Depression Page 8

Quote: Ben @ December 3 2008, 3:11 PM GMT

Isn't that also known as running away? I run away sometimes and it's not the best approach. It will come back and bite you on the bum-bum.

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I don't think when it comes to emotional and mental issues, you can honestly run away. There ways you may distract from the real problem by doing something other (usually extreme) action to relieve it but I don't think you can honestly class humour as that. To have a sense of humour about yourself (even dark) and your circumstances is far far FAR better than for example, self harm, self medicating, alcholism, binge eating/starvation, violence and criminal behavour, and suicide attempts as a means for the sufferer to deal with their pain.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ December 3 2008, 3:21 PM GMT

To have a sense of humour about yourself (even dark) and your circumstances is far far FAR better than for example, self harm, self medicating, alcholism, binge eating/starvation, violence and criminal behavour, and suicide attempts as a means for the sufferer to deal with their pain.

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You can do both. Sense of humour and some of the negative behaviours you list. Indeed, sometimes sense of humour can become pretty negative in a corrosive, angry way.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ December 3 2008, 3:21 PM GMT

To have a sense of humour about yourself (even dark) and your circumstances is far far FAR better than for example, self harm, self medicating, alcholism, binge eating/starvation, violence and criminal behavour, and suicide attempts as a means for the sufferer to deal with their pain.

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I guess so, although my idea of self harm would probably involve leaving the house in an outfit that wasn't co-ordinated.

Quote: EllieJP @ December 3 2008, 12:35 PM GMT

Depression runs in my family. It's a tough and sore subject for me.

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Me too hun.

It can be difficult as a child to grow up with a clinically or manically depressed parent.

Quote: chipolata @ December 3 2008, 3:26 PM GMT

You can do both. Sense of humour and some of the negative behaviours you list. Indeed, sometimes sense of humour can become pretty negative in a corrosive, angry way.

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That too!

Of course, the interesting point Lee's original post raises is if you could manufacture an artist. For example, take two kids, give one to happy, well adjusted parents. Give the other to abusive druggies. Come back in twenty years and see if Miserabnle Kid is more artistic than Happy Kid.

Quote: sootyj @ December 3 2008, 1:02 PM GMT

In care assessments it depress's me how often parents especially look for a physiological diagnosis.

e.g. ADHD or bipolar (instead of depression), or aspergers instead of being a grumpy teen.

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My former flatmate Adam suffers from ADHD. You would be amazed how misunderrstood it is! What annoys me is any unruly child seems to be able to get dianosed with it and it not fair on those who truly have the condition.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ December 3 2008, 3:21 PM GMT

I don't think when it comes to emotional and mental issues, you can honestly run away. There ways you may distract from the real problem by doing something other (usually extreme) action to relieve it but I don't think you can honestly class humour as that. To have a sense of humour about yourself (even dark) and your circumstances is far far FAR better than for example, self harm, self medicating, alcholism, binge eating/starvation, violence and criminal behavour, and suicide attempts as a means for the sufferer to deal with their pain.

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Quote: sootyj @ December 3 2008, 1:33 PM GMT

Yes but it's bearable, treatable and can be a learning experience.

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Agree, it was bearable, treated & a big learning experience.

It may sound daft but I do feel as tho' I gained, as a person, from this experience.

Still to this day don't know why it happened as nothing in my life at that time did seem wrong.

Not sure it should be just tied with comedy, I believe it's more of the creative person on a whole.

I think it also happens to people who think a lot.

And as a coping strategy I can't think of any better way than laughter and comedy. It's also a good pain-reliever. You may do this already but if you don't give it a try; next time you stub your toe or bang your arm or whatever make youself laugh really hard. It lessens the pain.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ December 3 2008, 3:31 PM GMT

My former flatmate Adam suffers from ADHD. You would be amazed how misunderrstood it is! What annoys me is any unruly child seems to be able to get dianosed with it and it not fair on those who truly have the condition.

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I worked with kids with "real ADHD" and it's a real condition.

As oposed to my kids naughty give me a diagnosis ADHD.

I blame the Daily Mail, but then I would, wouldn't I?

I've learned to accept and even embrace the unpredictability and sudden onset of my moods, and I'm not talking about the blues. It's added (in my mind) to my world-view and my fractured personality. The times when I've been at my most creative have always been my darkest periods. But it's not a one-way street. While it's given me a more vivid inner world, it's hindered (putting it mildly) my ability to interact with the real world.

If I was given a red-pill / blue-pill choice, it perhaps sounds weird to say that removing it would be the equivalent of a lobotomy, as part of me would die. I think depression was an inevitable result or by-product of my personality, rather than an external force applied upon me.

I'm with Rube and Dolly in that laughing at the monster, helps not to diminish it but to cope with its presence. And I echo their experience. For me, depression isn't like feeling blue but multiplied ten times. There's an emotional experience, yes, but also a radical shift in the way you see the world. You never cure it but you will eventually learn to live with it.

Perhaps creatives are split into two camps: those happy with the existing state of the art and who see little need for change, and those who create because they're dissatisfied with the existing state. If it was that simplistic it's easy to see that depressive personalities could have a disproportionate voice within the arts. But as I said, it's too simplistic.

Quote: RubyMae - Glamourous Snowdrop at Large @ December 3 2008, 3:21 PM GMT

I don't think when it comes to emotional and mental issues, you can honestly run away. There ways you may distract from the real problem by doing something other (usually extreme) action to relieve it but I don't think you can honestly class humour as that. To have a sense of humour about yourself (even dark) and your circumstances is far far FAR better than for example, self harm, self medicating, alcholism, binge eating/starvation, violence and criminal behavour, and suicide attempts as a means for the sufferer to deal with their pain.

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I agree, but it's just not always that easy. I suffer from a mental disorder known as Trichotillomania which means that if I get stressed, I'll literally pull my hair out. I got made fun of, and called "Hagrid" for years even when my hair was growing back - so seemingly I couldn't win. Bald patches and I got ridiculed, snapping out of it and I did too. I almost recovered for about a year, but around the time of GCSEs it came back greatly. I'm in a bit of a state with it currently over a lot of stressy things, and though I used to be very sensitive about it, I've really learnt that embracing and joking about my hair is something that I have to do in order to stay afloat. People don't always understand, and I'm sure some of you will just think I'm completely off my trolley, but laughing about things makes them accessible. It makes them acceptable.

I know someone else with that, she always pulls the hairs in her eyebrows out. So she has to draw them on.

Are you sure you want to go to university?

Quote: zooo @ December 3 2008, 6:58 PM GMT

I know someone else with that, she always pulls the hairs in her eyebrows out. So she has to draw them on.

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Yeah. I was eyebrow-y for a while, too.

Quote: Aaron @ December 3 2008, 6:58 PM GMT

Are you sure you want to go to university?

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...? I only tell people if I want them to know, and with the curls noone can notice unless it gets really bad again - something which I'm resolved to not let happen.