Depression

[Zenrunner]

Hi,

I only just read your post about depression (just joined yesterday). When I was in a big black hole during my cancer I was on medication and some counselling, the pills made me worse and so one day I went on line and purchased "The Power of The Sub-concious mind" By Dr Joseph Murphy.

It was written around 1933, but its just a brilliant book and turned me round within a couple of weeks of reading it. I threw away the pills and finished with the counselling. It may not be the answer for you, but it may be worth a try. Get it from Amazon, about £2.99 or similar. If you have any problem let me know.

Cheers

Zenrunner.

[tired calves]

Just an echo to all that's gone before and to those still struggling with the suffering...I was put on Fluoxetine (prozac) 8 years ago now (and about 10 years later than I should have!!) - it helped me a lot, though it took some time before I really knew this.

I hope its going well for you - Fluoxetine nearly killed me.

I just get on now, just get by. Things are a lot better than they have been, but I'll never be free of depression. Learning to live with it, and more importantly having someone to share it with, was the greatest challenge I faced, but I think I'm getting there now.

[granty]

Interesting about the fluoxetine. It makes me feel worse before i feel better. It can be hard going to see it through wjen i first take it again. I've been on and off it for 9 years. Medication gets a bad press at times but it saved me from a terrible place and gave me my life back all those years ago.Stupidly i periodically try to come off it. Self-stigmatising. I've decided i feel better when i take them. I've just had almost 4 years symptom.free and cut them out again but have had another episode and went back on them.At the end ofthe day if it cures (or helps give you enough leeway to help.cure yourself through cognitive means) then its a good method in my book

[BionicBetty]

Not the kind of thread I'd expected to find on here but glad I did. I don't feel so on my own now.

[granty]

correct - it's one of the lonliest places to be, going through a bout of depression however it's amazing how common it is. Scratch the surface and there will be people you'd never dream would suffer from it who are going through, or have gone through, the same thing.

One of the best pieces of advice I can offer is to avoid depression forums. When you are feeling low, your mind is open to suggestion and frightening thoughts about not being able to recover can make you feel worse.

The way I try to think about it is think of the millions of people who have had similar problems but who are getting on with their lives rather than posting on forums telling you how bad they feel and how bad they have always felt, or about what the latest miracle drug cure is, etc.

Sorry if it sounds harsh, I found these forums only knocked my self confidence and belief that I would get better. If you focus on your problems the depressed mind by it's very nature will magnify them to be worse than they are. I am not minimising how awful you can feel at times - i've been there (recently as well) however I feel you can focus too much attention inwards at times and it doesn't always help.

Just want to thank the person for the link to Joesph Murphy. Marvellous stuff.

I can also thoroughly recommend Dr Claire Weekes.

[BionicBetty]

I can only speak from my own experience but I have to agree. Women will often talk about their depression but I find men not as much? I have taken meds in the past & at the time they helped but I'm not going down that road if I can help it. Kicking myself up the butt & making myself get out there doing something is the best thing for me. If I can feel mood going the wrong way or if life's dealt me a nasty blow, pushing myself up a bloody steep hill & then standing at the top looking at a complete panoramic view seems work better than any drug & often puts mundane crap into perspective.

Of course that's not for everyone

[Splatcher]

Hmm. I tried antidepressants once for a few days & they scared the life out of me. I just wasn't me, if you know what I mean. That was in my rock climbing days, & I tried going climbing under the influence & found it impossible. No adrenalin rush, so totally unable to climb. Eventually I came to terms with what it was, some time in my late 20s I suppose. No cause as far as I can see, but if things are difficult already, depression stops me being able to cope. So, when it came on, I knew I'd have to take a week or two off work, with various "official" reasons - I never owned up to depression at work. Luckily my bouts have never been too serious, so I learned to just sit them out, usually literally, then as soon as I felt I could get out, I'd go for a very long walk, or these days a run. But that's not something I can do until I'm on the way back out of the hole. At that point it helps hugely. I often get down around this time of year, & I've just emerged from one about a week ago. It wasn't a bad one, partly because I'm not working - househusband or retired or full-time runner depending on your point of view. What always gets me through is knowing it won't last long - for me it never does.

[The devil's own]

I'm just having another wobble after last years very bad time. This time is definitely stress induced and more anxiety than depression. Though I appear to have caught things early on and putting things in place to get it under control before ending up in the state I was last year. I promised myself I'd never go there again, and hopefully I won't. What I found helpful was having a plan for me, my family and work on how to spot when things might be going downhill and what to do about it. And thankfully it seems to be working. Though having a supportive family and work place is key to this, and I know not everyone is so lucky.

[Erich K]

I can only speak from my own experience but I have to agree. Women will often talk about their depression but I find men not as much? I have taken meds in the past & at the time they helped but I'm not going down that road if I can help it. Kicking myself up the butt & making myself get out there doing something is the best thing for me. If I can feel mood going the wrong way or if life's dealt me a nasty blow, pushing myself up a bloody steep hill & then standing at the top looking at a complete panoramic view seems work better than any drug & often puts mundane crap into perspective.

Of course that's not for everyone

Quite agree BB, I think that's why a lot of us have taken to the hills. I've never been diagnosed with clinical depression but have had some bleak episodes in my life and over time (although I'm classed as a junior member I'm over 50) have learnt that a good balance of physical and mental activity helps you avoid 'mulling' over everything, your life, your relationships etc, which for me is when the depression takes a hold. I know this is overly simplistic but for me running, particularly on trails and fells, helps to keep me in balance as a person and regulates my daily pattern by keeping stress at bay, helping me sleep better at nights, eating with an appetite and so on.

[Wain]

This thread has helped me to recognise my own struggle with depression, and not feel so alone, thanks to everyone who has posted their own experiences.