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I just wanted to thank all of those brave enough to post about there difficulties, and those who showed us support. I'm sure I speak for others when I say it helped a lot. So I wish you all a happy new year, and for those of us who had a tough one lets look forward to a better year in 2012! :thumbup:
If things are bad, they can only get better. Talk about it, fight it, never give up, force a smile and carry on. Happy 2012 to all:thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by eavesy187
Keep on keeping on MerrySteve and eavesy!
I have lived with this for a long time, some times its not so easy to get out of bed in the mornings but the running sure helps. I joined a club because it helps to run with others, it also helps to motivate me into getting my arse into gear. Goal setting gives me something to aim for, a reason to run perhaps, but it works for me. i know the running helps so when i feel low i know i'm slacking, hence i go for a run - the worse i feel the longer i run.
I can't always figure why i feel low but i can be sure a good run will give me time to clear my head and point me in the right direction, its not a cure all but it helps me.
Happy new year to you all and good running.
To anyone suffering from depression,I would say Please don't give up,you will get better.I had the worst year of my life in 2008 when I had severe anxiety & depression.I felt totally isolated,frightened and devastated constantly. I saw a councellor and was prescribed Citalopram by my GP,which really helped me alot.I also kept running throughout.After 14 months I was able to gradually stop the tablets.I have the odd bad day,when I feel very low,but most of my days are good.:)
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.
This time last year I was on 40mg a day.
Today I'm down to 20mg every 2 days and winding it down to the point where I'll be anti-depressant free...a point I'm really really looking forward to.
Life hasn't changed all that much, but the way I deal with it has. Prozac gave me a place to 'step back to' and allowed me the space to develop a different way of looking at things.
Something that occurs to me on a daily basis is that depression is depressingly common amongst the section of humanity that thinks about things. This suggests to me that while the problem ends up 'within' it possibly starts from living in a world that needs some serious readjustment.
People deal with this in different ways, but frankly? Depression seems a very very rational response to the way things are....
Good luck all on this.
A short spell on anti depressants a number of years ago virtually cured me for life (touch wood).Quote:
Originally Posted by daisy
I reckoned that if a chemical could make me feel better about my life, then the problem wasn't really my life, but rather my response to it. Or rather, a chemical problem in my brain that was making me respond in a certain way. Now low periods don't disturb me and I don't get sucked into a downward spiral - I just witness them for what they are and let them pass. Just like a bout of tiredness and far less debilitating than a common cold.
Quote:
Originally Posted by daisy
Nail on the head i reckon, i have good days and bad, sometimes on a bad day things don't get to me and it turns into a good day. In fact, the worse the day, the greater the sense of achievement is in getting through it. It's the way you tackle things, everyone needs help on getting reset sometimes though.Quote:
Originally Posted by MarkL
Just come across this thread. Excellent. Respect to all those posting. Has anyone tried hypnosis? cognitive therapy seems to work for a while but with fairly regular relapses and totally against taking any drugs.
You have it bang onQuote:
I reckoned that if a chemical could make me feel better about my life, then the problem wasn't really my life, but rather my response to it. Or rather, a chemical problem in my brain that was making me respond in a certain way.
You cannot help the way your brain responds and it seems perfectly natural at the time,Its only a few days later that you realize you were not thinking rationally
There is the physical side too
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.
I hope its going well for you - Fluoxetine nearly killed me.Quote:
Originally Posted by daisy
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.Quote:
Originally Posted by BionicBetty
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.
Wain, the book described by Zenrunner has been a revelation for me.
I will have to give it a look, cheers.
It's only just over a quid for the kindle edition.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Power-Your-S...A3TVV12T0I6NSM
There is research evidence that exercise promotes the same chemical reaction in the brain as antidepressants and anyone with low mood should always try to exercise at whatever level they can and they should feel a response from this. The problem with antidepressants is that they take a while to work (6-8 weeks ususally) and often lift energy/motivation before mood, this can be dangerous if the person taking them is having worrying thoughts in terms of personal safety. medication treats symptoms not causes, i'm not against meds by any means and they have their place in many peoples recovery but i do find a more holistic view to treatment is needed. Sleep is crucial and making sure this is maintained is paramount. Look after your diet and as already stated keep active. If the depression is driven by adjustment (like a trauma or life event) then some kind of talking therapy may be beneficial, i notice people have been mentioning some useful literature and i would like to throw in Mark Williams 'mindfull way through depression' it has a fantastic CD included as well with some mindfulness exercises which many have found really useful. I would say though, if anyone is feeling low and experiencing a decline in self care and mood, get along to your GP and get signposted to professional help, forums are great for tips but trust professionals. If it helps, i am a mental health charge nurse in love with running.Quote:
Originally Posted by Erich K
That is good advice, LDW.Quote:
Originally Posted by lazydayswill
There is this resource also, The Big White Wall, which has received good reviews, and may be helpful to some.
http://www.bigwhitewall.com/my-accou...?ReturnUrl=%2f
Sarah
Excellent advice indeed.
My problems are more anxiety related - I seem to have managed to overcome the depression although it can get you down at times, feeling very anxious.
