Has anyone on here suffered from Depression or Anxiety?

[mac]

the schools gave us a laptop,,, theres a desktop at my house but i like the privacy of laptops /shrugs

[keii4ii]

I was a very well adjusted person for the first 30+ years of my life... until this past August. Depression and panic attacks hit me like a ton of bricks. I experienced multiple panic attacks EVERY DAY that month. I didn't even realize they were panic attacks until about a month in; I thought something was actually, seriously, gravely wrong, and my mind was constantly drifting back and forth between two states: A) active panic of "OMG IMMINENT DOOM WHAT DO I DO? HOW DO I ESCAPE?" and B) crushing despair because I couldn't figure out the key to solving the aforementioned imminent doom, which I, at the time, did not know was all in my head.

The silly thing is, my brain linked all that to my comic. So the Imminent Doom was my comic metaphorically going down in flames. I was SO convinced that I was doing a terrible job at ONE thing, just ONE thing about the comic, and that one thing was going to doom the entire comic. But what was that One Thing? And how do I fix it? I didn't know. And just like how, in a dream, you don't question what you know, I did not think to question the obvious: why would the failure of my comic mean the end of the world?

Protip: it doesn't. Took me weeks and weeks of suffering to figure that one out.

I am doing much better now. I have not experienced a single panic attack during this month, and that's a major improvement.

Normal people do NOT know what a panic attack is. I didn't know, either, until recently. It really bothers me when words like "minor panic attack" or "trigger" are thrown around casually. A panic attack is not like a normal person panicking, just as how having anorexia is different from a normal person wanting to lose weight.

[joannekwan]

I get panic attacks while driving sometimes, so I don't.

I should probably work on that...

at some point. Right now it's not necessary.

[Kura]

Yes.

It's pretty common for those with chronic illnesses. You just feel like a useless burden to everyone around you, the idea that you existing makes the lives of the people around you harder is not an idea, it's a fact. While the constant reminder that you will never get better and will be this sick until the day you die makes things even worse.

[Aetherwing]

I have this same thing. I hate to drive. It's one of the reasons I quit my job (which was like an hour away.)

[heterodont]

I get depression spells at least once a month, its the weirdest thing. Even my therapist thought it was weird how quickly my mood shifted from 'Hey, my life ain't that bad!' to 'Dear lord I want to stop existing right this moment, life is too hard and I can't manage it anymore.'

I've been diagnosed with generalized anxiety but received no medicinal treatment for it. First day of school my hands were trembling non stop and I had difficulty focusing on what the teacher was telling the class, then the various other times where I could hear my heart beating, clammy hands, couldn't focus on any other possibility other than how if I messed up then my whole life would be ruined and I will no longer be redeemable as a person nor living being - the whole roll.

It normally isn't too bad but I've always gotten to points where I was just Short of having a full blown panic attack.

[DoodleDamage]

Yep! My comic is going to dive into those subjects soon actually. I have really severe depression and social anxiety (though my social anxiety is getting a bit better, now that I'm no longer suffering selective mutism ) It has been long term for me, untreated. I can't get the right help here, even on hotlines, so I just nap a lot and keep trucking along. My comic is actually heavily based off of what I felt during certain periods of time in my life. Not exactly exclusively through characters, but events that happens came from me trying to cope

[efdvorsky]

I suffer from anxiety and depression too. Just about a week ago or so I got a panic attack while replicating a painting for a class and it was completely unrelated but I started crying so hard and shaking I almost ruined the work. To be honest, I can't even quite remember what the panic attack was about, I know it had to do with myself but actually pin pointing it is weird but everything felt like a daze for about 2 days or so, I'm surprised I managed to go to class at all.

Depression runs in my family, sadly, and it's been a tough upbringing in my case, so I have to say when I was finally diagnosed with major depression around 2012 or so, it came to no surprise but at the same time like 'oh...' hit me. I can see the episodes coming, and I mostly prepare for it. I've been able to deal with it without medication but as time goes on I realize I can't handle it on my own. (I left my psychologist when I wasn't happy with the treatment and never went back. (She was convinced asexuality wasn't real and raised an eyebrow when I identified with it at the time))

Anxiety is what I'm getting used to now since it's been growing over time to the point I suck socially. For me to even set foot in this forum took a lot out of me like 'jesus I'm such a noob, I screwed up' and even when I try to show up in artist meet-ups. But I'm slowly working on a way around it. I mean, here i am, and already signed up for a festival next year. -waves tiny flag- Also you'd be surprised how people don't notice...like, at all.

