Depression

[Costock_Fox]

5 hours ago, Finnegan said:

Absolutely taken through the ringer by my therapist yesterday who cracked me like an egg. Very emotionally draining session. 

 

Came out afterwards, went upstairs to have a piss and collect myself before leaving. 

 

Coming back down the narrow staircase afterwards, who should be coming the other way but an ex's (who I didn't exactly treat wonderfully) mother.

 

Talk about ****ing awkward. 

Sorry mate really shouldn’t laugh but that last part is funny, hopefully it made you smile rather than more anxious.

[Finnegan]

41 minutes ago, Costock_Fox said:

Sorry mate really shouldn’t laugh but that last part is funny, hopefully it made you smile rather than more anxious.

 

Yeah mate it's fine ta. I laughed as well once I was at a safe distance. 

[Dipak83]

10 hours ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

Good on ya mate 

 

Your determination to not let this beat you will see you through I'm sure. It is a roller-coaster of ups and downs but you recognise this and are aware of it.

 

If you have days where you don't feel like talking to anyone you can always post on here. We're all in the same boat and know exactly how you feel.

 

All the best with the counselling. Best thing I ever did and hopefully you'll feel better after the process. 

A roller coaster for sure pal, a bit like watching the City over the years. I know it's not the same but the way I see it is, if Leicester made it from going into administration to league one then becoming Premier League champions (albeit an amazing achievement) then I can come out happier on the other side too.

 

I'll definitely post on here when I'm feeling low and thanks for your support pal, appreciate it.

[tom27111]

If you're reading this, Riyad, come and talk.

 

We're all here to help you get over your 'depression'. 

[HybridFox]

Players taunted footballer over depression - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-42901550

 

 

Interesting read. All football fans are guilty of taunting the opposition, it's part of the banter in the sport. But this is overstepping the mark. Good on him for speaking out

Edited 3 February 2018 by TK95

[Hirsty The Blue 94]

Hi all,

 

Been interesting reading some of everyone's stories this morning and a lot of people have been experiencing similar thoughts and feelings to me over the last few weeks.

 

2 weeks ago I went into the hospital with abdominal pains, and was told I needed my appendix removed which should have been straightforward. Ended up developing and ileus following the op which meant I was stuck in there for over a week feeling low and not feeling like I was getting any better. Now having left hospital been struggling mentally, something that was labelled 'acute stress reaction' by the phsychiatrist which has led to me feeling incredibly down and anxious about going out, seeing people and a fear of not getting any mentally better.

 

Over the last few days I have woken up and not wanted to get out of bed, and look forward more to the night time just so it gives me a release from my brain. Currently I feel like I'm stuck in a circle in which the anxious and depressed thoughts consume me and it is getting to the stage where I am unable to cope and think about taking the easy option out rather than fighting.

 

Pre this hospital ordeal i never had any mental health worries or concerns, which is why this is so difficult to cope with currently as I just want to be back to my 'old' self. 

 

Anyone who has been through something similar got any tips/advice in how to cope. I have had lots of people over the last week tell me to stay positive and think about the positive but in my current state of mind this is obviously quite difficult.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Crinklyfox]

2 hours ago, Hirsty The Blue 94 said:

Hi all,

 

Been interesting reading some of everyone's stories this morning and a lot of people have been experiencing similar thoughts and feelings to me over the last few weeks.

 

2 weeks ago I went into the hospital with abdominal pains, and was told I needed my appendix removed which should have been straightforward. Ended up developing and ileus following the op which meant I was stuck in there for over a week feeling low and not feeling like I was getting any better. Now having left hospital been struggling mentally, something that was labelled 'acute stress reaction' by the phsychiatrist which has led to me feeling incredibly down and anxious about going out, seeing people and a fear of not getting any mentally better.

 

Over the last few days I have woken up and not wanted to get out of bed, and look forward more to the night time just so it gives me a release from my brain. Currently I feel like I'm stuck in a circle in which the anxious and depressed thoughts consume me and it is getting to the stage where I am unable to cope and think about taking the easy option out rather than fighting.

 

Pre this hospital ordeal i never had any mental health worries or concerns, which is why this is so difficult to cope with currently as I just want to be back to my 'old' self. 

 

Anyone who has been through something similar got any tips/advice in how to cope. I have had lots of people over the last week tell me to stay positive and think about the positive but in my current state of mind this is obviously quite difficult.

