Saver Depresion

[kats1719]

I have recently( 5 weeks ago) been diagnosed with server depression and am reserving treatment from my doctor. I have started anti depressant medication and are still trying to get the dose right i will start to work with a philologist soon to try to cone to Tums with how close i came to taking my own life depression is truly horrible illness that creeps up on you and renders you unable to function at all. I don't know what the future holds for my but i now know that i have one so if you are not filing the best and there is no reason for it then have a look at beyond blue it rely does help http://www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?


Best regards Chris

[Stevenp]

Chris, the biggest hurdle with depression is realising that you have it. I was diagnosed about 5 years ago and found medication and psychologists to be the answer. It takes time and maybe a bit of mucking around to find meds that suit you but trust me , it will all work out in the end.
I tried about 8 different tablets before i found one that allowed me to operate properly without side effects.
Hang in there mate, you will be fine.:)
Cheers Steven.

[johnc]

Depression sucks, but there is light at the other end, hang in there, there is plenty of help out there its just a bit hard to access. Goodluck if it all seems a bit bleak you can count on the fog clearing and better times ahead, it just takes a while to get there.

[prozac]

Hey Chris, hang in there old son. Take the tablets at the same time every day and don't skip any, and never just stop taking them. You won't get an overnight cure, but a cure that creeps up on you.

Yeah it really sucks but the alternative isn't so great. Take the hare and tortoise approach, don't expect to come in first but expect to finish.

That you have been able to tell someone besides your doctor means you are well on the road to getting better.

[artme]

As a fellow sufferer I agree with all that has been said.
I´ve been on and off medication for years but have finall y come to accept that I will be taking yippee beans for the rest of my days.
Tried to reduce the dose after my condition was satbilized but that was a mistake. Luckily SWMBO picked up the signs and I was back on track soon enough. Won`t try thay again.

PS. Talking here and sharing your thoughts is a great start to helping yourself.
There is no disgrace o having depression, it is merely a medical condition that, thankfully, can nowdays be controlled.

[BazzaDLB]

Hi Chris,

The hard part is over for you now - accepting the condition and seeking assistance to deal with it. You now have the resources to help you manage your depression and live as normal a life as possible.

I was diagnosed with war caused PTSD some 8 years ago when I finally fell off the perch and couldn't get back on by myself. Seeking help was something I just would not do - just kept telling myself that I can handle it and would not admit to having a problem!!!

Having accepted that I needed help and finally opening up to my psychiatrist, attending group therapy with like sufferers, and taking medication, life is so much better.

I've accepted that medication will be a part of my life forever and by avoiding 'triggers', life is worth living. The medication I'm on seems to level out the highs and lows.

You're on the way to learning how to live life with a medical condition and thanks to the work of some very good 'help organizations', mental illness is being seen as just that and not something with a stigma attached. I think the previous posts bear this out.

Thanks for sharing Chris, and by doing so, you could be helping someone else go and seek help to get through their problems.

[joe greiner]

What they said. By asking for help, you've helped everybody else. The old saying, "A friend in need is a friend indeed," offers an opportunity for your friends to help, thus enhancing their value to society and to themselves.

Best of luck getting your train back on the rails. You're part way there already.

Joe

[kats1719]

Thanks for the encouragement It just seems so far away at the moment the medicating is starting to settling thing down I am still scared of the future and if this may happen again so there is no way i am going to stop the medication i got so close to taking my life that it was frightening But i am going to make a full recovery with help


Chris

[Gra]

Chris,

As the others have said, the hard part is over you have admited to yourself and your doctor, you have a problem. Been there myself, have been of the meds for a couple of years now (Came off with Docs help). Still have "events", but I know the signs and self manage (most of the time, sometimes not as good as others:wink:)

Keep your chin up and keep on the meds until the Doc says its safe and if you need to talk to an indipendant person, then I will be happy to talk just PM me (I am sure there are otheres here that would offer the same)

[tea lady]

Same thought as everyone else. I have had post natal depression. Just keep going that's all I can say. And keep connected with the outside world. Keep doing the things you use to enjoy even if they don't seem so enjoyable as they use to be. And do something for yourself every day. People here are good for a chat.:D

[The Kiwi]

Hi Chris,

Well this is my first post here. I joined several months ago, but as a complete beginner I haven't really felt I have anything useful to contribute yet. However, depression is actually one of the reasons I am here, so your post has prompted me to finally pipe up.

I am sorry to hear about your diagnosis, but the goods news is you have a diagnosis and you are receiving help.

I had an initial diagnosis of depression several years ago. Unfortunately, I never really received very good help, and to be honest, at the time I didn't really want to accept it. To cut a long storey short, just on two years ago I ended up spending six weeks in "rehab".

My main advice would be is find a therapist that you feel comfortable with, but one that still pushes and challenges you, and try to give it everything. I found therapy very hard, but soon realised that you only get out what you are prepared to put in.

