Feeling lost, often unable to sleep at night, filled with thoughts, could this be depression?

Hello!

Host:

I am Zeng Chen, a heart exploration coach. I have carefully read the post, and I can feel from the content that the poster is ready to understand himself better!

I also want to say how impressed I am that you've faced yourself bravely and actively sought help on this platform. This is a great step forward in understanding and recognizing yourself, and it will undoubtedly help you adjust accordingly.

And now for something really exciting! I'm going to share my observations and thoughts in the post, which I think will really help the poster to view themselves from a more diverse perspective.

1. What if you don't report well?

In the post, the host mentioned thinking about things that didn't happen and thinking about things that did happen, such as what to report the next day. This got me thinking: how would you feel if you reported badly?

I'm really excited to find out what kind of thoughts will arise!

We can definitely explore this together! It'll help you understand yourself better. Many people think about how to report well because they want to do a good job.

This is totally normal! Another possible situation is that they are not very confident, so they will have some anxiety and fear.

Then you'll be ready to report it well—and even perfectly!

So, the poster might imagine what would happen if the report was not good, and how they would feel!

This is a great way to understand yourself!

2. Delve into the needs behind your emotions!

In your post, you mentioned that in the past six months, you were very lively one day and didn't want to talk the next day. For example, yesterday you had a great time hanging out with your classmates, went to a karaoke bar for the night, and after waking up in the afternoon, you didn't want to talk, feeling a sense of loss and lacking energy.

And get to know the contrast you feel!

I'd absolutely love to go with the poster to find out why I feel this way! We can explore ourselves through our emotions.

It's so important to remember that our emotions carry messages! These messages can help us find our lost self. So, the original poster might have a conversation with their emotions.

For example, imagine that your lost emotions can express themselves!

Then what would it express? I see that you are very lost. Why are you lost? Through this kind of dialogue, we can hear the voice inside ourselves!

Absolutely! The poster can also compare the difference between when they are in good shape and when they are not, which is a great way to understand themselves better.

3. Discussion of insomnia

There's no doubt about it, more and more people are suffering from insomnia these days. And there are actually many reasons for it! Specific problems require specific analysis, so let's dive right in and discuss it together now!

So let's dive in and discuss it together now! This is just a reference, or a direction—but it's a great place to start!

For insomnia, many people will suffer from anxiety and will be unable to sleep, always thinking about things that haven't happened yet and worrying that they won't be able to do a good job. This is a great opportunity to identify what's really important to you and what you need to do a good job at it! Others will suffer from insomnia because of excessive stress, which is a bit beyond their tolerance. This is a chance to learn how to manage stress and stay healthy!

And this time will also!

And there are other reasons too! Some people will also suffer from insomnia due to a lack of intimacy, companionship, and love.

These will definitely give you more perspectives to look at yourself!

I really hope these will be of some help and inspiration to you!

How are you doing, sweetheart? I've read your description of the problem. You say you're feeling a little unstable and you're worried that you might be depressed. Depression is not just feeling down; it's a definite diagnosis that requires assessment before a conclusion can be drawn. I feel that some of your states are more like you're trying to label yourself. You can allow yourself to feel good and bad sometimes. These are all normal feelings. You can try to distract yourself and do more of the things you like.

You said that going to a karaoke bar made you feel happier that day, but then you felt low the next day for no reason. It's totally normal to feel like this! Maybe you stayed up late the night before, which might have affected your mood the next day. It's okay if you're feeling a bit down—it's all part of life.

Sometimes we can be a little too sensitive to our bodies, feeling whether we are in a good or bad mood today. It's totally normal to feel this way sometimes! But when we're feeling down, it's good to remember that we can choose to relax and feel sad for a while, and then do something that will make us feel happy again. If you don't want to do anything, you can just lie down or eat something.

To feel good, you first need to have a good routine. It's so important! You can start by scheduling your routine so that you sleep at a stable time. A good routine will also make you feel good and improve your state the next day.

I'd also love to share some other methods that I've found to be really helpful.

Reading, especially books that don't make you feel anything half an hour before bed, can be really relaxing. You can find a book you like, put on a face mask, and relax while closing your eyes and enjoying the moment.

I'd highly recommend trying meditation! Do you already have a meditation practice? Focusing on your breathing allows you to be fully present in the moment. You'll really notice the effect of consistent practice!

Exercise is a great way to release dopamine, which makes people happy! You can try morning or night jogging, or just do more aerobic exercise, which will also improve your mental outlook.

Why not treat yourself to some comedies or variety shows you like, take some time to relax, watch dramas, eat something, it's also a beautiful thing, isn't it?

Do more of the things you love and think more positively. When you start being positive, your state of mind and your outlook on things will change. Believe in yourself, pay more attention to the positive side of yourself, and I'm sending you all my best wishes!

Hello, question asker. I'm Evan.

