Creativity and depression

Flash In The Pan said:
I'm actually glad he posted his comment as it illustrates my point perfectly. Many of the general populace don't see depression as an illness, but just as a little phase of unhappiness, something that you'll "snap out of" or that can be fixed by a bit of retail therapy - I've tried that, it doesn't work, but I'll keep trying until I have all the camera gear I want....
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I didn't know what it really was till last year. I can't be depressed, I've got nothing to be sad about. It only really hit me when things were going well and I wasn't feeling like it. I started to realise that something wasn't right.
 
a1ex2001 said:
Just cheer up, life could be worse ffs.
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Perhaps this poster was just trying to inject a little bit of humour,lighten the mood a tad............:shrug:
 
dellipher said:
Janice, my friend suffers with really severe depression, and we have a phrase between us to let us know what mood we're in. Generally goes on "xxxx has just managed to destroy my universe" generally by doing nothing much.

Our families/partners now ask, "Are you angry at me or the space I'm stood in" which generally helps to determine whether they should take it personally :)
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:thumbs:
 
Good post and very interesting replies and stories.

My first experience of depression was at a very early age, my Paps was diagnosed with manic depression when I was 12.
It was very difficult in our family and what made matters much worse was the medication he was prescribed, it caused all kinds of unpredictable behavior and mood swings, since then, the drug is no longer on the market, the name escapes me, maybe Xeroxat or something.
He's much better these days and is no longer taking meds for depression, he still does suffer from bouts of it though and so do I. I had no clue what was wrong at first, anxiety, worry and for no explanable reason or cause. It could happen when I should be as happy as can be.
Luckily for me it's temporary and not permanent. It comes in waves, sometimes caused by people, attitudes, occurrences.
I refuse to take any medication for it due to the nightmare we experienced in my early teens. I try to be rational and thanks to my Dad's support and encouragement, I have managed just fine.

Over the years, I've found that some folks attitudes towards depression not only aggravates the situation but is totally barbaric, ignorant and bigoted.

'Just snap out of it man', 'Be happy ffs', and 'Come on, cheer up!'
The self proclaimed Doogie Howser MD's and experts despite no understanding of the human brain or chemical balances. They can all sod off and die for all I care. I've known folk that not only couldn't understand but refused to acknowledge it as a real condition or illness.
 
Janice said:
:thumbs:
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Its been quite hard for me to comprehend this time around, as before when I was self-harming I wouldnt allow myself to think I was depressed. Even though I know that I was. Now I dont want to be but I am.

I do think that a lot more of the talented people, comics/poets/writers/actors/musicians etc, do seem to struggle with deperession or addiction at some level. But then addiction can be brought on by underlying depression etc...and is all one big messy circle.
 
I think people talking about being 'depressed' when they are in fact just fed up is a problem. A lot of my teenage friends talk about depression, and while I know how serious it can be it is hard to determine whether they are actually depressed or merely feeling sorry for themselves.

fracster said:
Perhaps this poster was just trying to inject a little bit of humour,lighten the mood a tad............:shrug:
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Well he did it with very little knowledge of the subject, and very little thought :thumbsdown:
 
Tomas Whitehouse said:
the name escapes me, maybe Xeroxat or something.
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Probably Seroxat,although I don't know if that was prescribed for bi-polar or not. It was a truly horrible drug, I found it slowed me down to a point where I knew what I wanted to say or do, but I was too befuddled to actually carry out the action (pre-warning to Fractster to keep quiet at this point :lol:), ieverything was like trying to swim through treacle.

Iirc it was linked to a lot of suicides of young people and withdrawn from the market, not before time too.
 
Ewan said:
I think people talking about being 'depressed' when they are in fact just fed up is a problem. A lot of my teenage friends talk about depression, and while I know how serious it can be it is hard to determine whether they are actually depressed or merely feeling sorry for themselves.
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I agree but I think that exaggeration will always be around, particularly in younger folk, hell I'm guilty of it too, a common cold is naturally 'flu' as in short for influenza, big difference between the two but folk will always amplify and exaggerate, 'I was off work with flu for two days', real flu last a lot longer than that :nono:.
There's a clear difference between being fed up and being clinically depressed. Teenagers experience a lot of chemical imbalances during puberty, growing pains and the like, it's natural and to be expected.

T.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Probably Seroxat,although I don't know if that was prescribed for bi-polar or not. It was a truly horrible drug, I found it slowed me down to a point where I knew what I wanted to say or do, but I was too befuddled to actually carry out the action (pre-warning to Fractster to keep quiet at this point :lol:), ieverything was like trying to swim through treacle.

