How many of you have experienced depression in your life?

[mahayana]

If more than one answer applies to you, write down the higher number. If in doubt, make your best guess. Do not leave any question unanswered.

Now that you have completed the test, add up the score for each of the 21 questions and obtain the total. The higher the total score, the more severe the depression:

Total Score Levels of depression

1-10 These ups and downs are considered normal
11-16 Mild Mood Disturbance
17-20 Borderline clinical depression
21-30 Moderate depression
31-40 Severe depression
over 40 Extreme depression

[Kfamr]

I got a pretty high number.

I feel really odd just posting this, because normally I just talk about it to my close friends.

I have a really hard time talking to people in real life though.
I used to be into alot of things. Now, It's just my music, Animals, photography, and poetry.

I hopped at the chance to go places, like out to dinner and all -- Now all I want to do it sit at home "alone" with my babies.

I used to be much worse though, to the point where i'd come home from school, get Simba -- And just crash in my room.
I'd bang my head into my walls. I'd punch my walls. I'd rip my hair out. I'd cry to no end. Simba was literally my box of tissues. Everytime I felt the slightest bit of tear coming, I'd run to him. He's soak it all up, and i'd hug him as tight as I could.

I have a hard time crying infront of people, but in school last year I finally let it out. I cried in the middle of class.
I'm constantly thinking about things that happened before, or things that may happen in the future.

Honestly, I think Simba was the only thing that kept me alive.
Everyone always tells me how happy I am -- Really, it's only how happy I seem.

The tiniest things make me cry. The things that make me cry most are drugs and alcohol. That, and when something happens to Simba or Nala.

Most of my emotions now are let out through poetry. When i'm not feeling so well -- I ask my father to bring me to the Humane Society or SPCA. Yes, it's very saddening that all of those animals are in there, but being able to get away from home, being able to go and talk to all of the animals makes me feel so peaceful. Everything clears my mind completely, everything goes away.

I'm not sure if it's just a teenage girl thing -- or if I'm just psycho.

I could probably go on and on -- But you guys probably think i'm crazy enough. I have tears from typing all of this -- And I need to go hug Simba.

[GoldenRetrLuver]

Originally posted by Kfamr
I'm not sure if it's just a teenage girl thing -- or if I'm just psycho.

I could probably go on and on -- But you guys probably think i'm crazy enough. I have tears from typing all of this -- And I need to go hug Simba.

It's not crazy at all, I've been through some stuff and thought I wouldn't make it. Writing stories helps get most of it out for me. I have stories written from life and death to the love of my dogs. I used to just sit in the corner and cry all the time for no reason at all. People think I'm such a cheerful person, but sometimes I'm really crying on the inside. This might seem crazy, but lately I've been having nightmares of someone I love, dying. Yesterday, it was Daisy. I woke up crying and ran to see if she was still alive, and thank god it was just a dream. Daisy means as much to me as Simba does to you. I honestly can say I probably wouldn't be here if it wasn't for her.

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Originally posted by binka_nugget
I'm okay with talking about it now. I was never diagnosed or anything by anyone because I never went to get help. It got to the point where I almost took my own life. I decided not to because I have the best friends in the world who cared . I still have my moments but I'm not nearly as bad as I was before.

I have pretty mucht the same case, I have my good and bad days, I'm fine with talking about it. Theres some days though, it's just like I want my world to end, nothing is going right.

My mom takes Zoloft, she has for the past few years I think, I remember she was just always tired and sick, I think work really stressed her out and it just got worse.

[G.P.girl]

i got 23.
i've never told anybody that i'm depressed before. i almost killed my self last year. i think i'm alittle better this year. my teachers are really nice and i have all A's, but i still feel like i've done something wrong and i fail at everything i do that's not 100%
even a test thats 99% is bad. i never cry. not in front of peopple not wen i'm alone never. i guess i can't. but somtimes little things make me want to cry. like last week at school the ran out of the cheese pizza (the only vegetarian food) right before i got to the front of the line. it jusrt made me want to sit down and cry right in the middle of the cafeteria. oh well maybe i'm just crazy...

