Are there really so many depressed, suicidal people in Real World or is it just Y!A?!?

Maybe its not the same at your end, then you are blessed. But, on this end of the world, it is so because of certain endeavors of society and the culture. There isn't enough to go around as resources are scarce literally. I mean in terms of love and kindness. People feel alone and helpless. Its a disease of the heart more than the mind I think. I have also felt this way and there were many reasons which were not in my control or fault of my own. It all starts from the top.

Well, you may have not noticed this, but there is such a thing as bottling up emotions and by god you should see how well some of these people do this! They are able to completely drown out the sadness and turn it into pure happiness, of course this sadness has to go somewhere so they vent on the internet, if they don't vent on the internet, there will be no outlet; the venting can range from crying and saying they are stupid on the internet, to the average troll...

It probably has something to do with God for some people, I on the other hand, when I stopped believing in God, it was as if this huge load was taken off my back, not saying that Atheism is good or anything just that my life has been boosting upwards ever since I no longer needest care of Hell or Heaven.

What prone to such negative thoughts is the fact that most of these people are high schoolers, and high school, while it does not seem so, has a lot of problems. Especially because of all the bullying and all of the stresses that kids have to deal with.

In my opinion, observations, interactions, and experiences, well, actually, I have learned not to talk of these things for it makes people very upset towards me and we don't want that now do we?

No, I don't think Y!A is a reflection of how many angst-ridden people are in the real world, and no, I don't think lack of faith in your god has anything to do with it either.

I suspect that if you could find out the age of those people posting about their miserable, lonely, depressing lives, you'd find that most of them are just moody teenagers going through their usual emotional years. The philosophy section seems to attract a lot of people who have big unanswered questions about their life (e.g. teens). It's also something of a "catch-all" section for people who don't know what section to post their question in.

As a lifetime atheist I'm still trying to figure out this whole thing about relying on god. In that sense I view religion as a crutch: it can help some people get back on their feet, but at the same time you can't run using crutches. My solution when I'm in a bad situation? Deal with it! If I need emotional support, I turn to my family & friends. Real friends--not imaginary ones. They're much more comforting. Sure, having faith can be comforting. I just put my faith in more tangible things, like people.

If you live long enough to acquire some life wisdom--30 years is a start--you learn that bad times will pass. No need to believe there's some sky-daddy who dispels bad times with the wave of a magic wand.

As for the psychological causes of all the melancholy posters here, I would venture that the #1 cause is a condition called "being a teenager." Fortunately it usually resolves itself after a few years. :-)

1) Some people always call it "depression" whenever they have had a bad day or feel a little weird and melancholic.

2) What are you talking about?! I'm an atheist and I'm not the least bit depressed. And there are many more others like me. Most atheists are way more rational (as in, unemotional) than theists, so I guess that perhaps that's the reason they're less prone to being depressed. Those that don't believe in God and are emotional usually have some other ideas about life that they're being almost religious about. The funny thing is, I've heard that rate of suicide is higher in atheists than in religious people... perhaps because in Christianity (and maybe other religions) suicide is a sin. They say people don't have the right to choose when their life ends, that is entirely the privilege of God... what a totalitarian religion, you can't even have control over your own life.