 

Thanks in advance.

Firstly if you have clinical depression you may need prescription drugs to help break the depressive cycle.  However if you're not, or as something to try anyway, you could try to put your thoughts that are causing the anxiety or depression into some perspective.

 

A depressed person may not always think rationally.  It becomes easy to focus on the worst possible outcome to an event.  For example, I'm retired now so I might reasonably expect to need more support from the medical profession than a young person.  I get more aches and pains and ailments.  If I was depressed I may think as follows:

 

I'm having more headaches these days

So I might have a brain tumour

Or perhaps it's Alzheimers

My health will probably never improve

I'll be a burden on my family

And probably dead within two years

 

Now if you had a mate who was having headaches that bothered him you might reasonably refer him to a doctor.  The doctor would do an examination, potentially some tests, and prescribe some action or give advice as to how the problem may be overcome.  There's very little to suggest that he either could have cancer or Alzheimers.  

 

One method I used to try to get some perspective on issues was to assign a percentage possibility to them.  So if I think my headache is caused by a brain tumour, what's the likelihood.  Well when you consider all the other possibilities, not very likely at all, say less than 10%.  So my thoughts aren't logical, it's the nasty little inner voice that's giving me the worst possible outcome, not the realistic one.  If you can focus on what exactly is making you feel bad and apply that process it may help you feel more positive.

 

If you do find that you really are suffering from a mental illness, reassure yourself that it is an illness, it most likely can be treated, you can recover and it's nothing to be ashamed of.  There isn't a person walking on this planet that's immune.

[Izzy]

3 hours ago, Hirsty The Blue 94 said:

Hi all,

 

Been interesting reading some of everyone's stories this morning and a lot of people have been experiencing similar thoughts and feelings to me over the last few weeks.

 

2 weeks ago I went into the hospital with abdominal pains, and was told I needed my appendix removed which should have been straightforward. Ended up developing and ileus following the op which meant I was stuck in there for over a week feeling low and not feeling like I was getting any better. Now having left hospital been struggling mentally, something that was labelled 'acute stress reaction' by the phsychiatrist which has led to me feeling incredibly down and anxious about going out, seeing people and a fear of not getting any mentally better.

 

Over the last few days I have woken up and not wanted to get out of bed, and look forward more to the night time just so it gives me a release from my brain. Currently I feel like I'm stuck in a circle in which the anxious and depressed thoughts consume me and it is getting to the stage where I am unable to cope and think about taking the easy option out rather than fighting.

 

Pre this hospital ordeal i never had any mental health worries or concerns, which is why this is so difficult to cope with currently as I just want to be back to my 'old' self. 

 

Anyone who has been through something similar got any tips/advice in how to cope. I have had lots of people over the last week tell me to stay positive and think about the positive but in my current state of mind this is obviously quite difficult.

 

Thanks in advance.

What Crinklyfox said mate 

 

FWIW, my depression started following major bowel surgery back in '04 (brought on by stress I'm convinced and I 'burnt out' aged 30). I've never 'properly' recovered and I'm a million miles away from my 'old self' - but I've learnt to adapt and accept the 'new' me.

 

But it's been hard work and a real journey of up's and down's. I needed anti depressants for a while to get me back on track and also had many different rounds of counselling which really helped. 

 

It's cliche, but for me time has been a healer. I've come to terms with who I now am and what I can/can't do. I still have anxiety but I've learnt to understand my thinking process as Crinkly has described.

 

It's great that you've shared your story on here and everyone is so supportive and understanding so keep posting and sharing updates.

 

In the mean time, get yourself some professional help and soon....

 

Good luck.

 

[Kopfkino]

A couple of articles that may be of interest to some, the first one more so:

 

https://theconversation.com/people-with-depression-use-language-differently-heres-how-to-spot-it-90877

 

https://aeon.co/ideas/we-need-ecstasy-and-opioids-in-place-of-prozac-and-xanax
 

As an aside, both sites provide some great reads almost every day.

[Crinklyfox]

13 hours ago, Kopfkino said:

A couple of articles that may be of interest to some, the first one more so:

 

https://theconversation.com/people-with-depression-use-language-differently-heres-how-to-spot-it-90877

 

https://aeon.co/ideas/we-need-ecstasy-and-opioids-in-place-of-prozac-and-xanax
 

As an aside, both sites provide some great reads almost every day.

