Lets all be anxious/depressed together.

stupidusername

Elfinork wrote: »

This may sound a little odd but, is it possible for someone to be depressed for so long that the person may not even be aware of their depression?

I would consider myself to have quite a depressive personality i.e pessimistic, anxious, socially avoidant, socially inept etc. What i can't decide is whether these traits are indicative of someone with a negative mindset or actually the symptoms of long term depression.

I can function from day to day, i have a job that i'm quite good at but struggle in the social area's of life, plus i have zero enthusiasm for life and i'm really just going through the motions.. like some sort of android lol.

If anyone could help with this, thanks!

that's what my problem was too. as far as i'm concerned this is me. this is my personality. but the doctors described it as moderate depression, long term. i've tried arguing, especially when they ask how long i've been like this and I say as long as i can remember, but they don't listen. either that or it really is just long term depression. you'd of course have to go to your doctor about it, as no one here is qualified to say it is or isn't possible.

Elfinork

stupidusername wrote: »

that's what my problem was too. as far as i'm concerned this is me. this is my personality. but the doctors described it as moderate depression, long term. i've tried arguing, especially when they ask how long i've been like this and I say as long as i can remember, but they don't listen. either that or it really is just long term depression. you'd of course have to go to your doctor about it, as no one here is qualified to say it is or isn't possible.

ok, thanks! Do you take any med's for this condition. Do they work?

stupidusername

Elfinork wrote: »

ok, thanks! Do you take any med's for this condition. Do they work?

i'm on anti depressants, yes. these are my fifth ones, and i find them working for my anxiety a decent bit, not hugely for my depression though.

Sardonicat

I CAN'T SLEEP!:mad:

I've been on 20mg fluxotine (Prozac) since the end of July and they are working fine in terms of my depression but still causing problems with sleep.

I had sleepers at first wich I took with caution (i.e., not everynight in the week, etc.) on the understanding that the insomnia would wear off. Well, it hasn't. To make it worse, not only am I having difficulty falling asleep; when I do get off to sleep I can't stay asleep.

I don't want to come off these meds as they are working but I can't keep taking sleepers long term,nor do I want to. But, the effects of lack of sleep are starting to negate the positive effects of the fluxotine.

What to do?

stupidusername

what time of the day are you taking the prozac? would you consider switching to something else that may not have the same side effect?

Sardonicat

It makes no difference what time i take them. i've tried taking them at 6am for a few weeks, it made no difference.

Yes, i would consider changing, but, as you well know yourself, it's very hit and miss as to how well a med will work or even if you can tolerate it at all. If things don't start to improve after christmas I will query the possibility of trying a different med but I dread having to go through the first few weeks of adjusting, or it having an adverse effect on my mood which has been so good for months now. Still, I can'tgo on like this either, can I?

stupidusername

I know what you mean. it's a horrible thought to face changing the meds.

maybe your doctor could advise you on something like lowering the dose? the lower the dose the less significant the side effects.

Sardonicat

stupidusername wrote: »

I know what you mean. it's a horrible thought to face changing the meds.

maybe your doctor could advise you on something like lowering the dose? the lower the dose the less significant the side effects.

It might even be time to try coming off them altogether, really, it'll be 6 months next month. Afraid I can't go any lower. I'm on the lowest therapeutic dose atm. Which is why this is such a bummer: low dose, a few weeks of side effects and no other problems bar NO SLEEP.

stupidusername

that's terrible.i feel bad for you. your doctor might want you on them longer than 6 months, or it might be enough. talk to him/her about the problem and see what can be done.

starviewadams

Sardonicat wrote: »

I CAN'T SLEEP!:mad:

I've been on 20mg fluxotine (Prozac) since the end of July and they are working fine in terms of my depression but still causing problems with sleep.

I had sleepers at first wich I took with caution (i.e., not everynight in the week, etc.) on the understanding that the insomnia would wear off. Well, it hasn't. To make it worse, not only am I having difficulty falling asleep; when I do get off to sleep I can't stay asleep.

I don't want to come off these meds as they are working but I can't keep taking sleepers long term,nor do I want to. But, the effects of lack of sleep are starting to negate the positive effects of the fluxotine.

What to do?

