Depression and loss of feeling

[Eric442]

I am a 20 yr old male.  For the past few months I have been under a lot of stress and I have noticed some problems with my health.  I have noticed that I do not feel happy very often and am usually down and feeling sad.  Activities that I once enjoyed doing now seem dull and boring and I dont exite me very much.  My major concern is my sex drive.  I noticed that I had some difficulties with getting a erection. I visited my doctor and he said physically everything is fine.  I can still get an erection most of the time and finish but I just dont feel as good as I used to.  I have been feeling like this for a while now.  Are these symptoms of depression and if so what can I do to get back to normal?  I am in good physical shape and try to get as much exercise as I can.  Sometimes I feel a lot better after exercising.  I have never used any drugs and my diet is pretty healthy but Im usually not hungry but I eat a little anyway just so that I try no to skip meals.  Also for a few months now I am having trouble falling asleep and usually end up sleeping late because i am very tired in the morning if I try to get up.  I try to get at least 6 hours of sleep but sometime I only end up getting  3 to 4.  Is this depression and if so what can I do to cure it without antidepressants?  How likely is it for me to get my normal feelings back (including sex drive) or am I stuck like this for the rest of my life? Thank you.

[Jaquta]

Thanks for your feedback.

Absolutely it could be.
I became depressed after I nearly drowned (on my sister's birthday) which was only a few days after mum had been discharged from hospital (after six weeks) after she broke her back and sustained severe head injuries.  I was probably both physically and mentally exhausted.  What with work (extremely physical) and hospital visits (seeing mum have seizures, seeing her stop breathing and watching her being intubated, doing bedpans, etc).  Very tiring.

One would expect things to return to normal.  I don't think things will return to how they were before.  To resolve these issues you will need to utilize new skills, etc.  You should come out of this process a much stronger individual with far better coping skills.  If you work through your issues, then yes, you should be able to enjoy life again.  Things will likely be different but I expect they will be much better than before.

I think getting appropriate professional input is very important.
What started out for me as depression then led to hospital and then a personality disorder.  I have lost years off my life and have a poor quality of life.
Trust me, you want to get support as soon as possible.

I think that if you could have resolved these issues yourself you would have already done so.
Getting professional help isn't a sign of weakness and doesn't represent failure.
I think getting help takes courage.

I think therapy has the potential to be life changing for you.

Wishing you all the very best.

J

[Eric442]

Thank you for your response Doctor and thank you Jaquta.  Would this be a result of my stress caused by some of the things going on in my life such as recently moving to new state, financial difficulties, difficulty at school and family problems? Once all these things are resolved will my feelings return to normal, the way they were before?  How important is it to seek professional help and if not, will I be able to resolve this on my own?  I appreciate your responses. Thank you for your help.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

You received some good advice from Jaquta.  First of all, you will not feel this way the rest of your life...and yes these are symptoms of depression, and the kind you describe responds very well to conventional psychotherapy....the depression symptoms are a result of an attempt to repress some other feeling, probably related to the fact that at twenty you are going through a very intense age transition, including separation from your old self as a child, and beginning your new self as an adult...that is what you need to focus on initially in your therapy sessions.

[Jaquta]

The symptoms you describe seem classic depressive symptoms.
Anxiety can also affect a person's ability to fall asleep.

I would be extremely cautious about the lack of sleep.  I've had periods where I've had 2-3 hours sleep a night for several months.  It is extremely exhausting and leaves us emotionally vulnerable.

Talk therapy can often work.  This is generally reserved for those with mild to moderate depression.
Exercise is good because it increases feel good chemicals (endorphins) in the brain.
O-mega 3 fish oils are said to help reduce depression.

Libido is also affected by mood.  Some people experience performance anxiety.

I would encourage you to discuss the above symptoms with your doctor.
If left untreated depressive illnesses can become more severe.  I have read that depression can resolve itself (untreated) within nine months.  It is best to get a thorough medical evaluation though.

Depression is treatable.  There are some people who are resistant to treatment, but generally with appropriate treatment the outcomes are good.

Good luck

J