- even normal -- right now, but I do think that too much reading about other posters’ anxieties may intensify your own. Geez, I'm a parent between college applicants, and some of the posters stress me out! Good luck.</p>

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<p>There's lots of good advice here, but if you don't feel better very soon, I do hope you'll talk to a smart and concerned adult--if not your parents, then a teacher or guidance counselor you trust, or a therapist who can help you sort through all the issues you're facing. Seeing a therapist does not mean you're crazy; this is an incredibly stressful time for many, many people; and an outside perspective can make it easier to deal with things now and help give you coping strategies for the future.</p>

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<p>Have you seen the video 'Powers of Ten' that discusses how one's perception is changed by one's perspective. Right now, you are into the situation at an almost microscopic level. If you can step back a bit (maybe after that nice walk) and gain a little be of emotional distance from the problem, I think things will look less gloomy.</p>

<p>I would recommend Monty Python - amusing and different way of looking at the world.</p>

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<p>N - Sorry, double post. The Connection is messed up here.</p>

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<p>Neelesh,
My S is one of the most level-headed people I know, but all this college stuff, and changes in his social life are getting him down, too, as is assessing and reassessing what the future might hold. And even though it holds much promise, the unknown is always a little scary. It can seem a real burden, and can suck the wind out of your sails. I don't know if you have ever done any meditation, or deep belly breathing, but these things can ease the anxiety and sense of burden a bit, and allow you a bit of space from the stress of the moment. Hang in there! Your posts on this board have always impressed me, and we look forward to hearing more from you!</p>

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<p>Thank you all for your help! I really appreciate it!</p>