When I was having problems sleeping when I was on Lustral last year the doc said he didn't want to give me sleepers because I'd probably end up hooked on them,so he prescribed me 60mg of a drug called phenergan instead,it's essentially an anti-histamine tablet with strong sedative qualities,it did the job for me and it's not addictive either.Whenever I have trouble sleeping on occasion I just take one and it knocks me out.

Worth mentioning to your doc maybe,nothing worse then insomnia!

nesf

starviewadams wrote: »

When I was having problems sleeping when I was on Lustral last year the doc said he didn't want to give me sleepers because I'd probably end up hooked on them,so he prescribed me 60mg of a drug called phenergan instead,it's essentially an anti-histamine tablet with strong sedative qualities,it did the job for me and it's not addictive either.Whenever I have trouble sleeping on occasion I just take one and it knocks me out.

Worth mentioning to your doc maybe,nothing worse then insomnia!

Yeah the only problem with Phenergan and Zispin is the propensity for daytime sedation. I have both in my press but can't take them as I need to be fairly alert tomorrow to look after the kids in the afternoon. That said, I've seen people on 100mg be bright and alert the morning after so it affects each person very differently.

Temaz

Im cutting down my sleeping pills. I have gone from Temazepam down to to two stilnoct at night. Best thing I could have done as Temazepam is highly addictive.

starviewadams

nesf wrote: »

Yeah the only problem with Phenergan and Zispin is the propensity for daytime sedation. I have both in my press but can't take them as I need to be fairly alert tomorrow to look after the kids in the afternoon. That said, I've seen people on 100mg be bright and alert the morning after so it affects each person very differently.

Yeah,they do tend to leave me in a bit of a daze for an hour or two when I get up actually.

stupidusername

i've had a pretty bad day.met my friend, but couldn't bring myself to be normal. he got it, and asked what was up. i did everything in my power to stop myself tearing up. I can't speak about these things without crying, and i hate crying in front of people.

i left him later to go get the bus, and some woman gave out to me over something, and i've been in tears since. i walked home and couldn't help crying the whole way.felt like throwing myself into the river.

been sitting in my room, in the dark for the past hour or so. i know when i got really down before i was on any tablets i used to get to this point, but when i examine my thoughts, there isn't anything specific getting to me, so i think it has to be the tablets. i've been thinking about going to my psych tomorrow to talk about them, but the more i think about it, the more i see that is pointless. what are they going to do, change them, reduce them or take me off? none of which is going to stop this.

i'll probably go i guess. i've calmed down since, so i'm back to the mood i've been in for the past few weeks - apathy and little movement.

nesf

starviewadams wrote: »

Yeah,they do tend to leave me in a bit of a daze for an hour or two when I get up actually.

Lasts all day for me with Zispin, only a few hours with Phenergan.

Temaz

Bit down today but surviving.

jammstarr

Temaz wrote: »

Bit down today but surviving.

It hits me every few days like that. Anything in particular at ya man?

Temaz

jammstarr wrote: »

It hits me every few days like that. Anything in particular at ya man?

Nah just a bad day but cheers for asking! Where I am now is a lot better than where I was a few months ago. Hope everyone in here is doing ok!!

RubyXI

Had a horrible day. And I wanted it to be a happy day as its the last day before the holidays but it was horrible. All people excited about going for drinks and just everything. Hiding till the new year. Which won't be hard coz i don't know anyone.

stupidusername

after my horrible day yesterday, I decided to go to my psych about my dosage. the whole building was locked up. what a surprise with the system we have. had to go to my doctor about something else anyway, so I said i'd go to talk to her about it instead.

there's a chance they're just not open wednesdays. i've only ever had appointments on tuesday or thursday, so i'll go back in the morning and see.

my doctor asked lots of questions. stupid questions. at one point i was trying not to burst out crying, when she started telling me that having suicidal thoughts is a sign that the medication is working. i said that i rarely had these thoughts when i wasn't on medication. she just argues everything with me. she said she has it on record that i said last time that i was feeling ok. i wanted to tell her that i hate admitting this stuff out loud, and so sometimes i lie about how i am.

she wrote me a letter, to go to the casualty psychiatrist in the Mater. she said i should go tonight. but i'm not going. i'm going to try my psych again tomorrow for talking about my dose etc. if i get bad again i can go then.

i asked is it normal to have to wait 8 months for therapy, she said yeah definitely.

starviewadams

Jeez that doc sounds like a right cow,amazing how bad some GP's still are in regards to mental health issues.