Hey Katie ! First of all , thank you for getting help ! It's the strong , courageous people that ask for help ! One thing about depression is ,It can be genetic . Meaning , you could have a perfect life , have all the friends in the world , and have everything you could imagine and still be depressed . It's from a chemical imbalance . The only way to find out if it's a chemical imbalance is if you go see a doctor - they can diagnose you and tell you if it is genetic - and give you medication so that you no longer feel depressed . Understand that if it is genetic and you need medication , don't feel embarrassed or ashamed ! hundreds of thousands of people have depression that is genetic and need medication ! On the other hand - if it's not genetic , Then you can take steps to not feel depressed , anxiety or feel negative about yourself . You've already taken the first step , which was reaching out for help ! Now , lets assume it's not genetic based . About being a bad kid and doing a lot of bad things - ask yourself how am i a bad kid and what bad things do I do ? (Since you have these thoughts in your head , you feel negative and have a lot self-esteem because you feel this way about yourself) . First thing to remember is ATTITUDE is EVERYTHING and POSITIVE thoughts generate positive feelings , emotions and actions . If you are doing things you feel you shouldn't do - then start now and stop doing those 'bad' things . So you're not a perfect kid ? What kid is ? Even the kids that seem perfect , aren't . We all have imperfections in some way . So what you don't have a boyfriend ? Boyfriends don't make someone "cool" or "popular" or "happy" . You have all your life to have a boyfriend and get married. I will be 21 next month , am completely happy because I know that when i do find one , I will have much more to offer him as will he , because we're older and have experienced more . So stop worrying about having a boyfriend . just wait until you're older to find a real man ! Secondly , when you look in the mirror you have to realize that everyone has something to offer -remember everyone is prettier than someone else and everyone is uglier than someone else . One person will look at you and think you are the best thing they have ever seen ! And another person will look at you and think the opposite . Everyone is beautiful in their own way inside , and out ! You say your family cares about you . Well have I got news for you ! If your FAMILY cares about you ... then you never need any friend in the world . - It's ALWAYS good to have friends .. But Friends usually come and go . There are few that will stick by you through the years . However FAMILY that care about you will always be there for you through thick and thin ! If you find a true friend , then they will be much like your family and be there for you and care for you always As you get older you realize , your best friends are actually your family who care about you for you and don't judge you or forget about you . You don't sound screwed up . You sound like someone who is unhappy and just wants someone to help them and there is nothing wrong with that ! Talk to your family , ask if depression has ever run in the family , and ask to go see a doctor about it ! Finally . Realize your self-worth . In teenage years we go through many emotions and feelings. if we don't have friends or a boyfriend we feel like we don't mean much . That is not true ! Take this time to work on your strengths. When you start fining out what you're good at , and start doing those things , you'll start to meet people who have the same strengths and hobbies and values as you do . If you only focus on the negatives , you will never meet anyone that way ! You have to see the beauty in yourself . Positive thoughts generate positivity all around you . You've been having negative thoughts right ? so , your outcomes have all been negative . Today , you reached out for help , and today and from now on you have to start to be more positive ! Be positive about your looks , your personality , what you have to offer others , the fact that you have a family who cares about you ! (not everyone has a family that cares about them) .It's not always easy to be positive - but if you notice ..Would you rather be around .. Someone who is saying positive things and have a positive outlook , or someone who is negative about everything ? Do not think you shouldn't be here in the world or you don't belong . Everyone has something to offer , everyone can be a friend to someone , and that someone is you ! Stay positive and have confidence , people will notice that and gravitate towards you . If you give off a negative vibe , people gravitate away from you . Join a club , volunteer somewhere , Get a part time job . Many ways to meet people and make friends.

Good or bad at least this forum exists is the way I see it. I have more experiences than I have ever wanted to have in terms of going to "suicide funerals" in real life.

The trouble is that this is an anonymous web site so determining the number of authentic distressed people is questionable. But for the people who want to remain anonymous and seek help it is useful. Having said that this site offers the opportunity for some honest (non threatening) explosive admissions (that perhaps some may wish they could take back in the light of day....) but none the less there is truth in them there dark moments when those admissions are made and there is help offered here on Y/A by many a caring person in my experience..

In real life my experience is limited in terms of talking to someone face to face about their suicidal "thoughts".

So,,,, I don't know, valid or not, in my opinion this is a worthy site because if anything it allows for the anonymous exploration of suicidal or disturbing thoughts (real or not).

Unfortunately like most things I suppose I must just use my "best judgement" in my assessment of their authenticity and choose whether or not to respond.

