Dealing with depression/mental health while trying to succeed online...

I'm not sure how this topic will go down, because of the sensitive issues at hand. But for me, a sufferer of depression and anxiety for a lengthy period of time, it has had and continues to have a negative effect on my internet marketing efforts. I almost have to work around how i feel in the morning. Its difficult enough to get by at the best of times, without trying to make a career online. Sometimes i think its too hard, but then i think of much i have done under the circumstance.

Would really like to hear of other peoples stories in dealing with mental health. I understand if there are not too many replies though.

 

I'll give you credit for having the courage to come here and create a thread to discuss it. Hang in there and try to keep smiling. Good luck to you with all.

 

Do you maybe know the reason for the depression? I think most of us have been through depression and believe it or not, it's quite common. I read in a book that what you put your attention to, or focus on, that determines your reality and how you perceive things. For example, a friend of yours may say something funny about you and you might see it as if he's trying to make you look like a fool, while he was only joking around. This is different from saying "don't think about it" and then that causes you to only think about it even more. What i'm trying to tell you is- try and think of something else, something positive. It might not be easy at first, but you will soon notice that to every negative situation there is something positive.

Also, one more thing I think you need to know. You said that you suffer from it for a longer period of time. You see, depression is an emotion, and emotions are really chemicals that are being released in your body and these chemicals are ADDICTIVE, doesn't matter if the emotion is good or bad. When you feel an emotion more often your body creates more receptors for the chemicals associated with these emotions. To complicate it even further, because you are so addicted to them, you will subconsciosly put yourself in situations in life that will lead to these emotions.

Bottom line, try and see the positive thing in every situation and sooner or later, it will become a habit.

 

Thanks for kind words everyone.
Upon reflection i have been like this for quite a long time. Sadly for me, it was always suppressed, never mind, she'll be alright it will work out. But time catches up with a continuous roller coaster like that.

I am on medication and seeing pyschologists etc. I have learnt plenty also. Why depression is in its basic form chemical reaction/brain chemsitry. I continue to educate myself on this topic.Genetics play a part too.

I get lost from the real world for extended periods, but by learning more and more, i hopefully can bounce back quicker, get up off the floor quicker.

 

Depression can be very difficult to treat if you don't know the root cause. I've had close friends who were depressed for years because of loss (marriage, death, income etc.). Sometimes it can mask itself as other forms of mental illness (not to say that is your case). I was reading not too long ago that Bipolar disorders and many mental illnesses can have depression as primary a symptom. I'm happy that you are getting help from a professional, because thats the way to go. And yes you are right, genetics and gender plays a significant role in depression. We all have life situations that take us through emotional roller coasters...finding a way to our emotions stable is important. I find that balance through sports...because God knows I would have lost my mind if I didn't have an outlet to help me bounce back and see the brighter side! I'm rooting for you! Whatever the struggle, remember that life challenges are only temporary. It will get better, it always does!

 

THanks everyone for your messages of support. It is priceless motivation.
I grew up in a dysfunctional family over a long period. And although things are better now as far as family is concerened, the after effects still linger. Any memory of that, or a similiar scenario - and i just want to hide. So the scars are still there. It comes down to changing the way you think and behave to those situations. I am reading and learning alot still, so it does take time.
There is so much that can be discussed here. It gets a bit too psychological and scientific and might bore people to sleep
i do thank everyone for reading..

 

A few months ago I read a book on worry "How to stop worrying and start living" by Dale Carnegie. I am sure many of you must have read it already. It is written in simple and plain laguage and author doesn't use any technical psychological jargon which common readers can not understand. Even someone like me who's first language is not english can read and understand it without even using a dictionary. He tells us stories of famous and successful people who faced similar problems like we do in their lives and how they dealt with them. The writer makes it look so simple that it gives you a new hope. You begin to think if all those people could successfully beat worry then why can't you? It shows you time tested and proven methods to overcome worry.

 

My methodology in dealing with worry is simplistic in the extreme. I just don't give a damn what anyone thinks and have enough confidence in myself to have the utter conviction that whatever life throws at me, I can improvise, adapt and overcome.

 

Go with the flow is my life motto.

 

Life is tough, but you really just have to shake off negativity. I've rid myself of any naysayers and people who doesn't have anything positive to contribute to my life. We must decide when its' time to do house cleaning. Live and let Live!

