7 replies to this topic

[Michaela]

Since I noticed that there are posts concerning someone's depression,loneliness or drug addiction,I decided to start a thread where we all can share personal experience.Everything that you've overcome and you consider it important - be proud to share how!It will be great if we learn from one another's mistakes and advice.Though,you may think that cleaning a coffee stain from your underwear is a big achievement but let's leave Google do that kind of advice,you know what I mean?

So,I decided to share how did I overcome a long lasting depression:

The first thing I did was to surround myself with people who really loved me.That makes you feel significant and gives you self-confidence.

Going to new places and meeting new people is important because you see there's a different way to live your life.You should not get stuck with the whole depressing situation and accept it ("I'm sad but that's OK")

Music really helped me a lot (in my case RHCP);especially discovering new songs ( I don't mean typing in You Tube "the ten most depressing songs of all times").

And,finally,I learned how to make fun of my condition.Humour is the cure for all diseases,doesn't matter if it is a friend who's very good at telling jokes or funny picture/video.Just laugh!

[ghsiii]

I agree about laughter... it helps get oxygen to the lungs plus it elevates the spirit. And John (solo) plus the RHCP's also did a lot for me emotionally. I'm not in the greatest place I've been in my life but I'm trying to live with it and grow from it musically. I feel that all I have is music and am kinda stuck in a place that isn't really conductive of creativity... I don't have many around that understand what I really want to do with music and of course I'm pretty self-destructive and negative. Don't read this and think I'm a debby downer... ha, ha, because I'm not. But.. I had a dream once, well it wasn't that long ago that I still believed in the dream, and it seems that reality has set in and that's all it really is... a dream. I thought I could do music but the nature of life and 'making a living' have set in and are sucking the life from my music. Plus, as much as I want it, I realize that I don't have the determination to practice enough to get where I want to go ... so that's what I have to live with!

[Michaela]

ghsiii,I look up to people like you who dare to make music and I'm really sorry that you kinda gave up your dream. I think that you're too negatively concerned about whether others will understand/like your music.Who cares if they don't?Focus on music,be creative despite not being in the greatest place,do music for yourself.Even if at one point of your life you decide that you don't want to do that anymore it will be important that you gave it a try.I'll be interested to hear some of your songs.

[micromnml]

ghsiii, on 03 September 2010 - 09:14 AM, said:

I agree about laughter... it helps get oxygen to the lungs plus it elevates the spirit. And John (solo) plus the RHCP's also did a lot for me emotionally. I'm not in the greatest place I've been in my life but I'm trying to live with it and grow from it musically. I feel that all I have is music and am kinda stuck in a place that isn't really conductive of creativity... I don't have many around that understand what I really want to do with music and of course I'm pretty self-destructive and negative. Don't read this and think I'm a debby downer... ha, ha, because I'm not. But.. I had a dream once, well it wasn't that long ago that I still believed in the dream, and it seems that reality has set in and that's all it really is... a dream. I thought I could do music but the nature of life and 'making a living' have set in and are sucking the life from my music. Plus, as much as I want it, I realize that I don't have the determination to practice enough to get where I want to go ... so that's what I have to live with!

Totally me.

I have just recently changed to being a positive healthy person after 3 years of self-destructive energies and have realized life and love is beautiful. I had the same problem with the reality of 'making a living' sucking my creativity. I believe everyone has a place they need to be and if you don't feel you're there, change the way you spend your day. Music is a luxury that we can use to escape the 'real world', like art and movies etc. All I can say is be positive and remember that eating, shitting, sleeping is all you have to do, everything else is a bonus.

Much love.

[ghsiii]

'Eating, Shitting, Sleeping' made me laugh because it's true, that's all we really need to do. And thank you both for the support, I originally felt compelled to post when I read what Michaela wrote and am glad I did.

I want to elaborate... I just get so frustrated when I don't have the time to create. I kinda realized that I couldn't be the artist I wanted to become because I don't have the liberty to. My mind is pulled in too many directions during the day and all those mundane thoughts work their way into my creativity. What I'm trying to say is that I think a true musician and artist is one who can 'give all' when given the time. When I'm in the zone I wish I could write for days... and the product is always good, developmental growth but I'm not one to let everything else go... bills, laundry, shopping for food, as I said before mundane stuff, although I wish I could. So, all the petty thoughts, worry and the daily grind are starting to kill the artist I see in myself. The true artist is one who can be completely open, free of thought but also absolutely focused when performing or creating and I'm never at that point unless it's a perfect day, no commitments and I have the time to really love music.

Oh, and Michaela I don't think it's so much that I care what others will think of my music, once it's recorded I have no problem letting someone listen to it, but I do have a fear of performing.

