any advice for depression?

Question

been to dr he always puts me on tablets that make me feel worse cos of the side affects and its like if a dr said take a smartie you will feel better u wld cos your mind tells you that u do i want a long term solution as it keeps reaccuring been to counceller said only i can sort it nothing in my life except family

its not really bad but never made freinds only see hubby daughter and mum while i love them all im too dependent on them and i keep thinking what i f one of them dies

i think i do need to get out more all the people have used me in one way or another except my family so thats why im so scared anything will happen to them when mum goes on holiday i panic whole time till she is bk tried work experience they only want u when havent got to pay u that ok for few hourd your they but u dont make freinds just aqentences i have to be best i can so i can not hold my daughter bk

Answer 1

Hi there it really sounds as though you feel quite isolated which exacerbates depression also are you in a bit of a rut? you said "all I have is family" I too am a counsellor and use to suffer terrible depression but I threw away the medication and started putting changes into my life. Baby steps make H U G E progress. If I can help contact me [e-mail]
Good Luck Dirky

Answer 2

Sending you a big hug. I have been suffering from clinical depression for many years and have been receiving treatment for 2 years.

Depression is caused because of insufficient neurotransmitters in the brain. These are the transmitters that tell you how happy you are. That is they carry the happy messengers. Without the transmitters that happy messages cannot get through.

From my point of view medication is probably the best way. Over the last few years, medication have changed a lot and there are a few that give very little side effects. You will need to experiment with a few. Unfortunately, the problem is, it can take a few months for the medication to take effect and the side effects to go. For me, it took 2-3 months for all the side effects to go. Now I treat it like a vitamin I take in the morning along with multi-vits and omega 3.

My best advice to you is to try to find a medication that works for you and incorporate it into a life style that you feel in control of. Make sure you do one thing everyday that makes you happy.

But remember that no medication is a miracle cure and it will take time. You will continue to get the down days, but you will become an expert of spotting the signs and know what to do to make you feel happier. If you don't want take medication for the long term, you could try alternatives (herbal), St John's Wort.

Good Luck

Answer 3

Donna,

I'm sorry to hear that you are not feeling well. Depression is a very painful condition to withstand. Most people who aren't depressed don't realize, that in some cases, the pain caused by depression is often times greater than that you could experience physically, like a cut or broken arm.

As someone who is experienced in dealing with depression, I can suggest taking the following approach, where you should set your expectations accordingly.

1. Find a good psychiatrist - There is a big differrence between a Psychiatrist (psychopharmacologist) and a Psychologist (counsellor). A psychiatrist is a doctor whose been through med school and can diagnose your brain chemistry and perscribe the right medication (if necesarry). Certain conditions make it difficult to offset the effects of sever depression and in most cases the right medication can help life you from that hole and give you the strength to begin repairing certain areas of your life.

2. Get a firm diagnosis - Some people experience depression through related lifelong experience, others are genetically prone to depression. Once you are diagnosed, your Dr. can put together a good medication management plan, that will help stabilize your emotions so you can get better.

3. Cognitive behavioral therapy - Once you've been diagnosed and are stabilized with a good med plan, you can attend regular psychotherapy sessions with a trained psychologist. You can reflect on your thoughts and behaviors, relevant to certain parts of your life that you want to improve. Being able to communicate these areas of your life with an unbiased professional will help provide resolve without judgement and give you a clear picture of why things are the way they are and what you can do to change them.

4. Have your psychiatrist and psychologist communicate regularly. Be open and honest about everything and your Dr's will be able to make adjustments in your therapay accordingly

5. Be vigilant about curing your depression and stick to the plan. Also, you should be very patient as depression is often built up over a long period of time. It can take a while before it is ultimately cured, but more importantly, you'll have a new found appreciation for life, once you see yourself through it.


Good luck

Answer 4

When I have the blues I put on some good classical music, Mozart's 23rd Piano Concerto, for example, open a bottle or two of VERY cold Liebfraumilch, and invite the neighbor lady over for sex after her husband's gone off to work. Has a way of perking up my spirits. Works almost every time. For severe cases I grab the .223 rifle and drive out into the desert and shoot bunny rabbits. I like buying the local coyotes lunch because they sing so pretty. I'm helping nature along and feeling better and better in the process. And I don't need no stinkin' pills. This is just my way of saying you're in a rut. Do something crazy. Snap out of it. Stop whining and give yourself a swift kick in the hiney. Strap on a parachute and jump out of an airplane. Go snorkling. Have sex with a stranger. (Okay, maybe that's going a little overboard) But you get my drift. Do something rash, stupid, and out-of-character. Go protest something and get arrested, booked and fingerprinted. Have a long conversation with the hookers in the drunk tank. And while you're at it, totally cut out all the sugar in your diet. Come on, you know it's a lot...

Answer 5

Donna, Its a crap time of year for someone who suffers from depression. The nights are getting longer and the days are getting shorter.
Make the most of the daylight hours, get out as much as you can. Maybe you and your daughter can get to the park or somewhere else. Wrap up warm though and do join in with her games. Having a 3 year old is a great excuse for re-discovering your own childhood.

Is your daughter at a playgroup? Maybe you could spend some time with the other mums? Adult company is also important.

Do go back to see the doctor, maybe there are different drugs he could prescribe.

Answer 6

honey, those pills may be wrong for you. if you feel worse, he should change them or change the dosage.

accept counselling if asked... they can actually assess you better than the doc and change your medication to suit you. In some cases, they are the only ones who can prescribe the stronger stuff

getting better can take a long time, but feeilng a little better til then is part of the process.

take no notice of people who say you dont need the pills... or to keep busy.. or other distractions. Its sometimes not enough, and they arent doctors. (If your doc does say that - change your doc)

at the end of the day, yeah, you have the solution inside you... you are the only who knows when you feel better, but til then, take the extra help. Your confidence will return

Answer 7

Perhaps try something new? Have you got a goal you have always wanted to achieve? i.e. gain a new qualification, or take up new sport/hobby. Even a break - take a holiday - book it and just go - arm yourself with lots of books to read and take some time out away from familiar surroundings.

It is very hard, I know. But its just a matter of time and trying to concentrate on the positive things rather than negatives.

Answer 8

There are many tablets if they dont work you could try others. Basically its the imbalance of serotonin in your brain as a physical cause of depression , the tablets will solve this physical problem,

Ultimately however, the problems emotionally your experiencing do need to be solved by you. Keep as positive as possible i know thats general ... surround yourself with happy triggers things that remind of nice things. Sometimes it helps to pack your days with stuff so you dont end up sitting around. Create aims and tasks for yourself to keep a motivation as much as you can, just keep at it and take small steps up dont try it all at once because you will get more down if you cant take that big step

Answer 9

Your counsellor is partly right. Go to your GP and get yourself on the waiting list for CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy). It's not just any old counselling, it is brilliant and it teaches you how to challenge your negative thoughts and replace them with positive ones. And it really, REALLY works. I had it several years ago when I was pregnant and severely depressed, and it pretty much saved my life. The shortage of NHS therapists is a scandal and the GP will push pills at you if s/he can get away with it, because it's easier and cheaper for them. Persist! Good luck.

Answer 10

Try to keep a regular structure in your life with regards to eating and going to bed. Some exercise certainly helps.....whichever sort you can face! A combination of drug therapy and counselling is most effective. I think perhaps you were unlucky with your counsellor, perhaps try another? Good luck, I've been there and there is a way up, i promise!