Every single institution that we are taught to respect and look up to are the absolute most horrible role models. In the news we are inundated with the most extreme stories so we assume that the whole country operates like this and the scary thing is that most of it does. Scholastically we see teachers molesting and having sex with students…we are falling behind the rest of the world at an alarming rate leaving our youth less prepared to enter a global workplace---- Religiously we see the catholic molestation scandal and our last president openly stated that this was a “war against good and evil”…religion has not offered any salvation or happiness to the rational thinking individual searching for peace and only offers dogma and outlandish stories----Politically we have absolute and total corruption as never seen before I wont even get started on that---Economically we have corruption forcing tax payer bailouts of huge companies that are deemed “too big to fail” yet they allow 18% of the population to be unemployed which means that lawmakers have indirectly told America that the companies are more important then their constituents….greed and corruption now run D.C.---Ecologically our planet is falling apart due to excessive logging, fossil fuel burning, fires, pollution…We are seeing drastic earthquakes, floods, bee colony collapse, extinction, and just about every apocalyptical precursor ever prophesized---Parentally we see a failing rate of marriage…literally look at it…if marriage was graded like school where anything less then 60% is a failing grade then marriage would get and F- and would have to be repeated until it gets a passing grade yet nobody in a position to change things will get up and say that something has to be done about this failing institution where the real ones losing out are the children.

We are losing jobs overseas which is going to due nothing but leave our country vulnerable to falling way behind in this new world order that is sure to come. We make nothing in the USA…our military is all over the world and not at home protecting us. Our air is dirty…our water is full of radioactive chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs…our parents are zombies on Vicodin and Oxycodone. Our children are medicated for being too active conversely on the flip we have a childhood obesity epidemic. Our children are getting diabetes from poisonous toxic food that nobody seems to want to outlaw even though it has been proven that these sweeteners and preservatives are what causes cancer.

This country/world is an absolute and total clusterf’ck and we all wonder why our kids are a mess and why they don’t respect adults even their parents.

I am 28 years old and I have vowed to never have a child. My grandmother watches the news and cries for my new born niece and I do not shed tears but my concern is equally as strong. the rage that is elicited from me thinking about this is what has catalyzed my need to leave this society for I will have no more to do with this toxic place. The world is heavy…its dark…and the silver lining is now obscured by the chem trails and volcanic ash. Its just a mess out there.

Almost everybody feels that way at some point or another. Some folks, when talking about it, tend to exaggerate the depth of their angst a bit. Most people just need a place to vent, and perhaps a little validation here & there. Much of the general depression you speak of isn't due to an absence of God, it is generally due to a disappointment in one's self. We quite naturally possess an internal set of "standards" that are a good bit higher than we can actually attain. Observing others, we often tell ourselves that others are reaching our standards better than we, ourselves are - but the "others" quite often feel the exact same way. Does that make any sense to you? :-?

Yikes, do you think it could be how people are losing their jobs, houses, self-esteem, etc., through mostly no fault of their own? Or maybe how there are just no jobs for us, many of us, and what the hell is a person supposed to do, rob someplace? The fallen giants of honesty and integrity betrayed us once too often and now, how are we to take them seriously?

I never can understand why people are so quick to praise the lord when something good happens but never seem to blame or at least boo when things turn to crap. Lack of Faith? Lack of Faith = Common sense.

This gift of life is precious, each of us, the mammal and the lichen, and each must receive equal respect. Too many of 'us' perceive 'us' as superior, in charge, able to manipulate the rest of life as we see fit. What ****.

People who have questions to ask about life, are mainly those who are questioning the importance of it, and are depressed because they do not understand what it is they are missing.

If I had faith in "God", I'd be slightly depressed, since I am always down when I can't fathom something that I want to know about that is to others "important." Yet, I use it as motivation, just as those who ask about suicidal mentality.

I think the main cause, is American schooling. Do they teach about suicide? No. Depression? No. Biology oh yes, they cover that, because DNA is so important to a healthy mind, and a progressive style of living. (not that biology isn't important in the scheme of things)