How depressed does this sound? (psychiatrist, psychological, naturally, pain)

[Berteau]

When I feel really sad/depressed the best way to describe it is it feels like a heaviness and dull pain inside my chest. Maybe like a heavy numbness also mixed with extreme sadness. But it never makes me lose much interest in doing things like really depressed people do. I try to cope by exercising and/or drinking a little. Can anyone relate, and is this depression? This happens when I'm going through low points in my life and eventually goes away.

[Parnassia]

Originally Posted by Berteau

When I feel really sad/depressed the best way to describe it is it feels like a heaviness and dull pain inside my chest. Maybe like a heavy numbness also mixed with extreme sadness. But it never makes me lose much interest in doing things like really depressed people do. I try to cope by exercising and/or drinking a little. Can anyone relate, and is this depression? This happens when I'm going through low points in my life and eventually goes away.

Well, it seems situational. Happens to just about everyone. How long after some event does this feeling persist? That may be more telling. I wouldn't drink...not solving anything and can make depression worse. Its just masking or avoiding something that you may need to think through in a different way.

[CLfan1977]

Alcohol is a depressant—it can become a crutch. Don’t self-medicate.

What you describe sounds within normal range to me, but only a doctor or licensed therapist can really give you an accurate diagnosis.

[Willamette City]

See a counselor as soon as you can. Exercise is always important, but counseling will also help.


Good luck, and I hope you have a great day!

[ApartmentNomad]

Originally Posted by Berteau

When I feel really sad/depressed the best way to describe it is it feels like a heaviness and dull pain inside my chest. Maybe like a heavy numbness also mixed with extreme sadness. But it never makes me lose much interest in doing things like really depressed people do. I try to cope by exercising and/or drinking a little. Can anyone relate, and is this depression? This happens when I'm going through low points in my life and eventually goes away.

I get something like that sometimes, not too often (despite being pretty unhappy myself).

Interestingly, in Chinese medicine, the lungs are closely associated with grief.

You might consider going to someone who practices Chinese/East Asian medicine, especially if they specialize in emotional issues. This can be very hit or miss, however. The downside is that acupuncturists/Doctors of Oriental Medicine don't seem to be trained in how to handle the interpersonal dimension of dealing with painful emotional material (particularly issues like transference, which therapists are taught to handle). Some of them are just more naturally adept at discussing these issues than others. In some ways, acupuncturists are more like psychiatrists in that respect. They have techniques for making things happen physically that lead to psychological changes, but they may or may not be good at handling communicating about emotional issues. At any rate, you might be surprised at what acupuncture + herbs (as prescribed by your acupuncturist) can achieve, particularly for situational depression.