I feel like I'm asleep and buried deep inside myself. How do I escape from this prison?

Do you have someone to talk to? Friend, therapist, family? We can only do so much here in Fluther. I’m sorry your feeling that way. When I was going through a bad depression I felt numb, lost and like I was in a prison (my room). But I got the help that I needed and you can too.

I know what you mean man.life is not one bit easy. But the way that I look at life is that life is lie a jig saw puzzle. You finish it piece by piece just like life you go through it obstical after obstical. But some times when you think a piece of the puzzle fits in a spot,and it really doesn’t fit in that spot that’s a problem in life and sometimes we need help to finish the jig saw puzzle. And we also need help in life to get over problems that we have.

I know that parents can’t do every thing but have you tried talking to your parents about what is going on Inside of you. Cause if you haven’t you should at least give it a try if you feel up to it. Cause if you don’t stuff that you keep deep inside of you and away from other can really change who you are over time. But maby if you get a girl friend and you have a great relation ship with her that could help you out a little cause you will be able to smile and laugh with her.

Crying is another way to get a lot of stress out cause if you don’t ctry then you hold a lot up inside. If you have a really close friend that you colud talk to then cry on thier sholder they will understand you and be there for you but I just ask you please to tell some one before it gets really bad so please if you have any more questions I’ll be here. I hope that what I said really helps you out a lot.

The best answer is to seek some professional help. It can be as easy as going to your regular doctor. If nothing else, she/he can refer you to a psychologist or counselor for talk therapy. Antidepressants may be in order if your depression has been chronic or long lasting.

Other things that you can do in the meantime:

-Exercise. I know you’re probably exhausted by the thought, but even a slow walk outside in the fresh air can help a bit.

-Eat a healthy diet. Try to avoid sugar and white flour products.

-Drink plenty of water and try to stay away from alcohol (which is a depressant).

-Build a routine into your day. Building structure throughout your day can help you be more productive when you’re feeling unfocused and foggy. Make your list the night before of what you’d like to accomplish the next day. Make it realistic, i.e.
1. 20 minute walk before work
2. Call friend to meet for coffee after work
3. Do 2 loads of laundry and put them away
Very simple things. Not too many. Make it in list form so that you can check them off when done.

-Make social contact with someone at least twice/week if possible. Make sure that it’s not with someone who will exacerbate your depression. Being sociable is hard when you’re suffering from depression, but it’s important to make the effort. Being with others with whom you feel supported or – even simple comaraderie – will help you see things from different perspecitves. May even put things into perspective.

-Do something life affirming each week. Plant flowers, visit nature, volunteer, get a massage, etc. These things will help you connect with a different aspect of yourself.

-Journal each morning or night. Just put pen to paper and write down whatever comes out. It can be a sentence, a paragraph or a page. Sometimes, seeing thoughts on paper help us organize them better and makes them less threatening.

-Get enough sleep, but not too much. Try for 7 to 8 hours per night. This is a tricky one with depression. Exercise and a healthy diet will help here.

But please, please, please refer to paragraph 1 of this long answer. Whatever you’re feeling, don’t be embarassed about it. Depression can be devastating and can happen to anyone. With the right help and a little time, the light will shine inside you again. I’m wishing you a fast return to your happier, stronger self.

In a similar question asked a couple of days ago, another flutherer referred the asker to this helpful resource:

http://mentalhealth.samhsa.gov/hotlines/state.asp

Although the advice above is definitely relevant to your situation, sometimes actually talking to someone (a professional) can help get you on a track to recovery. I wish you the best-remember that challenges in life are there for you to grow and learn from, and dealing in a proactive way can enable that cycle of healing to begin-but only you can recognize it and take that step for yourself.

There’s a book—I’m trying to find out the name of it and will tell you as soon as I do—that outlines a technique and exercises that teach you how to avoid trains of thought that lead you down, and to enhance trains of thought that can keep you more elevated. You have to ignore the crap about being responsible for your own depression, and just focus on the techniques (I got even more depressed by the idea that I caused my own depression).

I have found, however, that even though the book took another week or two out of my life, that I have been able to incorporate some ideas. I have stopped telling myself what a loser I am. (See, right there, I had the urge to say, parenthetically, that I was still a loser but I just don’t say it, but then I told myself that was a self-destructive thing to say—that’s the sort of thing the book can teach you). Sometimes I can even admit that I might have some decent qualities. Again, parenthetically, people are very surprised to find out I have such a low opinion of myself since I often come across as arrogant. Relationship? I think so.

In addition to therapists, have a good friend who is also depressed to talk to regularly is very helpful. Sometimes there are groups and they help. It is so different talking to someone who has been there compared to someone who hasn’t. When I was really down, there was one person I spoke to; she’d been clinically depressed for a decade or more. I don’t know how it happened, but we were able—always—to make each other laugh hysterically—literally to the point of breathlessness—in the darkest moments. I suspect she saved my life. She says I saved hers. We’re both much, much better now, six months later.

I met her online. As McBean said, writing can be very helpful. I used another online site as a place to do my journalling. I like the idea of people reading what I say, and it can help make you feel better. Not that I believed any compliment I got, but perhaps a tiny bit of it sunk in. So, in writing online, and talking about your experience, you will meet other depressed folk, and can form a mutual help society. There are, I believe, a much higher percentage of depressed people online, because it is a way of meeting people without actually having to get up out of bed.

Any time you are down, no matter how far down, I would encourange you to post here, or on similar sites. People tend to be very supportive. I saw a person on another site get talked out of a suicidal impulse, and into getting help right away. I think these benefits of online sites (meeting others like you, and getting support from the community) are almost completely positive. I wish you luck.

Therapy and meds (the right ones) will help you immensely. Don’t wait another day. All the best to you.