Dealing With Depression

[Syranope2]

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i know there are a ton of medical students who struggle with depression. i'm going through a low period right now and i wanted to know what you guys do to help get yourselves back up again. any suggestions/ideas?

thanks in advance 🙂

 

[stherling]

I think everyone's a little different in terms of what works for them... but what I do (when I can work up the motivation) is to pick up something new. learn a new language, skill, take up a new hobby.... something like that. I really enjoy learning new stuff, and it makes me feel productive. that usually gets me out of my rut. For instance, I've just taken up bikram yoga. i'm getting a workout, increasing my flexibility, and pulling myself out of a particularly low time of my life. 🙂 I just figure there are a ton of things i've 'always wanted to do', and checking them off the list (or even just going through the planning stages) really peps me up... and if I get myself focused on something other than myself, i feel much much better.

also... i normally don't cry at movies, but when i'm really depressed, sad movies can be really cathartic. you'd think they'd make me sadder, but i think they help me to vent. 🙂 I don't even remember what I was watching last night, but I sure cried a lot, and I felt MUCH better afterwards.

though again, everyone's different. Also, most schools have counsellors who you can talk to about your depression for free. In any case, good luck with it all ... Hang in there and you'll make it through. 🙂

 

[Saluki]

I tend to go running to kind of get rid of some of that excess emotion... Otherwise, I find that talking with a friend and just bawling away; even if the things that come out of your mouth- your pencil broke, someone cut you off in the parking lot, and your teacher gave you an A- don't have anything to do with that deep blue feeling, it somehow makes me feel better to have a good cry....

 

[silas2642]

i know there are a ton of medical students who struggle with depression. i'm going through a low period right now and i wanted to know what you guys do to help get yourselves back up again. any suggestions/ideas?

thanks in advance 🙂

I think that it would be best if you went to see a psychiatrist or some other mental health professional to rule out clinical depression vs. med school blues. If it is clinical depression, which is very treatable, there are a ton of things you can do to make yourself feel better. There are medications, which take a little time to work and sometimes have side effects, but they're usually mild and go away with time. Exercise, exposure to sunlight, eating right, psychotherapy, all of these things can help. Good luck, and get some help because you don't have to feel this way.

 

[Ypo.]

Do you have an ongoing problem with depression? If so, do what worked to get you out of it before.

For me-I start doing regular exercise, checking my thinking patterns for negative thoughts. If it has gone too far, then I would take an anti-depressant, but for me usually I can just stick it out.

Also-look for what may have caused it in your life-ie-do you not take any time off from studying, do you have a support group-are you living away from your family-and then try to remedy that.

But if you are seriously depressed, just go see your doctor.

 

[skypilot]

If it is mild depression, aerobic exercise does wonders. You can come out of your depression better, stronger and faster than you went in. If you've got severe depression head straight to your psychiatrist before it snowballs and your life falls apart. There is no shame in seeking a little help once in a while. Life is tough.

 

[Doctor Bagel]

first, investigate your school's resources because you might be able to get some treatment for free. it might suck, it might be good, but it's worth a try. if it really is depression, you don't want to self-treat. depression's a serious medical condition and shouldn't be taken lightly.

for the other tips, i'm a big believer in self-nurture. when my mood is starting to go south, i don't see sad movies, and i don't read sad books. i watch comedies and read schlocky books. also, it's important to get out and see other people. you'll sort of feel like you're going through the motions, but it really will make you feel better.

 

[amyliz]

-Head to the gym or go for a run outside, especially with a friend.
-Make yourself step back and look at your life. Make yourself put things in perspective. The best advice I've ever gotten is to never define yourself as a medical student- it's what you do, not who you are. If you define yourself as just a med student, then every exam becomes a test of your self-worth, rather than a test of what you know.
-Spend time with friends, and talk to people you're close to about how you're feeling. More often than you'd realize they've gone through something similar themselves or with someone else, and are very supportive.

If any one of those doesn't help, talk to a professional- counselor, psychiatrist, anyone- ASAP. Realize that depression is an illness and that it doesn't say anything about you or your strength of character if you need help in dealing with it. Life is too short to spend it feeling like this.

 

[Psycho Doctor]

Depending on the level and cause of your depression, different approaches may work.

Exercise, play basketball or go for a run. Some people believe in yoga or some other similar exercise and claim it to be very successful.

Talk to friends, be with others who are generally happy and who you can open up to. Don't be alone, even if you feel that's what you want to do.

Find someone or a group who needs help more thna you do. Go to a children's hospital. a hospice, a homeless shelter or soup kitchen. See those who need assistance and watch their face light up for the service you offer them. Nothing makes you forge tyour problems and depression faster than seeing those who are really suffering and then making them smile.

Hug your dog or cat. Cuddle with you significant other; tell yoiur parents how much they mean to you.

If none of these help, go to a psychiatrist and be evaluated for medication.

All the best, and please don't wait and hope it goes away. If it lingers more than a week or so, it won't without medical intervention.

 

[zeloc]

I've noticed that the hardest thing when I am depressed is to get started doing an activity. Once I actually engage in something, it is much easier. This can be exercising, talking to friends, whatever. I suggest hanging out with positive people, because then you don't have to actively do something to alleviate your depression, you will just respond to others and feel much better. I have a hard time getting out of bed sometimes, but I had a roommate once who would get up early and take a shower, and then leave the water running, pull the blanket off of my bed while I was totally confused and tell me it's time to get up. He'd then leave, and so I had no choice but to get out of bed and get in the shower because the water was running the whole time!! You better believe I moved fast. So if there's any way you can associate with positive people, the contagious attitude will rub off on you and you'll find it easier to do things, especially with forceful people. Maybe you can schedule a consistent activity with a group of friends, for example running three times a week. Because people are expecting you to be there, you will establish a routine and that can be helpful in keeping your mood positive.

