Feeling depressed over specific topics
Discussion
Hello people, I am going to put this out there and it will sound really random and obscure, but basically every week or so I can get depressed by certain topics for up to 5 days at a time, although normally it only lasts a couple of days at a time. The subject matters are incredibly dark. Such as but not limited to;
Serial killers
Rape
Cannibalism
Paedophilia
Autopsies
Human fragility
Any combination of the above. Sometimes I feel a fear of actually being one of the above. I just don't know. I get a sinking feeling and a lump in my throat when I start thinking about these subjects in a certain way. It feels like the subject is just consuming me and I can't escape from it. Like when I think we are all just animals and just meat, we are overpopulating the planet, or I see something in the newspaper about a paedophile it sets me off. But now it has become so ingrained in me that it doesn't take anything to set me off, it just happens by itself.
This started a few years ago in 2011 for some reason, I don't know why, but I am physically healthy, but sometimes this kind of what I can only refer to as "temporary depression" is crippling and it makes me really reserved and anxious. My own mind becomes a dungeon of darkness when this happens.
Anyone have similar experiences? Thanks.
Serial killers
Rape
Cannibalism
Paedophilia
Autopsies
Human fragility
Any combination of the above. Sometimes I feel a fear of actually being one of the above. I just don't know. I get a sinking feeling and a lump in my throat when I start thinking about these subjects in a certain way. It feels like the subject is just consuming me and I can't escape from it. Like when I think we are all just animals and just meat, we are overpopulating the planet, or I see something in the newspaper about a paedophile it sets me off. But now it has become so ingrained in me that it doesn't take anything to set me off, it just happens by itself.
This started a few years ago in 2011 for some reason, I don't know why, but I am physically healthy, but sometimes this kind of what I can only refer to as "temporary depression" is crippling and it makes me really reserved and anxious. My own mind becomes a dungeon of darkness when this happens.
Anyone have similar experiences? Thanks.
I can't help with any specific explanation but I can assure that your best course of action will be to chat to your GP about this, or if your local health authority offer it, the self-referring psychology service. That doesn't say that you're "mad" or any other tag, but they will help you to understand the next step(s) needed to work on this issue. Good luck.
I sympathise with you op, I went through a similar thing and one thing that helped was avoiding looking at the news stories, web and TV, it helped a lot in fact, I even deleted my sky news app and others, I found doing this for a few months worked for, I know it's like head in the sand but end of the day you read a dreadful news story and it sticks in your mind for days, then you wish you never read it in the first place
I appreciate it matey. I am one of those people who have never gone to a GP for anything. It's something about me not being able to tackle something that is in my own head myself that makes me reluctant. Also they are likely to offer me meds. I was on Ritalin and Risperidone as a kid to calm me down so that has put me off the ole' medications for life. And some of the stuff is really disturbing to talk about. I am just glad it is not only me, especially on a forum as normal as PH.
It depends how you define "highs". I have periods of time where I feel like everything is good. Like a day where I might do a workout, apply for some jobs and then watch a movie in the evening and I feel like I can take pleasure from those simple things. I don't necessarily feel impulsive or irrational though. That is when my mind is "quiet" i.e., no background noise, no dark subjects whirring over and over to feel guilty about, etc. Other times I can't get a particular "theme" out of my head and it just feels like everything else is a distraction. It feels like everything is just a meaningless avoidance exercise from confronting my demons. Like some appalling child murder and thinking "why did someone do that" and "what if that evil is in all of us" etc. And then I start trying to think of reasons why I wouldn't be such a person but it just goes on and on and I never feel like I can get closure until the subject burns itself out and I regain perspective on the whole episode of madness. Thanks for your help. I wonder what goes on inside other people's heads. Sometimes it can be really frightening.
I have had this issue, mainly every time I see on the news some child has been murdered (perhaps due to having an 18month old myself).