I was waiting about 9 months or so to hear back about group therapy so hopefully you won't be waiting much longer.

Hope the psych doc building is open for you tomorrow!

stupidusername

I'm wary of asking this as when people ask me how I am, I just burst into tears, but I am wondering how you're doing starview? feel free to ignore if it's easier not to answer

jammstarr

Christ that doctor sounds like she has no cop on at all.

starviewadams

stupidusername wrote: »

I'm wary of asking this as when people ask me how I am, I just burst into tears, but I am wondering how you're doing starview? feel free to ignore if it's easier not to answer

I don't mind at all.

I'm not really sure how I'm doing at the moment,if that makes any sense?

Some days I feel pretty ok and life is fairly bearable,then most other days I don't have the energy get out of bed and spend the whole day sobbing,I'm not even sure what it is I'm sobbing at either which makes me feel quite pathetic, and sometimes to contemplate suicide.

The psych switched me out from citalopram to efexxor last week so hopefully they'll have an effect soon,otherwise Christmas will be quite gloomy.

stupidusername

jammstarr wrote: »

Christ that doctor sounds like she has no cop on at all.

Do you think? I wasn't sure what to make of it.

starviewadams wrote: »

I don't mind at all.

I'm not really sure how I'm doing at the moment,if that makes any sense?

Some days I feel pretty ok and life is fairly bearable,then most other days I don't have the energy get out of bed and spend the whole day sobbing,I'm not even sure what it is I'm sobbing at either which makes me feel quite pathetic, and sometimes to contemplate suicide.

The psych switched me out from citalopram to efexxor last week so hopefully they'll have an effect soon,otherwise Christmas will be quite gloomy.

yeah that makes sense. hate when i've to do a review for a doctor. i haven't the memory to remember the past few months like.

When you're upset do you find it's usually at nothing specific, or is it usually something in particular? I found myself just upset yesterday, over nothing exactly, but still very upset. I thought it was odd for me.

are you still working in that basement office? how's that going?

starviewadams

Working on and off in the office still,they're quite understanding in fairness,but it just feels like everybody is walking on eggshells whenever I'm in there.Can't blame them really I suppose.

I'm mostly upset at nothing in particular,and that kind of makes feel even more upset/pathetic because I don't know why I'm feeling so bad.That also makes it quite hard to explain it to the docs as-well.The only time I was upset at something specific in the last few months was when I bumped into my ex and her boyfriend in the local shop and it brought back memories of better times with her.

stupidusername

it is really helpful to work in a place where they take it into consideration.

I've been wondering myself if the being upset at nothing is to do with medication. I feel like it might be. don't feel stupid over it. it's not like it's something you can stop.

saa

In my final year of my degree.
When my mood is good I don't care about work.
When my mood is down I concentrate on work to distract me.

Don't care about college or career atm, especially since the post grad funding was pulled, just don't see the point, I feel like I'll never get anywhere or that I don't want to be in this stressful situation (final year) so I've just drifted away and couldn't care anymore.

starviewadams

stupidusername wrote: »

it is really helpful to work in a place where they take it into consideration.

I've been wondering myself if the being upset at nothing is to do with medication. I feel like it might be. don't feel stupid over it. it's not like it's something you can stop.

Mention it to your psych I suppose and see what he/she thinks,they might change you dose or medication.

Before I started on medication I would get upset over stupid little things that most other people wouldn't even notice,(If I did something I perceived to be stupid in public/work/with friends etc)so the meds have improved me in that respect I suppose.

stupidusername

starviewadams wrote: »

Mention it to your psych I suppose and see what he/she thinks,they might change you dose or medication.

Before I started on medication I would get upset over stupid little things that most other people wouldn't even notice,(If I did something I perceived to be stupid in public/work/with friends etc)so the meds have improved me in that respect I suppose.

that's what i'm saying about me also... of course you have the tiny things upsetting you,same here, but just last night there was nothing. when I've pms, that's what i'm like also, just upset with no reason. so it just feels weird. maybe it's the meds for you too