Iirc it was linked to a lot of suicides of young people and withdrawn from the market, not before time too.
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:schtum:


:D


Just humour before anyone gets upset.I`m sure Flash sees it datta way.
 
Flash In The Pan said:
Probably Seroxat,although I don't know if that was prescribed for bi-polar or not. It was a truly horrible drug, I found it slowed me down to a point where I knew what I wanted to say or do, but I was too befuddled to actually carry out the action (pre-warning to Fractster to keep quiet at this point :lol:), ieverything was like trying to swim through treacle.

Iirc it was linked to a lot of suicides of young people and withdrawn from the market, not before time too.
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That was the stuff Graham, seeing the word correctly typed reminded me of the packet it came in. (shudders) It really mashed my Pap up.
 
Marcel said:
Ever told someone with a broken leg to 'get walking....at least you have one'?

No? Thought not, depression is no different. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain and something that is not you can just 'snap out of'
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Actually walking on a broken leg is now encouraged to prevent muscle wastage, the physio wants you weight bearing asap which is why you'll see people in pots walking these days where ten years ago they would have been on crutches until the pot came off.

Depression has nothing to do with a Chemical imbalance that is an outdated and disproven theory, it is much more complicated than that.
 
I just came home and read my last post here. It was meant as a joke but now I realise it might be taken the wrong way by a lt of people so I appologise for any office. It was insensitive and I will now go and edit it.
 
I'm guessing to those of us who at worst feel bloody pi**ed off from time to time, what you lot are talking about is hard to grasp - so this is an interesting and informative read

Hopefully, we non-depressives can learn from you guys and perhaps be a little more understanding. Hope so

DD
 
a1ex2001 said:
Actually walking on a broken leg is now encouraged to prevent muscle wastage, the physio wants you weight bearing asap which is why you'll see people in pots walking these days where ten years ago they would have been on crutches until the pot came off.
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Alex, can I ask why you edited your post?
Why did you have "I suffered with depression for 10 years and I just cheered up, it really was that simple"

I tried to quote it but it wouldnt let me.

Surely if you suffered with it, it would hit home that it really isnt just a case of "get over it" I find your posts highly child-like and insensitive.
 
dellipher said:
Alex, can I ask why you edited your post?
Why did you have "I suffered with depression for 10 years and I just cheered up, it really was that simple"

I tried to quote it but it wouldnt let me.

Surely if you suffered with it, it would hit home that it really isnt just a case of "get over it" I find your posts highly child-like and insensitive.
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I edited it because people hate it when I say that and I'll get 10 post of it wasn't 'real' depression, the solution really was that simple.
 
a1ex2001 said:
Depression has nothing to do with a Chemical imbalance that is an outdated and disproven theory, it is much more complicated than that.
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It is a lot more complicated than that, that is just the shortened version. It also explains why there are several different anti-depressents, that dont all work for some people then you have the serotin based ones, which oohhhh are to help the chemical balance, then the tricyclic ones.
 
Its like telling a person with a migraine to take 2 paracetamol's and chill out. As a light migraine sufferer it ain't that easy. Loss of sight followed by the feeling of someone pushing your eyes in for 8 hours with the only hope coming in the form of throwing up. Then you're out of it for a few days and ok. Yer, paracetamol that'll do it.
 
a1ex2001 said:
Depression has nothing to do with a Chemical imbalance that is an outdated and disproven theory, it is much more complicated than that.
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Some depression is. The kind that can be treated with pills -- because there is a chemical inbalance it can be addressed. I *believe* a lot of very severe depression has at least a chemical inbalance component.
 
My take on it (not read anything other than the opening post)...

Being "different" can force creativity. It forces you to explore yourself and ask questions within. It forces you to wonder why things are the way they are, and I guess it forces you to really *look* around you. Being creative is a natural leap of being different I feel.

What I just said probably makes no sense, but being bullied my entire life, and jumping from school to school, foster home to foster home, bad boys home to bad boys home, it made me as a young adult, sit back and wonder about life and about myself. I wondered why people hated me, and why everything was so ****. I eventually worked it all out, I worked out I was different, and people don't like different. I am not depressed, or unhappy, but I have a major chip on my shoulder and I feel like I owe the world my middle finger and little else.

