Thursday, December 22, 2016

I have lost interest in my hobbies and I no longer care about my friends. It seems I've lost passion for everything I used to be. I don't know what happened exactly. What is happening with me?

It is very likely you are suffering from depression, a treatable illness. 

The worst part of depression is that people interpret it as character flaw or as laziness or as a weakness in your personality. It is none of those, any more than is a common cold.

My daughter suffered from this, and it responds to mild medicines and counseling.  I went with my daughter to counseling sessions. Half the people there were suffering from the illness; half were care providers. Remarkably, I couldn't tell them apart unless they identified themselves. That's how subtle the illness is; that's what makes it so often neglected.

Depression is insidious because it causes you to lose your motivation. In fact, I never appreciated the miracle of motivation until my daughter lost hers. Why do we work so hard? Why do we enjoy life?  Why do we care so much about others?  The terrible part about depression is that you stop caring.

I now believe that I suffered from depression when I was in college.  Back then nobody diagnosed it. In fact, even today it is rarely diagnosed. My daughter's college did not realize what the problem was; they just thought she was a poor student. But medical doctors are now trained in this, at least many of them are.

You are already half-way to cure from the fact that you are seeking help and counseling.  Next step: visit a physician and say that you think you may be suffering from depression. The doctor will either know what to do, or will refer you to someone who can do a better diagnosis and prescribe treatment.



Read other answers by Richard Muller on Quora: Read more answers on Quora.

from Quora http://ift.tt/1RfY7M9

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