LETS ALL LAUGH AT PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION!!

I should really be used to the 'Speaking too soon' thing.

Ended up in tears of frustration tonight. Just about got through work and I guess the tears were as much tears of relief at the end of the shift as frustration after having to steel myself and hold in the visible signs of the zaps from customers. Mentally exhausting!!

Don't take this as a downer on SSRI's or SNRI's though. Even the withdrawl I am going through now would have been a small price to pay for someone dealing with real depression or anxiety. Better a few tears of frustration/relief at the end of a work shift because of zaps but where sitting down and not moving head too fast provides 100% relief of the symptom and where it ebbs and flows through the day, than Depression or anxiety where there is no relief no matter what you are doing.

However...

As I realise from reading other peoples stories about their depression and anxiety here, from self analysis and reflection and research. I didn't have chronic anxiety, GAD or Depression. No symptom I went to the doctor with that fateful day over a year ago was as bad as any of the the side effects of acclimatising to the SSRI/SNRI's, the side effects of the med once acclimatised nor the side effects of withdrawl.

Over a year ago I had finally gone to the doctor after a week of grief over the death of one of my dogs and mentioned my pre-existing insomnia, extended family history of diagnosis requiring SSRI's and my weeks old jumpiness at loud noises like slamming doors and my dogs barking. I don't blame the doctor for diagnosing depression with those symptoms but in hindsight they led us up the wrong road. The Insomnia was likely the cause of the other symptoms rather than being a symptom itself and the natural grief at the death of my dog was what unfortunately had me shedding tears in the surgery which steered hbim towards a depression diagnosis.

I know I wasn't depressed now because tbh..and I am not belittling anyone elses problems here but I have certain other issues in my life,or where I am in my life at my age that would have some of you suicidal by the sounds of it, whereas they don't bother me too much at all. They are life choices I made and I have to live with them and do live with them. Its not apathy (Sure apathy is a classic sign of depression I hear you say) I am not apathetic about most things. I am enthusiastic about most things, I am finding joy and laughter in life (before during and after the meds) etc. I'm just apathetic about a lot of things that have some of you guys talking about suicide. I only mention this at all because it was what helped me work out that I was likely mis-diagnosed.

[EDIT] Morning edit to clarify what I posted in the last paragraph last night....
Life issues that are "depressing". that I imagine should or could give someone depression, that indeed some people here have been talking about alongside their suicidal ideation and yet these issues haven't brought me to the same ideation. Therefor I couldn't be depressed could I or else I'd be ideating because of them like others. Is my logic sound or faulty?

Only for that some family members know my username on boards I'd simply state what my life issues are for some perspective.

So in a way. I am saying that I don't truly know what you are all going through because I don't actually believe I've been going through it with you. But if my experience of the cure being worse than the mis-diagnosed disease is anything to go by, where the SNRI actually increased the symptoms it was supposed to treat, well I really feel for you all. ie. If a given drug brought your anxiety for instance to a manageable level and for me that same manageable level was worse than I had experienced before the drug well holey hand of jaysus, I can't imagine what your untreated anxiety must have been like!!

As a result I have even more respect and admiration and awe for all of you and how strong you all are.

Be Well everyone!!

I'd love to read a book on the links between anxiety, depression and insomnia.
I honestly can't remember I've had a good nights sleep where I woke up the next day ready for the day.

TeddyTedson wrote: »

I'd love to read a book on the links between anxiety, depression and insomnia.
I honestly can't remember I've had a good nights sleep where I woke up the next day ready for the day.

Yeah I can't remember the last time I woke up and didn't still feel exhausted.

But now I'm in agony with my back which is very distracting and therefore terrible and good at the same time.

Being ill, mentally or physically, is far too damned expensive.

DeVore wrote: »

Leave your bed... but only to do something new and fun.

New and fun is a great antidote I've found. Nothing gets me into a bad frame of mind like monotony. Can't face work/college/whatever ok... get up and go to the beach. Or to the park. Hey, the Natural History museum is AMAZING and that's from someone who would normally run a million miles from a museum. Go see it... Trust me. Break the monotony and do something spontaneous and outside your norm.

G'wan. You were going to spend all day in bed so you cant have anything else on Consider it a mission.

Report back on your day here. For Science!!

Thanks DeVore!
Didn't get to go anywhere new, but ended up spending all of the day with some good friends working on some stuff. Had a lotta laughs and fun.
Might just keep the Museum for next time!

Hope everyone's doing okay today!

Came across and interesting TED talk on youtube about Depression . Well worth 30 minutes of peoples time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-eBUcBfkVCo

Excuse my ignorance here for this question but do people in developing countries suffer much with depression? Here they say mental illness will affect 1 in 4 though out their lifetime. I don't know it that means directly or directly.
But if it's less in developing countries in places that tend to have a more sense of community surely there can be changes made over time with how we live.

For example and this point my be really going off on another direction here but I remember as a kid having street parties in my estate. Everyone seemed to love it and I remember my parents and my neighbours often going out and doing things together.
Then with the celtic tiger these things died off and people would never socialise much within the estate. I can imagine for maybe older people or people who may be away from their family and friends that this may lead to a lot more isolation that. The simple solution to actively try pursue other outlets to socialise but from reading the personal problems forum many people seem to find this difficult and then before long find themselves stuck in a rut.