Just know, you are not your anxiety nor your depression, those things are part of you but they don't define you. And it's hard, really, to fully wrap your mind around it, but it's possible to work with it and grow from it.

But it's not an easy battle, it never is

[SpavVy]

Yes, I have both Anxiety and depression along with Asperger's. Ive gotten better with the anxiety though, my depression is getting better too. I used to take meds but not anymore at the moment.

[AnnaLandin]

I do have a whole bunch of anxieties. Most of them are on a manageable level, and thankfully my friends and family are all aware of it and are able to help me cope when I get stuck in anxiety-mode.

I've never suffered from depression, though, for which I am infinitely thankful. I've also never had a panic attack, for which I am ALSO infinitely grateful. My anxieties are pretty mild, compared to the experiences of other people, but even the smallest anxieties can really suck.

[zjwestbrook]

I have an oxytocin deficiency which presents as Schizotypal Personality Disorder, so anxiety and depression come up quite a bit. Also, thanks to my High School self being getting way too into 'Fight Club', I have degenerative prosopagnosia (face-blindness). If you're not familiar with any of that, it's an ouroboros of suffering.

The best symptom management I have is a steady girlfriend (though, if she changes her hair style without telling me, there's a good chance I won't recognize her, which resets my oxytocin levels and can trigger panic attacks or a depressive episode). There are a lot of little things you can do to boost your oxytocin and I have to do them twice as much to get the release a normal person does. So many bananas... (Pro tip: Do NOT eat five bananas in one day. The human gastric system was not designed to handle that much fiber.) I've heard there's an oxytocin nasal spray in development, so that's a distant glimmer of hope.

[EcoSky]

Yeah, am making progress with a life restricting phobia (count as anxiety?), where as soon as I am too far away from my home get panic attacks and deep anxieties, esp. in shops, crowds and when I have to speak to people (including writing an email - get very nervous and start shaking).

Depression visits me less often, thankfully, but is often followed with suicidal thoughts and hopelessness.
(btw, never took antidepressants or any other mediacation.)

Here are a few things that helped me chip away at my phobia and depression so far:
- Bach flower essences (highly recommended to anyone, changed a lot of things for me!)
(esp. the rescue version - great for when having a panic attack)

• playing an online game with chat function ex.: Elder Scrolls Online (did this recently, I had no social
  contact except for my family for many years, this made me start smiling more often + good to
  learn team work, how to communicate with people, ect... - recommended for those with social phobia
  or those who feel lonely and cut off from the world)

• change your diet by paying attention to how you react to each type of food, which are beneficial to you
  and which make you more jumpy/ill (tip: keep blood sugars stable, helps a lot). More fruit and vegetables
  always help (when eating more healthier, your tastebuds adjust, the fruit and veggies taste way delicious :P)

• increase exercise = more relaxed, natural happniess, gives confidence
  (tip: take an exercise you love, take your time to explore various sports and see which you like the most,
  for those who are housebound - a rebounder gave me much joy when I was restricted to my house
  as panic attacks were so bad I couldn't leave the house)

• switch gears: when anxiety or depression starts to sink in instantly distract yourself by doing something
  relaxing where your busy (if you can at that moment) ex.: take a walk in nature, sketch clouds, watch a
  positive movie

• stay away from (depressed, anxious) and negative people... Or at least don't always speak or write about
  your anxieties, which just gives them more power by focussing your eneergies on them.
  (there is a time and place to focus on your anxieties and depression - when your ready to take an honest
  look at your life and try to find solutions and only try to think of solutions,
  even when no solution comes to your mind now - it will later as your brain is unconsciously is working on the solution)

• create a list of things you love doing or always wished to try out and take baby steps towards them
  (don't let inconfidence pull you down, you have yet to discover your own power )

• change takes time and a lot of patience, there will be ups and downs along the journey,
  keep moving forward - you'll make it

• reduce for example play videogames or read books that are depressing and make you feel strongly negative,
  it's good to take a distance - you'll benefit in the long run

• take steps towards being kinder to other people, to try to understand where they are coming from
  (if you care about other people they'll start caring for you too = better environment, atmosphere)

I have many years of experience with anxiety, panic attacks and phobias,
and hope this list will help someone or even help stop a downward spiral of life quality.

