Do you think depression can be rubbed off on to you?

I have known my friend forever and we both have depression. at the beginning we would feed off eachother. If she was depressed then I would get depressed. I always thought that we rubbed off on each other. As I have gotten older I had learned how not to fall back into that old trap and feed off her when she is depressed. I do believe that you have to have control inorder not to fall into that nasty trap. what do you all think? Have you ever been happy and one of your friends been depressed and you feeling sad and upset all of a sudden?

sarah

well yah... because you kinda feel sad for them.. and then you start getting kinda selfish and think of yourself... and then you both kidna mope about how everything sux with both of you

yah everyone does it

nobody should cuz its jsut ridiculous wen you could jsut make the other person happy...thats wut i do : )

or well..try too...

that sounds like it would be true just because of the reason ~sweet~solitude~ gave but I wouldnt know first hand-none of my friends are depressed

Depression is not a diesease. It is normal to feel depressed, or sad, or pain. But if someone around you is sad or depressed does not mean you have ot be too. Try to change their mind about it. Try to talk to them instead of feeding off the negitives. I know I am not the best model for that, but it may just work. Don't feel like that if you don't have to. If you need to talk or say anything else, just talk to me. OK?

yes.. but most of the time i make them feel sad. :(

i wish they'd smile and make me laugh. that would be better than passing it on...

Depression is a mental disorder that occurs in the brain. but sadness is an emotion.

my friend talkes to me all the time about how she is depressed and how she is never going to get better, this is just the way she is and everyone needs to accept her the way she is ect. It is diffently frusterating/sad to hear her say that because I want the best for her. But I am certinaly not going to let her nagitivity effect my life and what is happening in my life any more. Ever since I learned how to stop letting her nagitivity effect me I am getting better. It is a shame that she is not willing to get better and I do feel for her. But I am not going to let her illness stop my recovery. I will be there for her like a good friend should. but I refuse to let her nagitive energy effect me.

Ha, yeah I have seen that ad and yes it is possible to fall into a depressed mind set if those around you are. My friend's father was depressed and that "rubbed off on her" and she got what the doc called "situational depression" meaning that because of the situation and the environment she was depressed, so yeah it is possible.

-Tainted

To the poster: This is my opinion: No. That is not depression. You weren't depressed because she was, you were sad because she was depressed.
there is a difference between sadness and depression. Maybe that's one of the reasons they are
two.sepreate.words.

But yes, I know how you feel. Often I will be happy, but quite sad when my best friend is depressed. This is common.
It's also a good thing, I think. it kind of shows how much you love a person, know what I mean?

My counselor in rehab told me that depression is anger turned inward and it is anger not expressed. Yes, others can affect us and in turn we can affect them, too. Still we have conrol as we have the option of getting away from them.

very true. thanks yall for the great info! I needed it!

Well, what I do know is that sometimes I'm really happy, smily, at peace with the word, feeling good about myself, etc., and then my sister walks in and she's tired, grouchy, a bit sick at the world, didn't enjoy her work, starts snapping at me, and all my happiness evaporates.

I hate it when people do that.
But yes, if you're very close to someone their mood is contagious. I mean, if you get really defensive and snappy at someone, chances are they'll either back off and get away from you, or start snapping back.

Human nature.

//T.L.//