I have been suffering for a number of years now and am struggling.
How do I beat it? I am on medication and I also have a shrink?
I need some motivation. Please HELP!
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I have been suffering for a number of years now and am struggling.
How do I beat it? I am on medication and I also have a shrink?
I need some motivation. Please HELP!
You are my family out there and some-one must be-able to give me a word in the ear?
Wish i could give you a magic cure mate, had some dark times myself this last couple of years, some of it my own making and some of it caused by others. One thing's for sure, talking about it and getting things out in open help. You know where i am if you need me mate, you've helped me in the past, appreciate that and be happy to do the same for you.
Have you considered moving to the brighter side of the Pennines Trev?
The toughest line was posting this thread.
Please just help, don't take the piss.
A run or ride alone or with friends is a real 'cure all', if only short term. The strong feelings come in waves Trev so I hope by this morning you feel a little better. Don't suffer it alone.
Sorry to hear about your mental state trev. I have suffered mental illness for the last 30 years and it is a daily challenge. If you want to speak to somebody i am more than happy to help. Just keep that head above the water.
It's difficult to offer more than sympathy over the ether, but yesterday was a particularly cold, wet and miserable day. I often find a run on pleasant countryside and on a sunny day can blow some cobwebs away and help me see more clearly, so I hope today feels better for you.
I've never found a cure Stagger, just identified the triggers for it and found that St John's Wort seemed to help although it can have adverse effects if taken with other medication...
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Possible side-effects
The most common side-effects are dry mouth, dizziness, gut symptoms, increased sensitivity to sunlight, and tiredness.
Possible risks
St John's wort sometimes reacts with other drugs. So:
You should not take it if you are taking warfarin, cyclosporin, oral contraceptives, anticonvulsants, digoxin, theophylline, or certain anti-HIV drugs. This is because it may reduce the effect of these drugs.
You should not take it at the same time as taking an SSRI antidepressant (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) or a triptan drugs used for migraine (such as sumatriptan). This is because it has an additive effect to these drugs which can cause problems.
Also, you should not take St John's wort if you are pregnant or breastfeeding as it has not been proved to be safe in these situations.
Because of the uncertain effectiveness, possible side-effects, and possible interactions with other drugs, many doctors now do not recommend that St John's wort should be used. Also, if you have moderate or severe depression, it is generally best that you see a doctor who can advise on treatments and monitor your progress.
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Something i found on the internet there, i've never had any problems with it and it takes the edge off i found, i've also tried Damiana root extract but it had no effect.
The only solid advice i can give is to try and figure out what the trigger for it was and start there, i had a dip which coincided with ITBS halting my running and it was agonising not being able to go for a run which i found was a good counter for it; that and cycling. I'd also advise you to think carefully before starting with uppers, i've heard from my cousin who was on them that you become reliant on them and find them difficult to kick. PM me anytime.
I sent you a PM instead if that's ok.
Trevor,
I don't think anybody would take the piss. It's very brave to admit you are suffering with depression especially on an open forum so you can commend yourself for that as it's all a step in the right direction. You'd be suprised (or maybe not) as to how many people suffer. I guess there are many triggers... some stem from a long time ago that we carry through life, some we can have closure on and try to move forward some not so meaning coping mechanisms are needed for when the going gets tough.
Either way seeking help is certainly not going to be detrimental. The medication can help but I found it left me feeling very numb, I could no longer cry and felt 'alien' (I had post natal depression following the birth of Laurence) to be honest although not on medication any more (didn't take it for long I had that seroxat and it turned me into a psycho!!) I still have good days and bad days and that's a decade on....you're right though it's the motivation. Depression steals it from you. It's very hard when it strikes to over come it and find that motivation but it's essential. It's like beign stuck between a rock and a hard place. You want to do something but can't be arsed..... the knack is forcing yourself regardless...it doesn't have to be a run a ride etc but just something that will lift your spirits, even if that's just a drive off somewhere and a stroll along somewhere familiar that makes you feel alive.
