I'm in a mess.....

[shelbell]

Hi woppy. I've been dealing with major depression for 7 years. No meds seem to help, then I talked with my counselor and psychiatrist more in detail and they determined that I was also Bipolar. I've done a lot of research on Bipolar and man do you have the symptoms of it! Try going to this website and doing a search on Bipolar and they have questions to answer and then talk over with your doctor. I use this site a lot!!

www.webmd.com

Hope you feel better soon.

[minks]

Originally Posted by shelbell

Hi woppy. I've been dealing with major depression for 7 years. No meds seem to help, then I talked with my counselor and psychiatrist more in detail and they determined that I was also Bipolar. I've done a lot of research on Bipolar and man do you have the symptoms of it! Try going to this website and doing a search on Bipolar and they have questions to answer and then talk over with your doctor. I use this site a lot!!

www.webmd.com

Hope you feel better soon.

I was thinking on the same lines as shelbell....

Also woppy from my past experience I found exercise helped to settle me, even like odie said some good cleansing walks.

Take some time to play with your son and really tell yourself to play... get down with him into the dirt and enjoy his world from his view.

I tell ya woppy when I feel that cloud roll in my best defense is to see that crazy little grand son of mine. At 47 it feels great to lie on the grass in the leaves and look up at the sky with him.... no better therapy.

I wish you luck mate, I hope you keep in touch with those here who are going through the similar situation.

PS remember humans weren't meant to take on the world alone, lean on others, and think about those questions Hoss asked? Maybe you are pressuring yourself too much???

[Patsy Warnick]

AAAHH Minks
I'm 51 - I knew we'd be friends...

Woppy

Exercise is a plus - just a walk in the Park with your kids, push 'em on a swing.
feel a breeze - how wonderful.

Woppy
you will keep us posted - new job? new adventure?

we want you to enjoy life, be happy & be playful..
Good luck HUG'S
Patsy

[minks]

Originally Posted by Patsy Warnick

AAAHH Minks
I'm 51 - I knew we'd be friends...

Woppy

Exercise is a plus - just a walk in the Park with your kids, push 'em on a swing.
feel a breeze - how wonderful.

Woppy
you will keep us posted - new job? new adventure?

we want you to enjoy life, be happy & be playful..
Good luck HUG'S
Patsy

You betcha PW.

Hey woppy something I forgot, when my Dr told me I had depression she told me to try and avoid the news on TV and reading the newspaper and I found that helped me as well. You know news reports so many glum stories it's no wonder we sag emotionally all that negativity force fed to us daily is not a good thing. I really believe this helped me alot. I kind of embarase the ostrich with the head buried in the sand approach.
Embrase what makes you feel good

[jones jones]

hey hoppy ... i have suffered from chronic depression for about eight years now ...
a while bad i tried to end it all in a carbon mononxide filled automobile ... but dumbass Jj couldn't even do that properly!

so "when the black dog visits" (my euphemism for when my depression is really really bad) .. i just concentrate on the moment ... i waste no energy worrying about yesterday because even if i paid a million dollars i couldn't change one word of what happened in the past and i dismiss tomorrow from my mind as the same thing applies ... so i put all my energy on that which i do have a measure of control over ... this moment ... this instant ... now ...

even a dumbass like me can get thru now!

hang in there man!

Jj

[Milly]

Originally Posted by woppy71

Well, I've never posted anything like this before on here, but I feel as I've been around here, on and off for a few years now, I now feel comfortable with getting this out in the open.

For the last five years or so, I've suffered with depression of varying degrees of seriousness from mild to moderate, but I have just been diagnosed today with severe depression and have been put back on the medication (Fluoxetine) that I was originally taking three years ago.

The medication did help the first time around, mainly with feelings of extreme anxiety. It also helped with the feelings of uslessness and sadness, but after six months I felt as though I was getting better, so I came of the meds. that lasted for about a year, then I went back on to it fortwo months, but again stopped when I thought I was better. I also had some councelling at the time, which helped my with my anxiety.

