How ?!

1 - get out of bed.

2 - take a shower, shave, brush your teeth and get dressed.

3 - google the local rescue groups in your agency.

4 - go to a pet shop and ask if they need volunteers.

5 - go to the local Red Cross and ask if they need volunteers.

What kind of advice do you want?

Do you want advice on medication? Self medication with alcohol, caffeine and cigarettes et al? Therapy recommendations?

Talking to someone can help temporarily depending on who the person is. Do you have any goals you want to achieve? Can you pamper yourself? Does philosophy help.

I find food has a temporary antidepressant effect and sometimes walking and listening to music. You can just focus on surviving which is what I do.

Do you have a specific problem that needs solving? I have some specific problems and being trapped with them can heighten depression or lead to a perpetually trapped feeling.

I suffer from chronic low mood and anxiety. I drink a lot of coffee smoke a couple of packs of cigarettes, go for walks, get drunk, listen to music, distract myself on the internet.

I often contemplate dying as a release from the remorseless low mood and bodily fatigue.

Contemplating dying can be comforting sometimes as a potential way out and feeling less trapped. life can seem like a remorseless cycle but then sometimes the mood is alleviated.

I feel frustrated and disturbed by people. I feel like humans are mad and bad and that causes more helplessness and anxiety. You have to try and look for positive affirmations of reasonable people.

I think talking therapy could help but it can be expensive and you need to find the right person and method.

1 - get out of bed. — hks

Let's take it slow. I wallow a lot. So wallowing is one goal I want to tackle. I usually wallow in bed. It's what I do best for the matter. Just daydreaming and wallowing in bed. How do I wallow less?

You really need to get up and go. Wallowing will just make things worse. You're not going to accomplish anything in bed.

Bed satisfies the need for sleep. Once you have slept enough you need to get up and do something.

Do you want advice on medication? — Andrew4Handel

My doctor is in charge of that. I used to play around a lot with herbal medications and stimulants. But, I can comfortably say that's in the past now. Do you take anything that helps?

Therapy recommendations? — Andrew4Handel

Yes, I've tried logotherapy, some CBT, and some group therapy. All have failed me thus far.

Does philosophy help. — Andrew4Handel

I think so? Does that count? What are your thoughts about philosophy and dealing with mental disorders?

I find food has a temporary antidepressant effect and sometimes walking and listening to music. You can just focus on surviving which is what I do. — Andrew4Handel

Oh dear. That's not a long term solution. Then again, we're all dead in the long run.

Do you have a specific problem that needs solving? I have some specific problems and being trapped with them can heighten depression or lead to a perpetually trapped feeling. — Andrew4Handel

I think I just need to become undepressed. Thoughts?

I suffer from chronic low mood and anxiety. I drink a lot of coffee smoke a couple of packs of cigarettes, go for walks, get drunk, listen to music, distract myself on the internet. — Andrew4Handel

What has helped you then?

I often contemplate dying as a release from the remorseless low mood and bodily fatigue. — Andrew4Handel

I used to be enamoured with death, now not so much. It's kinda scary if you ask me.

I feel frustrated and disturbed by people. I feel like humans are mad and bad and that causes more helplessness and anxiety. You have to try and look for positive affirmations of reasonable people. — Andrew4Handel

Yes, I think so too. I have to start setting lower expectations of people and myself included. Thoguhts?

You really need to get up and go. Wallowing will just make things worse. You're not going to accomplish anything in bed.

Bed satisfies the need for sleep. Once you have slept enough you need to get up and do something. — hks

Hmm, that's quite succinct and blunt. But, I guess it's true.

Do you take anything that helps? — Posty McPostface

Citalopram has a significant effect on my anxiety. It had a bigger effect when I started it years ago but it is the only consistent medication that keeps my head above water.

What I have found that some medications can radically change your mental states, dreams and moods etc so it seems to me that it is brain chemistry definitely affecting mood. I am quite pro medication and brain alteration as well as using other therapies or anything else.

I think my traumatic childhood has probably permanently altered my brain and also I just this year found out I am autistic (at 42).

I don't think the brain equal the mind (call me dualist) but I do think it is bound to influence mind and thought.

The major of fighting through mental illness seems to me to be an incredibly strong will. Forcing ones self to do better or forcing ones brain to think more inline with happiness.

Citalopram has a significant effect on my anxiety. It had a bigger effect when I started it years ago but it is the only consistent medication that keeps my head above water. — Andrew4Handel

I'm on Zoloft (Sertraline), but I feel it pooping out, which is an issue any depressive faces when prescribed (pretty much any) medication. My p-doc already told me I have enough chemistry going on in my brain (Also on Zyprexa and Haldol)... yeah, pretty intense stuff... It sucks, because I know that they are potent mood stabilizers that could and likely are contributing to my apathy and anhedonia. I used to be a stim freak, which helped tremendously with the a-motivation I experience. I often wake up craving Adderall or Dexedrine in the morning. Ehh.

