ANSWERS: 19
  • No, anger wouldn't be the first cause for depression as far as I know. There's also extreme sadness, a feeling of loss, low self-steem among many others.
  • I can see depression as the result of repressed anger, but I do think that in most people there are many different factors that contribute to the development of depression - how they were taught to deal with their emotions, or how they themselves deal with their emotions, what they think of themselves - are they striving for a perfective standard that cannot be reached and then beating themselves up over not getting there? What is their perception of the way other people see them? How do they see others? What little automatic thoughts jump into their brain when something occurs - 'I should be able to do this' or 'she doesn't like me' - which in turn leads to 'I don't like her' and 'why aren't I good enough?' - all contributing to the emotional isolation of the person. And isolation is bad - it means the person begins to shrink back from others, to not discuss what's going on inside, and the cycle continues. All of these things are factors. There's probably more. Then you throw into the mix imbalances in brain chemistry - the neurotransmittors that pass signals in the brain - and you've got a right mess.
  • If by "emotionally based" you mean reactive depression for example, then it is a normal response to losses, the death of a job, a person or other losses. Some people exhibit it as being very sad and outwardly being very emotional and grieving. Others who might by pattern over their lives, exhibit this more internally, so they feel it deeply but do not exhibit it by crying on the outside. They feel tired, sick, very helpless, and have other strong internal feelings that stay more on the cognitive and physical levels and not as much showing as outwardly being sad, down in the dumps, etc. If it is chronic, and depression based on physical causes or chemical imbalances have been ruled out, I would then say it is the way the person deals with sad or disappointing events - they turn it inward. Anger is certianly a part of grieving, so it can be a part of it as well. But even with people who are very angry, and who turn to self harm or turning the feeling inward, they are just one niche or group of tens of millions of people who have various kinds of depressive illness, caused by many different reasons. I think there are too many variables to generalize it as you are asking. If depression is not due to chemical imbalance, then it obviously must be "emotionally-based." But emotionally based can have many sub-sets and ways in which it manifests, some of those ways not having anger in the equation.
  • I dont think that thats the case..but my psychotherapist mentioned that it's a product of fear...really bad depression does cuase a lot of anxiety and that can cause irritability.
  • I don't think that it always is but I do think anger can turn to depression. Especially when it seems to never be resolved.
  • I'll have to ditto 'Haveagreatday'. Since I suffer from chronic depression and anxiety disorder, I do not believe it is born from anger. I am on disability now, as I find it very difficult to leave the house. I do not answer the door, I do not answer the phone. I have frequent panic attacks - it is truly disabling, and sometimes drug and group therapy just can't relieve it. In my youth, I was the 'class clown' - I even dabled in some stand-up comedy years ago - I was very gregarious, love to party and be with friends. Over the past 5 years or so, I have slipped into this 'coma' - I cannot be around crowds or people - I have not stayed in contact with my friends, though some of them do try to keep up on me. Same with family - I'm in total isolation. But I don't think it is from repressed anger - something has just gone wrong in my brain, and hopefully someday, I can get it fixed. The worse thing you can ever say to someone who is diagnosed and suffers from depression is "Just snap out of it"... That could probably provoke him/her to smack you upside your head - it is simply an ignorant comment. THAT is what makes me angry.
  • There are definite correlations between anger and depression.
  • I don't think so. I think most depression is caused by chemical imbalances in the body. Other depression is caused by circumstances. If something bad happens then you may be depressed about it. This is not the same as clinical depression. Clinical depression lasts longer and doesn't have an outside cause. Repressed anger can cause other diseases and disorders like road rage and spousal abuse as well as digestive problems and headaches that kind of thing.
  • No, not really. Being angry at yourself comes out like being pissed. Depression is like being sad, or EXTREEMELY bored. Like, "Damn, everything sucks, blah blah blah..." For the anger issue, that's the hardest part. Try to do something that calms you down... If you're in depression, do something you think is fun, or that'll make you fall to wake you up that you can't be so fricken mopy in life...
  • Yes. First you acknowledge what you are angry at. When I started working on this, I could only say that I was upset. The psychologist I was working with pointed out I was angry, not "upset". You could write out anger letters. Say anything you want to whoever you want and then ask to be released from the anger. When you feel better, burn the letter and don't breathe the smoke. It usually takes more than one to help. You could also start expressing bits of anger to people around you. Make it minor - like hey! don't put that cup on my table - see how it goes, then you can work up to larger issues.
  • I strongly disagree with this idea that depression is a form of misdirected anger. I can't think of a single piece of evidence from modern research on depression that supports such a claim. If you want a fairly comprehensive explanation of how depression works and its physiological underpinnings, please read Peter Kramer's "Against Depression". http://www.amazon.com/Against-Depression-Peter-D-Kramer/dp/0143036963/ If you are having difficulty dealing with intense continual anger, you may what is called a "rageaholic" http://www.rage-anon.org/ Despite having a father who seemed to clearly suffer from this condition, I do not have much expertise in the causes/treatments of it.
  • it depends on what you mean by anger. there are several types of anger. there is anger to the loss of something, or someone. there is anger towards yourself. there is anger towards someone else. i know from personnal experience that all anger leads to some sort of depression. i have had all sorts of anger that eventtually leads to depression. when you end up angry at yourself you become depressed. when your angry about how someone treated you, youbecome depressed. all anger leads to different forms of depression, weather cronic or mental or even just a bad day. some people may disagree with my answer. but if you were to just do some reasearch for your self, you look through the sentences into the feeling put into it. every sentence shows that the depression wa caused in some sort of anger towards some sort of problem. i have been to a special school for people with ADHD. ADHD people tend to have serious depression issues and social problems. as a matter of fact i just got out of the school just two years ago. im a 16 yr old student attending an boarding acadamy and trust me when i talk about depression. ever sense i left the school i have never been angry towards something. i have never been depressed. i noticed with my friends that if they get angry they eventually become depressed. depression is usually developed over time and will be caused by anger that is pent up for long periods of time
  • in my case yes.
  • It probably is
  • Absolutely, you fail to live up to some internal standard you set for your self. Your perception of yourself is distorted. It is a distortion in thinking that causes negative feelings, which lead to self-defeating actions, which cause more negative feelings, which further distort thinking, and so on. Good morning Jen.
  • Yes! I feel angry at myself today! And it is making me feel depressed!!!!!!
  • If turned outward..could be compassion?
  • mine has sweet its learning to control it is the hard part..

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