The hardest thing for me was early morning wakening. Lying at 4am wide awake and stomach churning and adrenaline rushing through the body for no apparent reason.
Lying there trying to get back to sleep until 7 or 8am just drained me for the rest of the day.
As hard as it may be the best advice I can give is to try and get up off that bed and make a cup of tea and sit and watch telly. Easier said than done but I know that when I get up I may feel like crap but within a short time the worst of the anxiety passes.
I think it is important for people who have been there done that to share and keep it positive.
The right words at the right time can bring immense relief.
Our lass suffers from anxiety - last night she was on the computer and I only asked what was taking so long and that set her off - she then felt panicy and that I was having a go at her. It was said in a normal tone of voice. This is something that she is learning to cope with slowly.Quote:
Originally Posted by granty
There is historical evidence for 'segmented sleep' up until the 17th century - see this BBC article: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16964783Quote:
Originally Posted by granty
"........these references describe a first sleep which began about two hours after dusk, followed by waking period of one or two hours and then a second sleep. "It's not just the number of references - it is the way they refer to it, as if it was common knowledge," Ekirch says. During this waking period people were quite active. They often got up, went to the toilet or smoked tobacco and some even visited neighbours. Most people
stayed in bed, read, wrote and often prayed"
It may be that we were never meant to sleep all through the night in one session.....?
interesting article.
Funnily enough. For me, when the anxiety isn't bothering me you'd need a rocket to get me out my bed lol!
Sore legs, what age is she? I find I get very irritable when my anxiety levels are up. Have learned to recognise it and not take it out on other people by being grumpy and to not feel guilty about it either - when I do that it tends to go away very quickly.
I tend to sleep like that, 10.45pm till about 3 or 4am. Awake for an hour or so, maybe get up for a drink, then another couple of hours' sleep till 7am. In the summer I'll sometimes get up and do odd jobs for a couple of hours, it's a lovely quiet time of day.Quote:
Originally Posted by Erich K
She is 35 - she has always felt panicky when younger and having to use crowded tubes to work etc but since the depression was diagnosed a couple of years ago she has been worse. She hates it when I say things like 'tomorrow you must remember to ......' just before bedtime, as then it affects her sleep. It also does not help with her family having always put on her ... having to act as the 'mother' to the family from the age of 13 due to her mum being virtually blind, standing in the way of a domestically abusive father and young brother being in trouble with police/school etc - this is what a councillor took her depression back to - it helped her as she had to learn to step back and that sometimes there is nothing that she can do and it is not her place to either. She has learnt to deal with that quite well until recently when her mother was diagnosed as suffering with dementia (shes only 55) and no-one else in her family wanted to get involved to help her with care etc, so guess what - the depression returned as it was only Keily that was trying to deal with her mothers situation.Quote:
Originally Posted by granty
As for poor sleeping - she also suffers with this - takes her ages to get to sleep and until we had the baby it was not unusual for her to get up during the night and do the shopping. Now she just goes down stairs and does some jobs. When she sleeps she could hear a mouse fart which wakes her up and then it takes ages for her to get back to sleep.
one of the best bits of advice ive ever had was "you cant be all things to all people". its so true. theres only so much we can take. trouble is when u live on your nerves it sometimes seems totake less and less to set things off which just adds fuel to the fire i.e. whats wrong with me? why cant i cope with the things i used to? etc. etc.i'll be 100% truthful with you. if i can recover then anyome can do it. there is always light at the end of the tunnel. interesting you say diagnosis of depression made her worse. i honestly think labels can be so unhelpful. i was terrified at one point that i was going to degenerate into bi-polar disorder or schizophrenia. sounds preposterous to the average joe but even an episode of casualty with a character suffering one of these problems would really scare me. all it is is insecurity, loss of self esteem and emotional tiredness. no wonder your lady is suffering from the life she had. sounds like shes been living on the edge of her nerves since she was a child which is so tragic but not irreversible. i honestly believe that mate. hardest.thing is maybe learning to believe she can change after years of struggling. it can.seem impossible when you are in the middle of it but she can do it. you sound like a really caring guy as well. i know it can put a strain on a relationship. chins up.
In a tough hole again. It just keeps coming round.
Mega low at this moment in time.
Sorry to burden others.
I wish I could reach out and give you a hug. Depression is an awful thing. I hope you are getting any help you need from family, friends & professionals. Try to remember you are not on your own and there are always many hands reaching down that hole to give you a a lift up. Never be afraid to ask for help as no one would find it a burden. xxQuote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
Many thanks RTS ��
Are you doing any running at present?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
You are welcome to come up with us to the Arant Haw race at Sedbergh on Sunday.
Give me a pm if you like.
Andy.
I'll do some miles on the bike with you as long as works not on the agenda-what about some training runs?Quote:
Originally Posted by Stagger
ATB
Thankyou both for the offer's.
Trying to be busy with friends this weekend but certainly need a training plan and a load more exercise and a lot less ale.
Cheers again both of you.
If you fancy a run out our way or want someone to run with from yours give me a shout mate
Hang in there Stagger.