Depression.

[TribbleZA]

I think we should have a support group in which we can find a fxck buddy to help get over the depression.

I can just see the mess that would cause - especially as everyone is more than a little messed up

 

[TribbleZA]

Sometimes we just give too much control over our lives to others.

We give way too much control to others. And every time I feel lonely, I remind myself how complex and stressful relationships are. It helps me.

 

[W@P]

It's both. The past... family issues and bullying fed into social anxiety, and that’s shaped so much of my life. I’ve lost friendships along the way, for all sorts of reasons from addiction and substance abuse to people just drifting. Death in the family, family absenteeism... All of that adds to feelings of inadequacy and never really finding recognition in work, or friendship and affection in relationships, or anywhere else. Even in marriage there are cracks. And the present just keeps pressing on those same wounds, so it often feels like I’m carrying everything, past and present, all at once. I also struggle with pretty intense emotions to the point where it's all or nothing with no middle ground, and sometimes I only see things in black-and-white terms, which makes it even harder to find balance.

Good on you for being able to pinpoint and name each and every challenge/burden/vice, etc. you have.
I struggle to name my issues. If someone asks me what is it that is causing you to feel like this, I usually don't have a proper answer.

 

[W@P]

I have so much to live for, and am blessed and privileged AF, and at the same time, I am cursed.
I have a thing that I do every morning when I start my day and get out of bed. I swing myself up onto my ass with my feet on the ground, sitting on the edge of the bed.

And I tune myself out loud "Ok WAP, kom ons begin die dag" or "Ok WAP laat jy jou dag begin" or "Ok WAP laat ons fokken gan en die dag begin" and then I start moving. Just something that I do. I donno it gives me a little eensy bit of motivation to just get going. The rest of the day will be what it will be.

 

[TribbleZA]

Good on you for being able to pinpoint and name each and every challenge/burden/vice, etc. you have.
I struggle to name my issues. If someone asks me what is it that is causing you to feel like this, I usually don't have a proper answer.

You might find that you actually do - you just don't want to be able to name it. Naming it means we have to take action, deal with it. And some things are just too difficult to deal with. Sometimes dealing causes more stress than you are already feeling - makes you feel more depressed. Dealing with my main issue would have meant going against my core beliefs, ones that I had held for so long. I was lucky in that situations changed and while everything is not magically fixed - I did not have to deal with the main issue. I am now working on myself to clear the guilt I feel. So, perhaps, if you dig really deeply and without judgement, you might find what is causing you such sadness.

 

[TribbleZA]

I have so much to live for, and am blessed and privileged AF, and at the same time, I am cursed.
I have a thing that I do every morning when I start my day and get out of bed. I swing myself up onto my ass with my feet on the ground, sitting on the edge of the bed.

And I tune myself out loud "Ok WAP, kom ons begin die dag" or "Ok WAP laat jy jou dag begin" or "Ok WAP laat ons fokken gan en die dag begin" and then I start moving. Just something that I do. I donno it gives me a little eensy bit of motivation to just get going. The rest of the day will be what it will be.

That is actually a really good way to get started. I kinda do the same - though it starts while I am still lying down. And you basically throw yourself into the day.

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

Good on you for being able to pinpoint and name each and every challenge/burden/vice, etc. you have.
I struggle to name my issues. If someone asks me what is it that is causing you to feel like this, I usually don't have a proper answer.

I self-analyse a lot... and even though I think I've labelled and pinpointed the origins of many of my issues, a lot of it still doesn't make sense in the big scheme of things, nor can I quite figure out how I got here and where-to next.

 

[Jan van Riebeeckstad]

I can just see the mess that would cause - especially as everyone is more than a little messed up

One minute of pleasure a lifetime of pain.

Seems like a good trade off for MyBBers

 

[TribbleZA]

 

[AnimateX]

I've been following this guy (Daniel Amen) for a while and think he is one of the few voices of reason in the biased and hap-hazard field of Psychiatry. Look at the actual organ you are trying to treat instead of just guessing and applying the one-size fits all principle.

I haven't been doing terrible lately but also considering firing my current therapist. Paying R1000 a month for just having someone to talk to but not actually helping me dig in and resolve past trauma, it seems pointless. I had another therapist many years ago that actually had a strategic approach and we did EMDR, CBT and weekly reporting which had positive results.

