"Pity parties" vs actual episodes
 

I post this partially because I haven't been officially diagnosed with anything (and I don't know if I actually have something), but I've always been confused about this.

It hasn't happened in a long time until today, but there have been times when I (or a sibling) will just get to the basics of things and say "I'm lazy" or "I'm useless" because that's essentially the truth of the situation. Beating around the bush doesn't help at all, and it only creates a waste of time. Afterwards, we'd get accused of throwing a pity party.

Now, I can't say for my siblings, because I don't live in their brains, but I can definitely empathise. And when I say those things, I really do mean it. So, it's always begged the question (especially recently) what the difference between a "pity party" or an actual episode of declining mental health is.

And if there's a difference, what's the case here?

I think it's quite a personal thing and there's probably quite a grey area in the middle of being depressed and being 'normal' sad. So for me, normal sad is when I feel like I'm having a proportional response to something, so today I have 22 books to mark and three lessons to plan for tomorrow, and I am moderately woeful about this, and I think this is a proportionate response because it's a lot to do in the 3-4 hours before bed, but it's also not the end of the world. If I were to decide not to do my work and sulk and watch TV instead, I would probably consider myself to be having a pity party. If however, I was at the point of self-harming because of it and wanted to die to escape the pressure, I would be concerned that I was heading towards a period of mental unwellness.

I've also had plenty a pity party whilst also mentally ill, so the two are not mutually exclusive :P

I don't think it's fair for others to accuse you of having a pity party, when they don't understand your situation or how you're feeling, and if thoughts and episodes like this are interfering with your day to day life, then it would be advisable to see your GP to see about what help might be available.

I hope that makes sense, and I worry now that I've answered a different question, about the difference between normal sadness and depression, but I hope my thoughts are at least a little bit useful!

That does shed more light on it than before, and it makes a lot more sense. I'll definitely keep to remembering that, especially that the two aren't mutually exclusive, and can in fact, happen simultaneously.

I should note that I'm not suicidal at all. My incident with a glass bottle a few weeks ago was definitely proof of that. I have many other forms of escapism, but suicide is certainly not going to be one of those anytime soon. The topic of suicide, however, is not a fleeting thing right now, but that's simply because I constantly have to reiterate the first sentence of this paragraph, but that's a different story altogether.

So I suppose my question here is would those forms of escapism I mentioned in the last paragraph substitute for suicide, in regards to seeing a GP about it?

First of all ur not trying to get people to feel sorry for u, u just want to be listened to now and again and I completely understand that. I know how it feels when someone who doesn't understand says anything but the ordinary to make a point and that's not fair.

It's more about how u feel and what will be best for u. Sometimes u have to look at ur thoughts at not others. I know they only wanna some how stop u from feeling sorry for urself but ur not well so how can u?

I'm not sure if u have anyone at the moment who u can talk to apart from ur sibling but I think talking to someone else who has been in the same situation can help u more. Mayne going yo see a counsellor to see wether or not there is something what is troubling u for them to help. Would this be a good idea for u to do?

I think it's best to go and see doctor first then get them to refer u to a counsellor. Hopefully u will start seeing what the problem is and how u can challenge it. After that ur sister wouldnt have anything bad to say about u. The reason why ur feeling lazy, not happy in urself, low and confused is because ur ill and surely she would of realised that.

The difference between a pitty party and an actual episode is a pitty party is where u get everyone to feel sorry for u and join it together by feeling down making u feel even more unhappy where u are feeling sorry for urself and actual episode is feeling the way u do but it taking over ur life completely with the situation being so serious that others can see it who believe everything ur saying. Thats the difference I think from a pitty party to a actual episode. I've never heard the two and two together before.

I hope my advice has helped :)

Sorry, I don't fully understand what forms of escapism you are referring to; would you be able to elaborate?