(no subject)

[blue_lotus13]

I find it a little worrisome that sometimes when I feel sad for a day or two, I start to worry that I'm depressed. Is this a common thing?
Does this happen to other people?

While I was home, my mom had an inflamed gland on the side of her face. Her face swelled up and she rushed to the medi-clinic, concerned that it was a tumour. She had breast cancer when I was 13 and I reasoned that this was part of what triggered her intense fear about the inflamation. (She's okay now after a healthy dose of antibiotics).

I'm okay lately. I think I need to realize that my life can sometimes be hard. I work a lot and I'm constantly scrambling to find more work and more money. I want to be financially stable and I'm just not at this point. I don't always get to see my friends because I tend to work a lot of evenings and weekends, when others are free to do things. When I think about it, I know that I'm not depressed. I have a lot of energy and a lot of good things in my life. I can concentrate and eat and sleep and have mostly stable emotions. It's just the fear of depression that lurks in the dark.

Things are good. It's beautifully sunny and I have some projects on the go.

I have a great family, a wonderful boyfriend and good friends. I get to do a lot of things that I love and sometimes get paid for them. I have friends visiting in April and a trip to Hollywood(!) to look forward to.

Comments

[elizawrites.livejournal.com]

You can just tell yourself that unless you have 14 days in a row of feeling badly, you're not depressed, at least by the clinical definition. I'm highly medicated for depression and anxiety and I still have bad days once in a while.

[elizawrites.livejournal.com]

I woke up this morning thinking about this comment, and I don't want you to think that I was minimizing your feelings. I was trying, I think, to give you hope in a backwards way. At any rate, I hope you feel better soon.

[blue-lotus.livejournal.com]

Oh no, this comment was very valid. Thanks!

[elf-chick.livejournal.com]

i wouldn't worry too much about a couple of days. it sucks to feel sad, but it's just the way it is sometimes.
you know, our culture has made it seem like we have to be happy all the time. it's just not possible! so let yourself be sad when it happens, but do pay attention to it. if it starts being 2 weeks+ like elizawrites said, make sure to get a checkup.
Also, external forces can of course affect mood/emotion/health in general. are you eating enough/too much? hormones? sleep? exercise? weather?
I have been really mood swingy of late so i have consciously had to think about these things; it really does make you more in tune with what's going on. it sounds corny, but really.
xoxo

[oyvavoy.livejournal.com]

why are you worried that you might be depressed? Is there a history of that? Or is it just something you want to avoid? I've been diagnosed with a slight mood disorder and suicidal tendencies, but hey I keep trucking along! :) it's good to be sad sometimes...

[blue-lotus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I have quite a history of depression. I was depressed at age 10 and twice through my 20s. I just like to keep an eye on things.