From the questioner's self-narrative, it is evident that the questioner's emotions manifest as a feeling of emptiness. When the questioner had a great time with his friends the night before, the next day he would worry and be anxious about his tomorrows, afraid that he would delay his studies because of pleasure seeking. This is a clear indication that this is the case.

From the poster's description, it is clear that the poster is not suffering from depression, but rather anxiety.

Depression is a very common psychological disorder that causes people to constantly blame themselves and recall certain bad things from the past. It can seriously affect normal life and is much more than just feeling sad or depressed.

If you have depression, you will experience mental, emotional, and physical symptoms that will quickly make you feel overwhelmed and unsure of what to do. Some people may even engage in self-harm, and in severe cases, suicidal thoughts may occur. You can determine whether you are experiencing depression based on its symptoms. If you do not experience any of these symptoms, you are not depressed.

The questioner needs to learn to control their thoughts. They tend to overthink and feel out of control. I'm going to give them some advice on how to do that.

Avoid the "rumination" thinking mode.

Sometimes you may think negative things without meaning to. Here are some techniques to help you control yourself and get out of the "rumination" state of mind:

Consider the worst possible outcome. This may seem counterproductive, but it's an effective method for reducing rumination. When you consider the worst case scenario, you'll naturally think about your ability to handle it. You'll imagine a scenario where you're in complete control. This can significantly reduce your worries.

Give your thoughts some independent time. Set aside a specific time to think about things. This ensures you are sufficiently concentrated when you do so, and that the subject of your thoughts does not wander during the rest of the day.

Take a walk. You need to get outside and escape your worries.

Aerobic exercise is also a great way to relax. When you exercise, you receive new information (sights, sounds, smells), and your mind will unconsciously wander elsewhere, leaving your troubles behind.

Believe in yourself.

Lack of confidence can also affect the questioner's thoughts. Believe in your ability to accomplish things and believe in your ability to do well in school.

If you lack confidence, you won't give your best effort. It's that simple. Believing you can succeed is the same as having confidence. So face the problem head-on with a positive attitude and believe you can control your thoughts and improve.

Stay optimistic and tell yourself you will succeed, even when you are not so sure. Control yourself again and again. Encourage yourself when you have successfully controlled your brain's intentions. Let your brain give feedback when it is under control, trying to forget the mistakes.

Use your imagination to control.

Take control of your thoughts by evaluating what you are trying to control and changing your perception of what you are trying to change. For example, when you are trying to quit drinking and a part of your brain really wants to drink, imagine the alcohol as poison.

Transform the temptation into something less interesting by imagining the toxin flowing through your veins, devouring the cells and organs that infect you. Research shows that this makes it easier to resist temptation.

Avoid individualism.

This is a common trap: people often blame themselves for things that are beyond their control. For example, if you fail to complete a group project assigned by your teacher,

The questioner may blame themselves, but the reality is that the situation is completely out of your control. To avoid individualism, you need to think clearly and carefully about the ins and outs of things. This method will help you question your own thoughts.

If you're the one leading a team project, there are ways to avoid failure.

Make your own plan.

Be clear about what you want and what you want to achieve. Set yourself a long-term goal. Once you have a clear goal, you will not give up on it because of certain temptations. Write down what you want most: a good job?

A happy family? Becoming rich?

The questioner doesn't need to make a detailed plan to achieve their goals. In fact, as long as they have a goal and a routine, they'll be fine. When setting personal goals, remember not to set them too high. Frustration can easily affect motivation.

Break down long-term or relatively large goals into small, daily steps. Make progress every day and you will achieve your goal.

Accept yourself, no matter what.

If you can control your thoughts, reward yourself. This will give you the motivation to persevere. If you don't like exercising but want to force yourself to do it, reward yourself with a small piece of chocolate after each workout. Or allow yourself to do something you like.

You must accept yourself, even if you don't like some things about yourself. Find your goals and meaning in the things you like. Accept your current state, whether good or bad.

When you're in a low mood, you can and should do something to please yourself.

I am confident that my answer will be helpful to the questioner.

Hello!

First of all, everyone experiences depressed moods from time to time. When these moods become more serious and start affecting your life, work, and studies for a long period of time, it's important to check in with yourself and see if it's depression. This period of time should be at least more than two consecutive weeks.

And whether it is depression or not, it's really important to get it diagnosed by a psychiatrist. This is the only way it can be done legally in our country. Other methods, such as the judgment of a counselor or an online questionnaire, can only be used as a reference because diagnosis involves professional knowledge and skills. Without professional training, the results are usually not very reliable.

Secondly, it's totally normal for everyone's moods to fluctuate from day to day. As you mentioned, you went out with your classmates yesterday and went to a karaoke bar in the evening. If you also drank a little that day, you may have been in a state of constant arousal, which can make it tricky to sleep.

We all know how it goes. When you don't get enough sleep, it can really affect your energy levels the next day. It's totally normal to feel a bit low then, because you're not comparing yourself to your usual self, you're comparing it to your emotional high point!

If you compare this low mood with an ordinary day, you'll probably find the difference is much smaller. It'll basically be considered a normal state, which is totally fine!

You also mentioned another situation, which I'm sure will be a great one! When you have a presentation the next day, you might find yourself sleeping in a bit and thinking more about it. That extra thinking probably just means you're preparing for the big day!

This is also the case with nervous tension. After the tension, people will relax and become exhausted, which is totally normal!

Finally, I'd like to suggest that you try to develop good work and rest habits as much as possible. The internal cause of excessive thinking is anxiety, which affects the quality of sleep. Poor sleep in turn increases anxiety levels, which is a vicious cycle.

The good news is that there are ways to break this cycle! One of the best ways to reduce anxiety is to go for a nice, relaxing jog at least three days a week for at least half an hour. Just make sure to keep it at a moderate pace and don't forget to sweat!

Exercise can secrete dopamine, which can make you feel happy and help you feel less anxious. There are lots of other things you can do to help, too! For example, listening to music, meditation, distraction, and not bringing your phone into the bedroom can also help.

I really hope this helps!

Dear Questioner, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing in response to your recent inquiries.

It's understandable if you're feeling confused and uneasy about your fluctuating state of mind, insomnia, and excessive thoughts over the past six months, as well as your anxiety. When there is too much stress in life or an event that has a significant impact on you, it's natural for both the body and emotions to feel burdened or suppressed. If you don't take the time to notice your emotional state and the source of your emotions, it can be challenging to make the necessary adjustments.

I'm not sure if the original poster has experienced this situation for half a year. Regardless of the reason, the current situation of being sometimes mentally depressed, experiencing insomnia, and excessive thinking has affected your physical and mental health. However, it cannot be determined that you are depressed, but only that your emotional state is unstable and you are relatively anxious.

In that case, I would like to offer some suggestions that I hope will help the questioner to gain further insight into their emotional state and ways to regulate it.

In light of the situation, I would like to offer a few suggestions that I hope will be helpful in providing further insight and guidance on understanding one's emotional state and ways to regulate it.

1. It may be helpful to accept your emotions, be aware of yourself, and be aware of your inner needs.

It's natural to feel doubt and unease about your state of mind. We all want to control or eliminate these emotions as much as possible, but it's important to recognize that the more we try to control them, the more we may want this state of mind to disappear immediately. This can lead to a prolonged or even worsened situation. Our emotions have a physiological mechanism that reminds us to be vigilant and aware of certain things or our inner needs. If this awareness and inner need is not fulfilled, it can contribute to the persistence of an emotional state.

It might be helpful to accept that this has happened to you and not worry too much. You could then think back to the last six months to see if anything happened that made you feel overwhelmed and unable to cope.

It may be the case that there is an unfulfilled longing in us, such as the desire to slow down a bit and take better care of ourselves. It is possible that we did not deal with those emotions well at the time, and they have been suppressed deep inside, affecting you all the time.

With this awareness, you can begin to be self-aware and analyze your emotional state. You might consider asking your heart what you need and then trying to satisfy those needs.

2. You might find it helpful to try meditation to clear your mind and live in the present.

2. You might find it helpful to try meditation to clear your mind and live in the present.

Insomnia and excessive thinking are two common manifestations of anxiety. In such cases, you might consider trying meditation for 10-30 minutes a day or practicing mindfulness. You could try doing this before bedtime, listening to meditation music and exercising to let go of distracting thoughts, with the aim of relaxing your body and mind and preparing for sleep.

When you find yourself preoccupied with thoughts and worries, it can be helpful to gently remind yourself to live in the present. It's important to remember that we cannot change what has already happened in the past. Instead, we can choose to learn from it and let it go.

The future is full of uncertainties. It's always a good idea to try to be as prepared as possible, and then trust yourself. We cannot control unexpected situations, so it's best to think about them. Even if a bad outcome occurs, it's important to remember that it is acceptable. It's not always helpful to demand too much of yourself or put too much pressure on yourself. It can be beneficial to try to live in the present and do the things you need to do.

3. If you still have concerns about your mental health and its impact on your work life, it might be helpful to seek a professional diagnosis.

From your description, it seems that these emotions are causing you some confusion and unease, but they don't seem to be significantly impacting your life or work. It's likely that you'll be fine as long as you continue to pay attention to your self-awareness and emotional regulation. However, if you feel that these emotions are starting to affect your work or life in a more serious way, or if you're concerned that your depressed mood might not be lifting, you might want to consider taking a professional depression diagnostic test to gain a better understanding of your state of mind. This could then help you decide on the best course of action, which might include seeking the guidance of a professional psychological counselor or even a psychiatrist if necessary.

I hope this is helpful for you. Please take care.