Depression Support Thread

hev_2

Wow - here's me being very grateful for pills getting me away from two suicide attempts and a complete loss of short term memory. I felt so much better for them - shows how wrong you can be!

Most doctors don't judge and will not automatically prescribe pills. If you have a decent doctor they will point you in the right direction. Our GPs actively promote and supply counselling. They are very reluctant to hand out pills and one of the GPs is a former psychiatrist. Pills aren't always the answer, but sometimes they are.

I found that even though I was clinically depressed I could still feel happy. It depends whether it is a reactive depression or not. There are so many shades of depression and so many different things lumped under the heading that I think perhaps if you are low, losing concentration, poor memory, disturbed sleep patterns, disturbed eating patterns, mood swings then you should seek medical advice.

Hope everyone has a great 2008 - sounds like a lot of people on here could do with it.

HariboJunkie

hooters wrote: »

I'd stay away from the pills if possible - but that is only y experience, they don't deal with the problem.

The problem is that you can't talk to people for fear of being ashamed.
Open up to people that are close to you, or talk to a stranger who knows about depression.

You can talk yourself deeper into depression because you feel you might bother someone, it's the natural process

Pills do help some people though and a decent GP will prescribe the best ones for you. They can be a good way to kick start the road out of depression and if used along side counselling and exercise can be very effective for some people.

Depression really is one of the last taboos. Particulary amongst men who would think nothing of seeking help for a physical illness.

LouBlue

hev wrote: »

Hope everyone has a great 2008 - sounds like a lot of people on here could do with it.

Hear hear to that. :beer:

Quasar

I've never had depression - except for a couple of months years ago when everything looked bleak and there seemed no way through it - but I snapped out of it for some reason.

However I have known peeps with chronic depression, and there's no way I would want to live like that.

hooters

HariboJunkie wrote: »

Pills do help some people though and a decent GP will prescribe the best ones for you. They can be a good way to kick start the road out of depression and if used along side counselling and exercise can be very effective for some people.

Depression really is one of the last taboos. Particulary amongst men who would think nothing of seeking help for a physical illness.

I agree in some ways but GP's are not psychiatrists. Most will hand out blockers. and if you forget to take the blockers or even go out on the pee one night it could be worse for you.

With clinical or even any depression, you can deal with it yourself with help, your body is actually stronger than medicine. But That's not my point - my point is anyone that thinks they are depressed should talk about it without embrassement.

iwanttosave_2

hev wrote: »

I think perhaps if you are low, losing concentration, poor memory, disturbed sleep patterns, disturbed eating patterns, mood swings then you should seek medical advice.

Hope everyone has a great 2008 - sounds like a lot of people on here could do with it.

Apart from the feeling low and the mood swings I have had the rest for as long as I can remember.

iwanttosave_2

Oh and my doctor is naff. As my knowledge in obstetrics has grown, I know just how much she has lied to me about things.

windowshopper100

Iom-rf wrote: »

Where is the line between "feeling down" and "depressed" I wonder?

In terms of defining it, how about... because depression is an illness maybe you don't necessarily need a problem to trigger it, it's a chemical imbalance which is why drs will prescribe drugs (hopefully only short term) to try and redress that balance. Some enlightened GPs prescribe sessions at the local gym to the the endorphins and such like rushing. I think if you've been unhappy and depressed you know the difference - total isolation and pointlessness, just black (I think Winston Churchill, a depressive, used to call it his Black Dog) - you can't be distracted out of it like you can if your unhappy.

'Feeling down' on the other hand is an emotion brought on by crappy circumstance. There may be an indvidiual predisposition for being unhappy to turn into depression. But I'm guessing now.

As you've probably guessed, I'm no expert so I don't mean to offend anyone but it's just my take on it.

WS100

Iom-rf

hev wrote: »

There are so many shades of depression and so many different things lumped under the heading that I think perhaps if you are low, losing concentration, poor memory, disturbed sleep patterns, disturbed eating patterns, mood swings then you should seek medical advice.

Well i'm online at 2am instead of sleeping, my memory is shot, someone can tell me something and i'll get sidetracked and forget it, I've recently stopped eating as much, have no clue why but have gone off food since just before Christmas, mood swings?...... probably but not to sure, I do realise I "snap" at people sometimes and feel guilty afterwards though, actually yeah tick that box, I do get arsey far to often.

But am I just saying "maybe its depression" because its a way out?/excuse

hev wrote: »

Hope everyone has a great 2008 - sounds like a lot of people on here could do with it.

I'm hoping so!, have a good one yourself!

hev_2

hooters wrote: »

I agree in some ways but GP's are not psychiatrists. Most will hand out blockers. and if you forget to take the blockers or even go out on the pee one night it could be worse for you.

With clinical or even any depression, you can deal with it yourself with help, your body is actually stronger than medicine. But That's not my point - my point is anyone that thinks they are depressed should talk about it without embrassement.

Talking therapy is known and valued. Sometimes just connecting to others can bring you out of depression. People can do amazing things, but one of the awful things about clinical depression is how the mind shuts down and the outside world is just a fog - self help then is almost impossible, even with the best intentioned posters.

You have said that if the medicine is not correctly used then there could be problems. There is also a chance of there being problems if the medicine is correctly taken. Some people are allergic to asprin, but I still take it if I have a headache. I would not automatically go for the pills if the old enemy is back, but I know that it is an option that could be useful in certain circumstances. Telling people not to take appropriate medicine is not responsible.

Oh, and if you are depressed drinking will make it far worse.