Is this depression?

[Lilharry]

My husband and I watched a movie tonight - just a kids movie, but it had a dog that died in it and I just couldn't stop crying. This always happens when I see something sad, but it's been worse lately. I was trying to explain to my husband that it feels like a physical sadness rather than an emotional one. Does that make sense to anybody? I feel like I carry this sadness with me everywhere and it's just waiting to jump out. I constantly have a lump in my throat and a heavy sort of feeling on my head and a shakey/weak feeling in my chest and stomach. I can only liken it to how I feel when I have the flu - a physical weakness and fatigue that could spill over into emotional if set off. I feel if I could get rid of the physical symptoms the sadness would go. I don't imagine this to be what depression is like for some reason, but maybe I'm wrong. What are other people's experiences with depression?

[Annie0904]

I am like that with movies, the news...I just have to see someone else crying and it sets me off! I am an emotional, sensitive person anyway but when my mood is low I am even worse. I read a very good book on depression called Depressive Illness the curse of the strong. Maybe you would find it helpful. :hugs:

[Tufty]

I believe our moods are constantly fluctuating and it's normal to feel sad, angry, upset etc. However if it is affecting your life or you have a constant feeling of sadness and loss of motivation then it becomes depression. There are lots of online tests you can do to 'test' for depression, but as we are all so different I would rely on your own feelings and if you don't feel right then it's time to look at what you need to change to make your life better.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/interactive/interactivetests/goldberg.php - is a link for one online depression test.
Sam

[Edie]

My experience is that depression does feel different to "normal" sadness. I can't really explain it other than to say it's different.

When my depression is bad it does not feel normal or healthy, and it worries me where it's going to lead because it feels completely beyond my control. It makes me feel very fragile, kind of like you describe feeling like it could spill over. Sadness over something that's happened feels very different and does not scare me the same way.

Depression is so variable anyway. I do think it's worth talking to your doctor about this, see what they can do to help. I'm sorry you're feeling this way.

[theharvestmouse]

I've had depression and I'd describe is as a physical feeling. The pit of my stomach had a strange knotted feeling and I felt detached from everything and everyone. I didn't feel tearful, I felt completely numb. Thankfully I have only ever had this for 2 very brief periods in my life.

I suppose if this film set you off and you are feeling physical symptom then it could have triggered off depression.

[PanchoGoz]

Depression to me feels colourless, blacky grey. Makes me feel heavy and ill. I like the idea that you know it's beyond sadness because it scares you, where it might be going. It's most interesting to hear others' experiences as I find it very difficult to relate it to something.

This is unrelated and silly, but I just giggled at the fact everyone else who's replied to this thread has an animal picture.

[Snoodlester]

My doctor's recently diagnosed me as depressed, which came as a real shock - I thought it was only extreme anxiety. It's hard to explain, I don't think I feel depressed, but do have extremely negative thoughts and will cry at anything and find it difficult to even talk about sad things that are on the TV, let alone what's happening to me.
Sue x

[Lilharry]

Thank you all for sharing your experiences. It seems that it is different for everyone. I talked to my husband about it and he said it sounds like depression to him and he doesn't think it's healthy for me keep crying adn crying when I watch a movie - especially as I told him it makes me think about pets and family members dying and it makes me so sad. He wants me to work on it, so I think I'll bring it up with my counselor next time I go. The physical sadness I feel comes and goes, so I think it must be depression. It's just strange - it feel like a physical illness rather than a mental state, if you know what I mean. It's like I'm not actually sad and I want to do stuff and be happy, but I feel physically sad. It's like I've been worn down and have no energy left. It's frustrating because I don't feel mentally depressed, and feel like my body is letting my mind down.

[cazzy]

oh my goodness , the feelings you have are the feelings im experiancing now , i hope you dont think im stalking you , but you posted on my thread and seen you still online and wanted to read yours ...sorry if this sounds negative but i lost my Dad 6 weeks ago and although ive suffered with GAD for years and medication im still taking , i been experiancing these symptoms on and off since before Christmas and more so today. I told my doctor how i was feeling and how long of how feeling tired , ill , shakey blah blah , the doctors put it through as withdrawal , but after seeing a doctor last week ,shes made me have an appointment for bloods to be taken tomorrow for anemia and thyroid , im hoping they do find theres something wrong with 1 of these symptoms so i can be treated ,but wont know the results till next week ,at least it put my mind at rest and also il have the results before seeing my support worker and pyschiatrist ....sorry to babbble ..xx

[Lilharry]

You're not babbling cazzy. I have been feeling like this for months and have had all sorts of tests and they don't show anything. I'm about to start a course of supplements to see if that helps. Don't be surprised if they don't find anything with the blood tests. If you have just lost your father then that is a huge emotional toll on you and it could be affecting you physically. I'm finding it so hard to believe that it's anxiety/depression causing these physical feelings, but it's looking more and more likely. At least if it is anxiety, it's not serious and very treatable. Be nice to yourself cazzy, you've had a really rough time lately xx

[nusadin]

I don't if that could be depression but is certainly not normal thing. People suffering from depression are much more sensitive that the healthy ones, so it could be.