Question for my fellow R&S'ers?

Question

I'm so depressed tonight, I can barely stand it. I can't get it out of my head how I'm going to graduate soon with my bachelor's in Religious Studies and I won't have a life after that. What am I going to do? I can't accomplish things like every one else seems to be able to because I suffer from this dang Recurrent Major Depressive Disorder. I can't seem to do things like normal people. I won't be able to continue to grad school because I'm too depressed to be able to do it. I can't imagine what kind of job I can get at this stage that I can actually do without getting super depressed. What should I do? I'm in so much debt from college. I feel like giving up.

Yeah, I'll be deleting this question, because if I don't, I'm sure someone else will. sigh.

I'm on 80mg of Celexa, 0.5 mg of Risperdal, and 200mg of Provigil. I think I've really exhausted the medication solution.

I have a degree in Education already. Religious Studies is my 2nd degree. I had planned to teach in college. But now I'm feeling like I won't be able to accomplish the task of Grad School. SO now I don't know what good the degree is if I can't go to grad school and be a professor.

I have a degree in Education already. Religious Studies is my 2nd degree. I had planned to teach in college. But now I'm feeling like I won't be able to accomplish the task of Grad School. SO now I don't know what good the degree is if I can't go to grad school and be a professor.

Answer 1

you are just starting your life, and it is scary to begin some thing new, reminder how it was when you graduated high school and was headed to college? now you think that is where your life is.
but God has better things in store for you.

you are a special child of God and can do things that no one else can do. you just have to realize what your gift is.

use the Internet to research jobs in the ministry, and put your resume on Monster .com.

when the doors of your new life open, do not be afraid to walk through them.

Answer 2

I've had treatment-resistant depression going on 27 years. I know where you're coming from.

Ditto the medication recommendations. Here's another one: regular high-cardio exercise. For reasons not well understood, this seems to be a magic bullet for people with long-term depressive illness. My doctor's prescription was 30-45 minutes a day, of which 20-25 minutes should be high cardio (120-130 beats per minute), 6 days a week. It's worked like a charm, putting a large dent in depression that medication has only partially alleviated.

I wish you the best of luck.

EDITED TO ADD: Regarding having exhausted the medication possibilities... not even close. Have you tried Remeron? Effexor? Luvox? Serzone? Lithium? Any of the MAOIs? Cesamet, which is proving quite effective in treating refractory depression? How about fish oil? Vitamin D? Vagas nerve stimulation?

And there are many, many other options out there. You haven't even scratched the surface yet. If your doctor isn't willing to try adjuncts to your antidepressants, or changing your antidepressant combinations -- for heaven's sake, find a doctor who will. A psychiatrist would be best, rather than a general practitioner; psychiatric medications ARE their business, and they're more likely to be up on the latest developments and research.

Answer 3

From some of your answers.......I know you are a kind and unbelievable person. For depression I would rather you sought professional help. You should try to be happy since most people don't even get in to grad school. You already have a degree AWESOME!!!! be happy with that..... I only have a 2 year degree and I have a great job. Its more about not giving up then anything.

If you want you can take a break from school take two years of to work and pay of your debt. Then go back to school.


When i get down i watch the movie...."first time felon" its based on a true story.... if someone can get by in that you can get by in grad school.

So many people will never even get to go to college. Others in the world wont even get to learn to read. You should be happy with what you have. Cause you already have a lot. When it comes to debt don't worry about it. You can buy food b4 you need to pay that. So you will not go hungry like some people in the world.


you can email me at [e-mail]
if you wanna talk or whatever...... I work in banking so I can help with money questions.

Answer 4

Are you seeing a therapist? I don't think the meds were ever designed to be a stand-alone treatment. They're meant to work with therapy. Some you may need to stay on long-term, but therapy should still be part of the equation.

I highly recommend flylady.net. It says it's about housework, but really it's about organizing yourself. Setting up routines and learning to set small, doable goals for yourself.

You are a big picture person, overwhelmed with the immediate details. You see where you want to be far off and where you are this minute and the gulf between the two - and understandably, you are discouraged by the distance. The thing is to train yourself to see the big picture and then focus on all the small, attainable goals between here and there.

You'll never get anywhere if you focus all your energy on what you can't do. It's good to know your limitations to a point, but you need to focus your will and energy on what you can do. What the possibilities are.

You can't give up. There's no point to giving up. There's no good in giving up.

There is an exercise on my 360 that we did in my Human Development class. Venture over and check it out. Start with the first part and work your way through them.

Answer 5

I agree with those who have said to ask your doctor to try different medications. I spent a long taking meds that hurt more than they helped, and finally stopped taking them altogether. When things were bad enough that I had to talk to my doctor about it, we tried something else and it's working great.

I think you should try to continue your education in grad school, if possible. If the depression is the only thing keeping you from trying, you should go for it. It may not be easy, but if it's what you want to do, you should go for it. Also, some religious elementary and high schools allow you to teach without being certified to teach if you have a degree. With degrees in both education and religious studies, you may be able to find work teaching in such a school.