Fascinating read, thanks for posting.

[Lionator]

9 days post break up and I'm still feeling sad (as would be expected). Got through the initial shock last week and things seemed brighter but the past two days have been rubbish, mood has dipped significantly. Work is the only thing keeping me from going mad, friends too busy with their own girlfriends to go to the pub or to book a holiday for the summer. What hurts is having that carpet pulled from under my feet, she's the first person I've ever been able to properly open up to with regards to anxiety, she's the first person who's properly listened to me, who got me and had belief in me and now there's nothing, I try with my parents but they just dont have the same levels of empathy or understanding. She wants to meet in two months and she said she cares but she's at a different stage of life to me, we have different ambitions in life and it most likely wouldn't work even if we tried. I know it'll pass but it's really crap and I have to question why when I've got on my feet in life does this have to happen now?

[Izzy]

26 minutes ago, Lionator said:

9 days post break up and I'm still feeling sad (as would be expected). Got through the initial shock last week and things seemed brighter but the past two days have been rubbish, mood has dipped significantly. Work is the only thing keeping me from going mad, friends too busy with their own girlfriends to go to the pub or to book a holiday for the summer. What hurts is having that carpet pulled from under my feet, she's the first person I've ever been able to properly open up to with regards to anxiety, she's the first person who's properly listened to me, who got me and had belief in me and now there's nothing, I try with my parents but they just dont have the same levels of empathy or understanding. She wants to meet in two months and she said she cares but she's at a different stage of life to me, we have different ambitions in life and it most likely wouldn't work even if we tried. I know it'll pass but it's really crap and I have to question why when I've got on my feet in life does this have to happen now?

Because life's a fvckin bitch sometimes mate 

 

Sorry to hear you're still feeling sad and I hope posting on here has helped a tiny bit (if only slightly). I guess it's still early days and I've no idea how long it will take until you're truly 'over' it. How do you feel about potentially meeting up with her again in two months? Is she giving you false hope that you may get back together or is it genuinely just as friends do you think?

 

I couldn't talk to my wife or parents when I was really suffering and it was my counselor who provided the listening, support and belief in me that you described. Are you still seeing your counselor and taking your meds? If your mood has dipped significantly then maybe worth seeing your GP to see if your dosage needs increasing?

 

The timing of all this sucks, especially as you'd got back on your feet work wise. I too question the timing of stuff and I guess we'll never know why. I had a great year last year and the suddenly, bang, in hospital over Xmas and New Year needing major surgery - out of nowhere. I sat in hospital thinking "Why me and why now?" I'm a decent bloke and try to do good by others so why do I get the shitty end of the stick? 

 

But it passes and time is a healer. Six weeks on and I'm recovering (physically and mentally) and life goes on. I could get ill again at any minute and if I do, I'll just have to deal with it again. In the mean time I count my blessings and realise there's many people worse off than me.

 

You're still so young mate and have a lifetime ahead of you. They say things happen for a reason but I'm not sure we ever find out what that reason is. Hang in there and take it one day at a time.

 

P.S. Have you started learning the keyboard yet? 

[Lionator]

1 hour ago, Izzy Muzzett said:

Because life's a fvckin bitch sometimes mate 

 

Sorry to hear you're still feeling sad and I hope posting on here has helped a tiny bit (if only slightly). I guess it's still early days and I've no idea how long it will take until you're truly 'over' it. How do you feel about potentially meeting up with her again in two months? Is she giving you false hope that you may get back together or is it genuinely just as friends do you think?

 

I couldn't talk to my wife or parents when I was really suffering and it was my counselor who provided the listening, support and belief in me that you described. Are you still seeing your counselor and taking your meds? If your mood has dipped significantly then maybe worth seeing your GP to see if your dosage needs increasing?

 

The timing of all this sucks, especially as you'd got back on your feet work wise. I too question the timing of stuff and I guess we'll never know why. I had a great year last year and the suddenly, bang, in hospital over Xmas and New Year needing major surgery - out of nowhere. I sat in hospital thinking "Why me and why now?" I'm a decent bloke and try to do good by others so why do I get the shitty end of the stick? 

 

But it passes and time is a healer. Six weeks on and I'm recovering (physically and mentally) and life goes on. I could get ill again at any minute and if I do, I'll just have to deal with it again. In the mean time I count my blessings and realise there's many people worse off than me.

