Discussion How do I know if I have "depression"?

[NambaSutra]

I don't feel exactly sad. I feel like nothing I really have an "emotion word" for. Antidepressants and antipsychotics have never helped and I've taken many different ones for a long time.

"Depression" and "anxiety" just seem like catch-all words for anybody who isn't happy a significant amount of the time.

To the extent I feel emotions at all my main emotions are fear and anger. I don't feel those emotions all the time. But my normal default feeling I don't really have a word for. There is an anhedonia and I don't care about much of anything. But there's also just a nasty bodily sensation that I can't describe. Maybe feels a little like electric shocks all throughout. Not pleasant.

I just wonder if there are any other diagnoses that "anxiety" and "depression" that might fit better or lead to a better treatment.

 

[FadingSunshine]

Depression can be just lack of emotion, doesn't have to be sad. It's mischaracterized a lot. At the height of my depression I felt like an empty vessel, with absolutely no emotions or cares, just living day by day.

 

[TransilvanianHunger]

"Depression" and "anxiety" just seem like catch-all words for anybody who isn't happy a significant amount of the time.

That's pretty much what they are. They're words used to describe specific symptoms, but they are not themselves the problem, so a treatment that focuses on reducing the symptoms won't be super helpful if it's not addressing the things that are causing you to feel this way.

I just wonder if there are any other diagnoses that "anxiety" and "depression" that might fit better or lead to a better treatment.

Finding a diagnosis, while it can give some sense of logic to your situation, shouldn't be the end goal. If you have a fever, you need to identify what is happening in your body that is causing the fever. Depression and anxiety are like psychological fever—they're signs that something else is going on. You talk about taking medication, which I imagine means you're already seeing a therapist and/or psychiatrist. If that's the case, these feelings should be expressed to them so the focus can shift to identifying issues instead of just trying out different meds to deal with your mood. If you're not currently seeing a therapist, that might be a good thing to try, while keeping in mind the goal of identifying the roots and not stopping at the point of "oh, you have depression/anxiety".

 

[LittleJem]

The treatment is trial and error so you have to just try each one for twelve weeks at the right dose. Then they can try combinations for you.

They don't know what causes it, there is no diagnostic medical test for it. Just how you are feeling - diagnostic questionaires.

Depression and anxiety covers lots of bases. But there isn't another diagnosis for what you are feeling. Unless you also have mania and or psychosis etc

I wish anything could lead to better treatment. But it is luck/medication roulette/your psychiatrist's intuition/experience/random choice/sponsorship by drug company…

they don't know how any of the meds work. is it glutumate. is it bdnf. is it the adrenic-cholergenic system (
https://www.psychnews.org/update/2017_apa_daily_1e.html )

anyway…
definitely try magnesium and also lithium orotate. Today my ssri plus l-tryptophan helped me. don't know how many days relief I will get though.

 

[niawscm]

There are tons of online quizzes, none of them definitive of course but possibly useful in helping you push toward a diagnosis.

 

[aGoodDayToDie]

Search for beck depression inventory. Take the test and find out. It's a good way of determining if you probably have depression. You might have other issues too though.

 

[StuntRobo]

There is such a thing as a atypical depression. It doesn't affect everyone the same

 

[lainpilled]

I don't feel exactly sad. I feel like nothing I really have an "emotion word" for. Antidepressants and antipsychotics have never helped and I've taken many different ones for a long time.

"Depression" and "anxiety" just seem like catch-all words for anybody who isn't happy a significant amount of the time.

To the extent I feel emotions at all my main emotions are fear and anger. I don't feel those emotions all the time. But my normal default feeling I don't really have a word for. There is an anhedonia and I don't care about much of anything. But there's also just a nasty bodily sensation that I can't describe. Maybe feels a little like electric shocks all throughout. Not pleasant.

I just wonder if there are any other diagnoses that "anxiety" and "depression" that might fit better or lead to a better treatment.

For me personally, depression is more of an everlastign feeling of emptiness, shame, guilt, and an intense sadness. Some people sometimes areable to power through these episode, but I've haven't experienced that yet haha. As for better treatments, perhaps you could look into different types of quizzes types of mental disorders. Perhaps there's another form of treatment out there that aren't typically assigned to just depressed and anxious people. Remember, mental health practitioners are always looking for the coomon horse rather than the uncommon zebra. You might just be a zebra, just be sure to advocate for what you want! I wish you best of luck :D

 

[todienomore]

Shocks might be neuropathy. Or maybe its a medication? Sulbutiamine, a good form of b1 helped me, benfotiamine is also good just not as obvious. Also helps mood. B's are really important, barely in diet and some like folate are touchy.

Magnesium might also be helpful, most are deficient, like thiamine. Mag malate is my favorite, just avoid mg citrate and oxide basically. Good for neg emotions to an extent.


might look at somatic therapy, trauma release exercises.

Without getting into the science, get more mid morning sun, sunbathe to any extent possible.

Pranayama is also powerful.