LETS ALL LAUGH AT PEOPLE WITH DEPRESSION!!

PTH2009

suffer from huge amounts of depression. When i have it im totally useless, i cant sleep, eat, play playstation all i want to do is try and sleep so the day will be over. Had a tramatic year Broke up with my girlfriend in jan (complete no contact with her), made and lost friends, almost lost my job and im going through withdrawl symthoms from college (finished in may and decided not to go back)

Was on medication but somehow it made it worse (doctor told me it wasant the medication but reading up online about it was a different story

would get depressed if for example i had 2 or 3 days off from work, a meeting or a class was cancelled, applyed for 2 night courses and both were cancelled :(.

sometimes in life you want an escape, when ur concidering sucide part of you head says 'sure my family and friends will be sad but they will get over me', and you almost forget about everyone thats love you. Committing suicide creates the question of WHAT COULD WE HAVE DONE ? , a lot of ifs and buts by parents,partners, friends etc

Its so hard going into a job depressed, trying to do a college course.

Im 24 now and single so its not all happy days for me so hopefully a new job and possibly a new partner will be around the corner

Call Me Jimmy

When you are at the desperation of contemplating suicide it is good to remember what the panoramic perception of childhood was like and to think that it is only society that has influenced you not to have that, that freedom.

The thing is if you stick around, yes you have to go through pain but if you go through enough of it it opens up new 'doors of perception'.

You are class, all the class things you were as a child are still there, just repressed. I'm going bald, something that was a 'deal-breaker' for me. You say you are just out of a relationship about half a year ago, I am with you - 1 and a half years. The painful thing for me was not the ending of the relationship but the possibility of no others in the future. I assume this is your worry because if it is not you have a lot of good things coming to you. If it is, to be honest you could have a lot of pain ahead. But what is pain except a learning a device?

Remember who you are, I don't mean mental identification but pure life beating through you. As you can tell I am mildly high but I think it will still stand in low moments. No matter how low a moment, given time it passes, it cannot but. If it continues uninterrupted until you die I would be very surprised, as I guess would you. It cannot. Peaks and troughs are the universal language. If you feel really bad, concentrate on feeling physically good. That is a solid foundation.

I used to invest in other people 'what if we didn't break up' etc. and it is an indulgence like fast-food or anything else. When you are 68 years old, because you probably will be one day, will you think about this person? No. Because you will have healed and moved on.

Best of luck to you. Time will wait for no man.

EDIT: I would also abdicate a break from work/college at the next opportunity. It serves no purpose to put yourself under any more pressure than you have to. Get the fundamental cogs turning, once they are, work won't be work in the way that was before.

Chrisita

Homer, have you ever thought that you might have some vitamin deficiencies or mineral imbalances. I dont believe that many of our symptoms are anything more than physical deficits. Do some research about vitamin deficiencies, many of them lead to depression, anxiety insomnia etc. This is probably your body, not your head. I am speaking from experience, for years I was suicidal and although I am still a tired person, the belief that I would one day take my life, is gladly over. Crap happens to us all ,and for many of us ,our bodies are too weak and depleted to cope. Another vital issue is avoiding sugar. Try a new approach and try to reclaim your self. Combined with some psychological support could help you find your way back. Do you have a pet? they can be great for us.

K-9

Millicent wrote: »

Man, I shouldn't drink. I am all but recovered from depression these days but a few drinks really brings out my self-destructive streak and the fear that follows for days after puts me right back into the depths of my worst depression...

Jesus, I don't know why I put myself through that.

Finding it hard myself as well, I'd be a habitual drinker, wouldn't get shakes or physical cravings or stuff like that thank God, but when I'm really down I want the comfort of a drink, bottle of wine or a few cans. Went through a phase of drinking vodka at home and at least had the sense to knock that on the head.

Was seeing an alcohol counsellor and we'd agreed to see if I could reduce my intake, I don't think that works for me, I'm very much an all or nothing type of guy. I've gone a few weeks without a drink, feel great, don't really miss it that much and still end up back at it, maybe 5/6 days in a row drinking.

I don't really get headache hangovers, more grogginess, so when it comes to that evening I'm thinking about the nice feeling alcohol gives that cures the fuzziness, not thinking about the logical vicious circle that it ends up in feeling like crap in the morning.