 

You're still so young mate and have a lifetime ahead of you. They say things happen for a reason but I'm not sure we ever find out what that reason is. Hang in there and take it one day at a time.

 

P.S. Have you started learning the keyboard yet? 

I'm not even the lovey dovey type, I swore I'd never be like this if it came this situation in life but like you say life's a bitch when you meet somebody who you share a lot of values with. That feeling of loss pretty much out of the blue is crippling. I can't make a decision on whether to meet her again now as in a few weeks the situation will be different and it might not be a good idea.

 

And yes I have, slow progress but can just about bang out a basic version of Let it Be.

[orangecity23]

55 minutes ago, Lionator said:

I'm not even the lovey dovey type, I swore I'd never be like this if it came this situation in life but like you say life's a bitch when you meet somebody who you share a lot of values with. That feeling of loss pretty much out of the blue is crippling. I can't make a decision on whether to meet her again now as in a few weeks the situation will be different and it might not be a good idea.

 

And yes I have, slow progress but can just about bang out a basic version of Let it Be.

As I read this post, I was watching the end credits to the HBO/BBC 10 part documentary on the Vietnam War (anyone who is remotely interested in that period of history, check it out, it is phenomenal), which funnily enough, played out to Let It Be, which seemed like an excellent way to cap off a very emotional last episode. Neat coincidence.

 

Hope you keep up your piano playing, working on something constructive like that will surely be helpful as you work through your difficult times, and finding a way to express emotions through art is always a useful thing to be able to do.

[Dipak83]

I've been prescribed Citalopram and I've only got a few days of it left, I've been taking it since December, should the GP automatically give me a new prescription or would I have to request a new prescription? I'm just a little worried as I've heard nothing from GP and the the surgery has said that I have to take a letter in saying that I want a repeat prescription, surely with the medication that I'm taking I can't just come off them cold turkey. any help would be appreciated.

[FoxesDeb]

4 minutes ago, Dipak83 said:

I've been prescribed Citalopram and I've only got a few days of it left, I've been taking it since December, should the GP automatically give me a new prescription or would I have to request a new prescription? I'm just a little worried as I've heard nothing from GP and the the surgery has said that I have to take a letter in saying that I want a repeat prescription, surely with the medication that I'm taking I can't just come off them cold turkey. any help would be appreciated.

In my experience I always have to go back to my GP for a new prescription initially,  I have them on repeat now but that took a while. I could just ring for a new one though before it was on automatic repeat, just give them a call and they will let you know what to do 

[Izzy]

1 hour ago, Dipak83 said:

I've been prescribed Citalopram and I've only got a few days of it left, I've been taking it since December, should the GP automatically give me a new prescription or would I have to request a new prescription? I'm just a little worried as I've heard nothing from GP and the the surgery has said that I have to take a letter in saying that I want a repeat prescription, surely with the medication that I'm taking I can't just come off them cold turkey. any help would be appreciated.

What Deb said 

Don't wait for them to get in touch, they're probably far too busy so ring up or go see them ASAP.

If your GP says you'll be on these meds for a while then ask him/her to put them on repeat for next time so you don't have to worry about it. Either way, you shouldn't go cold turkey so get it sorted before you run out!!

[Guest Harrydc]

Sertraline hasn't worked made me feel like I was going crazy, got it changed and it's not doing much, the Doc is refusing to give me more zopoclone for my sleep so I tend to find myself drinking every night to knock me out .. any way to help this?

[Buce]

1 hour ago, Dipak83 said:

I've been prescribed Citalopram and I've only got a few days of it left, I've been taking it since December, should the GP automatically give me a new prescription or would I have to request a new prescription? I'm just a little worried as I've heard nothing from GP and the the surgery has said that I have to take a letter in saying that I want a repeat prescription, surely with the medication that I'm taking I can't just come off them cold turkey. any help would be appreciated.

 

It's unlikely that your GP would put anti-depressants on a repeat prescription because it is one of those illnesses that the Doctor would want to keep an eye on. Regardless of whether you feel like coming off it, it's not something you should decide unilaterally and definitely not abruptly. Make an appointment to discuss it with your GP.

[Kopfkino]

9 minutes ago, Harrydc said:

Sertraline hasn't worked made me feel like I was going crazy, got it changed and it's not doing much, the Doc is refusing to give me more zopoclone for my sleep so I tend to find myself drinking every night to knock me out .. any way to help this?

