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Time for change...

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 6252

I prefer the jung test because it is bang on for me, and I to am an introvert. Also it is free.

I took the test with a person I am very compatible with but the test surprised her because it said she was an extrovert and I can see it in her. We tend to be what we want in what ever situation. I am becoming more extroverted to match the situation and she is becoming more introverted, But at the end of the day we go back to what we are. Im my case introverted. I really think a person can be both depending on the situation and if this is so it could be an answer to the depression a person feels when they think they are different and different is wrong. And I for one do not think different is wrong or should be a cause for depression. I like being different.

Davit

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 52

Hi Ashley,

I posted the question to the expert and hope to get an answer. There is also another question nagging me, but I find it hard to formulate. Quite a number of people are familiar with the Myer-Briggs Type Indicator test. The theory behind the personality type is that personality is inherent to the person and the personality type itself cannot change; we can only learn how to deal with the situations in other ways.

According to the MBTI a part of my personality is being introvert. The MBTI consultant administering the test was rather shocked as she thought I was a very extroverted person and I scored a 100% on being introvert. She never had seen the 100% score before. It shows that the personality type and the way the person's behaviour for the outside world can be quite different.

During episodes of depression we are encouraged to go out and meet people. However even when I am not depressed I don't like meeting people. Meeting people is hard work for me. After meetings I always need my me-time, which means complete solitude. I don't have an anxiety for meeting people, I just have a dislike. During depressive episodes going out and meeting people is a crushing experience. The me-time after a meeting to recharge increases from 1-2 hours to days.

The current situation is that I when I go out and meet people, I feel much lower afterwards. I even joined a support group for people with depression and after every meeting I feel way lower than before (just like exercise also seems to have a negative effect on me).

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 11214

Hi Jacques,

I can see how confusing and frustrating feeling this way could be. Feeling numb and emotionless is a common symptom of depression. Know that you are not alone in this and keep posting.

You do raise an interesting discussion topic. How do you manage depression if there are no negative thoughts to challenge? This is a great questions for our Ask the Expert section, I encourage you to post there.

Members, how would you answer this question? First of all making sure you are sticking to the program, try to work on it consistently. Also, make healthy lifestyle choices; eat healthy, exercise, socialize with people you care about, do activities you enjoy (or once enjoyed) and continue to push yourself. When depressed individuals can lack motivation; it is important to still try to push yourself despite the lack of motivation. Isolation and living sedentary although seems like an escape right now can actually be counterproductive in managing depression.

Ashley, Health Educator

Here to help :)

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 52

Thanks for the encouraging messages... I have been withdrawing myself more and more from social life. It seems like the disconnect between feeling, ratio and behaviour is still growing. Yesterday I had a moment where my body showed clear signs of stress: excessive sweating, elevated heart beat etc.. However my psyche was as empty as always. I don't have any clue what set off the stress reactions.

When a depressive episode starts, I have negative thougts that can be countered. The program is very helpfull in that phase. However in the current state I don't have negative thoughts... I don't have any feelings either; no fear, no sadness, no happiness, just nothing. My body reacts however as if I'm in a severe depression: slow, tired, no sleep etc.. As Ocean said, maybe my brain has found a way to numb myself as protection.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1022

Hey Jacques... As the holidays are building in levels of frenzy

I find myself wondering how you are doing and hoping you will do a check in soon. Just know we are here and hoping to survive this mess too

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 33

Hi guys,

Not sure what I can add to this, other than I sympathise with you. My husband and I decided this year to not stress ourselves out over anything. We're building a house so financially speaking people know we're not out buying gifts, so that's a big thing. Also, we don't make any plans for Christmas and no commitments to anyone.

My husband is a construction worker and I'm on LTD, so thank goodness no functions. I like it that way. We both have kids from previous relationships, but they are both grown up. His son lives with his mother, and my daugther lives on her own. So we're on our own.

I'm just sharing this to say that maybe when you're going through a rough time, you should allow yourselves a break. People will just have to understand. The world will not stop turning whether you participate or not. Think about YOU. This is a time to think about you, pamper yourself, sleep, relax, do things YOU want to do, even if it's just lounging on the couch watching Christmas movies or whatever. We all heard it before.. THIS TOO SHALL PASS right? Am I right here? Then give yourselves permission to cocoon while the storm passes. That's my 2c.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1022

Thank you Ocean for being here. I'm so glad you are! ((((((((((((((((((((((((((Ocean))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

ps. those be the hugs I neglected to send before.

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 31

Hi Jacques. Like yourself and ~m, I also feel overwhelmed with festivities, lists of things to do, etc. I get so overwhelmed that I end up being paralysed to do anything at all. Or (worse), I drink so that I don't feel that anymore. It helps me for the couple of hours I drink, and then the list gets longer because I haven't done anything on the list but time is still moving, which means that the list will get new things. And then it becomes unmanageable......what a cycle!

I mentioned I drink to avoid the disturbing feelings - I don't feel them anymore and I feel like a different person. Is it possible that the lack of feelings you feel is your brain's own way of numbing yourself? It makes sense that your body would do that to protect yourself. But I guess for us both things have gone a bit too far. Perhaps we're all exhausted from trying to numb ourselves.

Sometimes I like to say 'Stop the world, I want to get off'. Not suicidal, but I just want things to stop moving for a while til I get my energy back, and then I can get back on the bus, so to speak.

Everyone in this forum is very sincere and empathetic and, like ~m says, we totally understand if all you can do is type a word. Just stay with us for a while. In my darkest times, a goal for me would be 'turn on the computer', I didn't even do anything or type anything, I wasn't ready for that.

Hope to see another post from you soon.

Ocean

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 1022

Thank you Jacques for staying active on the center when you are feeling so awful right now. <sigh> sometimes we just have to hunker down and wait it out. I don't know if the Health Educators would agree, but it seems to me that choosing only a few holiday activities to attend is good self-care.

I would encourage you to try to find something that might be recharging for yourself.

For me, after I do anything emotionally and/or physically draining, I allow myself about two days off to recover. OFF means.... I don't force myself to do anything, and all shouldas must wait until my OFF time is over. Usually I'll curl up with a book... something easy to read... or even allow the sitting on the couch drinking tea and staring into space.... sometimes it means playing games on the computer.

What I'm doing isn't as important as allowing time to regroup without judging or forcing.

Is there something like that you could be doing for yourself between parties? How about other members.... what do you do to recharge during the holidays when you are feeling depressed? I think the Health Educators posted a list somewhere... can you remind us where that is???

13 years ago 0 +0 / -0 52

Any function that doesn't really require my attendence I will cancel. I just can't do it anymore. For this week I already cancelled two functions.. Still there are way to many functions to attend.

I don't have any strength to recharge. If I'm able to drag myself out of bed, I will just sit on the couch with the newspaper in front of me.... I'm even too tired to read. I just sit there... most of the time not even thinking. I don't sleep properly anymore and the only reason I eat, is because my wife wants to eat.

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