Depressed or being stupid?

Very often, people with depression say that they don't feel alive or that they can't feel any emotions. It's not unusual for people to isolate themselves because they don't feel like talking. One reason for this is that there are sensitive things they don't feel like talking about. Just the question, "How are you?" can be troublesome. Another reason is that with depression, the activity of the brain cells in the parts of the brain associated with language can actually slow down, making communication more difficult.

Although "stupid" is not an accurate term, depression can temporarily impair people's problem-solving ability a bit, and a feeling that there are hopeless problems contributes to pessimism.

If you showed what you've written to your doctor, I can't imagine that this person would not think you're depressed.

Fortunately, it's just a small minority of depressed people who attempt suicide, but I suggest thinking carefully about these questions, which psychiatrist David Burns (The Feeling Good Handbook) says are red flags indicating the need for help ASAP -

"Are you ever tempted to kill yourself?'

"Do you have an actual plan to kill yourself?"

"Do you ever think that people would be better off if you committed suicide?"

"Have you attempted suicide in the past?

Basically, there's three approaches to treating depression - healthy lifestyle, cognitive-behavioral therapy (a theapy that teaches healthy attitudes and habits), and medicine. Medicine is not recommended in every case. CBT is recommended for moderate and severe cases. Healthy lifestyle - something everybody needs - is recommended for every kind of depression. So, regardless of what a gp would recommend, I can recommend healthy lifestyle. Even with severe depression, it can contribute to recovery.

The experts on self-help say that although many people benefit from this, it's not meant to replace standard treatments. If you feel uneasy about standard treatments, I suggest finding out about them in that book by Dr Burns, often recommended for depressed patients by professionals.

Steve Ilardi, the therapist and researcher who headed the Univ of Kansas lifestyle-depression project, says that whenever people can have fun and take their minds off their problems for a while, that's therapy. For someone who can't enjoy things, that's an obvious problem, but the Kansas program also has physical things. Exercise is very good and you don't have to be afraid of it. Light exercise - as little as 20 min brisk walking a day - helps, and you can add to that gradually. Just don't get carried away and punish yourself till you get sick of exercise and quit.

if you go to Metapsychology, you can read a psychologist's review of Dr Ilardi self-help book ("a splendid book"). It's all common sense - low cost, low risk therapy.

If nothing seems fun or interesting, look all around and see if you can find just one thing. if there's a favorite movie you like, watch it once or twice. Then find things like it. Maybe similar story or the same actor. Keep adding to your entertainment supply and give it variety.

Of all the mind-body therapies, one stands out as really, really easy - slow breathing. If you're interested in mind-body methods, you can look to the info in this answer, but DEFINITELY do the slow breathing exercise I describe - recommenced by psychiatrists .

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I'm on your side Mary - I lost my mum through suicide in severe clinical depression - and her maternal grandfather, my guru, due to complications from a joint suicide attempt I had with him, and I was only 3½ - I had another four attempts at 7½ and one when I was 55 - the temptation never goes away for me - but I'm 72 now and coach and counsel other people away from that as their ultimate way of death - I've been doing it for over 21 years since having hypno regression therapy to fix me up after a nervous breakdown at 49 due to 34 years of severe amnesias I self induced to keep me from suicide - and I've had remarkable success - I offer a pro bono 7 Steps in 7 Days and 7 Steps in 98 Days course of positive actions - the first of which saves 99.9% of those who try it and the whole of which saves 100% of those who try it - and according to one testimonial who has shared it with her tribe on the internet, military vets, it has saved thousands from suicide - you are welcome to try them - they are very amateur as I run a non-profit one-man-band business doing it - so I won't apologize as all I have to give is my love and compassion - the website URLs are highlighted blue below as hyperlinks straight there if you click them - I've included a screen shot of my amazon bestsellers only to show you my credentials - I don't want you buying any of them - that's not what I'm here on Yahoo! Answers - I'm here to help people like you because you are people like me - people who live part of their lives in a kind of hell of earth longing for someone to show them how to change it into more of a heaven on earth - I hope I do that for you

Yes, that is Clinical Depression, Major Depressive Disorder, with anxious distress. Suicidal thoughts are a symptom of severity. It is not a mild or moderate depression. This will require treatment to go away. Clinical counseling and medication, together, are the most effective treatment.