I hope I'm not being too self-endulgant with all this complaining, 'blah,' 'blah,' 'blah,' ha, ha, but when I read Michaela warm and touching post I thought it might help others, and so like I said, I felt compelled to share. Thanks guy/gals for listening.

[Michaela]

ghsiii, on 10 September 2010 - 03:20 AM, said:

'Eating, Shitting, Sleeping' made me laugh because it's true, that's all we really need to do. And thank you both for the support, I originally felt compelled to post when I read what Michaela wrote and am glad I did.

I want to elaborate... I just get so frustrated when I don't have the time to create. I kinda realized that I couldn't be the artist I wanted to become because I don't have the liberty to. My mind is pulled in too many directions during the day and all those mundane thoughts work their way into my creativity. What I'm trying to say is that I think a true musician and artist is one who can 'give all' when given the time. When I'm in the zone I wish I could write for days... and the product is always good, developmental growth but I'm not one to let everything else go... bills, laundry, shopping for food, as I said before mundane stuff, although I wish I could. So, all the petty thoughts, worry and the daily grind are starting to kill the artist I see in myself. The true artist is one who can be completely open, free of thought but also absolutely focused when performing or creating and I'm never at that point unless it's a perfect day, no commitments and I have the time to really love music.

Oh, and Michaela I don't think it's so much that I care what others will think of my music, once it's recorded I have no problem letting someone listen to it, but I do have a fear of performing.

I hope I'm not being too self-endulgant with all this complaining, 'blah,' 'blah,' 'blah,' ha, ha, but when I read Michaela warm and touching post I thought it might help others, and so like I said, I felt compelled to share. Thanks guy/gals for listening.

Thanks for the kind words Well,I totally understand what you're talking about.I love music,what I need to do most is to discover new songs,explore new places and new things in general.I just feel life is so short and I'm stuck in school where I spend my time doing things that are so unworthy...(90% of the stuff I study I will never need in life).I need to focus on things I really love but there's no way I can do it because this consumes my whole time.It's like everybody expects something from me and I have to live up to their expectations which takes from my energy.So maybe that's what you feel too-the energy you need to put into creation of music is taken by the 'real world' micromnml is talking about.

Don't worry about complaining beçause complaining is useless.By sharing your story you help yourself and other people which was the reason I started this thread and there's no way that can be useless.

I'm looking forward to hearing some of your stuff,guys.

micromnml, on 08 September 2010 - 03:36 PM, said:

I can say is be positive and remember that eating, shitting, sleeping is all you have to do, everything else is a bonus.

Much love.

Such an inspiring one

[Alhixandrrhea]

This is such a great topic!

Well here's my experience with depression and how I gradually climbed my way out of it.

A while back (possibly almost 6 months ago) I made a post about how lonely and depressed I was. It got to the point where I didn't want to talk to anybody because I was laying in the most shallow depths of depression. Everyday I would become more lonely and distant, and I felt as if the whole world hated me. Most of this depression was due to school and how I felt that I didn't belong, I was just about the biggest loner, ever. Instead of trying to dig myself out of this hole, I would just sit there waiting for help, growing more depressed everyday. To me, that was a huge mistake. I slowly realized that only I could help myself in this situation. Looking back, time that could have been spent studying for better grades or trying to find people that share the same interests as me was wasted on hating the world and myself for "the world" hating me. Once summer hit, it allowed me to just sit back and re-evaluate. School was a living hell for me, both academically and socially. Over the this summer I stumbled upon a show on t.v. called "Freaks and Geeks." It sounds cheesy but I can really relate to this show. It's basically about high school students in the early 1980's struggling to find where they fit in. I've known and accepted that I have never fit in and that I never will. This show helped me process how to make the best of being a so called "freak" "loner" you name it. Since coming to terms with that and putting them into action, I have been so much happier. Instead of caring about what people think of me or whatever, I have just been putting myself out there and been meeting new people. It's only 5 days into the new school year and it's already been 20x better than last year. Of course there's still those small minded people who try to bring me down but i'm learning to just stick it to them and move on. Academically i'm doing so much better. I got accepted into an advanced placement class which also made me think more positively about school. Life is just so much better now. As for regreting the time I lost being self destructive, I don't. It wasn't time lost, it was just time off, for building on to a better me.

[ghsiii]

Wow, thanks for sharing 'sicilian_gurl24'. I didn't have to deal with depression like you but I remember high school wasn't a great time. I wish I had come to the realization like you because I missed out on a lot, I was just so closed off and not interested in the people around me or wanting to learn what was being taught. It's really all about our state of mind and you recognizing that you were withdrawing and filled with 'hate' and wanting to change for the better is really a wonderful thing. I wish you the best.

Oh and Michaela, people have posted some of they're music under the Promote Your Music section in the forum. In cause you didn't already know.

Take care,
GHSIII