It's not easy living with depression and anxiety, but I learnt that many things are possible and that
nothing lasts forever.

[mariusthered]

I suffer from depression and panic attacks , I freak out in crowds . i could blame events in my life for my depression but to be honest with myself I think it is mostly because I spend 90% of my life alone ( and some days I'm just bad company). I found the best way to bounce back is laughter so i have a number of dvds that make me laugh. so that is my advice

when your glum give yourself a giggle!

[BraveHeartTatsumaki]

Until past year, I was in a deep depression, I even had the idea of suicide (it was when everything came at once) and it affected me so my arms started to not fuction and have a tendonitis which wasn't physical, later I didn't even feel my arms at all. Fortunately, it just stayed as a thought, and I haven't had the idea of do that again, but this depression is with my since I was at school, around 10, since this 2015 it became less though from time to time it comes back. And I got to know how to recover my arms and now they are stronger than ever.
What helps me is to know the fact I'm not alone, that's a big plus to beat this, I'd say more stuff but those are things that comes with my believes and experiences.
but is not that difficult to beat, after the incident past year, these moments in which depression comes back it makes it less, so we can get stronger, other thing that helps me is to think that I've had worse things and I'm still here. And also not all the bad moments stay forever, and of course, we're never alone, always someone is watching and taking care of you.
I sometimes get like the anime charas who says "I'll do my best" to cheer myself when I'm feeling down and think in stuff like "why am I drawing my comic?" and I get energy and continue, in a way, my comic will have a part in which will have parts with my depression expressed in the main character, like my idea is if someone reads it and is with depression, to see like how the main character could beat all of that and become stronger so the reader can too, is like well an idea but hhh xD

[OgonoArtFamily]

I have Social Anxiety and I used to suffer depression(not anymore), but I still have social anxiety which has been decreasing ever since I started changing my diet, getting into meditation and listening to Binureal Beats and soothing music.(Also, discovered inspiring life-advice people on youtube)

But when I was in elementary, middle and high school it was hard trying to speak to people. My family didn't have a background in education so I had to learn a lot of things by myself. Elementary, I was bullied 1-6th grade and people who i thought were my friends just used me as a tool for popularity or would steal from me. My teachers thought I was mute and everything I was called upon to talk I would go into panic attacks. I didn't really have any parents that helped the issue, and I live in a single mom household--I was frightened of talking to her because of getting scold. Then I was then placed into Special Education in 5th grade and went on through middle school where I met my FIRST FRIEND and we talked about anime and we made our first "comic-book" together(not serious, just for fun). Anyway, that's all for my life-story I don't want to drag this out too long.

[purrlpankras]

Yes I have social Anxiety. Sadly. I can't even remeber when I started having it, I've always been a lil anti social shit.
I even have a comic based on my sad life. ZSR, It's a fantasy style slice of life thing.
I don't really like to talk about it. I just laugh it off (well try to) But yeah this comic really is me basically laughing about my sad life. (laughing at my own jokes)

Yaaaay for insecurities

[Alexandritea]

Anxiety is something i started to suffer from when i was around 14-15 years old. and i still have it
mostly because of the depression i have now. the depression i have is because that i lost someone i
love. i'm trying to cope with it though, and i usually do that just thinking about the world in my comic.
it has helped me tremendously.

[agentfink]

Same here. I have found working on my comics and trying to be more active in socializing (even through the computer) is therapeutic. In general, these attributes can be found in most creatives... I am jealous of those who seemingly don't have it. Maybe they just hide it better?

Life is too short-- now a days I just tell people I have anxiety disorder, and that typically is enough for them to understand how I cope with situations.

[SandraMJ]

I've suffered depression since my early childhood, to the point that around the age of 15 or so I was completely unable to feel anything. I met my boyfriend when I was 16 and I began to slowly develop once more a general idea of how emotions go, though it's still a bit difficult for me, but in general, I have a better life. To this day however I still get bouts of depression and suicidal thoughts every few months, but most of the time I'm a much, MUCH happier and well-adjusted, if quirky, person than I've been most of my life

[carloswebcomic]

Guys, maybe I'm just paranoid, but there are a lot of trolls on the internet and opening too much of yourselves in public may not be the best idea.
When you're targeted by trolls, they'll dig up any info they can and use it against you, so be careful, okay?