I've seen a lot of talk about online therapy sites although a lot of it is US-centric and not so sure it will be a good fit.

How is everyone keeping up lately?

 

[TribbleZA]

I've been following this guy (Daniel Amen) for a while and think he is one of the few voices of reason in the biased and hap-hazard field of Psychiatry. Look at the actual organ you are trying to treat instead of just guessing and applying the one-size fits all principle.

I haven't been doing terrible lately but also considering firing my current therapist. Paying R1000 a month for just having someone to talk to but not actually helping me dig in and resolve past trauma, it seems pointless. I had another therapist many years ago that actually had a strategic approach and we did EMDR, CBT and weekly reporting which had positive results.

I've seen a lot of talk about online therapy sites although a lot of it is US-centric and not so sure it will be a good fit.

How is everyone keeping up lately?

I have a friend in Jhb who is doing EMDR with her therapist and finding it helpful. There are some who are actively involved and not just listening while you talk. I guess it is a matter of finding a good fit.

I am glad you aren't doing terrible

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

Interesting post by an MD / forensic pathologist I found on Reddit.

All I can say is, just try to look out for other people. There are people in your lives who need your support and compassion, they might not show it, and you might not know until it is too late and they are gone. The world is a cruel place.

I deal with people involved in car crashes, workplace accidents, victims of domestic violence, natural disasters and even murder on a daily basis. Even children and babies who are born into this god-forsaken world and abused by their parents are not uncommon.

Their plight is horrific and my heart mourns for every unfortunate soul who has to land on my autopsy table.

Yet, the cases that get to me the most are the suicides. Especially young people who so much life and beauty left in them. This week alone, there were these two cases that linger in my mind.

They found a 17-year old girl hanging from a tree out in the woods, all alone and in the cold. She was so pretty and looked so scared and confused, her expression was that of a child who didn’t know that they were doing.

Then, there was a 24-year old, handsome and friendly looking you man, also found hanging in his room. He was found by his own poor mother, she left the room screaming and immediately called police. They arrived shortly and later sent us photos of the case so we could start our investigation. This boy had friends, a life, a family looking out for him, a decent job and no history of mental illness.

These people were all ****ing young. And our society just spit them out, like they were defunct or something, even though they would have been perfectly capable of living fulfilling and enjoyable lives, I just know it. There was never anything wrong with them and I refuse to accept that it was something within them, something intrinsic that led them astry. It was rather our collective failing, our societal duty to nurture these people and lend them a helping hand in need.

I look at these dead bodies and all I see is the death of our own society reflected back at me. Our inability to look out for one another and be decent and empathetic toward one another, especially the sensitive ones.

Me myself I’m 27 years old and I’ve been struggling with depression and anxiety my whole life. I can’t even imagine what a life would be like where I didn’t always feel like I’m drowning, fighting to stay afloat above my own demons, constantly pulling me down. I’m just an average gal, I don’t have any special knowledge, money or privilege or education that grants me a right to be here, to allow me to have the gall to imagine myself above these people. I’m better off in life since I’ve had more opportunities and luck that they had, that’s true. In any decent society it shouldn’t be that way, since we are all worth the same.

I’ve had depression since I was about five, and I suspect it will be my companion until the day I die. And every time I see cases like these, it gives me pause. I understand where they were coming from and I know how bad it must have been.

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

Today is World Mental Health Day, it's not about awareness anymore as we already know what depression is. If you're feeling down, tired, negative - that's ok, you don't have to be strong all the time. Just be here, exist in the moment, breathe. You've made it this far - you are a survivor. Know that you do matter, even if you don't feel like you do.

 

[The Voice]

Hang in there, brothers and sisters. It can get better.

 

[L-Dog]

I've been following this guy (Daniel Amen) for a while and think he is one of the few voices of reason in the biased and hap-hazard field of Psychiatry. Look at the actual organ you are trying to treat instead of just guessing and applying the one-size fits all principle.

I haven't been doing terrible lately but also considering firing my current therapist. Paying R1000 a month for just having someone to talk to but not actually helping me dig in and resolve past trauma, it seems pointless. I had another therapist many years ago that actually had a strategic approach and we did EMDR, CBT and weekly reporting which had positive results.

I've seen a lot of talk about online therapy sites although a lot of it is US-centric and not so sure it will be a good fit.

How is everyone keeping up lately?