 

My first advice to you would be to keep yourself busy and focus on the work that you need to do.

My second advice to you, which I don't think many people would agree with, is to stop talking about depression. This means stop posting stuff on the internet about it, don't talk to people about it. Personally I find the more you talk about it, the more "negative energy" you feed it. It becomes a vicious cycle which just brings you down further.

Just do what you got to do, pick yourself up when you inevitably fail and make changes when you need to make changes.

 

Tdn878 Please don't take this as insulting, as i'm not trying to be. I think your point about keeping busy is very true, and moving passed depression is definitely about making positive changes in your life.
But some peoples depression Or other mental health problems are so sever that its not a case of just picking yourself up and moving on. Sometimes you need friends to help you get back up again, and those friends come from opening up and talking about your struggles. If someone fell and broke there leg, you would not tell them to get up and walk it off, right. To some people with mental health issues, it is as sever as braking a leg or worse. There is sometimes no logical reason for them to be feeling depressed, or scared, its just what there brain is causing them to feel. So how do you put aside and move past that which is bothering you, when you don't even know what it is thats causing you to feel that way in the first place.

Now i'm sure there are people out there that talk about depression simply because they like the sympathy they get from people. But for every 1 person that does it for that reason, i'm sure there are 10 more that are doing it as a way of asking for help. Now Bf76 knows that there are carrying people here on Digital Point that took the time to share their advice, because he opened up.

As well, Because he opened up, perhaps more people will have the courage to open up about there struggles.

Again this post was not to be insulting. Simply my thought on the matter

P.S, Sorry for the long post

P.P.S, Sorry now it will be even longer… Bf76. You should ask your accountant about a tax rebate, as I believe there is one if your symptoms affect your job/work. And I think it was large. You maybe able to find out about it online. This is in canada anyways, not sure where your typing in from.

 

Hi J_eclipse, no of course I don't take it as insulting, it was only a point of view I was trying to get across to Bf76 that may or may not be beneficial. I find it is a frame of mind that works for me, but of course I understand that everyone has different personalities and therefore has different ways of dealing with depression and mental issues.

I actually have a family member who suffers from depression and has to take medication for it. The issue is a chemical imbalance and the drugs help regulate that. So yeah, for certain people it isn't simply a matter of "shaking it off", I definitely understand where you are coming from.

 

First of all, there's nothing wrong with seeking professional help. It will definitely be worth the time and the money you invest into it, because mental health is just as important (if not more important) than physical health, especially in your/our situation. We work with our minds, so when something is wrong, it affects all our work.
Find what the cause of your feelings are, and try to fix that. Dig deep.
Most importantly, though, if the problems persist, talk to someone about it. A shrink, a very good friend, family. Don't be afraid to ask for help, because if it's really bad, it will be extremely difficult to get out of it on your own.

Good luck, and keep powering through. Be strong. It gets better. : )

 

I actually saw a very valid point to what you were saying, I just wanted to cover the other side of it. And was worried you may have taken it as me attacking your point. But very glade that was not the case

 

I can only speak from experience here, so apologize in advance if my advice does not seem relevant. Like many (if not all) people, I have also bumped into the dark shores of Depression. What I learned after some repetitiveness is that you can actually embrace depression and turn it into something good. I will go even a step further and say that I feel that this is a mental state you need to go through from time to time. Why?

After a certain point in my life, things started happening very fast, getting involved with work, relations, people, bills, higher education etc. makes your life a rollercoaster. We often let our instincts be the judge, which is good to an extent, and I found out that quite rarely I have the time to sit in solitude and really think about myself. Occasional depressions gave me just that, a little free time to dedicate to ME. And I tried to make the best of it searching for the roots of my depression, what i did to find myself in that situation, what I could've done differently etc. Eventually I always managed to find a way to change myself and to evolve into a better person, both for myself and for the people in my life. So in this line of thought I did find depression useful. Hope you can also turn it from negativity to how you can use it and improve because of it

 

Working online, especially when you work at home can be pretty depressing at times. Long exposure to screen radiation can also lead to insomnia. My doctor had to prescribe sleeping pills to help me sleep after a long day of working in front of my computer. What I do to avoid depression is go out with friends. I consider doing the groceries as my time of relaxation.

 

I gave up tbh. Realize it's just shit I can't control and it's not ever gonna get better.
So I immerse myself in my hobby to try to keep my mind off it.