Daggers Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 This week is Depression Awareness Week. One in five people will suffer from depression; I'll spare you my personal story and that of close family but I can attest to its very real and threatening nature. I'm more than happy to talk openly in this thread or by PM if anybody needs to. Leicestershire and Northants NHS don't seem to be aware of the awareness week, unlike a number of other regions, but I've listed some other places you may wish to seek support if you need it. If you live with someone who is suffering from depression you can also find support out there as well. MIND: A resource for counselling and much more. The website also includes volumes of information, advice and blogs of others suffering. It is comforting to touch base with others who have felt or are feeling the same as you. http://www.mind.org.uk/blog/3283 The Depression Alliance: Information, support, advice http://www.depressionalliance.org/how-we-can-help/depression-awareness-week.php Meets alternate Tuesdays in Leicester city centre DA head office - 0845 1232320 Monday to Friday 10.00 am to 8.00 pm [email protected] The Black Dog Tribe: Advice, support, awareness http://www.blackdogtribe.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MattP Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rincewind Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 Stan Collymore does a lot of twitters on the subject. Think he heads a charity for it. May explain why he seems to be rattled sometimes. But he is aware of it and has helped others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 23 April 2012 Author Share Posted 23 April 2012 Stan Collymore does a lot of twitters on the subject. Think he heads a charity for it. May explain why he seems to be rattled sometimes. But he is aware of it and has helped others. His help is mainly aimed at professional football players and other sports people, although he remains supportive to sufferers as a whole. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James. Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 Really important to raise awareness. Still too many people who don't understand - from my experience this includes the older "pull your socks up and get on with it" generation and the younger "just attention seeking, everyone gets a bit sad" generation. I've seen it with close family and friends and although I've never been depressed I've fought my own demons over the years primarily in the form of anxiety. I think being open and honest about these problems helps to break down any taboos and is in itself its own form of counselling. One thing I've been looking into more and more recently is Mindfulness which combines meditation and cognitive behavioural therapy into a very powerful tool that can help combat depression, anxiety and stress. Have linked the most prominent book in the field below and would recommend it to anyone looking for a medication free approach to a more peaceful life. http://www.amazon.co...c/dp/074995308X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acooling08 Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 Am I depressed or just a miserable bastard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Finnegan Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 Am I depressed or just a miserable bastard? A lot of depressed people won't come across as particularly miserable at all. You may know, and when you get older this will definitely be the case, more than one person who is depressed and you won't even realise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 23 April 2012 Author Share Posted 23 April 2012 A lot of depressed people won't come across as particularly miserable at all. You may know, and when you get older this will definitely be the case, more than one person who is depressed and you won't even realise. Thank you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bellend Sebastian Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 I pretty much lost a big chunk of a decade of my adult life to it. If I knew then what I know now I think my life would probably have been quite different. Not necessarily better, like, but certainly different. Would have been nice if I'd a) taken it more seriously sooner and b) realised that stuff can be done about it. It's a perfectly normal thing to be though, despite the stigma that's still crazily attached to it for a lot of people. I meet people who are clearly struggling with sad regularity, and will they admit, will they ever - it's easier to deny it and carry on regardless, and trust me, if you're not careful you can lose years to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
21st Century Fox Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 It still shocks me how disproportionate treatment and education for depression is. It speaks volumes how disproportionate it is that some people still think of it in terms of hypochondria or attention seeking, when in reality the majority of sufferers never tell anyone about it and become very good at covering it (usually to their own detriment). The best thing way I can think to describe it to anyone who may think it's a made up illness because it has no visual symptoms, is to think of your worst, crappiest day, probably multiply it a few times, then be confused, annoyed and probably a bit ashamed of yourself for not knowing why you feel like that, when in all likelihood nothing significant happened to make that day bad. And that's very simplified. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Doctor Posted 23 April 2012 Share Posted 23 April 2012 It still shocks me how disproportionate treatment and education for depression is. It speaks volumes how disproportionate it is that some people still think of it in terms of hypochondria or attention seeking, when in reality the majority of sufferers never tell anyone about it and become very good at covering it (usually to their own detriment). The best thing way I can think to describe it to anyone who may think it's a made up illness because it has no visual symptoms, is to think of your worst, crappiest day, probably multiply it a few times, then be confused, annoyed and probably a bit ashamed of yourself for not knowing why you feel like that, when in all likelihood nothing significant happened to make that day bad. And that's very simplified. You could easily extend that to mental illnesses in general, for instance a fair few people still seem to regard dyslexia/dyscalculia sufferers as just "a bit thick". We really fall down in teaching people about mental illnesses, even more so in actually helping people cope with such issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 26 April 2012 Author Share Posted 26 April 2012 How social media is supporting people with depression Online communities enable people to talk, share experiences and recognise that they are not alone, says Dr Tim Anstiss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raj Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 On a very serious note,my mum had depression many years ago when we moved house. It may just seem a trivial thing like moving house but something triggered her mind that she hated our new house. Anyway to cut a long story short it affecetd the whole family as we didnt know how to deal with it. Issues with the mind are always very har to deal with as there is no visible injury unlike say a broken leg. Its very very hard living and trying to help someone with depression Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 26 April 2012 Author Share Posted 26 April 2012 The awareness week ends tomorrow but it's my lad's birthday and I don't want to dwell of negatives so I'm going to sign off from the thread with this post tonight: Over the years I have experienced emotional highs and lows, all part and parcel of life - so I thought. Everyone gets problems, right? Everyone gets pissed off now and then, right? ...I've