Discussion
markh1973 said:
That sounds like me - I have been doing well since last October but the last day or so I just want to curl up and cry. Kicked off by the stupidest thing in that I didn't run my 10k race yesterday the way I wanted and that has led to me deciding that I can't cope with what's going on at work.
I don't want to go back to the Dr as when I was on the medication it turned me into a robot with no emotions.
Am sat at work just wishing I wasn't here.
I stopped taking meds pretty sharpish as they were making feel how you describe. Not to mention they completely killed any sex drive I had left!I don't want to go back to the Dr as when I was on the medication it turned me into a robot with no emotions.
Am sat at work just wishing I wasn't here.
You mention it was kicked off by the stupidest thing. Snap! Even now that I am generally through the worst of it, I still have days when the fog returns and it is usually triggered by something very small and can take a while to clear.
Work related stress is hard, you have my deepest sympathy there. But what I eventually figured out is that the stress from work was a trigger for depression, but not the reason. There may be some deep rooted causes that you haven't fully realised yet.
Just out of interest, those who are suffering, how much do you use social media? Facebook especially. I genuinely think there is a link between the two. I'd come home from work feeling utterly fed up and down to spend hours just browsing Facebook and seeing these seemingly perfect lives would make me feel worse. If you do use it, limit your usage or even better come off it completely.
I came off for about 6 months and didn't miss it one bit, BUT, I'm now self employed and found I was losing out to lots of work because people couldn't get hold of me, so I went back on, but very rarely use it any more.
markh1973 said:
I don't want to go back to the Dr as when I was on the medication it turned me into a robot with no emotions.
Am sat at work just wishing I wasn't here.
Isn't that true of all of us in work? Am sat at work just wishing I wasn't here.
I hope you don't mind me just butting in but I remember saying similar and it didn't work out great for me.
You almost certainly have multiple treatment options available, you may find other medications don't have the negative symptoms and even work better. Your body also adapts to the side effects, from GI problems, to lack of clarity, memory issues, disinterest in sex etc. There's more tools in the kit than the first medicine they try and you need to give them a chance.
I find people think they are being helpful by steering people away from doctors and medicines to treat depression so there's a social pressure to "sort it yourself", but this isn't always appropriate, and your doctor is your best asset here. They genuinely understand the situation, and as I said have more ways to help you than a box of anti-depressants.
Then again you might be lucky and be able to do a few life changes, give yourself a slap, and think of "how fortunate you are", and all will be well. But for a lot of us fighting your illness starts that moment you sit down with the GP, and it doesn't stop, when it doesn't work you try something else, you lapse, you recover, you carry on.
It gets better, it gets easier, but it never gets easy. Just make sure you're not throwing the baby out with the bath water.
Best of luck.
Rickyy said:
Just out of interest, those who are suffering, how much do you use social media? Facebook especially. I genuinely think there is a link between the two. I'd come home from work feeling utterly fed up and down to spend hours just browsing Facebook and seeing these seemingly perfect lives would make me feel worse. If you do use it, limit your usage or even better come off it completely.
Firstly apologies as I still haven't figured out how to multi quote properly so I'll try to answer best I can.I use this a lot as I'm in a situation where I don't socialise much. I also have social anxiety which makes things worse. FB is strange experience for me, most of the time it makes me feel good as I get to be a part of other peoples life (sad I know!) but there are times where certain comments do affect me. I don't post/comment much these days but still lurk around.
I've been battling depression for years now, tried different medications; some help but some made it worse. I'm at a stage where I would say I'm surviving. There are episodes but I am trying to keep everything under control. Anti depressants affects everyone differently and sometimes it takes a few tries before finding the right medication. However going on a course of AD will definitely take commitment.
What I find though is that support and having someone to talk and listen to helps. I'm lucky enough to have a very understanding OH and children. I also try to challenge my thinking. There are times when all hope seems lost but if you try to challenge that dark thought it helps you realise things are not as bad as it seems.
One thing that definitely brings me down are some very negative perception people have towards depression. I wish more awareness can be raised in this area and perhaps one day a "cure"...
Rickyy said:
Just out of interest, those who are suffering, how much do you use social media? Facebook especially. I genuinely think there is a link between the two. I'd come home from work feeling utterly fed up and down to spend hours just browsing Facebook and seeing these seemingly perfect lives would make me feel worse. If you do use it, limit your usage or even better come off it completely.
I was in a bad place on Saturday night and deactivated my Facebook account which instantly made me feel better for not having to worry about people messaging me/not replying etc. Spoke to my dad about possibly having depression for the first time and he told me I was being ridiculous and that it's all in the head. Pretty much made me feel worse.
Petrolhead95 said:
I was in a bad place on Saturday night and deactivated my Facebook account which instantly made me feel better for not having to worry about people messaging me/not replying etc.
Spoke to my dad about possibly having depression for the first time and he told me I was being ridiculous and that it's all in the head. Pretty much made me feel worse.