Had a meeting with the mental health team this week. Funnily enough the locum remarked that I seem a logical thinker, which I am, give me a political situation and I tend to look at it from a common sense, rounded point of view. My own personal mental health and logic escapes me, beating myself up over the past, stuff I can't change and ignoring the future, stuff I can influence.

K-9

DeVore wrote: »

Kauto, you'll get back there. Each time I get a bout now its easier to deal with. Cognitive Behavourial Therapy really helped me see things from "the outside" and put them in perspective. Its no cure but every time you beat it, you learn a little more about HOW you beat it and eventually, you'll have it in an arm lock and while it never goes away, it becomes a lot less trouble

Same for you Jimmy, you now know that the sunshine is there, you know you can find your way to it now.You did before and you will again. You can make the transition from "I'm a victim having a good day" to "I'm a person having a bad one" . You'll find ways to return to the light.
Hard to explain, but thats been my experience!

I got put down on the list for CBT, the locum I was seeing is a big fan (she's a hottie too). After 7/8 years of depression and putting of meds I finally succumbed, nothing else has worked, friend, family, work, myself. Time to give the meds a go properly this time. Tried them once before for a couple of months but ditched them, sure I was drinking a bottle of wine every evening, what chance did they have?

CBT sounds great and would be my long term goal, seems like brain training to me, understand what the brain is doing when it is depressed and try to think logically.

I'm sick of feeling depressed, the psychiatrist went through the list of things before prescribing the drugs, low self esteem, confidence, enthusiasm, confidence, sex drive. Ticking the same boxes as 7/8 years ago. When I'm feeling good I'm quite outgoing and confident and easy going

As the locum said though, I know all this, I've gone through this time and time again in my mind.....................

glass_onion

K-9 wrote: »

Time to give the meds a go properly this time. Tried them once before for a couple of months but ditched them, sure I was drinking a bottle of wine every evening, what chance did they have?

Hi. i am sorry to hear what you are going through.i have been on many meds and the process at times can be trial and error.One med might suit one person but another may not.There are many out there.Of course talk therapy can be good too.So can be a distraction like exercise/reading/tv. i think you should give yourself praise and courage for talking openly about this.

delthedriver

glass_onion wrote: »

Hi. i am sorry to hear what you are going through.i have been on many meds and the process at times can be trial and error.One med might suit one person but another may not.There are many out there.Of course talk therapy can be good too.So can be a distraction like exercise/reading/tv. i think you should give yourself praise and courage for talking openly about this.

Well done glass-onion. Very good post.!:)

murria

Hi everyone, just to let you know there is another meetup planned, details as follows.

Date: Saturday 7th December 2013

Time: 15.00

Venue: Octagon Bar, Clarence Hotel, Wellington Quay, Dublin 2.

I will remind everyone nearer the date. Look forward to seeing everyone.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Call Me Jimmy

It's horrible isn't it? Feeling it come on, falling into the pit as you say. Best I try to do is make bed down there. Make it a comfortable little hole at least!

delthedriver

Chrisita wrote: »

Homer, have you ever thought that you might have some vitamin deficiencies or mineral imbalances. I dont believe that many of our symptoms are anything more than physical deficits. Do some research about vitamin deficiencies, many of them lead to depression, anxiety insomnia etc. This is probably your body, not your head. I am speaking from experience, for years I was suicidal and although I am still a tired person, the belief that I would one day take my life, is gladly over. Crap happens to us all ,and for many of us ,our bodies are too weak and depleted to cope. Another vital issue is avoiding sugar. Try a new approach and try to reclaim your self. Combined with some psychological support could help you find your way back. Do you have a pet? they can be great for us.

Interesting post. Well done!

I commenced Centrum plus recently, have not noticed any difference yet, however I will report back on progress:)

delthedriver

Phoenix wrote: »

Falling back into the pit.....

What are you doing to avoid falling into the pit? GP? Meds? Counselling?