 

[thatguyagain]

i know there are a ton of medical students who struggle with depression. i'm going through a low period right now and i wanted to know what you guys do to help get yourselves back up again. any suggestions/ideas?

thanks in advance 🙂

I was never the exercising sort of person, but when I was feeling in the dumps I started swimming. It was great. It became something I looked forward to everyday.
Natural endorphins definately do wonders for the mind.

 

[IAMS]

'Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy, happy people don't murder their husbands. They just don't'. - Elle Woods

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I've never been a big fan of the exercise remedy for depression. It's totally anecdotal, but I became deeply depressed during a period when I was exercising vigorously almost every day. I'm sure it helps lots of people, but it doesn't always work, and it's not enough for people who are really depressed.

 

[fpr85]

eat.

It's 1 am, I have an English paper due at 6pm (which I'm just now starting) and have to get ready for work at 6am, so I'm eating a bowl of wheaties.

 

[21JumpStreet]

You might want to see your doctor to rule out any physical illness. Then, you might consider seeing a psychologist, if it is not due to a physical problem. You might find a particular type of therapy to be helpful: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, psychodynamic psychotherapy and others.

 

[thatguyagain]

I've never been a big fan of the exercise remedy for depression. It's totally anecdotal, but I became deeply depressed during a period when I was exercising vigorously almost every day. I'm sure it helps lots of people, but it doesn't always work, and it's not enough for people who are really depressed.

Yea, if your depression is really bad you should definately see a doctor. There is no shame in that. Exercise only does so much to help.

 

[chef_NU]

Aye, tell a friend you want them to force you to come to the gym with them everyday. Take the self-motivation question out of the picture. Do some aerobic exercise, hit the punching bag, roundhouse kick your classmates in the face.... etc.

Then, when you're all spent, go home and drink a bottle of Early Times and puke yourself to sleep.

 

[Syranope2]

To everyone who has responded to this post, thanks so much for helping me out. I've started exercising again and I go to the library to study now, so I can spend some time talking with my classmates who are also there. I'm feeling a lot better than I was when I posted. I've also started going to a new therapist, so hopefully that will help, too.

I've dealt with this for a long time and I am taking medicine and stuff, but I had hit a little lull and needed some help pulling myself out of it. Thanks for your help, guys 🙂

 

[Psycho Doctor]

To everyone who has responded to this post, thanks so much for helping me out. I've started exercising again and I go to the library to study now, so I can spend some time talking with my classmates who are also there. I'm feeling a lot better than I was when I posted. I've also started going to a new therapist, so hopefully that will help, too.

I've dealt with this for a long time and I am taking medicine and stuff, but I had hit a little lull and needed some help pulling myself out of it. Thanks for your help, guys 🙂

glad you are feeling better! all the best...

 

[godsfshrmn]

How bad do you guys deem necessary to see a psychiatrist? This semester has been pure heck. I don't have time to spend with my girlfriend and I'm going through the same routine. It really brings you down. I work 20hr on the weekends, and during the week I study or go to class. It sucks trying to find time and doing all this on my own. All this has made it to where all my friends have forgotten about me.

 

[erin682]

How bad do you guys deem necessary to see a psychiatrist? This semester has been pure heck. I don't have time to spend with my girlfriend and I'm going through the same routine. It really brings you down. I work 20hr on the weekends, and during the week I study or go to class. It sucks trying to find time and doing all this on my own. All this has made it to where all my friends have forgotten about me.

I would recommend seeing a psychologist first. Its much better to try and work out your issues without meds if you can. I'm not anti meds or anything but they can have some nasty side effects and can be tough to stop. If you go to a psychiatrist right off they will give you meds and then recommend that you see a therapist. A therapist, however, will talk with you first and evaluate you on whether you need something more.

As far as how bad it needs to be. If its interupting your life and you can't see an end to it, I would say go for it. Its not gonna hurt you to talk to someone objective about your problems.

 

[thatguyagain]

To everyone who has responded to this post, thanks so much for helping me out. I've started exercising again and I go to the library to study now, so I can spend some time talking with my classmates who are also there. I'm feeling a lot better than I was when I posted. I've also started going to a new therapist, so hopefully that will help, too.

I've dealt with this for a long time and I am taking medicine and stuff, but I had hit a little lull and needed some help pulling myself out of it. Thanks for your help, guys 🙂

That is excellent news. We are always here to help.

How bad do you guys deem necessary to see a psychiatrist? This semester has been pure heck. I don't have time to spend with my girlfriend and I'm going through the same routine. It really brings you down. I work 20hr on the weekends, and during the week I study or go to class. It sucks trying to find time and doing all this on my own. All this has made it to where all my friends have forgotten about me.

Some say that it's when the depression begins to effect your ability to carry out your normal life (seeing friends, sleeping, studying, etc.).
Others say its when your behavior becomes self-destructive.

 

[Still Kickin]

Some say that it's when the depression begins to effect your ability to carry out your normal life (seeing friends, sleeping, studying, etc.).
Others say its when your behavior becomes self-destructive.

Just thought I'd point out something base on personal experience from a number of years back: Sometimes when you're in a depressed state it's hard to evaluate if it's affecting you in these ways. You might dismiss it and think it's really not all that bad or something you can surely cope with on your own, etc. But then once you're better you can realize how BAD OFF you were.

I like the "visit a psychologist" idea - talking is always good whether we desperately NEED it or not (there's always things like becoming a better person, getting in touch with your internal motivators, etc.) And as said earlier - the psychologist can let you know if you need to see a psychiatrist, too. (The psychologist may be more objective about your condition then you are able to be.)