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Thread: Depression

  1. #21
    Senior Member runningfool's Avatar
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    Re: Depression

    Quote Originally Posted by Stagger View Post
    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!
    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.

  2. #22
    Senior Member Flopsy's Avatar
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    Re: Depression

    Quote Originally Posted by Al Fowler View Post
    Chin up Trev!
    No offence Al but for me there is nothing worse when I am feeling low than someone telling me 'chin up' or 'smile' or similar. Just a thought!

  3. #23
    Senior Member Usually at the back's Avatar
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    Re: Depression

    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.

  4. #24
    Master The devil's own's Avatar
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    Re: Depression

    Quote Originally Posted by runningfool View Post

    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.
    .
    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.

  5. #25
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    Re: Depression

    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

  6. #26
    Master OneHillWonder's Avatar
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    Re: Depression

    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

  7. #27
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    Re: Depression

    Quote Originally Posted by Barty View Post
    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
    Good post Barty, good to see those who treat mental health and those who suffer from it giving similar advice.
    Stagger I'd also recommend having a thyroid function test if one hasn't already been done to rule out any physiological cause.

  8. #28
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    Re: Depression

    Quote Originally Posted by eavesy187 View Post
    Good post Barty, good to see those who treat mental health and those who suffer from it giving similar advice.
    Stagger I'd also recommend having a thyroid function test if one hasn't already been done to rule out any physiological cause.
    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.

  9. #29
    Senior Member egor's Avatar
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    Unhappy Re: Depression

    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

  10. #30
    Master The devil's own's Avatar
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    Re: Depression

    Quote Originally Posted by egor View Post
    , the previous posts about meds/thyroids/advice are nonsense, i work in psychology/psychiatrict services, so i know what im talking about,
    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.
    Last edited by The devil's own; 05-06-2010 at 12:13 PM.

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