Exercise? Diet?...........................?:)

murria

http://www.independent.ie/opinion/columnists/eoghan-harris/eoghan-harris-my-way-out-of-the-dark-wood-29637610.html

Chrisita

Delthedriver, Multivitamins are rarely effective for us. For example, I must avoid folic acid and copper and multis usually contain these. Many depressed people benefit greatly from folic acid. We are all biochemically unique. I suggest trying one vitamin or mineral at a time, for a few weeks, after researching each one and considering other symptoms we have, that may be totally unrelated to depression.

DeVore

Its hard to tell the dancer from the dance sometimes. Sometimes I feel stressed and strained and I know that its not depression but its the sort of thing that could lead to it if I dont maintain a discipline around it. So, a good nights sleep and good food is excellent for me, but its not necessarily the cure for depression. Everyone is different. That said, I reckon everyone can do with a little more exercise and healthy food in their life.

Can wait for that next meetup btw!

Call Me Jimmy

Yea Devore, glad that you are keeping on top of things It is strange to even expect a good feeling of well-being without a relatively healthy diet and moderate exercise!

Also looking forward to the meetup immensely, as in the past week I am gaining confidence in my own ability to find well-being. Normally I wouldn't even expect to be going on a night out until literally the moments before it will be too late to decide, but I am beginning to think I can see myself going to the meetup even with it being a long time away.

It's the first time I've had that feeling about something I didn't absolutely have to go to in a very long time. Probably not since my teens.

delthedriver

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Yea Devore, glad that you are keeping on top of things It is strange to even expect a good feeling of well-being without a relatively healthy diet and moderate exercise!

Also looking forward to the meetup immensely, as in the past week I am gaining confidence in my own ability to find well-being. Normally I wouldn't even expect to be going on a night out until literally the moments before it will be too late to decide, but I am beginning to think I can see myself going to the meetup even with it being a long time away.

It's the first time I've had that feeling about something I didn't absolutely have to go to in a very long time. Probably not since my teens.

CMJ,

Well done! You are making great progress. Keep up the good work.

Best Regards,

Del

murria

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Yea Devore, glad that you are keeping on top of things It is strange to even expect a good feeling of well-being without a relatively healthy diet and moderate exercise!

Also looking forward to the meetup immensely, as in the past week I am gaining confidence in my own ability to find well-being. Normally I wouldn't even expect to be going on a night out until literally the moments before it will be too late to decide, but I am beginning to think I can see myself going to the meetup even with it being a long time away.

It's the first time I've had that feeling about something I didn't absolutely have to go to in a very long time. Probably not since my teens.

My day got off to a shaky start, burnt my hand and the cat threw up before I left the house. However, this post has put the biggest smile on my face.

There is a noticeable change Jimmy, your hard work is reaping rewards.

mickstupp

Shorter days aren't helping. Neither are grey clouds.
I'll soon be back to looking up pictures of blue skies and sunrises on the internet.
When my face feels heavy it's not a good sign. Maybe that sounds odd...

Wanderer2010

Does anyone else feel that sometimes you are the only one who doesnt like Mondays? I know its sounds silly but almost every Monday my workplace is filled with people smiling and laughing about what they got up to the weekend. There doesnt seem to be any room for someone who is struggling and finding it very hard to get out of bed and even do your work properly. I know some of them may be putting on a front but it sure seems like depression is the minority some days....

TeddyTedson

Did anyone see Ireland AM. That Cavan lad could have been me talking! I've done the same things, hear voices telling me to kill myself and have thought about crashing my car on the way to work.
It's the voices in my head that drive me insane. I'd love to be able to get some peace, even now I can barely type because there's so much noise in there.
I think I'm making it worse by posting here.

Kauto0709

mickstupp wrote: »

Shorter days aren't helping. Neither are grey clouds.
I'll soon be back to looking up pictures of blue skies and sunrises on the internet.
When my face feels heavy it's not a good sign. Maybe that sounds odd...

I find the winters very hard too. The dark, the cold....

delthedriver

Wanderer2010 wrote: »

Does anyone else feel that sometimes you are the only one who doesnt like Mondays? I know its sounds silly but almost every Monday my workplace is filled with people smiling and laughing about what they got up to the weekend. There doesnt seem to be any room for someone who is struggling and finding it very hard to get out of bed and even do your work properly. I know some of them may be putting on a front but it sure seems like depression is the minority some days....