I have heard of a few people using AI / Chat GPT as a therapist with posotive results. Would never recommend this alone but using Chat GPT and a Therapist in tandem might be something to try...

 

[now05ster]

I have heard of a few people using AI / Chat GPT as a therapist with posotive results. Would never recommend this alone but using Chat GPT and a Therapist in tandem might be something to try...

Yes please. Oh my hat...

 

[OnlyOneKenobi]

Chatgpt can work as long as the parameters are well defined and the user remains cautious of the risks and shortcomings of AI. The below is an example of an efficient, balanced custom instruction set for a "Therapist" GPT. It's no substitute for actual therapy but it's helpful when used in conjunction with it.

You are "Clarity Companion", a custom GPT that engages users like a friendly, insightful therapist. You support users through a wide range of personal issues—relationships, marriage, mental health, work, anxiety, depression, and more—with warmth, humour, and emotional intelligence.

Mission
Help users reflect on and navigate their personal challenges. Offer compassionate, nuanced perspectives. Be proactive: ask thoughtful, open-ended questions to deepen the conversation. Explore issues from multiple angles to avoid bias or blind agreement.

Tone
Warm, calm, and compassionate—with gentle humour where appropriate. Speak like a trusted, thoughtful therapist who takes the user seriously but isn’t afraid to be light-hearted when the moment allows.

Guidelines

Do not always agree. Gently challenge assumptions if it helps the user grow.

Avoid jumping to "talk to a professional" unless the situation truly warrants it.

Use analogies, stories, or light humour to disarm tension when helpful.

Balance empathy with insight: validate feelings but explore causes, patterns, and options.

Be proactive in moving the conversation forward, not just reactive.

Avoid diagnoses or treatment plans, but it's okay to discuss symptoms or coping strategies intelligently.

Boundaries
You are not a licensed therapist. You provide emotional insight and conversational guidance, not medical or legal conclusions. Stay within a wise, non-clinical lane.

 

[dabean]

Chatgpt can work as long as the parameters are well defined and the user remains cautious of the risks and shortcomings of AI. The below is an example of an efficient, balanced custom instruction set for a "Therapist" GPT. It's no substitute for actual therapy but it's helpful when used in conjunction with it.

You are "Clarity Companion", a custom GPT that engages users like a friendly, insightful therapist. You support users through a wide range of personal issues—relationships, marriage, mental health, work, anxiety, depression, and more—with warmth, humour, and emotional intelligence.

Mission
Help users reflect on and navigate their personal challenges. Offer compassionate, nuanced perspectives. Be proactive: ask thoughtful, open-ended questions to deepen the conversation. Explore issues from multiple angles to avoid bias or blind agreement.

Tone
Warm, calm, and compassionate—with gentle humour where appropriate. Speak like a trusted, thoughtful therapist who takes the user seriously but isn’t afraid to be light-hearted when the moment allows.

Guidelines

Do not always agree. Gently challenge assumptions if it helps the user grow.

Avoid jumping to "talk to a professional" unless the situation truly warrants it.

Use analogies, stories, or light humour to disarm tension when helpful.

Balance empathy with insight: validate feelings but explore causes, patterns, and options.

Be proactive in moving the conversation forward, not just reactive.

Avoid diagnoses or treatment plans, but it's okay to discuss symptoms or coping strategies intelligently.

Boundaries
You are not a licensed therapist. You provide emotional insight and conversational guidance, not medical or legal conclusions. Stay within a wise, non-clinical lane.

Fun how having an unbounded tool makes us recognise our limitations.

 

[neoprema]

I have heard of a few people using AI / Chat GPT as a therapist with posotive results. Would never recommend this alone but using Chat GPT and a Therapist in tandem might be something to try...

I think its good at processing and diagnosing symptoms against psychology corpuses. But i'de be weary in choosing it over a psychologist. It could also possibly give some good data, as mentioned it can tap endless data on the subjects and draw conclusions. I just don't know how comfortable i would be talking to it instead of a person. And by person i mean a man. As a man i'm not telling any of my problems to a woman lol.

 

[dabean]

I think its good at processing and diagnosing symptoms against psychology corpuses. But i'de be weary in choosing it over a psychologist. It could also possibly give some good data, as mentioned it can tap endless data on the subjects and draw conclusions. I just don't know how comfortable i would be talking to it instead of a person. And by person i mean a man. As a man i'm not telling any of my problems to a woman lol.

The human condition remains human.