How can I get over the depression I feel around the holidays?
829689
I share your sorrow, having lost my father.  And it does change the holidays, that's for sure.  What we did was find a new focus and tradition.  Instead of wasting money on each other for gifts we didn't really need, we pooled our money, went to a dollar store and bought gift bags and personal items and prepared them for the homeless.  On Christmas day, we drove around and passed them out to people who had no place to be and no one to care.  The looks on their faces and their tears in their eyes made the holiday special in a whole new way.  I'm sure your Mom would be proud.
957691
maria -\nYou don't need to get over it as other people have said you need to. As long as you don't end up hurting yourself you can deal with this however you want. You don't always need to feel happy but you don't need to be sad all the time either. You don't even have to know what you are feeling, as long as you are ok with that. If you don't know what a feeling is and you want to then talk with someone and figure it out. People will listen to you, trust me. Just do what you need to do. If you feel like you need to get up and exercise then get up and exercise, but if you feel like all you can do is stay at home and watch movies that's fine too, as long as you don't let it get to an extent where it is taking over your life. Remember: people can't tell you what to feel, it's up to you to do that. Others can only help you tell yourself what to feel. It's going to be hard, and no one knows that better than you right now, but you can pull through if you want to do so. People are there for you, remember that.
458452
Look through old photo albums! That always cheers me up. Also, go somewhere with lots of orange like a park with lots of flowers. Orange is proven to improve mood. Go for a long walk. That will clear your mind or whatever your sad about. Hope you feel better.
1063648
Find a friend, if that doesn't work there is always BEN&JERRYS Chunky Monkey, it always makes everything better.\n\nBut honestly, I have felt all of those things, and that is not a good place to be.  I hope that you can realize that you are special and of infinate worth.  It breaks my heart that you feel that way. Feel free to email and we can talk, you don't have to feel so alone and that can be a start.
828174
Do you have a therapist?\nAre you on any meds.\n\nTherapy is very effective for anxiety, in particular if used in conjunction with meds.\n\nTHe holidays can be such a tough time for people such as yourself whom dont have family.  We have plenty of room at my place, I wish we could have you over.  Maybe someone will see your answer that lives near you and invite you over.\n\nThe holiday season will fly by...hang in there...it will get better.  :)\n\nIm sending you some love.
728872
I'm sorry your depressed. What makes me feel better is watching my favorite movie and talking to friends. Friends always help me get my mind off of things and make me laugh (as does a movie).
108215
Well some of these answers are kind of scary here. Chocolate can help short term, it does nothing at all for depression. Chocolate has a chemical reaction similar to the feeling of love and thats it. Slapping someone may make someone even more depressed, besides that is abuse plain and simple, sleep is not always the best things either as lots of depressed people will tell you that they sleep way too much. \n You need to be honest with yourself and try to figure out exactly is making you feel depressed. Is it just the thoughts running through your head? Is it a situation that is happening or has happened? There are many reasons that someone gets depressed and sometimes it is simpler than others.. Talk with someone that you trust totally. Not a friend, but someone like your doctor or a pastor a counselor. A friend may listen but they may be too close to the situation or you to be able to really help you. Depression does not need to be endured there are plenty of ways to deal with it.. I will be thinking of you and hope that you feel well soon.
744379
Well, you know there is always counselling and supports available to you in your community, but have you tried the self-help approaches? Here are some good tips that you can try at home to see if this lessens your depression. Best of luck.\n\n"GET OUT OF BED: \n\nOne of the most important things you can do is get up at about the same time every morning (even week-ends). Preferably, that means about 7 a.m. or earlier. You might not feel like it but Get Up. Such regularity helps your body function more normally so you're more likely to feel normal. \n\nLIGHTS: \n\nLight helps your body function better. So turn on a lot of lights as soon as you arise. Open curtains to get more sunlight. Better yet, go outdoors into the sunshine as soon as you can. Remove any eyewear so light will enter more readily (glass cuts out some of the sun's rays). But don't stare at the sun, of course. \n\nMOVE: \n\nBe active right away -- oxygenate! That means getting up and walking around your dwelling for five or 10 minutes, or perhaps riding an exercycle. Mild exercise gets the blood flowing and transports more oxygen throughout your body (especially to your brain), helping you feel mentally alert and alive. \n\nMUSIC: \n\nSelect and play some energetic, happy music as you dress and have your breakfast. The audiovisual department of most libraries has albums and tapes you can check out. \n  \n\nBREAKFAST: \n\nBegin your breakfast with protein (i.e., meat, eggs, peanut butter, nuts, cheese). When you get up, your body chemistry is ready to convert food, especially protein,into longlasting energy. To balance your most important meal of the day, add an orange or other fresh fruit and whole grain cereal or whole grain bread. \n\nTALK WITH SOMEONE: \n\nOne of the quickest ways to beat the blues is to interact with others. You might not feel like doing that - you'd rather avoid people when blue. So make lt easier on yourself. Talk with someone you enjoy about a subject you enjoy so there is definite give and take. \n\nAnd, force yourself to say "hello" to the persons next to you in class, those where you live, anyone around. \n\nLIMIT CAFFEINE: \n\nThe long-term (four hours or so) effects of caffeine are depression. Try to limit coffee to no more than one cup in the morning. Coffee can make you more alert for an hour or so, but later you get an opposite reaction. Caffeine tends to increase the release of insulin in the blood, and insulin lowers the blood sugar level. When you have low blood sugar levels, you begin to feel less sure of yourself, and have low energy levels, which can lead to the blues or depression. \n\nLIMIT SUGAR: \n\nSugar might give you an