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Depression...contagious?
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by
on 2015-02-02 05:35:21 (edited 2015-02-02 05:40:11)
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A very close friend discovered she has depression late 2014 and I've been helping her get through it. Naturally, it included sad talks, tons of persuasive action and midnight calls. At first, whenever she would share her thoughts and feelings, I would tell her that it wasn't like that without any hesitation. But as time went by, I started feeling down as well. From mild sadness to just feeling empty. It was as if depression was contagious. Recently, I felt really hollow. Life had no meaning. Life had been worth living because of friends and family. But it came to a point where I wanted to end it. Living a meaningless life is simply too tiring. A friend talked me out of it. I was wondering if it was because of her thoughts + my empathy + teenage hormones that lead to this or is it possible that I might have any mental disorder? Thoughts? |
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Re: Depression...contagious?
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by
on 2015-02-02 14:48:59 |
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I don't know if the disorder itself is contagious, but feeling down or depressed after spending a while trying to console a friend that is can definitely spread. Could be because it's someone close to you voicing the feelings that you have but haven't really considered or thought about. I know I have had times where I have talked to people about that stuff, tried to lift their spirits or lift them out of it, only to wind up slipping into it myself shortly after. As for whether or not it is a mental disorder, that's difficult to judge. If you are concerned about it and it persists, you may want to just go get checked out. Personally, I can't really bring myself to do that. Part of me just thinks I'd be wasting a Doctor's time with it, like I'm thinking it's a mental disorder when in reality there's absolutely nothing wrong with me.    |
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Re: Depression...contagious?
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If there is anything I'm sure of, yawning is contagious! Hehe Seriously speaking, it isn't contagious but it can be acquired through different means. Recent studies suggest that it might be even hereditary, so ask your relatives if your bloodline have previous cases. But it is actually good that you opened up in this topic and talked on how you think and feel about it. At least you are typing your thoughts out and not keeping it to yourself. The next best thing you should do would be finding a support group that would guide you (and your friend) back into being productive members of society. Family SHOULD be your number one source of encouragement and support. Don't worry if you think you are currently living a meaningless life. Explore, Learn, Experience things and you'll find a cause that will be worth devoting your life. |
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Re: Depression...contagious?
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by
on 2015-03-09 11:06:00 |
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Contagious is the wrong word, implying it's a disease you can contract. We feel emotions dependent upon environmental factors, triggers, and influences, be they external or internal. Being around someone who is depressed will inevitably wear you down if you cannot balance it out somehow. Humans need roughly twice as much positive exposure to balance things out compared to negative exposure. If this person is the centerpiece of your life, you will be brought low. You may have suffered from some acute depression because of it, but if it passed, if it's not something constant, you shouldn't worry about it. If the feelings still persist, you may want to see someone about it. If a person or situation brings it on, avoid the situation. You have to look out for yourself before you look out for others. |
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Re: Depression...contagious?
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This reply might be incredibly late, but I agree with most of the things others have said here. I think that it's good to help a friend, or anyone, who suffers from depression, but you also need to set boundaries and let them know when you start to feel overwhelmed. They should also be seeking out the help of a professional and a support group of people. It's not healthy for them to only go to one person, because it eventually hurts both parties. I'm speaking from experience as someone who regularly went to one friend over and over again. It's generally a bad idea because it pushes people away, and most people are too afraid to let the depressed friend know that they just need a break or some time alone to refresh themselves. You should let them know that you care about them, but that you also need to recharge your batteries. Even professional counselors get worn out. I think sometimes they also need therapy after giving it to severely damaged people. My friend never told me that I was wearing her down, and back then I was too young and inexperienced to understand the impact I was having. Eventually she left me and didn't tell me what I did wrong, and I never knew until years later after trying to fix myself. In fact, a lot of depressed people don't understand the effect they have because of how much pain they're in. I think it helps them a lot more to be honest with them when you need some time to rest yourself. If you can get them to understand that you can be more supportive when you have time for self-care, I think it'll be better. This way you won't have to abandon them, can stay mentally intact yourself, and can be a more effective emotional support. |