How do YOU deal with depression?

iammumtoone

I suffer with depression. I stopped taking the tablets as I don't like taking them, I don't like that as someone mentioned you don't really feel anything just 'flat' I really should start taking them again as I am getting very stressed over little things and forgetting things as I only seem to be able to concentrate on one thing at a time.

Yorkie1

My condition was labelled as depression for years, whereas it is actually anxiety - the more anxious I get, the more depressed I feel.

Understanding the condition helped a lot, but I accept that I am on ADs long-term and I am OK with that. Whether it's chemical or other cause, they help me to function.

I have regular counselling which also helps me to keep stable.

Family are far more understanding now than in the past, for which I am grateful, and my friends accept my limitations.

meritaten

I do get depressed now and again - but having taken anti-depressants only once I wouldn't take them again! they don't suit ME, however they work wonders for my OH!
I have to fight my way out from under that black cloud - and it takes a determined effort to find happiness. not watching the news or any depressing programs helps. I find I cannot watch 'soaps' now. I get too caught up in other peoples misery and as it isn't real.........I realised it was stupid!
I try to find things to make me laugh - youtube is great for this! a good laugh can really help!
so are my grandkids! I bask in their love for me - I don't mean to brag, but they lift my mood as soon as they run in and give me a hug and kiss!

wik

I have been suffering from Exogenous Depression for over 3 years now! at first i was prescribed Citalopram, but was taken off it in January this year due to risk of heart palpations!

I had been doing ok on Sertraline, until 3 weeks ago! When things kinda snowballed and my gp has doubled my dose.

I have had councilling, and have to say the one person who has made a difference is my gp, since this last bad patch I am now have an appointment with him every week, and I can just rant! It has been so good to have someone outwith the family to open up too! He wanted to sign me off work - but work is what is keeping me going just now!

My dad cant get why I am so depressed! we lost my darling mum in feb 2011, and he is still devestated, they had been together almost 50 years... but she had been my mum for all my life. He said to me a while back he couldnt see why i am depressed as he has lost more than me. When i got bad this time, my uncle - who is a former gp- (and if anyone has one of them in family - you know that they hate getting involved with family) rang my dad and told him he was worried about me and that i needed some extra hugs...

Depression is such a pain!! I only realised this time how bad i was when i realised that I hadnt talked to my bestest friend in the world for a couple of days - hadnt replied to her texts at all!!:(

when i said to her i didnt want to be a pain moaning about me again i was told in no uncertain terms that i am in bother..lol and have had huge hugs!

RazWaz

I've suffered since I was around 4 years old, and have recently been told they have (eventually) found an organic cause to it. Therapy never seemed to work and I guess I know why now - it wasn't about thought patterns, I just had the wrong chemicals floating around.

Anti-Depressants (60mg Fluoxetine and 60mg Amitriptyline per day) helped a little, but the best thing I found was to give me life some meaning. I was too sick to work and just stuck at home all day, nothing to do, no one to talk to and nowhere to go. Adopting 3 kittens has given me a reason to get up in the morning and they make every day a joy.

I'm not 100% better yet, and have a lot more treatment to get through, but 19 years down the line I'm finally starting to become normal. I think everyone should have hope that it will one day go away - I gave up and it only made things worse.

I've found when something is bothering me, I take some time out and just let my emotions run rampant for a bit, cry, beat up a pillow, scream at the walls, holding it in makes it worse as you just go over it again and again and again until it's 10 times bigger than it was in the first place.

livingit

SunshineButterfly wrote: »

Apologies if this has been done before, I did a quick search and nothing recent came up.

I just wondered... those who suffer from depression whether mild or manic.. how do you cope with this?

I have just bitten the bullet and gone back onto anti-depressants after weaning myself off them 3 months ago. I felt fantastic so thought I did not need them anymore. The medication has now fully left my system and it has all come crashing back.

I have had symptoms of depression and anxiety for the last month or 2 but ignored it and put it down to other things.

Can we ever beat it? Is it here forever to frustrate us?

Reactive depression can be treated by looking at the cause and learning techniques. Dysthymia or chronic mental health problems aren't so much beaten as battled and lived with. It is very common for people to stop taking their meds when they start to feel better, this is because the meds are working. Would people stop taking warfarin or thyroxine etc just because they felt better. I don't think so but there is still a stigma attached to antidepressants.

SunshineButterfly wrote: »

Thanks for your reply. I hope it helps I do not wish to have counselling or CBT.. because I am studying a degree to do that exact career.. which involves "being counselled" so I guess I already am being counselled in a round a bout way.

Save us from these counselors who counsel themselves. You are not being counselled in a round about way, you are not being counselled by your fellow students. True therapy is not studying and self diagnosing, how patronising, it is a lot more difficult than that and can cause immense pain to the patient. You will be stuffed in your new career if all of your patients think they can counsel themselves. Do you not have to undertake therapy while doing a psychology degree to ensure you do not drag your own baggage into the therapy room?

SunshineButterfly

[Save us from these counselors who counsel themselves. You are not being counselled in a round about way, you are not being counselled by your fellow students. True therapy is not studying and self diagnosing, how patronising, it is a lot more difficult than that and can cause immense pain to the patient. You will be stuffed in your new career if all of your patients think they can counsel themselves. Do you not have to undertake therapy while doing a psychology degree to ensure you do not drag your own baggage into the therapy room?[/QUOTE]

I probably should of explain better. We are given counselling as part of the course.. but by the college tutors who are also counsellors.. rather than the route others not on the course would take.

Errata

Do you not have to undertake therapy while doing a psychology degree

I don't belive so, that would be part of post graduate training in clinical psychology, and pointless for someone who planned a career in organisational or industrial psychology.

System

I went on anti depressants 4 years ago. More recently I decided to come off them but I found the depression creeping back and I started comfort eating again.

I believe my depression is down to circumstances rather than anything medical and as ive got a hope in hell of changing the circumstances and and I don't want put on more weight I decided going back on the anti-d's was the lesser of two evils.

Fortunately my GP supports my decision.

paulineb_2

livingit wrote: »

Reactive depression can be treated by looking at the cause and learning techniques. Dysthymia or chronic mental health problems aren't so much beaten as battled and lived with. It is very common for people to stop taking their meds when they start to feel better, this is because the meds are working. Would people stop taking warfarin or thyroxine etc just because they felt better. I don't think so but there is still a stigma attached to antidepressants.



Save us from these counselors who counsel themselves. You are not being counselled in a round about way, you are not being counselled by your fellow students. True therapy is not studying and self diagnosing, how patronising, it is a lot more difficult than that and can cause immense pain to the patient. You will be stuffed in your new career if all of your patients think they can counsel themselves. Do you not have to undertake therapy while doing a psychology degree to ensure you do not drag your own baggage into the therapy room?

I believe its a condition of people doing a counselling degree that they undertake a certain amount of hours of counselling themselves while on the course. I know someone who trained with BACUP and that was certainly the case for her.