I am much better now but it is still a battle for me. But what really made the difference to me was learning my triggers, the things that made it worse, and learning to enjoy the little things. Just finding things that you enjoy and that you connect with, and making them a mandatory part of your life. Whether it just be listening to some music for a few minutes, having a good coffee etc, but making sure you take the time to really enjoy it. learn to enjoy it and building it into your everyday.

One thing I have realised is I enjoy and missed working with my hands. Time in my garage is therapy for me. Unfortunately, I have no idea what I am doing with wood, and only a few cheep tools. But I am learning heaps thanks to this site.

I fully understand your feelings of uncertainty. Am also more than happy to talk if you need. Just PM.

[prozac]

I would think that supporting the All Blacks would be enough to depress anyone! Welcome to the forums K1w1.

[kats1719]

Well things are getting a lot better now . thank you to all the people for there words of encouragement depression is truly a debilitating illness but the treatment does work you just have to stick with it and take the advice of the professional help that is available. I was so Lucky that my local doc had an interest in the illness and could refer me to a psychiatrist when the time was right

[artme]

G'day Kats and goodto see things are getting better for you.

I've had a stint in hospital recently with a heart problem. Luckily easy enough to fix with a stent. This episode got me thinking about whether or not there is a connection between heart problems and depression.

14 months ago I had a double bypass. before this happened I was diagnosed with chronic clinical depression and was on a medication regime. Things were much better but the closer time came to my diagnosis of heart problems (problems of which I was unaware until about a week before the op.) the more depressed I felt.

Fixing the heart problems had an almost immediate effect on my whole health, including the depression.

This time around I was feeling low for a few weeks before the stent procedur. I did have some really good days but generally felt down. I am now back home and feeling pretty good.

Don't know if he medicos have examined any conn ection between the two but I think it's worth a look on their part.

Not suggesting tou have any problems with your ticker but a thorough medical might be worth athought.

[Phil Spencer]

I really did not want to say who I am but I guess if I don't you will all think that this is Phil and it isn't. I am the very fortunate woman who has the privilege of being his wife. My name is Rhonda and it has been very difficult to write this let alone put it somewhere where people will read it.

I have a workplace injury, that happened two years ago, that has left me with severe pain and a disability that I now need to find a way to live with. Last year I was in hospital for a month for a pain management program; during this time I was pushed over the edge by a doctor who should have known better.

I came so very close to taking my own life that it scares the ???? out of me to now talk about it. If it had not been for my husband I would not been here; I owe him my life. I have always worshipped the ground he walks on but now I cannot even begin to convey the depth of my feelings for him.

With his encouragement I am now seeing a very caring and smart psychiatrist; he listens and then he challenges me and he makes me think. Unfortunately I have not been able to tolerate anti-depressants so the journey is difficult and pretty scary and I am also taking mind bending stuff like morphine and Lyrica to help with the pain. Every second Friday when I have an appointment with my psychiatrist I tell my husband that I really don't want to go and I mean it, I really don't want to go. So, in his usual lay back fashion (or pretend lay back fashion) he says to me "well, I'm going with or without you and I'm going to look like a bloody idiot sitting in the waiting room if you're not there!!" So the tears dry up and I go with him every second Friday.

I have never read or written into a chat room before and have been encouraged by my husband to "just take a look, you might be surprised at what you read". I was. My husband and my psychiatrist have been telling me to "learn the triggers, learn what makes it worse, learn to enjoy things, find out what you connect with, enjoy music, enjoy your cuppa, learn to enjoy and build it into your every day" but it didn't sink in until I read it here. I also have struggled with the why did it have to happen? The quote I read here "I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be" is going to be framed on my wall. Thank you.

It has been a pleasure to meet you all and I wish everyone of you the strength and courage to continue on your amazing journey. :)

[Gra]

The quote I read here "I may not have gone where I intended to go but I think I have ended up where I needed to be" is going to be framed on my wall. Thank you.

Rhonda, thanks for your posting. That quote was my signature, and is one of the things that got me through and I have since taken a little to heart. Good to see it is helping someone else. It was jus something I stumbled upon on the internet. Good luck with your journey, it is different for all of us (I am still going on with mine and still tracing triggers.)

[mic-d]

Good on you Rhonda, as you've found out, there's plenty of us around who battle the black dog and there'll always be an ear ready to listen to your story.
Here's something that has helped me out
http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome

Cheers
Michael

[prozac]

Welcome to the forums Rhonda, I am glad you're getting some mileage out of it. Thing with depression is that sometimes you will post and feel stupid afterward, or you will post something inappropriate and regret it later. Don't worry about it. For every critic here you will also get a supporter, so don't be afraid to say what's on your mind.

Some doctors are just so stupid or arrogant that they just cant see something for what it is. Some should not be allowed to mix with humans, but be relegated to a research lab with only inanimate objects as company.

Keep posting.