 

See if you can get put on mirtazapine. They normally prescribe it if you complain about sexual side effects of SSRIs, or that is the impression I got. Had to go through Citalopram, Sertraline, Fluoxetine and escitalopeam first. When I was on it I was knocked out half an hour after taking it. Only problem was I still felt groggy in the morning, more so than with sleeping pills.

[Buce]

9 minutes ago, Harrydc said:

Sertraline hasn't worked made me feel like I was going crazy, got it changed and it's not doing much, the Doc is refusing to give me more zopoclone for my sleep so I tend to find myself drinking every night to knock me out .. any way to help this?

 

Go back to see your GP and discuss changing your meds. There are loads of different anti-depressants, it's often a case of trial and error to find one effective for you. Many of them also have a sedative effect which should aid your sleep issues. If there is one thing you don't want to be doing under these circumstances, it's drinking.

[Bryn]

On 03/02/2018 at 20:48, Kopfkino said:

A couple of articles that may be of interest to some, the first one more so:

 

https://theconversation.com/people-with-depression-use-language-differently-heres-how-to-spot-it-90877

 

https://aeon.co/ideas/we-need-ecstasy-and-opioids-in-place-of-prozac-and-xanax
 

As an aside, both sites provide some great reads almost every day.

 

I read the latter article. That's a disgustingly clickbaity title and I'm left wondering if the authors chose it because I'm not sure that's what they're arguing for.

 

I definitely agree that we need to pull back from blanket use of SSRIs as the weapon of choice for depression as the evidence isn't as conclusive as was thought. They're very useful for some people and counterproductive in others. I think part of the problem is what we label depression is actually a very homogenous condition. It's often multifactorial and could be viewed as a spectrum with people who have a very behaviour-centred illness and those who have very tangible chemical imbalances. Then you have those who have a reactive illness which in some cases it might be dismissive to describe them as a disorder; is it a disorder to suffer low mood, anxiety and sleep disturbance after a profound bereavement, is that necessarily pathological or is it a natural process through which society has become extremely poor at supporting people?

 

Decriminalisation of recreational drugs is a separate issue in many ways and one which needs far more research but I very much agree that restricting research because of personal views about drug taking is wrong, if evidence is needed and there is a chance of benefit then it must be pursued. I'd be incredibly wary of carpet bombing people with a load of other chemicals and I certainly don't like the notion that opioids are an effective treatment for anxiety.

Edited 12 February 2018 by Bryn
Grammar

[FoxesDeb]

18 minutes ago, Harrydc said:

Sertraline hasn't worked made me feel like I was going crazy, got it changed and it's not doing much, the Doc is refusing to give me more zopoclone for my sleep so I tend to find myself drinking every night to knock me out .. any way to help this?

I take Amitriptyline which is also prescribed to help sleep, so may be worth a try if your GP agrees? It's one of the older anti depressants but I know people also take it to help sleep. 

[Guest Harrydc]

Thanks guys, just got to the point where it's like i so badly want to feel normal again and live a normal life, I Spend as much time in the doctors than I do asleep probably haha.. just want my head cleared and a fresh start which is why I've decided to move away In a few Months and start a new life, I'm hoping it'll help me sort my head out.

[DJ Barry Hammond]

3 hours ago, Kopfkino said:

 

See if you can get put on mirtazapine. They normally prescribe it if you complain about sexual side effects of SSRIs, or that is the impression I got. Had to go through Citalopram, Sertraline, Fluoxetine and escitalopeam first. When I was on it I was knocked out half an hour after taking it. Only problem was I still felt groggy in the morning, more so than with sleeping pills.

 

@Harrydc

 

I had the mirtazapine perscribed for me over Christmas too and can confirm exactly what Knopf says, they knock you out no-end.

 

Initially I was relieved because I was having trouble sleeping, but the big problem with them I found was you’d wake up and spend the best part of the day in some sort of sleep walking yet fully conscious trance felling.

 

I couldn’t work out why that was helpful overall, so took myself off them quite quickly; but that’s partly because I’ve always considered my depression to be largely ‘situatuonal’ and so feel it won’t get better if i’m In no state to improve my situation. 

 

You may finding that the best drug to take is talking; I find caring looking randoms that i’m unlikely to see again are the best candidates to talk to. Yes chatting on here can help, but its no substitute for hearing and feeling the words physically come out from yourself.