I hope you feel a bit better Trevor, there are dozens of people who can empathise with you, you are far from on your own.
Em xxx
Chin up Trev!
I have PM'd you
I'm with Em on the motivation thing. I had 6 months off work with a pretty nasty case of post viral fatigue, one of the ways it manifested was depression. I found one of the things which really helped was having friends who wouldn't let me not do things... They made me get up and out, even if just for a walk to the pub for a chat, or half an hour at the local BMX track on my bike, or even getting me to walk their dog to take my mind away from my troubles. Made all the difference, and that "sanity break" in the day helped me get back on track.
Having people help me like that made me realise that I wanted to do something more people oriented, so I quit my research post at university, became a teaching assistant for severely disruptive kids and then re-trained as a teacher (and got a dog:) ). Basically, get some support (formal or informal) and eventually the cause or contributory factors will hopefully come to the fore and you will be able to deal with them together.
Good luck!
Medication (including st john's wort) didn't suit me one bit, but alterring my diet to avoid peaks and troughs in blood sugar levels helped (if a blood sugar low coencided with a bad spell, that was the worst of times).
Firstly, how long have you been on medication? Has it been reviewed recently? If you've been on it long term but it's not working now you should go and see your doctor again.
I'm sure you know (or at least should have been told) that most anti-depressant medication takes a couple of weeks before it kicks in.
When I suffered from depression in my youth, I tried hard to concentrate on the idea that "things WILL get better". A bit like keeping your head up and concentrating on the horizon when running. You may feel crap during a race but the knowledge that things will improve helps to get you through.
I know it's hard to enumerate the positives in your life when you're feeling so low but make the most of those that you've got, a wife or family perhaps, good physical health, more arms and legs than most soldiers returning from Afghanistan etc.
Above all, hold on to the notion that IT WILL GET BETTER!
Hope you turn the corner soon.
I know so very little about depression, however what has struck me reading everything that people have spoke about today is that it seems you have a lot of support on the forum, I hope you will feel better some day and in the meantime I hope you manage to get out with the people who have offered a run or a PM etc. They are all genuine offers of help.
Make that more like 6-8 weeks before reaching a therapeutic level, though running fool is right in suggesting a review of medication if this hasn't been done already.
Comments such as chin up, and think about those who are worse off than yourself really are about as helpful as a glass hammer.
Depression takes many forms and it's very difficult to offer an real advice without knowing a bit more about your situation stagger, not that i'm expecting you to post whats going on for you or pm a total stranger like myself and spill your guts.
When i assess people suffering from mental health issues such as your self it takes at least an hour to get a holistic picture of what is going on, and from there a treatment plan is developed. Obviously there is a bit more too it than that.
Would i be able to ask who is treating you at present? Just your GP or have you gone in to specialist services?
General advice i can give without knowing more:
1) Don't put all your eggs in one basket - i.e don't think the medication is a cure all, it only plays part of your treatment and recovery.
2) Break things down in terms of your future - i.e a day at a time, and accept you will have good days and bad. Even when things are improving it is key to remember this.
3) Excercise is clinically proven to lift mood. Motivation will no doubt be bad so a walk is better than nothing.
4) Keep a mood diary and try to notice patterns throughout a day or week.
5) An activity diary to help with motivation. Set a number of simple tasks per day and complete them. Don't set yourself anything that you can't complete as this will lead to feelings of guilt and be detremental to your health - don't run before you can walk.
6) Avoid alcohol, at this time in your life its not your friend. Also think about your diet and eat as healthily as you can.
7) Have a look at these 2 books and see if there is anything you can take from them to help you:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Mind-Over-Mo...5520123&sr=8-1
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-D...5520208&sr=1-1
When looking at these books it is very important to remember that everyone is different and as a result not everyting in these books will suit you, but some of it will.
Hope this has helped. Speak to the people who are treating you and discuss your options, and be honest with them about what is going on in your head. Remember that there is nothing to be ashamed of, and not to give up.
