Depression Support Thread

Tiff_2

Hi guys!
How's us? It's good to see that you've found our new home.
Well as you can see, what's left of me made it back safely.
I should trust in my instincts more - I'd forgotten how crazy it gets on a Saturday, especially with the large market on. I'd thought I might get myself a small treat as encouragement to go. Like shaz I had to go into town; I needed some vittles from the supermarket, because they've forecast snow here for the next 3 days according to my PC and you won't catch me out in that. With my arthritis in my legs etc, and my walking stick, it'd be like bambi on ice - limbs going all over the place! So the question I need to ask myself then is, why did I take the taxi to the heart of the town centre? Actually, that was following a piece of intuition.

The taxi pulled up outside the town hall and I got out to see 3 Chinese dragons and a man with a big blue 'head' on, (no, I don't hallucinate!), dancing on the pavement in front of the steps and accompanied by the loud banging of drums and cymbals. The mayor and mayoress and the council leaders were gathered to 'receive' the ceremony, marking the Chinese New Year, the Year of the Ox. It was great to watch for a couple of minutes before the mayor and the civic leaders - oh and the carnival queen and her maids of honour, (all dressed in the latest arctic clothing and with a cumulative age of about 52! Jealous? Me? ), - all came down the steps and led the dragons into the central market place. As a recovering agoraphobic, this was a very big deal to me and I was glad I had made the effort to go. You don't realise how much you miss going on in the outside world, until it's too late and the agoraphobia then stops you from caring. It's a cruel condition.

There was too much noise though and people seemed to have lost the ability to walk in a straight line! I did start to get anxious but tried to focus on what I needed to do. I walked through the market place and towards the town, stopping to buy a hot batch on the way to the supermarket. I was already very tired and in pain by now and I just wanted to get to the supermarket and get home.

And then I had another unexpected experience. I came to a small crowd and I just looked over someone's shoulder to see staff and animals from the Warwickshire Wildlife Sanctuary. There was a man with a most beautiful barn owl with his jessy, sitting on his glove. It was a gorgeous creature and when there was room in the crowd, I moved forward and I stood there stroking it's breast and back. I can honestly say I have never felt a softer, silkier texture in all my life - it was whisper soft! I looked across and could see a couple of ferrets in a display cage and another case with shredded leaves and a roll of bark in - I wasn't curious enough to investigate that! I did go and stroke a constrictor snake - cool and smooth to the touch. I turned to leave and noticed another bird, sitting tethered to a perch and not caged. It was a 3 year old snowy owl - it was magnificent! It's eyes were so beautiful and he had whiter-than-white plummage. But what surprised me was the size of him - this wasn't some Springwatch owl which looks 6 inches tall on TV. I swear that it must have been nearly one and a half feet tall and the size of a small dog. And fat. I could see the spread of his talons, each covered in fluffy fur, each one defined clearly, thick and sharp. I could see how they make such formidable predators.

So again I'd been rewarded because I'd made the effort to go out. Two unusual experiences that actually made me feel part of something again for a while - it felt worth all the anxiety. It was really hard to go out, it has been ever since my Mum's funeral last week. Tbh, I'd started to withdraw from going out again so I needed to go today for that reason alone.
I went to the supermarket and somehow managed to get out with food and without an ASBO or any physical harm to myself! They get so vicious in there - won't be doing that again on a Saturday. Back to Thursdy night shopping methinks. And what little treat did I buy myself?

A swimming costume. Don't ask because I don't know why.

I've been restless and too tired to settle since I got back and I've had a cry over Mum. I've been pottering around the house a bit. I've now got a lovely migraine, every bone aches and I want to go to bed - and it's only 5.30pm! I guess it's all the adrenalin from the anxiety that causes it. This probably seems like a really daft post, wittering away about such things, and in such detail. It seems like such everyday things to do and so easy for others to manage. It takes such a lot for me to try to do the same things. But I did it.

Oops, sorry guys - didn't realise this was such a long post. I know we had some new people join us over the last few days that probably didn't get a reply from me - please bear with me, I haven't forgotten. I shall bid you all a happy Caturday evening.
Take care everyone.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Tiff_2

Hi guys!

Hope someone (sazzy!) remembered to bring the catbasket over!
Have a lovely evening guys.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Tiff_2

Hi errata!
How are you angel? It's been a while since our paths have crossed, hunnie.
Thank you for the kind words errata. It was really MSE Andrea's post that prompted it.

I think you've asked a really good question but both of my brain cells are fading fast hun, so if you don't mind, I'll try and give you my thoughts on it tomorrow. There is an answer - I just want it to be able to make sense!

Wishing you well hunnie.
Much Love,
Tiff xxx

Errata

Thanks Tiff. I'm failing to reconcile Andrea's post with this http://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2008/11/27/mental-health-and-debt-guide/

shazrobo

(((big hugs))) tiff, you did well getting out of the house hun, glad you managed it without an asbo lol
take it easy tonight, and rest your aching bones.
i'm only 38, but i know the pain of arthritis, i have it in both knees, and possibly also my hips, having xrays on monday to confirm

hugs
shaz xxx

Tulip

mezer3000 wrote: »

ooooo let me know what the game is like, i don't have a ds but i love the sims (its nice to let other people lead better lives than I can myself haha), but sim animals may be a swaying factor for me to get one hahaha

:hello: Mezer,

I have had a play on the Sim Animals game for nintendo ds.It is really fun.You have to water plants and trees in your forest to help them grow.You shake the trees to make the acorns fall to the ground.you pick them up and put in backpack.You can put animals in there as well and deposit them in another part of the forest,You can feed the animal with your hand.I knocked down trees as I shook them too hard :rotfl: Its all self explantary once you have the game as all is explained before you start so you cant really go wrong.Enjoy if you get it though.Its also available for the Wii as well.

Katie

Tulip

:hello: Everyone,

Hope you are all ok,I am fine,I played with my new game Sim Animals this afternoon and thoughly enjoyed it too.It is great fun.I was going to watch Casualty but have missed a bit now so will have to catch up on Bt Vision.

I hope you all have a nice evening,good luck for Monday Shaz for your xray.

love and light,

Katie xxx

Glad

peebody wrote: »

Tiff wrote: »

Hi guys!

I hope we're all in fine fettle this morning?

Now I hope no-one will think of me as being too presumptuous, but I wanted to respond to this post on the Depression Support Thread yesterday, by MSE Andrea...

I think thats should read:

Just a wee reminder to everyone that we can't allow any posts anywhere on this SITE (not just this thread) that discuss medications and their uses.Unless you can discuss anywhere else on the site

No Andrea was right

the FORUM is just the chat forum (click on blue forum balloon above)
the SITE is the main site plus the chat forum

Martin writes his articles and help guides for the main site and what is written there by him is different to what he can allow anybody to post on the forum

Glad

Errata wrote: »

Tiff - pat on the back for you for starting a new thread.

I'm totally at a loss to understand how this instruction can be followed. It's a bit like having a pregnancy thread and instructing posters not to discuss the fact that they're pregnant.
Quote:
Please remember that this is a money saving site and the following should not be discussed


Conditions


What do other people think ?

This thread is here for support only, so it's ok to say 'I suffer with depression' but not to discuss the condition

Tulip

I am off now,

chat tomorrow

Night! Night!

Love and light,

Katie xxx