Depression

[stevefoster]

I thought you were out with Mrs S on saturday doing a run?
Don;t get ito bother at home.

PM'd you Trev

[Ady In Accy]

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.

[Nathaniel Lee]

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.

[Brotherton Lad]

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.

[mr brightside]

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.

[Flopsy]

I sent you a PM instead if that's ok.

[emmilou]

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

[Al Fowler]

Chin up Trev!

[sore legs]

I have PM'd you

[PaulE]

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).