So, about a year and a half on from that now and I am all over the place. Depression, anxiety, emptiness, mood swings, infact I fell so messed up that I wouldn't know where to start in describing how I feel. I feel so anxious about going to work, even though I have one of the easiest jobs you coukld wish for ( I work nights, which is really quiet). I get bored at work very easily.

I have very great difficulties in concentrating on anything for very long and also find it hard to stick at things for any length of time. I have been told by various people that I am very intelligent and I suppose I do have a way with "getting to grips" with difficult stuff or concepts.

I often seek quick fixes to make me happy, such as spending money (which we havn't got) on things, which make me feel better, for a short period of time.

The very, VERY worst thins is that I am nasty to my family some times. Not pyshically or vindictive, i just lose my temper and sometimes say things I don't mean or I am overly critical. That breaks my heart as I love my wife and my son so much and I dont want things to get worse and they leave me. My god, I wish I knew where to start.

I don't feel suicidle, I never have, but the feelings of despair sometimes are hard to bare.

Thanks for listening.

You quite clearly recognise that your meds and councilling helped control your feelings of depression and when you 'thought' you'd gotten better you came off them....

Depression like with any illness often needs to be treated with medication till we are well enough for our bodies to cope on it's own, but we're not doctors and we're not qualified to make the decision to decide when we're well enough, as you found out hunny..... coming off any medication needs to be as closley monitered as when you first started it babe.

Go back to your doctor, print off your post here if it helps and take it with you to show him/her (I know I sometimes go to the doc and and either fool myself that I'm OK or forget to mention things, both times I walk away knowing I didn't get the help I needed, but didn't go back)

Make today the first day of a new beginning for you, what's done is done - A fresh start for you and your family - You have the power to fix this woppy, make a positive decision today and act on it sweetheart......

I think you did a very brave thing opening up here and talking is a great start!, and if you need to talk further, please do.......

Get well woppy, Be happy and know that you have friends here who will listen..... x

[shelbell]

Here's a link to the Bipolar page that I was talking about...take the quiz and see if it says you may have Bipolar. If it suggests that you may be, then print it out and talk to your doctor about it. Hope this helps!

Good luck!



http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/default.htm

[jimbo]

hey wopster ,i too have had the depression thing big time ,i used to find if i worked out like crazy ,weights ,punchbag,mountain bikeing or other it would lift the dark cloud this may work for you a bit


about a year ago though i came down with loads of swallon glands the i got bronchitus even though i dont smoke ,i just never got better ,my joints swelled and i felt so tired that if my foot caught fire i could not be bothered to pee on it to put it out ,my teeth kept hurting (still do) but my dentist could not find anything wrong ,my muscles and joints started aching like i'd been smashed in with a hammer ,the doc now says i have M.E so if you have any of the above it might be worth checking it out

http://www.meassociation.org.uk/content/view/89/83/

and to cap it all spurs just lost 2 nil to pompey ,. i dont need to tell you how upsetting that is right

[gmc]

You have my sympathy but I have no advice to offer. I don't know the answer. I lived with someone that had full on depression and it was hell. now I know what was wrong (for some women certain types of birth control pill bring on full on depression. I reckon it's the cause of many a break up but seems little known) but it's been some years sorting it out.

The hardest part is accepting that sometimes just snapping out of it isn't an option and there is actually something wrong you can't control. It's also one of those illnesses you get very little sympathy or understanding for.

How your sleep patterns night shifts can play havoc with your body clock which, I don't suppose, helps in the least. Keep away from energy leeches-those who drain you emotionally.

[weeder]

Like so many others here, I too have had serious bouts with depression. I think I discovered over the past few years that it runs in my family.
In trying to understand why, being female, I have attributed it to fluctuating hormones as a possible cause. I do know that working nights definately messes me up. I cant do it. After months on a night shift, my whole personality changes. So, perhaps a job change for you as others suggested might be something for you to consider.