• Mental Health Net--Depression support forum.

SOMEONE TO TALK TO: (Free)

• Samaritans,US Mirror Site --Read and respond to email once every 24 hours.
  
• Philippa's Problem Pages--A caring and supportive ear. Response time is from half a day to several weeks.
  
• Web Psychologist--by Cyberia Shrink (Body-Mind QueenDom) will post response on page, takes several weeks.

ON-LINE COUNSELING: (Most require fee)

• Metanoia--Guide to Internet Mental Health Services
  A listing of on-line counseling. Both fee and free services listed and some are rated.
  
• Cyber Psychologist--Dr. Sarmiento, Responds in 24-48 hrs.
  
• Net Psychology--A listing of resources available on the Web.

• 1-800-THERAPIST:

  

Depression is a common, illusive, and extremely complex problem. Misinformation about depression arises both as a result of how the depressed mind works and as a result of a vast array of problems throughout the entire mental health industry. Yet it is still possible to receive competent care with a good chance to overcome depression if we become informed and diligent in our search for help. There are many pitfalls along the path to health. This section will help you identify possible problem areas.

BECOMING 'COMFORTABLE' WITH DEPRESSION Sometimes the unipolar depressive will get caught up in the depressive process where they resign themselves to being a 'depressed person' and regiment their lives and coping methods to accommodate their depression. They may become dependant on their therapist or a friend who is also depressed. This is reminiscent of the traditional Freudian Psychanalysis where the therapy sessions would go on for years with little or no change as the result of the therapy, and the depression would either run its course or a life crisis would severely worsen the depression.

BECOMING 'COMFORTABLE' WITH SUICIDAL THOUGHTS Using the fantasy of being dead, where the pain of life and the pain of depression can no longer reach us. This takes many different forms which may range from playing a game like Dungeons and Dragons where the goal is to become a God- like deity in a perfect after world, to participating in a 'support group' which focuses on glamorizing the act of suicide, to joining a cult which is facilitated by a guru who helps justify the act of suicide in order to gain access into that perfect afterlife, where the pain of life and the pain of depression no longer exist.

SEEKING THE EUPHORIA OF MANIA

THE ILLUSION OF SOLUTION
The depressed mind seeks relief from the pain of depression in ways which are not truly therapeutic. Our depressed mind will accept comfort and temporary relief without regard to the long term consequences and with no knowledge of what will end depression. Many times it is not consciously realized that depression is the problem. Since these comforts or temporary relief are not therapeutic (they afford us some respite from depression, but do not end depression), as the depression worsens we may fixate on or obsess over these aids to the point that we lose control.

Here is a list of many of the activities which the depressed mind will use to either hide from the pain or will use as comfort or for temporary relief from the pain of depression.

1. A preoccupation with angels, devils, aliens or a guru (my definition of a guru is anyone who seems to have all the answers, thereby providing comfort, and thus exercising control).
2. A preoccupation with suicidal thoughts, when we fantasize that we are dead, the pain of depression and the pain of life are temporarily put on hold.
3. Gaining temporary relief through repetitive mind numbing acts such as surfing the internet, electronic games, listening to loud music, compulsive and repetitive acts, compulsive overeating, etc.
4. Using any of a number of fantasies which put us in a situation where we are protected from the pain of depression and the pain of life. This may include winning the lotto, hitting it big in the stock market, being in a position of power and having control over others, having great sexual prowess, gaining either social or sexual acceptance by others, etc.
5. Becoming preoccupied with pornography, paedophilia, or a number of other sexual fantasies as a release to combat the pain of depression.
6. Causing physical pain (self mutilation) which diverts attention and affords temporary relief from the mental pain of depression.
7. Blocking or masking the pain of depression through the use of alcohol or drugs.
8. When we lose control of our emotions we may try to exercise control of our self image to the point that we will stop eating or purge what we do eat.
9. Attempting to regain control of our emotions and our lives by trying to exercise control over others.
10. Becoming preoccupied with the sins of others.
11. Finding comfort in the preoccupation with the drugs which help relieve the symptoms of depression.

I AM NOT IMPLYING THAT THE ABOVE DIVERSIONS, PREOCCUPATIONS, OR FANTASIES CAUSE DEPRESSION, NOR AM I SAYING THAT ALL PEOPLE WHO ENGAGE IN THESE ACTIVITIES ARE DEPRESSED.
What I am saying is that when we are depressed we tend to gravitate toward those activities and thoughts which afford us comfort or temporary relief from the pain of depression. But since the above activities are not truly therapeutic, (they afford us short term comfort or relief, but do not end depression) they become addictive in that over time it takes more and more of a good thing to gain the same benefit as before. Thereby a seemingly innocent preoccupation with angels, devils, or aliens, when pursued by a depressed person may begin to take control and become an obsession. We may begin to pray to angels for deliverance, worship devils, or we may go so far as to allow a guru to manipulate our minds into believing than an alien spaceship is waiting behind a comet to whisk us away to a nirvana, away from all this pain and hardship.

Certainly most of us believe that we have enough control over our depression that we would never reach the point where we worship angels, or that we would act out our deviant sexual fantasies, or do ourselves harm, but that is my point, as we rely more and more on these not-therapeutic aids for comfort or relief, our depression gains control and we approach a point where we begin to lose our free will.

How then do we recognize when we have lost, or are about to lose control and should seek help?
When these activities begin to effect our life decisions, where we change our schedules and set priorities based around our preoccupations.
When these activities begin to adversely effect our interpersonal relationships with others.
When we begin to obsess about these comforts or reliefs and cannot rid our minds of them.
When we make plans to actually begin to act out our fantasies.
When the symptoms of depression worsen even as we utilize these seemingly 'cures'.
When we begin to believe that our only hope in life relies on these things, and we cannot live without them.
When we continue to be plagued by suicidal thoughts.

When these things happen we need to seek therapy, as we are no longer in control, our depression is in control.

INDEX

• Psychological Self Help--by Clayton E. Tucker-Ladd---From Mental Health Net

CONCLUSION