Recently it was the thought of the baby on the Germanwings flight and earlier in the year the woman who walked out of the hospital into the freezing cold with her newborn.
Things like this can play on my mind for days or weeks and make me feel total crap.
Recently it was the thought of the baby on the Germanwings flight and earlier in the year the woman who walked out of the hospital into the freezing cold with her newborn.
Things like this can play on my mind for days or weeks and make me feel total crap.
Some form of anxiety disorder is where I'd go with it.
I have the same thing but not on the same...er...breadth of topics as you. They are obsessive thoughts brought about through anxiety. I'm not medically trained but I have experienced this long enough now (8 years or so since I was diagnosed).
Go see a psychotherapist/psychiatrist and talk things out and if CBT doesn't budge it, then maybe an SSRI or SNRI is needed. Just try (and I know how hard it is) to realise that you're being irrational in your darkest moments. It can slightly take the edge off, but not always. Talk it out.
I have the same thing but not on the same...er...breadth of topics as you. They are obsessive thoughts brought about through anxiety. I'm not medically trained but I have experienced this long enough now (8 years or so since I was diagnosed).
Go see a psychotherapist/psychiatrist and talk things out and if CBT doesn't budge it, then maybe an SSRI or SNRI is needed. Just try (and I know how hard it is) to realise that you're being irrational in your darkest moments. It can slightly take the edge off, but not always. Talk it out.
ked without all of that stuff.I think what you're experiencing is mood crashes, I get them, not to that extent but can be something small, it sends me down and I struggle to get back up again.
I do know the reason why, and it's something I recognise and kind of keep an eye out for. Maybe you could look at what triggers you, it might just be bad news, it might be you're in a particular state of mind when bad news hits and it's how you got to that state of mind that you need to watch out for.
I do know the reason why, and it's something I recognise and kind of keep an eye out for. Maybe you could look at what triggers you, it might just be bad news, it might be you're in a particular state of mind when bad news hits and it's how you got to that state of mind that you need to watch out for.
Just my two pennyworth...
There are two types of depression. The one that just shows up for no obvious reason is called endogenous depression. The other kind occurs for an obvious and often logical reason and is called reactive depression.
Thing is, my studies and personal experiences show that depression just 'sticks'; there are no highs in between the lows, except in bipolar conditions - what used to be called 'manic depression'.
What you're describing seems to be an exaggeration of 'fight/flight' response we all have. As has been suggested, cognitive behavioural therapy is probably indicated. I'd go far as to say that a therapeutic intervention is more strongly indicated than psychoactive drugs are.
Not practicing but I've MSc Psychology - and reactive depression from being in mid-divorce. HTH.
There are two types of depression. The one that just shows up for no obvious reason is called endogenous depression. The other kind occurs for an obvious and often logical reason and is called reactive depression.
Thing is, my studies and personal experiences show that depression just 'sticks'; there are no highs in between the lows, except in bipolar conditions - what used to be called 'manic depression'.
What you're describing seems to be an exaggeration of 'fight/flight' response we all have. As has been suggested, cognitive behavioural therapy is probably indicated. I'd go far as to say that a therapeutic intervention is more strongly indicated than psychoactive drugs are.
Not practicing but I've MSc Psychology - and reactive depression from being in mid-divorce. HTH.
too little information but the good news is that the thoughts resolve spontaneously.
however,..they come back
am i understanding this properly - you experience episodic, ruminant thoughts about topics mostly beyond the range of normal human experience, sometimes accompanied by the fear that you are in some way implicated or contributory?
please feel free to move this to a less public communication modality if necessary. if not appropriate, please do get this reviewed. start at the GP's if necessary
paul
however,..they come back
am i understanding this properly - you experience episodic, ruminant thoughts about topics mostly beyond the range of normal human experience, sometimes accompanied by the fear that you are in some way implicated or contributory?
please feel free to move this to a less public communication modality if necessary. if not appropriate, please do get this reviewed. start at the GP's if necessary
paul
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