Depression Terminology

Started by Jazzy, October 22, 2019, 11:46:46 PM

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Jazzy

TW: Depression




I'm hoping someone can help me out with the terminology for different depression types. I've tried looking around online a bit, but couldn't really find what I was looking for.

So the first kind of depression is the standard kind. Its the "I feel like a zombie kind". Symptoms usually include low energy, difficulty concentrating, reduced emotions, especially positive ones. This is the kind of thing you can easily find information on, what I always knew to be depression. Literal dictionary meaning is: "reduce the level or strength of activity".

But, over the last few years, I've struggled with something else at times. I wouldn't have thought it depression, but my psychiatrist says it is. Its like an active depression. You feel a lot, and you feel really bad. It literally hurts just to be conscious. You want to just hold your head and sink to your knees, and do anything to get rid of that feeling in your chest. It is so overwhelming that you can barely think straight, never mind focus on anything.

Clearly, there is a big difference between the two, they're almost opposite. One is reduced feeling, the other is increased feeling. But, if they're both depression, how do you differentiate between the two without a long winded explanation of symptoms every time?

Rainagain

You could look up dysthymia, it is a bit like the first example you gave I think.

The second example is more like depression, or a depressive episode, maybe.

How long these feelings last for seems to be diagnostic.

I've learnt not to worry too much about the various terms, I see them as a bit artificial, a way for psychiatrists to categorise things and possibly not all that helpful as the categories they use overlap quite a bit.

My approach is to accept that how I feel is real and valid, whatever the psych label is it is a real thing I experience.

I think experiencing depression is different to reading a description of depression, it's hard to convey how overwhelming it is in words.

Three Roses

The first sounds like depression or perhaps dissociation. The second kind of sounds like anxiety or hyper-arousal. I'm with Rainagain tho, I'll leave all the terminology to the medical community.  :yes:

I'm also not into long winded explanations. I just usually don't have the energy to try and explain to most people.

Jazzy

Thanks for chiming in. The thing is, I have to see my psychiatrist again soon and tell him how I've been doing. I really struggle with that. I have a hard time sorting out all my feelings/mood/reactions/activity for myself, and it seems even harder to explain to him. Things like this (explaining lack of feeling, and too much feeling with the same word), seem to make it even more difficult.

Maybe it doesn't matter that much, even with him. I have no idea of what kind of notes or files he keeps, the only thing that could possibly change is my prescription, and I've had the most success with that by just asking him straight out for something else.

Anyway, thanks again.

Three Roses

It is important for you to be able to express your innermost feelings, fears, etc. Your Dr sounds pretty awesome... I've read here about some of our members using drawing to express themselves where words fail. Is that something you feel could work for you?

Jazzy

Thank you for the suggestion, but unfortunately I have no artistic skill. Its one of the things I missed out on, not being in school. I really think I should start keeping an emotional log though.

Not Alone

An emotional log sounds like a good idea.
If you are a visual thinker: as far as art goes, I don't have the artistic talent to draw what I see in my mind, but I take google images and piece those together to get the idea of my thoughts/feelings on paper.

Blueberry

I don't have artistic talent either, but for a long time I used colours to depict my emotions. It could help me with old anger or pain to paint a whole large sheet of paper all in my anger or my pain colour. I also painted pictures of myself showing pain or heavy feelings in my gut. The pictures of myself were glorified stickmen. Occasionally I'd show a therapist, but otherwise nobody saw so I was quite OK with not being able to draw. I still have most of my paintings from then. They're dated too, so it's a type of emotional log.

My Inner Children got in on the act too and did finger painting and even foot painting. Neither of these two activities were permitted in my childhood of course so this was something totally new and fun.