Do you consider yourself to be happy?

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 3:10am

Tonight, i had yet another depressive freak-out and my friend described me as being an "unhappy person". This has truly depressed me. Most of the time I am very happy and life-loving, while other times find me being totally depressed and sad to the core. I get down on myself and literally cannot function. This happy/sad see-saw wavers throughout the day is very uncool.

Do you consider yourselves to be happy? Truly happy and content with your life? Even though life has its problems, you consider yourself to be happy with where you are and where you are going?

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 6:34am

I think I'm a happy, upbeat person, but I think most of my friends think I'm happier than I really am. I come across as more confident than I am, so most people don't know about my insecurities. I have a lot of trouble sleeping because I worry all the time, but in the daytime, I never seem to stress out at all. My mom always wonders why my nails are chewed all the way down to the cuticle, because I always seem so cheerful.

But I'm in high school, so I think that's normal.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 7:22am

Cruel_Sandwich, I don't want to scare you, but isn't that a characteristic of bipolar disorder?

Is there a reason you get depressed and "sad to the core?" throughout the day, or does it just happen? You should see someone about that. A school counselor should be able to give you a referral.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 7:27am

I was going to say the same thing. Sounds kind of like bipolar disorder.

CS, I think you should talk to someone to check it out.

[Maraclea2]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 7:39am

Im only happy when it rains
Im only happy when its complicated
And though I know you cant appreciate it
Im only happy when it rains
You know I love it when the news is bad
Why it feels so good to feel so sad
Im only happy when it rains

[Marianne2]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 8:06am

I agree with the bipolar, but it also could just be severe depression. Since we are not experts here, definitely go see someone. You claim that you are in college now, so I'm sure your school probably has a counseling center, which is free to students. At least the one at my university was. It might not be the best place to stay, but at least it's a start to recovery.

[Maraclea2]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 8:36am

I actually am an expert. My credentials speak for themselves.
I have counseled at least 2 friends who were going through hard times. This, I believe, makes me capable of offering the best advice available.

Now, having said that, Cruel: I recommend drugs. Preferably prescription, but if mom and dad's medicine cabinet is empty then go the illegal route.
Try an upper, like meth to start with and take it from there.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:07am

Aw, poor widdle Cruely-Wuely. Life's so hard, isn't it?

[iflitifloat]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:12am

Although I've had my brushes with depression, I'd have to say that I am an inherently happy person. The silver linings to any situation almost always triumph.

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 9:28am

If anyone is either truly happy or truly depressed all the time, there's usually a problem.

The "always happy" people are just as disturbing and disturbed as the depressed folks. And they're usually not as happy as they pretend to be. Covering up or skirting around the problems in their lives. Lots of issues there.

Life for most of us exists somewhere in between. Hopefully without too many extremes.

Me? I'm more happy than not. I'm "generally" happy.

...I'm happy to say.

[Jane2]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:28am

I consider myself fortunate in that I'm never depressed. Each day that I wake up is like a new beginning for me.

And sandwich-I don't know you personally, but if I were to judge on the basis of what you post here-you are most definitely NOT happy.

And as I've said before-either that or you've been putting us on for years.

[elphiesmagic]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:48am

Marianne, this is hardly "severe" depression. It's perhaps a mild form, dysthymia.

[Magdalene]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:52am

According to Barack Obama, I'm bitter.

So I'm not unhappy, just bitter.

[shameless]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 10:58am

People, please don't waste your time and energy telling CS to seek help. Many compassionate BWW posters have been telling him that from the day he started posting.

To answer the question, I think I'm happy more often than I'm not.

[Cruel_Sandwich]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 12:18pm

Yeah, I really should talk to someone. If I were to have bipolar, it would explain a lot.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 12:41pm

This is such a load of crap. Every few weeks Cruel starts a "woe is me" thread, and gets a ton of well-intentioned responses suggesting, delicately, that he see "someone."

