[MattMVS7]

I have this depressive feeling that lasts all day everyday even though I'm not thinking about it and doing things to cope. It is a feeling regarding depression which is that the release of stress hormones (cortisol) from depression causes the dendrites of neurons to retract as well as die out. I feel that the depression I am experiencing from knowing this information is already destroying off the dendrites and synapses in the feel-good parts of my brain.

Is it proven that the cortisol from depression causes the dendrites to retract and kills off the dendrites and synapses of neurons? If not, what arguments are there against this?

But if it is true that cortisol does this, then is it proven that for someone who is chronically depressed in which he/she experiences constant episodes all day everyday (episodes in which cortisol circulates through the brain, destroying off dendrites and synapses), that this person can, for a brief temporary moment, experience a feeling of slightly greater depression from just one or few of these episodes due to the dendrite and synapse loss? Or in order for this person to experience a temporary brief moment of slightly greater depression, that it doesn't result from one or few of these episodes, but from very many of these episodes over the course of 30 minutes or less or longer?

If this person were to experience a temporary brief period of slightly greater depression due to many of these episodes, then how long would you say would be the minimum amount of time that he/she would experience another temporary brief period of slightly greater depression due to the cortisol causing a loss of dendrites and synapses?

Or is it not proven that there are temporary brief moments of slightly greater depression from this and that greater depression can only result from this over a long course of time such as months or even a year or more? If it's not proven, then what arguments are there against this?

Edit: Now this is not just a simple matter of me obsessing and worrying about it. I am not even thinking about it--it's just simply knowing this information that keeps on automatically making me depressed. As I stated, it's not an obsession and worry that is causing the depression from this information to persist and that I can just simply move on in life from this information--it is my inability to overcome a perceived stressor (a stressor that, in this case, is something I know that will be with me for the rest of my life and is something I will never be able to escape). Since I can never escape or even cope with the fact that depression kills off the dendrites and synapses of neurons of the feel-good parts of the brain, this is the reason why the depression from knowing this information persists. No matter what I do or how I think, this information keeps on automatically making me depressed on its own.

Once my mind is caught in a hopeless depressive trap such as this, I can't escape. This is again, not because I am obsessing and worrying or telling myself I can't escape. Because if I do have control over these thoughts and feelings, then the depressive feeling from this information would not drag on for this long (I once had similar depressive experiences regarding other types of information in which once I am aware of certain information, no matter what I do or how I think, the depression from this information lasts all day everyday for 2 or more years).

[GladysD]

Haven't quite considered this, but hopefully you are able to find the answers to which you are seeking.

[MattMVS7]

Now this is not just a simple matter of me obsessing and worrying about it. I am not even thinking about it--it's just simply knowing this information that keeps on automatically making me depressed. As I stated, it's not an obsession and worry that is causing the depression from this information to persist and that I can just simply move on in life from this information--it is my inability to overcome a perceived stressor (a stressor that, in this case, is something I know that will be with me for the rest of my life and is something I will never be able to escape). Since I can never escape or even cope with the fact that depression kills off the dendrites and synapses of neurons of the feel-good parts of the brain, this is the reason why the depression from knowing this information persists. No matter what I do or how I think, this information keeps on automatically making me depressed on its own.

Once my mind is caught in a hopeless depressive trap such as this, I can't escape. This is again, not because I am obsessing and worrying or telling myself I can't escape. Because if I do have control over these thoughts and feelings, then the depressive feeling from this information would not drag on for this long (I once had similar depressive experiences regarding other types of information in which once I am aware of certain information, no matter what I do or how I think, the depression from this information lasts all day everyday for 2 or more years).

[GladysD]

When I get into a depressive episode, it's certainly not from thinking about it, it's a physical manifestation of everything in my brain.

What does your doctor say about this?

[ginnie]

I believe with all my heart the human being can overcome depression period. It may take time, it may take help, it may take great effort. I think we cut ourselves short, when we think something will last all our lives. Even with the bleakest outlook, there is hope. Hang on to that Matt. ginnie

[GladysD]

Originally Posted by ginnie

I believe with all my heart the human being can overcome depression period. It may take time, it may take help, it may take great effort. I think we cut ourselves short, when we think something will last all our lives. Even with the bleakest outlook, there is hope. Hang on to that Matt. ginnie

I agree, there is hope. There are places, online, that tell of stories of overcoming depression. Even, if one must be cognizant about it, for a lifetime.