Does your depression feel like a heavy weight draining your energy?

*paralyzed (not para)

Other than the right drugs, there are three secrets for me - - exercise, exercise, and exercise. Please don't blow this off, try it. Remember the three components, aerobic, strength, stretching. It's normal if you need help getting started. Find a friend who you know exercises and ask for help getting started! Good luck.

I couldn't agree with you more! I suffered from post partum anxiety and it's never really left me, but one thing that helps immensely is daily exercise. Even if it's only 15-20mins of walking... its beneficial in so many ways!

Yes, that's the perfect way to explain it.

My depression feels exactly like a heavy blanket. Some days it's all I can do to get a shower. It just seems like such a chore. I listen to music or audio books to try and make it less exhausting.

I have been suffering since 1998. Medicated. I still hurt every single day. I still get up everyday and take care of my family. I try to do it happily. The pain I have in my body is really quite bad.
I have a connective tissue disorder. My ligaments are all stretching out. This causes arthritis to form in the joint, any joint. I'm currently looking at a right total hip replacement and a vertebral replacement. Apparently, I ramble. Sorry.
Thanks for listening.

@dianekbrown Wow!! 10-15 years on a waiting list! I thought things were bad in Ontario, Canada!

@mjeang I agree! The medical establishment does need to change how they treat the patients, stop with the Bandaids and get to the root causes! Unfortunately pharmaceutical companies and health insurance have a strong influence on doctors’ decisions. Pharmaceutical companies would go under if doctors stopped giving out the Bandaids they supply.

I agree – walking, especially in nature in the fall is incredibly mind clearing. Keep reminding myself that fresh air lurks outside these dark walls that I don’t need to trap myself in!

Depression is exactly this feeling. I am so sorry that you have to feel this way and question yourself, but you are self-aware enough to realize the hole that you are currently in. I am currently in school acquiring my bachelors in the science of psychology and there is one thing I think might be a possibility. Remember I am just a student so do not take my words as a diagnosis or even if it doesn't apply, that's okay!! But it sounds like because of the depression you were/are in -- it appears that you have developed dissociative identity disorder. A couple of those symptoms appear as such (according to Mayoclinic.org): a sense of being separated from yourself and your emotions. I pick this up in your very first sentence, as you state that it is not only sadness you feel -- rather an emptiness and disconnecting feeling. Another symptom is stated as a blurred sense of your own identity. You may have forgotten who you really are and you may feel so disconnected that you may not care in the moment. Again, DO NOT TAKE MY WORDS AT FACE VALUE! I AM JUST STATING A POSSIBILITY! Regardless of what it may be, I pray and truly hope that you feel better soon. If you think you may be dealing with dissociative identity disorder or just depression itself, please reach out for help as soon as possible. It's something none of us want to do, but it is what we need to do. We cannot take care of others unless we take care of ourselves. Sending you so much love and light. The light at the end of the tunnel doesn't seem to be there right now but just a little further and the light will appear, I promise you. Have a beautiful day/night!! < 3

Minor Issues set me off. I want to determine how to control this, afterwards I am just sad.

Yes, I feel this drain when I’m depressed. In addition to medication, one thing that has helped me in the last year has been spending time in the morning under a therapy lamp. I had my psychiatrist point me to one to buy that is the correct lumens and size and it helps a good deal. I spend from 15 min to an hour before it every morning. It cost me about $150.