[KrissySim]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 1:07pm

Yes. My life has gone through some very positive developments in the past few years. It wasn't always this easy. Yes, I've had down periods, but looking back I cans see they were situationally caused. Not having enough money can really do it. I didn't know how financially stressed I was and how much it colored my life until I rose out of it. It makes a big difference.

Now the only thing that gets me depressed is realization that Sarah Palin may become the President of the world's most wealthy and powerful country. Yes, if McCain is elected I'll wager he'll die from natural causes before he completes his term.

Alaska Governor? The state with "12 qualified alcoholic wife-beating divorcees to every female". The state where women from the lower 48 go if they are desperate for a man: "The odds are good, but the goods are odd". "Where men are men, women are scarce and the bears are nervous." (These are standard PNW jokes.)

But seriously, a redneck wolf-slaughtering, Bible-thumping hick for President of the USA? The thought is very depressing.

[shameless]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 1:55pm

Great, Krissy! Now, I'm depressed. Thanks.

[DayDreamer]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 2:10pm

It depends on what you mean by "happy." I mean - a sadist can be happy torturing someone. I don't strive for "happiness" but more contentment. I try to live my life to the fullest and as much as I can in a way that is not negative towards anyone. (key words: as much as I can.)

[James885]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 2:18pm

I would say that I'm relatively happy. My last semester of college is underway, I started my 3rd internship this week, and I'll soon begin the job application process. I have problems like everyone else but for the most part, the ups outweigh the downs.

Course, I probably won't be so happy around midterms and finals time....

[StockardFan]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 4:15pm

Thanks Krissy. Now I'm depressed too.

[Weez]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 5:26pm

Happy? Definitely not. I'm sure pretty much everyone I know has the impression I'm happy, but they also think I'm confident and talented, and I'm equally certain I'm neither of those things either. I personally figure that I need seven things to make me fully happy.

1. Somewhere to live
Well, I have a roof over my head, and I couldn't possibly complain about the rent. Nothing to complain about here, it's all good and I would be the biggest ingrate in the world to bitch.

2. A job I don't hate
Ah. Here's where it starts to fall apart. Still unemployed; not yet desperate enough to take just anything, but depressed enough about it to not bother treating job-hunting as a full-time job in its own right (which I KNOW is a terrible outlook to have; I'm wallowing in misery today, so you can either pile on the sympathy, or clear orf).

3. Enough money to live on
Nope. My funds are down to their final trickle so it's back to libraries and YouTube for entertainment. And I'm not even kidding when I say I thank the lord daily for YouTube. Srsly!

4. Friends who are aces
I have ONE friend in this county. Between holidays, jobhunting, and her not being able to drive, we've seen each other ONCE in the last four months. And my pet mouse is far from friendly.

5. A romantic relationship with someone I'm very fond of
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Like I even *meet* anybody ever.

6. Hobbies that are actually hobbiful
It's a good job I don't mind buying theatre tickets months in advance, because at least I have a few shows left to look forward to (including 'Hamlet', 'War Horse', and 'August: Osage County', so this definitely could be worse ). I'm also in a play at the moment. It's rubbish and my part is small but at least it gets me out of the house. And that stack of academic work ain't getting any smaller, so I can disappear into that for a few hours a day.

7. Good health
And I'll never not be grateful for that.

So... I'm warm, comfortable, and I'm not bored. I'm just poor, lonely, unemployed, and depressed. And the cat who used to live in my old house just died. Thanks for reminding me my life sucks. Poor kitty.

[StockardFan]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 5:31pm

(((Weez)))

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 5:46pm

Awww, you poor thing!

Here's something to cheer you up: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Oc1JsY0VDY

There, now you won't be able to stop singing that for weeks. Those guys make me ridiculously happy, even though all of their videos have morbid twists. They even have one called "Cheer Up."

[D2]

Posted: 9/10/08 at 5:51pm

I'm a miserable old S.O.B.