initial rush of energy, but within an hour or so the blood sugar level can become low, and when it's low you may feel low, too. \n\nThe caffeine/sugar cycle. It's easy to get caught in the caffeine and sugar cycle -- having coffee, caffeinated soft drinks, or something with sugar every two hours or so to "stay up." For example, cola contains about 10 teaspoons of sugar plus caffeine equal to about half a cup of coffee. In addition to bringing on the blues, this cycle can result in dependence, poor nutrition. and obesity -- reasons to get down on yourself even more and feel blue. \n\nMAINTAIN FIBER: \n\nFiber helps food go through your digestive system at a proper rate, giving a more constant energy supply. Highly processed foods merely provide a quick surge of energy which can be followed by depression. You can maintain fiber in your diet by eating an orange or grapefruit rather than just drinking the juice. Eat fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, and whole grain breads and cereals. \n\nSTRESS B COMPLEX: \n\nSome persons report receiving help by taking a concentrated vitamin B complex. You'll find these called something like "Stress B" or "B 50." This is controversial. \nSome nutritionists say, "Yes, this really should be consider
233192
try to find things that intrest u then start contrentrating onthings that help u keep ur mind off the depression if severe see a counseler talk to freinds and family get out of the house and do activites and enjoy yourself hope u get better and find some joy
412287
Take a walk in the sunshine. The sunlight increases serotonin levels. Focus on good things either in your past or things you want to happen in the future.  Also drink a couple of glasses of water it seems to help pep you up.\n\nWhen I feel this way, I tell myself I can have a one day pity party and tomorrow when I wake up I am going to start the day with a brand new attitude.\n\n\nGood Luck:)
64893
Just be true to yourself and you'll be fine.  If you ignore your feelings or fight your desire, THAT's when you'll be depressed.  Good luck.
174962
hey, hello :)\nseems like you know you have some issues to overcome, i say you are almost there!\ndon't be miserable. everyone goes through this kind of emotions @ least once in our lifetime.\ni know this feeling too. sometimes, you feel so empty, miserable & unworthy. and every time,when you try to take 1 step forward, you end up taking 2 steps backward.\ntry to start a routine of exercizing, mix with positive people & read joke books.\ndon't ever indulge in self-pity & regrets. the darkest hours are just before dawn. life is a grindstone; and whether it grinds a man down or polishes him depends on what stuff he's made of.\nif you really look around you, everyone has problems too. what makes them happy is that they try to overcome their problems one @ a time.
935677
I know how you feel. Sometimes I feel really depressed and want to quit. But then there are clearer days when I look at my life closely and I realized that nothing is really wrong with it. I just want a fresh start, you know, a clean slate. \n\nAnd I feel that way, like I wanna pack up and leave, without leaving any goodbye notes or anything. But it's the thought of my responsibility to my family that's stopping me. They have always been supportive of me. And I think I owe to them to keep it together.\n\nYou can try talking to your family or your friends, the people whom you care deeply about but you are planning to leave. That will put things into a clearer perspective.
128532
Make sure you're taking care of yourself.  Do some self care, whether your a guy or girl, it can help you feel better.  Get your hair cut, take a long bath, soak your feet, use some lotion on your dry skin, better yet, get a massage!  Take time to let yourself relax and help yourself to realize that you are worth taking care of yourself.  If you take care of things on the outside, you'll feel better on the inside.\n\nYour depression could be seasonal.  Think about spending time outside when it's sunny, if it's ever sunny this time of year.  You could also purchase a full spectrum light bulb at a health food store.  They're usually about seven dollars, but they are so worth it!\n\nMake sure you have someone to talk to.  Try to talk out your problems, but also develope positive friendships.  Get out and do something, even if it's just taking a walk.\n\nTry to control your thought patterns.  It's easy to get in a rut of thinking bad thoughts about yourself and thinking about making bad decisions to hurt yourself.  Feed yourself positive thoughts instead, even if you have to force them at first.\n\nGood luck with everything, being depressed is not fun at all, especially if you've been feeling this way for a long time.  Just remember that you have to be proactive about your mental health.  Don't let yourself lie around and cry all day.  You've cried and moped enough, it's time to try to make yourself feel better!\n\nPS make sure you're eating good food.  Lots of veggies, maybe think about taking vitamin suplements or talking to an herbal specialist.
728115
Yes, I do.  Quite often I do feel that way, but if you fake a little happiness, you honestly start to feel better.  Smile, even though you don't want to.  Have a cup of cocoa.  Eat chocolate... Do something for someone else.. it'll cheer ya up.
378668
go out with some friends, get a make over buy some new clothes things that will make you feel a little better is a start. you will start feeling better and you will meet someone soon, but first you have to stop doing what you are doing and start taking care of yourself a little more
933846
Snowbunny, feeling the way you do is perfectly normal. Sometimes you don't know what you had until you loose it, I kow how you feel... No matter who you talk to, its like nobody understands or they can't grasp what you're going through and so you can't seem to get over this depression because even the advice your friends or parents give you still doesn't feel good enough. You just want to cry, you feel like treating everyone around you the way you feel. Can't eat, Can't sleep and you can't remember the last time you really smiled from your heart, but trust me when I say, if its meant to be, he will come back and you guys can try again. It won't be tomorrow or next month, no one knows but trust me. And what ever you do, don't consider hurting yourself over something that might feel "like the end of the world" to you. I've got a scar for every heartbroken event in my life when I was either used or mistreated. 5 years of bad memories but looking back now, I found someone who loves me the way none of those in the past could, even though I thought so that time. Thinking of you snowbunny..... good luck hey!