Hi Stagger
I've sent you a friend request if that's OK by you as anybody who has an illness needs friends :-)
I've had clinical depression on and off for nigh on twenty years (about half my life) and whilst the head drugs and CBT play their part, nothing is a silver bullet. There will be good days. There will be not so good days.
Our society still views mental illness as a stigma. Far easier to talk about a physical condition, as that can at least be seen or envisaged at least. Everyone's mental health is as individual as we are. The tragic events of yesterday bring into all too stark relief how mental fragility needs attention (and I am not for one second implying anyone's mental state is any way shape or form as bad as Derrick Bird's).
Life is not black or white; look on it as varying shades of grey, or a sliding scale from 1 to 10. If you tried to score 10 out of 10 every day of your life, you would get knocked back so often as to admit defeat. Far better and far healthier for your mood to look on as anything from 5.5 out of 10 or better as a reall result and take it from there...anything of 7 and upwards is fan-bloody-tastic.
Take everyday as it comes...an hour at a time on a less than good day can seem long enough. Live in the now (I know that sounds a bit new age but there is a lot to be said for it).
Do NOT...I repeat myself...NOT beat yourself up or consider yourself any sort of failure. Believe you me, if beating myself up was an Olympic sport, I'd be up for platinum, never mind gold. You are a unique and special person. We all are. The very fact that we have a common love of the outdoors and running up and down the hilly bits, whether solo or together, brings us together, and there are people who will be physically fit and active who will find it almost impossible to get out of bed on a not so good and function as they normally would, never mind take part in the sport they love.
Always remember; just because you may feel crap on any one given day, it does not make you a crap person. I know that my depression is only part of my life. It is not the WHOLE of my life.
It is easier for us who suffer to stand on the periphary and look in and give sage advice, whereas you may often feel like you are looking through a telescope the wrong way round. No two people with depression will have the same symptoms, so comparisons can sometimes not be overly helpful. As are comments such as "chin up"...people mean well, but really, do they think we WANT to feel like we do sometimes?
Winston Churchill famously likened his depression to a black dog...sometimes at his heels, sometimes far far away, but always with him. I hunt my own black dog with my white hounds...that is, I seize onto anything that the black dog hates...fun, laughter, loving, singing, running, jelly babies. Sometimes we nail him, sometimes just put him to ground.
Use anything that will help you to visualise your own black dog and learn to become the master. Easier said than done but you WILL learn to control your black dog.
There is a world of stuff on line to help and any number of support groups.
You have made a huge step forward by the very fact you have posted on here. That takes inordinate strength.
For God's sake don't stop talking to us.
You ain't alone in any of this.
All the best and kick on.
Barty
Very very good post Barty and I am glad you posted it here where others in a similar position to Stagger can read it and perhaps get something from it too, and those who have never suffered can perhaps understand a little better. Thank you. :) I have been at the mercy of the 'black dog' in the past and some days the only thing that got me through was to force myself to focus on that little tiny weeny voice somewhere at the back of my mind telling me, it won't always be like this, just get through today.
I have also watched my other half go through very dark times. He handled things very differently than me, he did all the things Barty says not to do, like let himself think that feeling crap meant he was crap and feeling a failure. Depression closes your mind sometimes, even when you want to follow all this good advice, it is easier said than done. He still came through it though, and you will too Stagger. His black dog still lingers on the doorstep at times, and tries to weedle it's way in and I am sure there will be times it gets away with it and other times it will not. I hope today is a better day. x
I agree with your second paragraph. The thyroid test is essential for anyone who suffers from depression. Quite often a doctor will put a person on antidepressants without performing this test.
The thyroid test measures thyroxine and thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH) levels. Be suspicious of a TSH level toward the high end of the normal range.