spent a lifetime bottling things up and trying to simply carry on, trying to "be strong" and to man-up to everything when it all went tits. From when I was abused by my clarinet teacher in my parents' bedroom every week to being assaulted by the owner of a clothes shop in the changing room...from the low expectations, the dysfunctional family and the increasingly frequent fallings out with employers to homelessness, unemployment, alcohol, substances and ever more increasing confrontations with the world. If there was a crack in my life I would paper over it as I rode an out of control roller coaster of my own making. Until January. Until I collapsed in tears onto the floor at work; the next morning I couldn't leave the village - my chest clamped tight, my heart was racing, nausea, flushes and fear. By Christ did I feel fear! Before the end of the month I was catatonic and diagnosed with (manic) bi-polar depression...the signs of which were all too evident looking back across my life. Before February was out I had resumed cutting, something I'd not done since my teens, and attempted suicide. I showed a whole list of phobias and existed within a very dark space - I can only imagine what my wife and kids felt. People cried when they met me, I knew nothing but numbness and emptiness. My medications have been constantly changed throughout the last four months, each time giving me more side-effects, but I am finally at a stage (thanks to my cocktail of medicines and my counselling) where I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. An amazing number of friends have opened up about their personal daemons and their (or a relation) history with mental illness - and that helped so much. I'm not posting this for any sympathy, I'm being open about this for one reason: depression effects between 20-25% of the population in lesser or greater amounts...which in turn means that a big number of people who read this forum are suffering...and can have a devastating effect on the lives the disease touches. I'm posting this because, if you are suffering, I want to say that things get better. I'm not there yet by any means but my dark moments have shrunk to hours rather than weeks and I'm starting to do "normal" things as often as I can again. I'm posting this because, if you are suffering, I want to say that there are people out there who can and will help you - including me, whatever that's worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webbo Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 That was a surprisingly frank and very brave post Dags. I don't really know what to add. Best of luck with your struggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 26 April 2012 Author Share Posted 26 April 2012 Best of luck with your struggle. It was all Thatcher's fault. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webbo Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 Goes without saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James. Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 Wow. I wish you all the very best Dave. Can I ask what type of counselling you've had? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saxondale Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 Thank you for being so frank and open mate, I greatly admire that fact that you've altruistically shared this. As is the case with all mental issues, there is some comfort in knowing that you're not alone. I hope all continues to improve for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 26 April 2012 Author Share Posted 26 April 2012 Wow. I wish you all the very best Dave. Can I ask what type of counselling you've had? As a civil service employee I was entitled to two sets of six sessions with Relate, which is ending now and entailed me just sitting there for half of them - but just being able to get to the place was an achievement. As I've been able to open up we've just chatted and examined the inter-related nature of things and worked on me accepting that I am not to blame for the major incidents in my past and learning to forgive myself; this has been straightforward counselling. Obviously I'm not trying to say nothing in my past has been my fault, I'm pretty sure I have 50% of the responsibility for winding up Poynton Blue. I have had twice weekly, weekly and now fortnightly meeting with mental health nurses & the doc. Next month I will be beginning cognitive behavioural therapy at my local surgery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AoWW Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 Bloody hell, Dave, I had no idea. It's not often I'm speechless but I really don't know what to say. What a brave post. I'm sure you've countless people to talk to, but I'm always here if you want to talk... you know how to find me, even if you disappear from FT again in the future. I'm not naturally a touchy-feely person, but there's never been a bigger or more heartfelt hug than this one... {{{{{{hug}}}}}} And Happy Birthday to 'A'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daggers Posted 26 April 2012 Author Share Posted 26 April 2012 Bloody hell, Dave, I had no idea. It's not often I'm speechless but I really don't know what to say. What a brave post. I'm sure you've countless people to talk to, but I'm always here if you want to talk... you know how to find me, even if you disappear from FT again in the future. I'm not naturally a touchy-feely person, but there's never been a bigger or more heartfelt hug than this one... {{{{{{hug}}}}}} And Happy Birthday to 'A'. It's not brave - that's stuff brave people do everyday like leaping into flaming buildings, rescuing fallen comrades under fire or not booing whenever Gallagher's name is mentioned. It's awareness week, it could happen to somebody reading this thread and if this can help them in any way then it's done it's job - and I felt it needed me to be honest and open. But thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shen Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 I really commend your effort Daggers. I can imagine how brutal an experience it's been for you and everyone else suffering from such severe depressions. It's always enlightening to hear stories about the illness and how it affects one. Would you care to share how your friends and close ones dealt with the whole situation? I'm asking because I'm on the verge of finding out whether or not my dad suffers from depression (the symptoms are striking) and I'm quite terrified of the consequences it might have for him. I wouldn't know how to deal with it or how to prevent him falling deeper into the mire and ultimately attempt suicide like you did. I'm happy and very relieved for you and especially for your son that you didn't succeed. Hope he had a great birthday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfox Posted 26 April 2012 Share Posted 26 April 2012 Brave post Daggers, something like that can be hard to tell. Only just came across this thread, and as depression has ran through my family before I thought i'd have a look. My mum has it on and off and has been a long sufferer of it, can have good months then a few days feeling really low, but one point when I was at secondary school she had depression really bad, probably the worst time in my life, that's how bad it can affect the person and their family. It can affect people in different ways some bad some not so bad, but whoever has experienced it or has it, can of course get help some of course find it harder than others to seek it but it does help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoneDog Posted 27 April 2012 Share Posted 27 April 2012 That was a ruddy brave post Daggers even if you don't say so yourself and I'm sure that it will help somebody in some way. I'm staggered. For some reason I'd assumed that you have lived a busy life full of roses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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