[IttyBittyKitty]

I am coming out of my latest little "funk" that I've been in for the last three months....

There is severe clinical depression on both sides of my family so you could say that I am pre-disposed to it. My Mum has battled it all her life, my Dad is bi-polar. Almost everyone in the family on both sides also suffers from it.

I have battled suicidal depression in the past, most of the time it is completely unprovoked. It has been so damned bad that I sometimes have hallucinations and one time, I held the knife to my wrist, the only thing stopping me was a long ago promise to my mother that I'd never take my own life. Her father, her uncle and my Dad's brother had all taken their own lives and she could not bear to lose another to it.

I have, somewhat stubbornly, chosen to do battle with the big "D" without the use of drugs. Somewhat foolhardy, I know, but I have the dubious honor of being the only member of my immediate family who is not on medication for it.......

[moosmom]

I've suffered from depression since I was a kid. I never got help for it till I went through my divorce. It was the best thing I ever did for myself. I've taken Zoloft, Effexor (nasty stuff) and am now on Paxil CR. I also suffer from panic attacks, although I haven't had one in quite sometime.

Depression is hereditary. My Dad suffered from it but chose to drink instead of getting help.

[mugsy]

Interesting the different reactions people have to the different anti-depression drugs. I had a bad reaction to Zoloft, but not Effexor (just stopped working) and Paxil....well.....when the nurse told me if I didn't take it everyday at the right time that it can be really nasty, I stopped taking it because I am really bad about taking meds and didn't want to end up in the ER with delusions. Basically I'm lazy about taking meds. And actually since I have stopped taking them I feel TONS better. I don't understand it, but I do.

[Tonya]

I didn't take the test because the Prozac has me ok right now. It was pretty severe before hand. I agree that it is hereditary. My biological father committed suicide when I was 1. My mother has been diagnosed with every form of anxiety and depression that you can think of.

I'd always blamed it on the rough things going on in my life. I figured that once I got them straightened out, the depression would go away. But now, my life is perfect. I don't have anything to complain about and I still deal with depression.

It scares me because my mom has gotten progressively worse over the years. I know this sounds mean, but she's nuts. I don't know if her ailments got worse, or all the years of different meds did it. I get worried that I might wind up that way.

Those of you who are experiencing problems, go see a doctor. You don't have to live your life like that. Please don't ever take your life. It leaves so many people behind that will never get over it. Depression is difficult, but you can get help.

[mugsy]

Originally posted by Tonya
Those of you who are experiencing problems, go see a doctor. You don't have to live your life like that. Please don't ever take your life. It leaves so many people behind that will never get over it. Depression is difficult, but you can get help.

AMEN!

[Amber]

I have been really depressed over brodie leaving me. I could NEVER EVER get over it.

[Kfamr]

My help is Simba and Nala.

That's why I think everyone should have a dog or two in their life.
Especially teenagers.

[wolfsoul]

I got 36. That's awfully high...

[petlover]

I am sorry to say it. I would explain what makes me so upset. But it is hard to talk about. I have had to watch pets die, ( Which was very hard) See my pets on road that had been hit, and just overall watching any animal pass away or get put down. I have to watch a lot of that. I wish that I didn't, but I do have to sometimes. I help out at a pet clinic and... I don't want to talk about it anymore.

[popcornbird]

Never had clinical depression, but I did used to feel depressed when I was maturing........at around 12-13 years. It was more the hormones, than real *depression*........but since I got my Popcorn and Muffin, I have never felt that way again. All I have to do cuddle with my birdies, talk to them, watch them do their stunts, or whistle to them and laugh at how they imitate me. Parrots are so funny, and so entertaining, its impossible to get depressed when you have the company of one!