The normal range is just a statistical guide, to what values can be expected. It may not be normal for you. If hypothyroidism is the cause, a swift course of thyroxine will have one wondering what all the fuss was about.
you need to speak to someone, a psychotherapist or psychoanalyst, the previous posts about meds/thyroids/advice are nonsense, i work in psychology/psychiatrict services, so i know what im talking about, reassurance-advice dosent always help in the long run, as im sure you know, go to gp for a referral for therapy or approach a private therapist. good luck and if you need anymore info let me know
So do i and i find the fact that you are dismissing the importance of a TFT in someone suffering from long term depression ridiculous.
I also find the way you dismiss advice given from those who suffer from depression quite annoying.
You'll find my post's cover simple area's that Stagger could use to help with his depression, I also state that he should speak with the team that is treating him and discuss his options and that includes ruling out any physiological cause.
Therapy as you suggest is all well and good in the right situation, baring in mind we don't know the facts about Staggers case it may not be relevant at all. It is also worth baring in mind that therapy has a waiting list, usually a long one and Stagger may not have the money to seek a private alternative.
Can I say THANK-YOU to all who replied.
The advice will be very useful and I have printed most of it.
Also
The support form other's is great and shows in times of need what a careing and supporting bunch of folk use this forum.
Thank you again form Stagger
I have just caught up with this thread so sorry for the delay...this is a really useful link for you and others who are interested. Good luck with it stagger and I am sure in being so open you have indirectly helped many others on this thread.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Depress...Treatment.aspx
ps the little video is quite good at explaining the different types of therapy available so if nothing else i would just listen to that!
thats a fair enough point, i agree professional help is the key, personal support may offer interim help, although friends/family etc are not always detached enough to be objective, its a tough, ive worked with and seen lots of people make changes and ultimately feel better, although it does take time. Good luck Stagger, i usually cant be bothered with posting, one of the reasons i did was due to someone (Stagger) being honest about something (mental health/illness) we all come into contact with and i agree, society doesnt always welcome disscussions regarding such matters.
What I'd like to know is, why do you advise people to go and see psychiatrists and psychologists when these people rarely help anyone? Educated with the 'nothing is ever anybody's fault' philosophy, they're quick to prescribe happy pills to anyone as a quick fix.
Someone you love dies "we can't bring them back son, but we can make you feel a damn site better about it, with our special pills"
You're not getting on with your family, ar no problem " give him the pills, they'll make him conform to the wishes of his clan"
The cat's been run over " yes! we've even got a pill to get you over the shock."
I just want to mention something. In the past few years a number of athletes I know have developed hypothyroidism. In each case they had depression, and the odd thing was none of them had anything to be depressed about. No problems with the spouse, money issues, or job fears. All struggled to train due to a lack of energy, and all felt a big dark cloud over their conciousness.
In one case the doctor was going to put the person on anti-depressants, wtihout even checking thyroid function. The patient knowing someone else in the family had hypothyroidism, had to suggest to the doctor that it might be thyroid related. Being an athlete the doctor just said "you don't look like you've got that."
Similar attitude actually to Egor above.
[QUOTE=christopher leigh;337444]I just want to mention something. In the past few years a number of athletes I know have developed hypothyroidism. In each case they had depression, and the odd thing was none of them had anything to be depressed about. No problems with the spouse, money issues, or job fears. All struggled to train due to a lack of energy, and all felt a big dark cloud over their conciousness.
In one case the doctor was going to put the person on anti-depressants, wtihout even checking thyroid function. The patient knowing someone else in the family had hypothyroidism, had to suggest to the doctor that it might be thyroid related. Being an athlete the doctor just said "you don't look like you've got that."
Theres always a reason why someones depressed, ill etc, their usually (but not always) not aware of it though, you cant say 'they' had no reason to be depressed etc, you will not have been familiar with the more intimate contents of their mind, i dont advise meds, unless in the most serious of circumstances, risk to self/others/psychotic etc, psychotherapy is what i mainly recommend, as thats what i do, i feel youre slightly missrepresenting me with your last comment.