The long and short of it, I learned to love what was different about me, exploit it, and force others the best I can, to love it too. If you don't like, tough ****, I don't care :D

Anyway, erm....mini rant over. Being different helps the creative juices glow, I think. :suspect:

Gary.
 
a1ex2001 said:
I edited it because people hate it when I say that and I'll get 10 post of it wasn't 'real' depression, the solution really was that simple.
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So you just smiled and moved on? I can't see that working for me unless my life was drastically different.
 
a1ex2001 said:
Actually walking on a broken leg is now encouraged to prevent muscle wastage, the physio wants you weight bearing asap which is why you'll see people in pots walking these days where ten years ago they would have been on crutches until the pot came off.
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Not before they pin it and put it in plaster though.

Depression has nothing to do with a Chemical imbalance that is an outdated and disproven theory, it is much more complicated than that.[/QUOTE]

If it's much more complicated than that, then that's even more of a reason not to be able to just "get over it".
 
dellipher said:
It is a lot more complicated than that, that is just the shortened version. It also explains why there are several different anti-depressents, that dont all work for some people then you have the serotin based ones, which oohhhh are to help the chemical balance, then the tricyclic ones.
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Less than 10% of clinical depression is caused by a Chemical imbalance and even in those cases psychotherapy has been proven to be more effective than drugs alone.
 
From what I understand there are drugs that can help to reduce the depression but not to cure or prevent it. Like Pete said about Migraine - drugs might take the edge of but they won't stop it.

So from a non depressive - is there anything that can be done in terms of self-help when you know there is a 'down' on the way? Are there any provisions you can make - something that you can prepare so when you hit the bottom you have given yourself some distractions? I have no idea - I just wondered if anyone had tried something like that
 
Sometimes Alex, you need to think before you type, this is not the first time you've posted a comment in this manner.

Depression comes in many different forms and for the vast majority, it is not a case of just snap out of it.
 
AndyB said:
From what I understand there are drugs that can help to reduce the depression but not to cure or prevent it. Like Pete said about Migraine - drugs might take the edge of but they won't stop it.

So from a non depressive - is there anything that can be done in terms of self-help when you know there is a 'down' on the way? Are there any provisions you can make - something that you can prepare so when you hit the bottom you have given yourself some distractions? I have no idea - I just wondered if anyone had tried something like that
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What you have essentially described is the 'cure' for want of a better world, What you have to do is teach yourself to respond to events in a different way sadly for many that teaching is not easy.
 
I've had depression for years, been hospitalised for it, been through psycotherapy and different drugs. It can seemingly disappear for fairly long periods of time, a year or more, but it allways returns. I get to recognise the signs and try to act before it gets a total grip.

There is no one thing that can trigger it, each bout has it's own particular problems. What was bearable one time, will not allways be the next. Equally the circumstances that can bring a degree of relief will also change.

It is on occasions possible to control it, but you allways know it'll be back. Sometimes like a hammer blow, and at others creeping insiduously back into your life.
 
I dont think cure is the word. It's more a case of finding of a way to deal with it. The cause of the depression will always be there assuing it's a genetic thing. But how people learn to deal with it or overcome it is what I am interested in.

I think the only phsychotherapist who could even be of any help is one who also suffers from the condition. How can anyone on the outside possibly understand what is going on?
 
As I'm adopted I have no idea if there is a history of depression in my "family".
 
But is it hereditory or a genetic 'mutation'?
 
Sorry, what I meant was would it make a difference to the way you deal with it?
 
Wow all this talk about depression and broken legs etc. makes me smile :D

why? because its not just me :lol:, 13 months ago i broke my leg in a bad way and i could not move off the sofa for the first 3 or so, well i could but always in serious pain. Im still hobbling around now and have to go to hospital for further operations and it looks like the pin might have to come out again :bang::bang:

This has led to yet another bout of depresssion that peaked last week when i almost threw all my gear on the floor in yet another rage:eek:. My life has suffered, my photography has suffered and my family well thank God they understand me and put up with me. Why do they do this? because depression is an illness and a bloody depressing one at that.

Your not alone Pete:thumbs:

Reading a few posts here makes me wonder if photographers suffer from it more:shrug: photographeritis maybe.

I have recently found that TALKING does ease the bouts a lot, yep simple talking trouble is now finding someone thats going to listen to a grumpy, moaning, depressive, camera smashing (almost), door slamming, remote contol throwing, idiot like me...now ive found you lot:thumbs:
 
I have removed my original comments as because of the lack of feed back.Egnored comes to mind...
Reading most of the comments here it is very very clear that very few know or understand DEPRESSION.
 
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