Sometimes I think I should just go balls-to-the-wall and make this website about what it’s like to live with depression and anxiety.
the small
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Just wanted to point out something I thought about this morning on the way to work, after remembering that tonight is the Winter Olympics opening ceremonies: a friend and I watched part of the 2008 Summer Olympics opening ceremonies from a Schlotzsky’s Deli in Berlin, just around the corner from the Checkpoint Charlie museum. So weird for two native Texans to watch a television event taking place in China from a chain restaurant in Berlin that was originally founded in Texas.
*Note: we did not choose to go into a Schlotszky’s in Europe on purpose.
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Roger Ebert is kicking all kinds of blog ass right now, you guys. Today I learned from him that the Nehi in Nehi orange soda is not now and was never spelled Knee High. I always assumed it was, and it made me think of toddlers drinking orange soda from their baby bottles.
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“While the media insists on calling this a ’sexting-related suicide,’ it’s much more accurately referred to as a ’slut-shaming suicide.’ Because the photograph she sent is not what drove this poor girl to kill herself — the non-consensual spreading of the photograph, and the subsequent reaction that her classmates and all adults in positions of authority had to it seems to absolutely have been what drove her to despair.”
Yes, and if I never hear the word “sexting” again, I’ll be happy. (via mefi)
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Do you guys know about Kasmeneo on Flickr? He is a dude who lives in Germany and posts photos of the outfits he wears. He buys whatever clothes he wants, regardless of what gender they’re intended for, and wears them with style. In other words, he looks awesome. This is one of my favorites.
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This isn’t the first time I’ve heard this story about the photos featured in the 1965 book A Child Is Born (a book that fascinated me as a kid), but I still find it pretty interesting, and fraught with dramatic irony. Photos taken of aborted fetuses are used as propaganda by pro-life activists; perfect!
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“By age 7, almost half of the jittery babies had developed symptoms of anxiety — fear of thunder or dogs or darkness, extreme shyness in the classroom or playground — compared with just 10 percent of the more easygoing ones.” I had all of those symptoms as a child, so if this study holds true, it’s no wonder I’ve got anxiety.
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- new stuff I did in February
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- on the occasion of bluishorange.com’s 10th birthday, a list of things about 31-year-old me that would surprise the hell out of 21-year-old me
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Having just been diagnosed and medicated, I second this idea. Because it would be nice to know that I’m not the only one. And furthermore, is it okay to feel mildly sedated? Is this what I’m supposed to feel like?
Yes.
I think it is a good idea. My wife suffers from depression but she will not talk about it, I would really like an inside view.
Just diagnosed Bipolar II. I would love to know more about how you cope with depression, because I’m having difficulties.
It’s your personal website, so if that’s what you want to talk about, nobody can stop you. And if it helps you work through those issues, I can’t think of a reason why you shouldn’t.
One of the hardest things about both issues is how alone you can feel in the depths of them. Talking about it can make a difference, for you and for other people.
I think you should write about it somewhere if it will help you. Here, there, somewhere. And, honestly, I’ve known to be mostly balls-to-the-wall so I’d expect nothing less with this topic.
I have those ideas sometimes (not about depression and anxiety exactly, but you know, the same sorts of things-i-usually-avoid-writing-about) but always end up feeling like I couldn’t cope with people I know in real life reading that stuff.
Do it.
Anything you want, kid. Do it.
(I would keep reading.)
i’ve always wondered where the term balls to the wall comes from. the image it invokes is disturbing.
i occasionally blog about being depressed but it sometimes depresses me more to see it written out and know that everyone knows how depressing i am. however, it is nice to get validation…
I’d like to read that. I’ve attempted to write about it but I feel too guilty about it when other people have “real” problems. I also feel guilty for still struggling after all these years.
yes, please. it’s your blog, your life, write about what you’re feeling, what’s happening in your life! doesn’t matter if it’s happiness, sadness, depression, maude, your boyfriend - it’s your blog! :D
If you’re comfortable doing it then I think you would have a lot of people joining in on the discussion with you. In the last few years I’ve tried to tone down the “I’m feeling awful right now and here’s why” blog posts in an attempt to fight off depression rather than feed it. Then I would write about it retrospectively, and in a positive way to try to bump up my mood the next time it came around. Blogging’s been one of the best things for depression, I’ve found. And for what it’s worth, back when I started reading your website (wow I don’t even know how long ago now) I would always most enjoy reading your depression posts, not because I liked that you were (!) but because you write so well that you helped me see that feeling this way doesn’t make someone stupid–you can still be articulate and rational while dealing with something completely opposite.
I applaud you if you decide to go through with it. My website can be found by typing in my first and last name so I’m not quite that brave yet…
I was diagnosed with three things: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Anxiety, and Chronic Mild Depression. Due to the crappy health care in this country, I got dropped cold turkey but have been mostly okay for the last three years on my own from counseling. Then I started grad school and I’ve fallen apart all over again.
For me, depression is suffocating. I want to stop functioning and just sleep and sleep and sleep but the anxiety kicks in where I fear getting in trouble if I don’t go to work, to school, etc. I feel brow-beaten and heavy. In high school I visualized it as heavy, broken, black wings that I was unable to lift off my heart. Sometimes it makes me restless where I pace and am aggraviated till I fidget. Other times I’ll sit still for hours in my computer chair blandly functioning on a low level. Doing nothing for hours. Sometimes I want to scream I get so upset at situations I can’t control. It’s frustrating to feel this way when other people seem to be able to handle everyday life.
Either ways, I hope you can take some comfort in not being alone and that we’re suffering too. You’ll make it through this moment.
It’s revolutionary enough these days to have a blog that isn’t 99% about search engine optimization, or product placement, revenue generation. That you would even consider using your time to write for the sake of your words perhaps reaching someone’s heart rather than their pocketbook is laudable enough.
If you do it, you’ll have readers who will thank you.
Well as you can see, you’ve still got readers checking in despite months of no new posts (not to make you feel guilty!), so you’ve still got an audience. If focusing on those issues and writing about them here would help you deal with them, then you should do it. For my part, I’ve been avoiding writing about my issues in my own blog, and I think I’ve suffered for that.
I hope you will resume writing here.
Go for it, it could help a lot of people.
I say do it!
I lived with depression for many years and still suffer occasionally from it. I’ve learned to do a lot of little things to keep me from getting stuck in the downward spiral of depression. It is a constant battle but over time you can learn how to avoid the worse effects. It will never go away. You are hard wired for it but you can mitigate its effects. Keep trying. Work on recognizing the triggers and try to avoid being tripped up.
I’d say go for it. It seems a lot of people would be interested in reading about it and would be supportive of what you write. There will always be a-holes. We should have out breed them from our population by now, but all you can do is ignore them.
Please do.
I used to think my blog was too messy. There are “normal” posts but then there are vague and confusing posts that are my attempt to put my mental madness into words…I’ve considered splitting it into two separate sites, but in the end I decided that the inconsistency and variety itself is a pretty accurate representation of life with depression.