Feeling depressed for no reason

Yes. I have. Many times. I've come to accept that I'm simply wired that way, and it's a condition I have to manage. My wife is totally different, which I never understood. How can she make herself happy all the time? I felt like I must be doing something wrong.

Eventually I realized that she wasn't really doing anything right, nor was I doing anything wrong, it was just our systems functioning the way they were designed to. She's wired for happiness, and I'm wired for worry and anxiety.

Wellbutrin has helped me a lot. At first I was ashamed of the fact that I needed it, but eventually I realized that I'm just a happier and better husband/father/person when I'm on it.

Yep, this happens to the best of us.

And don't think that others who pretend to be happy all the time, are actually happy all the time. I think happiness is overrated. Try to be contend with life.

Also that is sometimes hard.

I wish I had better answers but I don't.

Depressed for no reason = depression

Go talk to a professional, helps a lot.

This. It does help more than you think.

Have you always felt like this or do you mean it has recently come on? Could it be to do with the season change where you live?

Here it went from being warm and sunny every day (23C) to the next day being cold, windy, rainy, 13C and no good light. It was a sudden switch and people went from sitting outside in the sun to being inside all day.

I think that can play more of a role than we realise sometimes.

Just a thought.

This time of year can affect a lot of people.

Yes I do agree it could be the season change. I was getting this feeling as well, for me it was because of quarantine and the lack of social interaction (outside of the occasional run with a teammate) + too much time on the internet//inside.

As mentioned before, talking to a professional could also help.

If you don’t weight train consider starting. Probably best when your cross season is over.

I’ve found that heavy weight lifting has antidepressant effects. It’s different than running because it releases testosterone. I find that this reduces my anxiety and mood greatly.

Just make sure you have a coach or trainer overseeing the weight program, so you do it correctly. Im not taking about a few pushups and situps, but barbell squats, deadlift, bench press... at heavier loads for your ability. Low reps, lots of rest, a few times a week will get you stronger but not build bulk.

With the way the world is it is perfectly natural to be depressed, in fact, it would be more reasonable to get worried if you weren’t. We have lost all sense of community and it’s sad.

It’s remember: “like most clinically depressed patients she appeared to function better in focused activity than in stasis. Their normal paralyzed stasis allowed these patients own minds to chew them apart.”

Things will get much worse for you

COVID guidelines are like a “how-to” for getting depression. Avoid contact with people as much as possible, don’t leave the house, spend all day on your computer, be paranoid about things you can’t see or control, etc.

You're not alone. Many runners and people in general feel this way, even very successful people and runners. And there's no easy answer to fix it. I saw this thread just after reading the long article in Outside about Rob Krar's battle with depression.

Talk to someone. You're not alone.

https://www.outsideonline.com/2406661/rob-krar-ultrarunner-depression

life sucks, get covid wrote:

COVID guidelines are like a “how-to” for getting depression. Avoid contact with people as much as possible, don’t leave the house, spend all day on your computer, be paranoid about things you can’t see or control, etc.

Important to realize this about covid. Three important ingredients for well-being in life:

1 someone to love and be loved by

2 something to do, something meaningful

3 something to hope for

When we lose 2 or 3 of those aspects in life, depression can easily set in. Covid sets that up.

Try to see a therapist if you can. You cannot always control the thoughts and feelings that come into your mind, but you can make choices to live a happier life.

First its always best to get professional help with this issue.

Now this will be an unpopular opinion on a running site but high amounts of running and intense running releases high amounts of cortisol. Too much cortisol is a cause of depression. Therefore it could be the intense racing and training you’re doing rate now that’s causing depression.

Not to say to quit running but to at least recognize that it may be a factor and work through it. Again weight training can help to combat depressions impact. Along with getting enough sleep, eating enough, and taking your easy days easy.

It may be something just a few months a year when the racing is more intense that you have to deal with and be more proactive.