What I have found that some medications can radically change your mental states, dreams and moods etc so it seems to me that it is brain chemistry definitely affecting mood. I am quite pro medication and brain alteration as well as using other therapies or anything else. — Andrew4Handel

Same here, though I feel like I've exhausted most of the chemical routes of mood enhancement. I was on Nardil, and was happiest on it; but, it's an old drug that most psychiatrists won't prescribe anymore, sadly. If you ever feel in a rut, then give that one a try. You'll be flying!

I think my traumatic childhood has probably permanently altered my brain and also I just this year found out I am autistic (at 42). — Andrew4Handel

I'm sorry to hear about that. I have little to no memories of my childhood, only adolescence. My dad might have done something to me; but, I'll never know that so I just keep on chipping away I guess.

I don't think the brain equal the mind (call me dualist) but I do think it is bound to influence mind and thought. — Andrew4Handel

Yeah, same here. The mind is still a mystery, as well as the placebo effect to a large degree.

I used to be enamoured with death, now not so much. It's kinda scary if you ask me. — Posty McPostface

It is certainly scary to think about dying but sometimes living is more frightening and I don't know if dying can be worse than a terrible quality of life. Sometimes I think death is inevitable so we have to confront the fear at some stage. But I do want to die peacefully of old age ideally if I can reach that stage.

But the inevitability of death itself can fuel my feelings pf pointlessness. I personally don't advocate suicide but I think people suffering from mental distress often have to consider it.
Like Camus I think the question of why not die is really important. If we keep ourselves alive what is motivating that? I don't think fear of death is the only thing keeping me a live.

I don't like platitude style advice where you go through the motions of recommending every cliche of pop psychology and positive psychology in the hope that something will work but not getting to the root of someones problems. If you have suffered trauma or fear death etc then I think it is worth discussing or researching these things to confront them in a spirit of inquiry.

Coffee in the morning is a good stimulant to help get you going. Iced tea with your lunch and hot tea in the afternoon will help too. Once you get jump started then get out there and seek what you are looking for.

The most obvious way to help homeless people is to volunteer in the local soup kitchen. This may be a Catholic relief organization, but they accept non-Catholic volunteers too.

The most obvious way to help animals is go to your local PetSmart and volunteer with the kitties and rabbits there.

The major of fighting through mental illness seems to me to be an incredibly strong will. — Nathaniel

Oh, well I seem to have always had a weak will-power. Otherwise, I wouldn't be depressed over it so much. Again, I used to take artificial stimulators like Adderall or Dexedrine to help me motivate myself. Well, there I go again, craving it again.

Mental illness is when you are so debilitated that you cannot leave your room for any reason.

Medicines are the only solution to this affliction.

Once you have the right medicines, then you can proceed with the next phase, which is becoming productive somehow.

It is certainly scary to think about dying but sometimes living is more frightening and I don't know if dying can be worse than a terrible quality of life. Sometimes I think death is inevitable so we have to confront the fear at some stage. But I do want to die peacefully of old age ideally if I can reach that stage.

But the inevitability of death itself can fuel my feelings pf pointlessness. I personally don't advocate suicide but I think people suffering from mental distress often have to consider it.
Like Camus I think the question of why not die is really important. If we keep ourselves alive what is motivating that? I don't think fear of death is the only thing keeping me a live. — Andrew4Handel

Yes, there's certainly more to life than the fear of death. Otherwise why are so many people living? Then again, suicide rates are still very high despite our level of development. One can always wish to go back to plain and simple living; but, that kind of life is brutish and short.

I still have a resovair of fond memories from my childhood, so that keeps me kicking. They're only glimpses though. I don't get why children don't get depressed where adults so easily fall into that botomless pit...

Once you have the right medicines, then you can proceed with the next phase, which is becoming productive somehow. — hks

Hmm, this advice seems a little mean spirited. I am on disability, so that's what's keeping me afloat. Then again, whatever floats your boat, as they say.

I'm on Zoloft (Sertraline), but I feel it pooping out, which is an issue any depressive faces when prescribed medication. My p-doc already told me I have enough chemistry going on in my brain (Also on Zyprexa and Haldol)... yeah, pretty intense stuff... It sucks, because I know that they are potent mood stabilizers that could and likely are contributing to my apathy and anhedonia. I used to be a stim freak, which helped tremendously with the a-motivation I experience. I often wake up craving Adderall or Dexedrine in the morning. Ehh. — Posty McPostface

The problem with medicating and self medicating s that they are probably altering your brain as well as other experiences and past experiences.