Answer 6

I don't know what you can do with that degree either. But I wouldn't. You need to just realize that nothing stays the same. You are young and your future is ahead of you. Try to do something to enjoy life.You are young and there will be so many doors and paths that will open and often when you least expect it. The best thing to do is find a job of some kind and if you don't like that job keep looking. You have to get out in the world and make connections. I am 53 yrs old. I have had ups and downs. I have had opportunities come from seemingly no where. Connections and keep your eyes and ears open. Good luck.

Answer 7

I know your battle..I too suffer from that. My doctor told me that we have to just do what we can..whatever we achieve is wonderful..we are not to push ourselves..learning can be difficult and we should strive for what we can learn. Don't set goals for yourself that you may not achieve though..that will make you more stressed and ill.
Have you got a psychiatist that you can talk to and meds? Can he help you to be able to work out the signs of coming to the end of your tolerance threshhold?
Please do not give up....Not all of us can do all that others can...but we sure can do other things.
I lost 40 years to this illness before it was properly diagnosed..I will never know what I could have achieved with the right help. Now I think it is just a bonus if I succeed in doing some things here at home. I no longer try to strive for further education etc.
I should have been at a different school as a kid doing stuff with my hands and words..not trying to get good grades with my brain.
With this illness it is hard..but we have to be able to realise what things are so hard or impossible for us and focus on what we can do..or try new things till we see what things we can do.
Please look further into this..learning difficulties, focus etc are part of this illness..and no we cannot do a lot that others can..but we are still as good as others and can do other things we can be proud of.

Answer 8

Hi Heron,

I am extremely sorry and worried about the situation you are placed. Please take it easy and do not worry. Take everything in Positive sense so that you achieve whatever you what. Since your degree on religious studies is a second one I think it really does not make much difference if you get high grade or not. So far what I have studied about you in the forum I feel you are a very intelligent girl and you can come out with flying colors in your attempts, career and life.

Now coming to the medication you have the doctor who prescirbed is the best judge as he is the peron who has seen and assessed, but the medications and dosages are on the higher side and he could have tried with one combination only. You should know what is his assessment exactly about you. You may also try to have a second opinion by some other doctor. The medicines mentioned by you are given for abnormal cases of mental situations -

Celexa or Citalopram is an antidepressant medication that affects neurotransmitters, the chemical transmitters within the brain, Risperdal or risperidone is used for the treatment of psychotic disorders, for example, schizophrenia (side effects - dizziness, hyperactivity, tiredness, and nausea) , and Provigil or Modafinil is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant.- Please take care.

But what I would suggest you is to try the following -
Mental stress or depression or schizophreniac conditions or nervous problems are to be treated very carefully, before you are branded as a patient of these diseases. So - You have to calm down your mental stress by some way other than medicines also-

Best way for this is -

1. MEDITATION- It is very simple and you can get a book by Sri Sri Ravishankar of Bangalore (Available in US (see his website also if needed ) on Pranayama, Meditation and Sudarshan Kriya and practice them. It will give you lot of relief.

2. Above all we have the best medicine with us - Bhagwat Gita of Lord Sri Krishna. I have already given you the links. Try to read, understand one verse only per day and study Krishna's teachings. It will give you clarity of mind and relieve you from unwanted worries. Chant the slokas etc.

3. Though you have a very broad knowledge about other religions and you have read many books etc. I suggest you not ask so many questions on other religions, Jesus, Prophet etc. which will take lot of thinking on studying contradictory philosophyis and you get agitated in making effects to evaluate. So follow one which gives you complete satisfaction and relief. The answer is KRISHNA.
Practice Krishna, Read more about Bhagawatam, Gita, Hinduism. I am not writing the above to preach Hinduism here.

No doubt you can continue your study on other faiths when once you feel you are alright.

Do not get much puturbed and take everything easily as it comes. Best of LUCK-

Answer 9

Please... from the point of view of experience, seek help. You need some kind of help, although I can't say what. All I can say is that while at University I went through Clinical Depression which culminated in a chemically-induced Nervous Breakdown, followed by two more breakdowns in the next 12months. With alot of support and help I've made it back and I know how to cope better when things drag me down, but I would never have made it without the help of family and friends, and good professionals. There is a good book called "Beating the Blues" by Dr Susan Tanner, might help, it did me.

Answer 10

What a hard question to ask here in this forum.
I too suffer from depression. It is hard and it seems that no one understands my feelings of futility.
But, God does. He made me and I know that He has me. I hold on to that. When I get so down, I think that while I am so small, He is SO big. I praise him. And sometimes that is a sacrifice. The word says that I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I believe that. I remember that I have a purpose to God. That I am loved. Somewhere I am needed. Even if it is to smile to a weary cashier, or to hug a child.

It may not change the world, or even make a ripple in a pond, but it does to that one person. And I know that you have purpose too.

praying for you right now, to have joy and peace. That you know you are special. I have read you bio, and hope you are a child of God.


I think He has a picture of His children on his fridge, and says that is MY work of art. Look at her! Isn't she wonderful.