depression

ILoveHenryJames

tankgirl1 wrote:

I find it difficult to get motivated to do anything, and over the last few years, have found it extraordinarily hard to apply myself, or to concentrate on things.

That has certainly applied to me in the past and probably has to countless others who suffer from depression. Even saying the 'D' word can make one feel less than adequate can't it?

I have had depression for around 15 years (I'm only 25 now) and more than likely will have it for the rest of my life; finding a combination of the correct medication, 'talking therapy', support network and other factors is a monumental task, I know. Also, I know that every cliché about 'you will get through this' and 'depression can be treated successfully' etc gets to be very tiresome, very quickly.

So what can I say to help? Probably nothing. Just to say that despite all the years that have passed where I have shut myself in a dark room alone/cut my arms to ribbons/researched suicide methods/stocked up on pills for an OD/missed important meetings/kept myself off of the dating scene/generally f*cked about instead of achieving something because I was ill/ BLAH BLAH ETC...I am still alive, I am important to someone other than me, I do believe that I will get through this, I will have the career and life I want.

One day I will wake up and the skies will be clear blue. The temperature will be warm but definitely not humid; I will be holding the hand of my beau or belle, I will have a smile and absolutely no memory.

bluezone

Everyone needs a 'jim jam' day

hollydays

It IS possible to recover from depression.,

Fritha_2

RubyTuesday, I know exactly what you mean, I found just having a routine really helpful, and distrating myself when it all got too much really helpful: the nearby Tescos has seen me in a variety of states of dress when I've had to drag myself out (my mental health lady redcommended it to stop me self harming - something I randomly developed after diagnosis, the brain is a wonderful thing) annoyingly it really helped me to just to walk away when I felt upset. Stuff what they think go out in your jammies (I have!)

And Tank Girl, just do what you have to do to feel better, if you feel happier in your jammies stay in your jammies! My advice (which I have nicked from a book I was lent) would be if you can get dressed and find an excuse to go out then do it, if you can't it really doesn't matter!

Oh, and sorry I can't remember who asked but it is my personal firmly held belief that you can and will get better from depression (although don't ask me on a bad dat I have trouble believing it then!). I've had every bloody person I know chanting that at me for six months. I didn't believe them but dammit, I would now classify myself as kind of betterish!

I resigned from work under a cloud after they dragged me in while I was still really rather wobbly and told me a should be better and I had to come back to work. Stuff and nonsense, everyone gets better at different rates, with some people it just takes a bit of time, you just have to hang in there and keep going to your GP etc and getting as much help as you can.

Danni

newfoundglory wrote:

Actually, Paroxetine is not generic Prozac...Its generic Seroxat/Paxil. Fluoxetine is the generic name for Prozac

Thanks- I've been on so many now I get them confused.

I was on fluoxetine first (and since it was generic I should've remembered it right )

funkymonkey

hollydays wrote:

It IS possible to recover from depression.,

depression is a strange thing - it tends to creap up on you when life is going bad anyway!

some people will never recover or will always have relapses after 20 years of good positive health! others will have one bout for example PND and be fine for the rest of their lives!

sometimes getting depression at a young age can be a blessing. i was terribly depressed at the age of 19 when my younger brother (9) died of cancer. managed to pull myself out of the pit and learnt a lot of coping skills which now help me daily in my job as a nurse.

a smile a day goes a long way XXX

by the way someone on page 1 said that they only put their clothes on in the morning coz someone came round. - there is your answer in a way ......... get people to come round!

also some people sujest eating more fish - omega 3 is meant to help!

southernscouser

I've never had depression and touch wood I never do. Not really sure why I'm posting on here, guess it's coz I find mental health quite a fascinating subject!

I hope no-one takes offence to what I'm about to write. If so please tell me and I'll remove it as I accept it is difficult for some people.

When I was younger I used to be of the opinion that people who suffered from depression or other similar illnesses were just weak people! I now appreciate that the brain is the most complex thing on this earth and isn't fault proof.

I don't even know anyone on medication for depression or anything but I just seem to get the impression that all these anti-depressant drugs just mask the real underlying problem. I'm not saying that these drugs aren't good. Of course they are if they help people to lead normal happy lives but I think more should be done to identify what causes the depression in the first place. Without that no-one is ever going to be fully cured.

Now this is all based on my assumption that there is always something pshycologically (sp) wrong! I don't know whether this is right or wrong? Some people may not even know themselves what is wrong!

This might sound really daft but I compare it to a flat tyre. You go outside and see you have a flat. You have 2 choices. You can either keep pumping it up everyday or you can take the wheel off and see why it keeps going flat!

Before I get slated I'm not comparing anyone to an old flat tyre!

Anyway I hope you don't mind me barging in here and waffling on. Like I said this wasn't meant to upset anyone so apologies if it has and I will remove this post if so.

iwanttosave_2

Come on hun, you know me better than I know myself and you called a fruit loop before now

Plus hopefully you know that I aint weak, you have guided me through times when I am at my lowest and highest, when I have sat there crying talking to you (thank for that by the way )

Flat tire indeed :rolleyes:

Actually I think you could do some good on this thread

ILoveHenryJames

southernscouser wrote:

I don't even know anyone on medication for depression or anything but I just seem to get the impression that all these anti-depressant drugs just mask the real underlying problem. I'm not saying that these drugs aren't good. Of course they are if they help people to lead normal happy lives but I think more should be done to identify what causes the depression in the first place. Without that no-one is ever going to be fully cured.

I do appreciate what you have said and please do not take this response to be an attack on your words, they sincerley aren't.

The thing about depression is; there need not be a cause which needs to be cured. By this I mean that depression can be a mere case of chemical inbalance.

southernscouser

iwanttosave wrote:

Actually I think you could do some good on this thread

Good? I've already probably alienated myself by referring everyone to burnt rubber! :rotfl: