Health Depression

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In response to the OP, the assumption that intelligence + money = happiness is wrong.

People I know would view me as successful, but I certainly have some very low moments. I bet, like many of you, when I was a kid I could not wait to grow up, have girlfriends, make the big bucks, go out drinking wherever I like etc...geez, it sucks!! I feel for you Leon, relationships take up so much time, friends take a back-seat and when they end you feel so totally empty. In a strange way, at lowest moments are when you feel most alive. If you can still be hurt, it means you care, which is good.

My point is, whilst I do not suffer depression, everyone does feel depressed sometimes, and some being the people who appear to have it all. I think as a society we all need to treat eachother better. There is still a stigma that to be successful you cannot show weakness...its utter bullshit and those who try and keep up that persona end of with divorces and mid-life crisises.

Its sad to hear people hate xmas. I personally love it and seeing my family, I'm lucky in the sense, but I can fully appreciate how xmas is a sad time for a lot of people.

OP, there will be some happiness in your future. No matter how many bad times you have there will be moments which bring you joy. And thats worth keeping on for. Good luck.
 
Yeah, I know your pain buddy. I suffered from depression for much of 2003 and from Jan 2007-July 2008. I'm on anti-depressants now and these have eased the pain, but I still have the odd relapse, during which I do incredibly self-destructive things (slitting wrists). How have I survived? Well:
- The thought of my grieving family often forces me to stop
- Some exercise has helped
- Listening to music
- Writing my problems down
- Talking about it to trusted confidantes (beware: you may not know who these are until it is too late - I've met self-serving bureaucrats who have posed as counselors at uni)

I'm lucky in some ways - unlike you, I've never had alcohol problems. My depression was prolonged and compounded by my inability to lose a bit of excess weight, my melancholic personality, genetic factors and poor social skills - I've gotten hurt a lot here. That has motivated my depression to some extent, as I irrationally reason that people cannot hurt me after I'm dead, or that women's perceived abandonment, abuse or indirect ostracizing of me over the years is a signal that my life is worth nothing - that I'm more use dead than as a human being.

Hope I've helped.
 

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scooterb said:
Did that ever make you feel better (even for a brief moment)?
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Good question. It did certainly hurt like hell, which quickly made me snap out of it, take stock and let sanity return. That being said, I wasn't overly enamored with the scars on my wrist the next morning.

BTW, to the OP, I do NOT recommend slitting your wrists.
 
Hot tip: never ever tell your boss that you're suffering from depression. I've seen someone hounded after admitting that they had it when called up on why they were not 100%.
 
Docker Clint said:
Hot tip: never ever tell your boss that you're suffering from depression. I've seen someone hounded after admitting that they had it when called up on why they were not 100%.
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Agreed 100%.

My apprenticeship essentially went down the shitter after the exact same thing happened to me when I was suffering from depression. I went from being fine to being laid off within a week of him knowing. Through no fault of my own, I didnt behave any differently, the prick just threw me out on my arse.




Didnt help at all, losing the job I worked so hard for and spent 11 months looking/training for :(
 
Get this every once in a while, haven't been properly depressed for more than a day for 3 years now (which lasted a few months :( ). Hpwever, I've had two incidents in the last month now which have sucked. Just don't want to get out of bed or do anything but eat, sleep and maybe play a few video games.

I myself get over it by talking to (if it's a person)/about the issue that's causing it. Mine usually stem from female related issues so I always find that talking to whoever is bothering me helps.

Going to the supermarket and getting a block of chocolate, a big bag of lollies and a 2 litre botlle of Coke helps too
 
I might add I am on anti depressants. My story is long, but bear with me.

I was on two weeks leave from work during November this year. Into the second week, it would get to about 8pm each night and I would start to become really anxious and frightened. I just couldn't be on my own. My new kitten had just arrived and I couldn't handle his high-spirits. It became too much. I would begin to cry to the point where I was almost vomiting. I became so bad that I had to stay with my parents for a couple of days.

I realised I was incredibly lonely. My big problem was I would become so anxious and scared about meeting new people that I locked myself away. I realised that I needed to do something before it was too late.

Anyhoo, the next week, I began making enquiries about social groups etc...I joined an outdoor fitness program in my area. It was three sessions of the most intense work out I had ever experienced, but the people were nice and for the first time in a long time I felt good. My fitness sucked and I was behind everyone else, but I didn't care. My brother began dragging me out for small running sessions to help my fitness.

I went to my Uncle's place for an early Christmas dinner, but was still terrified at meeting cousins I had previously avoided because of my anxiety. I had a great time. I sat and chatted away, we had a laugh and I went away with the promise of catching up later on. I also have the prospect of getting out of my boring job to do something different!!

Thing is, that it takes a long time for some people, but I guess with perservence and bit of courage-mustering you can begin to take baby steps to start your life over.
 
jacqui9 said:
I might add I am on anti depressants. My story is long, but bear with me.

I was on two weeks leave from work during November this year. Into the second week, it would get to about 8pm each night and I would start to become really anxious and frightened. I just couldn't be on my own. My new kitten had just arrived and I couldn't handle his high-spirits. It became too much. I would begin to cry to the point where I was almost vomiting. I became so bad that I had to stay with my parents for a couple of days.

I realised I was incredibly lonely. My big problem was I would become so anxious and scared about meeting new people that I locked myself away. I realised that I needed to do something before it was too late.

