It’s hard to tell if I’m depressed

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It’s hard to tell if I’m depressed . I don’t feel sad,tearful and suicidal, but a lot of the time I feel hopeless and useless/worthless.

depression is a clinical diagnosis

consult the Diagnostic Statistical Manual

if you can afford it, go to a psychologist

I can feel this way, now and then. I don't know, either, whether it's depression or not. I've noticed (in my case) that it comes on, when I am feeling very isolated or alienated, and my self-confidence is low, for any significant length of time. When in this state, I try to focus on doing things that empower me, to some degree. That raise my level of confidence and self-assuredness and activate endorphins.

I sort of feel the same , I've just started CBT for depression and I don't think I have it Mind you I am absolutely useless at identifying what's going on in my mind , if I'm asked how I'm feeling I usually don't know , I can laugh at TV programmes one moment and have suicidal ideation the next. I'm definitely not in touch with my emotions.

I've been told that I don't have depression, but, I have wondered on occasion, if I might. It is when I experience hopelessness, uselessness/worthlessness, that I have considered I might be depressed. I do, apparently, experience situational depression (according to my psychologist). Hmm, come to think of it, firemonkey, those are the symptoms I experience when I have situational depression. I hadn't thought of that, earlier.

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Sometimes psychologists give misdiagnoses.

The diagnostic criteria for clinical depression is vague and subjective

Something like three weeks of depressed mood .

?

Who is to say the depressed mood lasted sixteen or forty three days

The diagnosis does not involve measurements of serotonin or dopamine anyways

^True.

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When counselors asked how I was doing and I answered "Depressed", they had the nerve to ask if I was plotting to violate the Mandated Reporter Law.

That was still the case when I disclosed in writing that a psychologist diagnosed me with clinical depression



When I told someone that was not a counselor I was depressed, in response to "how are you", he asked "why?"

It's like why are you autistic? .

Nature versus nurture

The question do not make sense

So usually I avoid saying the word "depressed"

And what are you supposed to answer to "how are you" anyways?

^I guess I've been lucky in the sense that I haven't had that experience, but, I have experienced some other confusion from a couple of psychologists, of whom I never returned to see, as my gut feeling won in those instances. But, in my case, I am fortunate in that, I have the choice to seek out other therapists, which I've realized, from other's posts, here, is not the case with everyone,. Funny though, I wound up going to the therapist who I had seen in the distant past, who, at the time hadn't specialized in ASD, learning disabilities, etcetera, but, does, now. I had a very good experience with her, in past, and now, I hope she will work with me, for the remainder of my life (although, she is older than me, so, that may not happen). blablabla. rambling. always nice conversing with you, shortfatbalduglyman.

Some precious lil "people" say they are "depressed" when they mean "sad". But depression is a diagnosis, not an emotional.

Some say they are not "depressed" when they are depressed. Stigma. They are in denial

Go to a psychologist

Or look up depression quizzes online

Depression does not have to be black and white

I have the same problem not being able to tell if I'm depressed. I usually see if anything physically has changed (i.e. my stimming has changed, I'm not eating as much) and that helps me figure it out. I can get really sad and run down sometimes because of OCD.

I feel the same way, I can't tell if I am depressed or not.

-LegoMaster2149 (Written on September 14, 2017)

Clinical depression is not just a binary

Like yes/no

Clinical depression is a spectrum

My diagnosis is severe and recurrent major depressive disorder. I always feel worthless. I feel like a burden, a monster, an idiot, ect. I can spend hours just sitting there planning my own suicide. I feel empty do often. Being happy often causes episodes. I can get verbally abusuve when depressed.

Those definitely sounds like symptoms of depression to me. I used to feel that way from the ages of 10-25/6, on a chronic basis.

some people claim that they are "depressed", when they are just sad. they act like they have a moral right to feel happy at all times.

some people deny they are "depressed", because they want to appear emotionally resilient.

but depression is a mental illness, not an emotion.

anyways though. seriously, i think that if you have to question if you are depressed, then maybe you are depressed.