I don't know to what extent I should mess around with my brain but I am not opposed to anything. In England where I live a woman had an implant put in her brain with a control that she could carry round and stimulate herself. If someone feels drastically mentally unwell they can do major interventions. Some people never feel suicidal but have unbearable low mood.

Apparently the danger point is recovering from low mood which I have experienced where you feel like dying so as never to go back to the low mood.

I am not sure what philosophy can offer me. I don't like scientist which I find nihilistic. There are few modern debates that cheer up my world view. I think we are due a thinker that is genuinely unbiased, calm, not ego-maniacal and inspiring.

I don't get why children don't get depressed — Posty McPostface

It seems like it is probably substantial brain differences. Also there is a lot you don't know as a child and you have a lot of novel experiences and hopes. But that is not say no child is depressed.

I was an optimistic child in the face of damaging experiences which was unhelpful because I should have been fighting back against my circumstances.

So being an adult can be disenchanting I suppose

Disability pay is a benefit from society that enables you to do just about anything you want or can. I knew a lady on disability with a similar chronic depression issue.

These are brain chemistry problems. Medication is the only solution.

Make the most of your life to the extent you can.

I would think you would be very good volunteering for pet rescue at PetSmart.

Cats and rabbits are such beautiful creatures that they are easy to fall in love with.

You were resilient. That is a good thing. Somewhat rare too.

I think I just need to become undepressed. — Posty McPostface

Do you have any idea what is causing the depression so you can tackle the cause?

The problem with medicating and self medicating s that they are probably altering your brain as well as other experiences and past experiences.

I don't know to what extent I should mess around with my brain but I am not opposed to anything. In England where I live a woman had an implant put in her brain with a control that she could carry round and stimulate herself. If someone feels drastically mentally unwell they can do major interventions. Some people never feel suicidal but have unbearable low mood. — Andrew4Handel

That's true to some extent. I used to affirmatively believe in the Nietzschian saying that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. Now, I'm not so sure I would want to relive my life with all my reckless ordering of herbal and other medications online.

Apparently the danger point is recovering from low mood which I have experienced where you feel like dying so as never to go back to the low mood. — Andrew4Handel

Been there. I have anticipatory depression, where when I get glad and cheerful, I recognize it's impermanence and get into a rut again. Hopeless fighting and such ensues.

I am not sure what philosophy can offer me. I don't like scientist which I find nihilistic. There are few modern debates that cheer up my world view. I think we are due a thinker that is genuinely unbiased, calm, not ego-maniacal and inspiring. — Andrew4Handel

Well, philosophy seems to sooth the issue, not as a remedy, more like a topical band-aid.

Self medication is a very dangerous game of playing doctor with your own body.

It seems like it is probably substantial brain differences. Also there is a lot you don't know as a child and you have a lot of novel experiences and hopes. But that is not say no child is depressed. — Andrew4Handel

I agree, I think that children just learn much more quickly, which is natural. They seem to bounce back from adversity like no other. Not all children are like this though, as there are always exceptions to the rule.

I was an optimistic child in the face of damaging experiences which was unhelpful because I should have been fighting back against my circumstances.

So being an adult can be disenchanting I suppose — Andrew4Handel

Sorry to hear about that again. I wish I could capture that wonder of life again. Do you feel that sometimes when you rummage around in your own time machine that is your brain?

These are brain chemistry problems. Medication is the only solution. — hks

What do you mean? Care to expand?

Clinical depression seems to be only solved with the right circumstances, per Bitter Crank, and with enough medication.

Self medication is a very dangerous game of playing doctor with your own body. — hks

The problem is that often you do not get enough professional help.

I have met someone who has used masses of experimental medication, supplements and so on. It is a kind of immediate survival technique I suppose. I have not tried illegal/recreational drugs but do use alcohol a few days a week and cigarettes

Apparently MDMA/ecstasy is now being explored for use on depression. Some recreational drugs and up being adopted in medicine.

You were resilient. That is a good thing. Somewhat rare too. — hks

I wish I could learn how to become more resilient. That's a desirable trait in my mind.

Do you have any idea what is causing the depression so you can tackle the cause? — Andrew4Handel

I don't even know where to start... Ever got that feeling when seeing a psychiatrist? It's almost as if you want to relinquish control over your life so someone else can deal with your misfortunes.

Self medication is a very dangerous game of playing doctor with your own body. — hks

Yeah. Typically when you hear about recovery stories, you don't hear about the long list of things already tried or done to remedy the situation.