Commentary from Published July 7, 2016
It’s amazing how you can objectively look at your life on one hand and understand that you have it better than most, and especially when you can look around you and see how good things really are, and yet STILL have that pit in your stomach, that hopelessness and feeling that death really is better than this. I’ve been going through a lot of this recently. I have a job that I like, I’m back doing comics on the side of that, I have a great family, etc etc and still I have those fantasies where I cease to exist.
It’s beyond logic sense, and I think that’s the major stumbling block when people who have never experienced depression try to understand it. How can you have it good and still want to end it all? How can you have a life on the upswing but still lack the energy or the motivation to live it? It’s not an easy thing to grasp. It’s beyond logic. Logic does not apply to depression, and attempts to do so will lead to a failure in comprehension. That’s why it’s so difficult to describe it, because it does not make logical sense to those who haven’t dealt with it.
But getting back to the point of the comic, it just seems that no matter what, depression will always take away from the joy of living. It is always there, weighing you down mentally and physically.
It’s beyond logic sense, and I think that’s the major stumbling block when people who have never experienced depression try to understand it. How can you have it good and still want to end it all? How can you have a life on the upswing but still lack the energy or the motivation to live it? It’s not an easy thing to grasp. It’s beyond logic. Logic does not apply to depression, and attempts to do so will lead to a failure in comprehension. That’s why it’s so difficult to describe it, because it does not make logical sense to those who haven’t dealt with it.
But getting back to the point of the comic, it just seems that no matter what, depression will always take away from the joy of living. It is always there, weighing you down mentally and physically.
Neurochemistry. That’s why.
Its not always brain chemistry, for many people its past abuse and personal issues. There is no pill for existential despair. The chemistry argument is hell on those of us who anti depressants do not help. They want us to stop being inconvenient and go away.
To a degree, abuse is brain damage. You’re right, of course. I’m one of the people that hasn’t really been helped by antidepressants.
I guess “neurophysiology” would be a more accurate catch-all.
Yeah, your brain is changed by abuse. I like to think of it as the difference between chemicals and wiring though. Messing with the chemicals (medication) isn’t really going to help with a wiring problem.
Yeeeeeep. Same thing going on over here.
+1 Cool thanks
Ife Foy
To be honest, I genuinely wonder if I will ever experience joy again. Blissed out, grinning ear-to-ear, “best day of my life” joy. I can’t even remember the good things that have happened in the past, so I’ve lost hope in the future. Even when great stuff happens, I’ll still feel terrible and won’t even remember it properly.
I know what you mean. It’s been over 20 years since I had a major depressive episode, but there are still some emotions for which the dial doesn’t go all the way up to 10 anymore. For instance, I no longer feel joy, excitement, enthusiam, or euphoria, but I can feel pleasure, anticipation, contentment, and satisfaction. The emotion of fear seems to be gone altogether.
I don’t think depression ever completely goes away, but it is possible to break its hold over your life.
Depression in a nutshell
I can relate to this all too well.
Too familiar.
Awesome:D
yepper pepper
I was in a good mood until I read this reminder. I seriously need to stop coming here…
I’m here
Absolutely love everything related to Anxiety
I take no from people too personally. I love people so hard i expect them to automatically say yes when i want and need something, then feel rejected when they don’t. I know I’m being unrealistic but it brings on irritability then depression.
*Sigh* All the freaking time 🙁
Devlin Prinsen
This makes me think about the nights when I was a kid and it was to hard to sleep cause tomorrow was exciting. Xmas, a friend’s, birthday, release of a Harry Potter book….
I’m afraid I’ll never feel that again, cause I still have trouble sleeping, but it’s because of fear.