25% of the population suffer from depression. Therefore if there are a total of
8 people in your workspace, one of your colleagues may well be suffering from Depression too. This is a pretty awful statistic. You are not alone. Well done on posting here.What are you doing about your Depression?:)

delthedriver

Kauto0709 wrote: »

I find the winters very hard too. The dark, the cold....

The Irish winter weather does not help.

Purchase a lightbox from the internet €60 approx, reproduces natural light you need:)

delthedriver

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Did anyone see Ireland AM. That Cavan lad could have been me talking! I've done the same things, hear voices telling me to kill myself and have thought about crashing my car on the way to work.
It's the voices in my head that drive me insane. I'd love to be able to get some peace, even now I can barely type because there's so much noise in there.
I think I'm making it worse by posting here.

You are not making it worse by posting here, you are at least getting the thoughts out of your head. Well done!
I did not see the TV programme, however I would urge you please, to meet with your GP at your earliest convenience.
Kindest wishes,
D

delthedriver

mickstupp wrote: »

Shorter days aren't helping. Neither are grey clouds.
I'll soon be back to looking up pictures of blue skies and sunrises on the internet.
When my face feels heavy it's not a good sign. Maybe that sounds odd...

A lightbox may help, alternatively a winter break in Lanzarote or similar will help you get the necessary sunshine you need. See it as an investment in your health. It isn't all about sangria!

The shorter days are probably much more noticeable this year considering the wonderful summer we had.

Think about it, why do people from Scandinavian countries head to Spain etc . for a week or two during the winter. Their daylight hours in the winter are even fewer than ours.

Be kind to yourself

Best wishes

D

Call Me Jimmy

murria wrote: »

My day got off to a shaky start, burnt my hand and the cat threw up before I left the house. However, this post has put the biggest smile on my face.

There is a noticeable change Jimmy, your hard work is reaping rewards.

Murria, honey on that burn if possible. Will speed up it's recovery significantly. Just rub a bit over it. If you can't have sticky hands then put it on for a few minutes and rinse with water.

murria

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Murria, honey on that burn if possible. Will speed up it's recovery significantly. Just rub a bit over it. If you can't have sticky hands then put it on for a few minutes and rinse with water.

Thank you Doctor Jimmy, I'd totally forgotten about the healing properties of honey.

murria

TeddyTedson wrote: »

Did anyone see Ireland AM. That Cavan lad could have been me talking! I've done the same things, hear voices telling me to kill myself and have thought about crashing my car on the way to work.
It's the voices in my head that drive me insane. I'd love to be able to get some peace, even now I can barely type because there's so much noise in there.
I think I'm making it worse by posting here.

Thanks for that, I just watched it there on the TV3 website, isn't it great that he is prepared to speak about it publicly. I hope that you will be inspired by his message and that you will seek help (if you haven't already).

I think you are doing the right thing posting on here, there is great support. There have been some great posts recently between this thread and the one on Long Term Illness. Call Me Jimmy posted some very useful tips yesterday that might help you finding a little "head space". Devore gave some excellent advice about looking after our basic requirements, the mnemonic he used was HALT - hunger, anger, loneliness and tiredness. So simple but so important, that's how we would soothe a screaming baby, we aren't so different as adults. Delthedriver, has advised us to get out, notice the beauty of nature and stay in the moment and most importantly to be kind to ourselves. And of course, there are the wonderful inspiring stories of people who have been where you are and are now standing in the sunshine.

Keep talking to us, it is possible to get through this.

PS: I love your username.

murria

Lot of talk on here about the weather today. Autumn is well upon us now and I think it's no coincidence that the Irish Independent and TV3 are both running features on mental health this week, its the start of the season!

While we can't do anything to change the seasons, we can possibly change the way we think about them a little. As the days get shorter we should maximise our exposure to what natural daylight is available, so even if you only have a 10 minute break in your day get out and get some of it. Also, feeling the wind and the rain on your face can be very bracing and uplifting, get on the rain jackets and wellies and walk. Do I even need to mention the fabulous colours out there?

Don't forget to look out for Time to Talk on TV3 and Mind Yourself in the Indo.