Well, strictly speaking, he's right. Spoke to my dad about possibly having depression for the first time and he told me I was being ridiculous and that it's all in the head. Pretty much made me feel worse.
It's a very misunderstood illness. I've had it for years and my mum, who you'd think would know better by now, still sometimes tells me to cheer up.
I use bookface as a way of keeping in touch with the World as I can be a stop-in when the dog turns up. It lets me follow my families lives and makes the odd comment inspite of not having the strength to go and see them or pick up the phone.
This place helps a lot too as it seems to be ground zero for depressives and so there is a lot of good advice around. Whether it attracts them or makes them is another matter.
I have often thought that the Health Matters forum should have a dedicated area for it.
Petrolhead95 said:
I was in a bad place on Saturday night and deactivated my Facebook account which instantly made me feel better for not having to worry about people messaging me/not replying etc.
Spoke to my dad about possibly having depression for the first time and he told me I was being ridiculous and that it's all in the head. Pretty much made me feel worse.
Have you seen your GP yet? Spoke to my dad about possibly having depression for the first time and he told me I was being ridiculous and that it's all in the head. Pretty much made me feel worse.
Please book another appointment. I know how daunting it is, I was fighting back the tears when I was talking to the doctor about it! But I walked out of that room feeling hugely relieved, mainly because I realised I wasn't alone and because I knew I wasn't crazy!
How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? Is the 95 in your username your birth year?
How old are you, if you don't mind me asking? Is the 95 in your username your birth year?
Your a little younger than I was when I first starting feeling depressed. I started feeling it when I was 20, did something about it when I was 21, nearly 22.
It's important you do something now, you're at an important stage of your life now, where you could quite easily make or break a career and relationships. The last thing you need is the black dog screwing things up for you!
I'd have given up my job straight away if I didn't have people depending on me.
Good luck mate!
It's important you do something now, you're at an important stage of your life now, where you could quite easily make or break a career and relationships. The last thing you need is the black dog screwing things up for you!
I'd have given up my job straight away if I didn't have people depending on me.
Good luck mate!
Nearly said:
I realise most of you will say get back to the doctors and this is my third and final opportunity to be recommended by my GP. If the therapy hasn't made any difference, medication is the only route but I have been told this can take up to six weeks to have effect and then you are relying on it for the foreseeable.
I don't know what to do I usually snap out of it after a week or two but that isn't happening and its just having more of an impact on my life with debts mounting up.
Thanks in advance
Go back to the doctors, you get more than 3 strikes at thisI don't know what to do I usually snap out of it after a week or two but that isn't happening and its just having more of an impact on my life with debts mounting up.
Thanks in advance
Sounds like something in your situation isnt helping you when you're back at home, maybe being alone, or away from people who care about you?
I'm surprised a little that therapy was introduced before meds, usually that takes longer to arrange than the meds would take to kick in! And on the topic of meds, it's not the only route, they can be a crutch to get things in perspective and give you some mind space or they can be a life saver. Depends on what you have and whether that works for you. So what if it's something you're taking for the foreseeable, right now and the near future is where you need to be focussed. Everything else can wait.
I guess if you're worried about money it's a matter of time before you worry about worrying about money. These things can get quite cyclical!
Therapy would be great option to go back to, I went to a psychotherapist a while back in relation to a few things I had going on and she was great. Really good - but that on it's own wasnt what helped, it was a combination of that, meds and alternative thinking strategy that saw me through a rough patch and helped me be clearer on what/how I needed to change and then do.
The other thing is, the internal stigma or shame. Dont succumb to it. It's easy to say 'if I had a broken leg then everyone would see and know, it'd be obvious and there'd be sympathy, and no-one would think less'
That thought pattern flips when thinking and talking about mental health, because you and others cant see anything wrong in the mirror, it's considered by some, even sufferers, as daft and you should just get over it. Except you cant, like asking someone with a chest infection not to cough. They cant, they need the right treatment and they'll cough less
ETA
Petrolhead95 said:
I was in a bad place on Saturday night and deactivated my Facebook account which instantly made me feel better for not having to worry about people messaging me/not replying etc.
I saw this before and thought of you
Facebook is self serving in a lot of ways for people, to either make themselves look good or to post things that make people envious.
One thing I would say though is if you use it as a means to keep in touch with family and friends, then staying on is more helpful, you dont have to check out everyone's alleged perfect lives
Edited by andy-xr on Tuesday 19th August 09:14
How's everyone doing?
Been browsing through old pictures and saw a few from summer 1-2 years ago which made me think... that was probably the last time I've actually felt happy. It's been months now but I never seem to ever feel positive or happy. Everyday seem to pass filled with worries and stress.
Been browsing through old pictures and saw a few from summer 1-2 years ago which made me think... that was probably the last time I've actually felt happy. It's been months now but I never seem to ever feel positive or happy. Everyday seem to pass filled with worries and stress.
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