I know that's not a perfect example of how it works but I've really noticed over the last few years lots of neighbours becoming a lot more social with each other. A man who lived across from me who I only used to know to wave at I got talking with one day about rugby. Since then I'd often arrive home from work and see him outside his house and often have a chat with him. Very simple stuff but it's nice to know your neighbours (well mostly lol) and have more of a sense of community.

That being said there are days when I really don't want to talk to anyone, particularly in work and I make effort to avoid them, like not eating in the canteen. I imagine people must really think I blow hot and cold with them but there are days when I just prefer to remain invisible.

I'm absolutely shattered and am not really sure what points I was trying to make there and I'm sure I've contradicted myself numerous times but there you go!

Goodnight!

There are undoubtedly cultural aspects to depression but in general people in a developing country will die from other ailments before depression can strike them. To put it another way, everyone today that survives appendicitis has a chance of picking up another illness. The more illnesses that a society can treat the greater the chances of a person in that society being afflicted by what might initially have been a rarer illness. Not saying depression was a rarer illness but now more people can get it either way.

As the guy in the ted talk said, the non poor know something is up because they are depressed despite having a reasonably comfortable life. The poor go un diagnosed because they don't even realise they are suffering depression themselves because in their mind it's a natural state of being if one is in their circumstances. (And no mr iPad autocorrect, When I said 'one' I didn't really mean to say Oboe)

Hi Guys

Dont know what I'm doing? I have depression and have fought it twice now in my life. What triggers it is anxiety, and what helped me fight it last time was Cymbalta. Found it good. last time was 18 months ago and weaned off meds about 6 months ago. No support groups in my locality either.

But it is creeping back in the last few weeks and has a good grip on me now.

I know what I have to do but I would like some advice from people who have walked in my shoes. Never before has it affected my work but this time around it is and I'm struggling to be honest. I work in IT and its fairly stressful and has an out of hours rota which is the biggest problem. The thought of people being able to reach into you life / space at a whim and be fairly nasty and abusive is whats pushing me down. It's non negotiable with the job.

Should I approach my employers about the situation? What would happen if I did? Would they have grounds to sack me?

I know your all thinking, get a new job your health comes first well I have the old chestnut, married, young family, mortgage, car and all bills associated and of course a lack of jobs in my locality.

Moving isn't an option as my wife works locally and I know if I move away for work being alone is far worse for me.

I haven't eaten a bite all day and I'm feeling terrible. I dont drink hardly at all anymore, maybe a glass of wine or two with a meal maybe once every 1-2 months. Dont do drugs. Just a regular guy really?

I would love to hear some thoughts.

Thanks

GP

FaganJr wrote: »

Hi Guys

Dont know what I'm doing? I have depression and have fought it twice now in my life. What triggers it is anxiety, and what helped me fight it last time was Cymbalta. Found it good. last time was 18 months ago and weaned off meds about 6 months ago. No support groups in my locality either.

But it is creeping back in the last few weeks and has a good grip on me now.

I know what I have to do but I would like some advice from people who have walked in my shoes. Never before has it affected my work but this time around it is and I'm struggling to be honest. I work in IT and its fairly stressful and has an out of hours rota which is the biggest problem. The thought of people being able to reach into you life / space at a whim and be fairly nasty and abusive is whats pushing me down. It's non negotiable with the job.

Should I approach my employers about the situation? What would happen if I did? Would they have grounds to sack me?

I know your all thinking, get a new job your health comes first well I have the old chestnut, married, young family, mortgage, car and all bills associated and of course a lack of jobs in my locality.

Moving isn't an option as my wife works locally and I know if I move away for work being alone is far worse for me.

I haven't eaten a bite all day and I'm feeling terrible. I dont drink hardly at all anymore, maybe a glass of wine or two with a meal maybe once every 1-2 months. Dont do drugs. Just a regular guy really?

I would love to hear some thoughts.

Thanks

GP

First things first: acknowledge that you and your body (including mind) are simply under prolonged strain and stress and that you have to tackle that as a matter of importance, life and death. That is your most immediate problem. The good thing is if you do take very small steps in the right direction in this area everything else will start becoming easier and easier until one day you will chuckle to yourself how easy it is.

But I stress, it must be tackled. It is straightforward though, there's an element of trust involved on your part but once you start feeling that stress go from your body you will not know your own mind and capabilities to handle anything. The next stage (which will come naturally if you rid yourself of the physical and mental spasming) is acceptance of your current situation. Acceptance of what you have to do and a consistently relaxed approach to it. Your attitude to things will also change naturally and things will happen in your stride.

After a couple of months you will be confident enough to start making decisions re: work changes etc. but I wouldn't do anything to hasty now while you are in a bit of a fog, you can't see enough of the picture. You have responsibilities to others but if you apply that same noble determination to yourself I promise you will be a changed man.

just my take on it from extensive experience.

Timmyctc wrote: »

I'm genuinely close to setting a date lately.

What do you mean Timmy? Setting a date for what???

Good stuff homer I'm in a similar position hope we both keep going well