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Which comes first - low self esteem, then depression or other way around?


19 years ago 0 81 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Very well said Wishingwell.
19 years ago 0 62 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi CVM, It's me again. I guess working is not in the cards right now. I really don't know for sure what comes first, only that it is all related and interacts with the other. I am trying to think back to how my depression became so intense two and a half months ago, and I think it was a gradual climb instigated by extreme bouts of loneliness, mixed with intense anger with no where to run or hide. I was trying to escape from myself, which is impossible to do unless you do the unthinkable. For me, I think the anger is the culprit to my depression, but why am I angry some say, that's the question. Who am I angry with--my husband, my choices in life, myself, I really think all of the above. When I cannot resolve the anger, I think it turns inward into a deep depression. It is a hopeless feeling of anguish that translats into self doubt, irrational thinking and yes even partly due to a chemical imbalance. However, it seems more complicated than just that and I suppose it is. I also wondered why and how some people can be exposed to terrible things, but end up on the rainbow side of life. I think if a person has the right kind of support in their family and community, and can openly discuss how they are feeling with someone important on a daily basis then there is more opportunity for them to cope with depression than those who do not have that type of support. I hope that we all can find some form of turning our lives around for the better, even if it just tiny baby steps. Thanks again and take care
19 years ago 0 19 logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo logo 0
Hi all: reading through everyone's posts and doing alot of self analysis lately I've begun to wonder if low self esteem causes depression or if its the depression that causes the low self esteem? I know in my current situation, alot of the problems I am having in my own relationship have to do with a low opinion of myself. I have a hard time believing my guy loves me and/or that he won't change his mind about me sometime in the future. We have a strong desire to get married, so we have been trying to work through the self esteem issues (on both sides) in order to have more confidence in each other - but then I wonder if once resolved the self esteem issue will remove the depression, or if in fact I have an overall depression that is CAUSING the low self esteem? I guess I'm asking because I truly want to get better - I want to understand why I go through life with this heavy mental burden all the time when I have no reason to feel the way I do. I refuse to believe its a chemical imbalance - hell, all women have hormonal fluxuations but that doesn't mean every last one of them is depressed all the time...which means that a person can live with an imbalance without succumbing to major depression. So, why do some of us go through life depressed, while others push forward without any concern over whether or not they are the kind of person that they should be?

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