The Grand Chameleon
New member
- Joined
- May 23, 2009
- Messages
- 144
- MBTI Type
- ENTJ
- Enneagram
- 3w2
Your rumination on things that you feel guilty about is a symptom of a major depressive episode, as is difficulty sleeping (falling asleep, staying asleep, waking up too early) - which leads to exhaustion, and lack of sleep is often a precursor for depression.
The sleep hours I get in are sufficient for normal daytime functioning, but it is after I physically exhaust myself through means of intense exercise where the negativity sporadically appears. I agree that a lack of sleep and depression have a somewhat inverse correlation, but in my particular case it's more of a physical exertion vs. negative thought...uh, graph. Lol.
Would you feel like an addict if you needed insulin for diabetes? Needing anti-depressants for a chemical imbalance in your brain isn't any different.
I would never deem any individual suffering a diagnosed case of depression an addict. If I were to take anti-depressants though, it could be construed as a case of drug-abuse for I have not been clinically diagnosed.
As far as non-medical coping skills, exercise has been shown to help w/ mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Weight lifting has specifically been shown to help w/ anxiety - I forget the dose that was studied - maybe 3x week for 20 minutes or something. The point is that physical activity helps. Also, if you're a reader, Feeling Good by David Burns is a good self-help resource for people w/ depression. Social support is important - talking to a trusted friend, & making yourself not withdraw further from the social world. Therapy works, too.
The irony lies in the physical activity being an instigator of the negativity. Perhaps I just exert myself too much?