Anyhoo, the next week, I began making enquiries about social groups etc...I joined an outdoor fitness program in my area. It was three sessions of the most intense work out I had ever experienced, but the people were nice and for the first time in a long time I felt good. My fitness sucked and I was behind everyone else, but I didn't care. My brother began dragging me out for small running sessions to help my fitness.

I went to my Uncle's place for an early Christmas dinner, but was still terrified at meeting cousins I had previously avoided because of my anxiety. I had a great time. I sat and chatted away, we had a laugh and I went away with the promise of catching up later on. I also have the prospect of getting out of my boring job to do something different!!

Thing is, that it takes a long time for some people, but I guess with perservence and bit of courage-mustering you can begin to take baby steps to start your life over.
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The loneliness thing is the killer.

That feeling that nobody likes you and that feeling of nowhere to go for help especially if you were born with the double D's .depressed and born dumb like I have.


At least when you are intelligent or have self esteem ,you can get out of it,but when you are dumb,people hate you more.

Humans-we are definately the worst species on Earth!

Going to put on some old 70s rock to make me feel better.
 
smasha said:
The loneliness thing is the killer.

That feeling that nobody likes you and that feeling of nowhere to go for help especially if you were born with the double D's .depressed and born dumb like I have.


At least when you are intelligent or have self esteem ,you can get out of it,but when you are dumb,people hate you more.

Humans-we are definately the worst species on Earth!

Going to put on some old 70s rock to make me feel better.
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Bursting Out-Jethro Tull.

Feel better already!!:)
 
smasha said:
At least when you are intelligent or have self esteem ,you can get out of it,but when you are dumb,people hate you more.
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no some of these people are in the same boat.
intelligent people can be some of the most social inept or devoid of common sense people you can meet. some of these people will appear to have self esteem to you but it can be nothing more then a BS facade to hide the fact that they to may not have a high opinion of themselves and use it as a method of self defense. Some of the most intelligent people out there have some of the more serious depression issues - they see their intelligence as a curse and something that alienates them from mainstream society. they have an inability to relate to the man in the street.
 
KangaFett said:
no some of these people are in the same boat.
intelligent people can be some of the most social inept or devoid of common sense people you can meet. some of these people will appear to have self esteem to you but it can be nothing more then a BS facade to hide the fact that they to may not have a high opinion of themselves and use it as a method of self defense. Some of the most intelligent people out there have some of the more serious depression issues - they see their intelligence as a curse and something that alienates them from mainstream society. they have an inability to relate to the man in the street.
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Good points.
 

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KangaFett said:
no some of these people are in the same boat.
intelligent people can be some of the most social inept or devoid of common sense people you can meet. some of these people will appear to have self esteem to you but it can be nothing more then a BS facade to hide the fact that they to may not have a high opinion of themselves and use it as a method of self defense. Some of the most intelligent people out there have some of the more serious depression issues - they see their intelligence as a curse and something that alienates them from mainstream society. they have an inability to relate to the man in the street.
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Over analysis. There are many components to IQ. Verbal IQ is often lacking.
 
KangaFett said:
no some of these people are in the same boat.
intelligent people can be some of the most social inept or devoid of common sense people you can meet. some of these people will appear to have self esteem to you but it can be nothing more then a BS facade to hide the fact that they to may not have a high opinion of themselves and use it as a method of self defense. Some of the most intelligent people out there have some of the more serious depression issues - they see their intelligence as a curse and something that alienates them from mainstream society. they have an inability to relate to the man in the street.
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Jesus. :eek:

This is the exact problem that has been plaguing me since I was only 2 or 3 years old. I live with this every day.
 
First of all, I wish you well mate, I have friends who have all gone through this and I can't understand what it is like, because I haven't gone through the severe depression myself. I like most people go through ups and downs, I might be down for a week but pick myself up again. Going through life you are going to be faced with that, its impossible to be on a peak for the whole time. Your brain will seek more. I think its an important part of life to feel ups and downs. With my ups and downs, the downs always have a trigger, and its most usually lack of acceptance from others. Do you have any triggers?

I could suggest maybe you seek to align yourself with positive thinking people, people who you know care about you. Negative thinkers are only going to be destructive to your progress. perhaps you could join support groups, confrences, or you could go to a church. All of those places would have similar people to yourself, and it would certainly give you a chance to understand more about the depression.

People are important, try and connect with as many people and groups as you can. Relationships is where it is at. You will gain more out of life sharing it with other people. I'm 30 now myself and I have learned from my own experiences, that all the money and items in the world can't buy happiness when you are down. Its an old clichè, but I believe to be true, as I have received so much more happiness sharing time with family and friends.

I'm not a professional in the area of depression, but I'm offering my advice, based on my own experiences. I hope you can overcome the depression, and start making some recovery.

Wish you well mate.
 
Anybody who suffers from anxiety and panic-attacks should take a read of the second post here

I had a pretty major case of 'hypochondriacism' around a year ago and had problems with anxiety associated with it. Had a few blood tests and a chest x-ray with nothing coming up and was pretty close to being put on anti-depressants. That post was probably the turning point as it made me realize that me feeling like s**t everyday was all in my head and it offered a 'cure' to this problem.
 
I came down with "chronic fatigue like" symptoms a number of years ago, one of which was depression. I'd been tired for a while, and slowing down hadn't helped. The stress caused by the departure of my long term ex eventually seemed to make the symptoms much worse, and despite many visits to doctors, and finding a few physical problems, no treatment offered seemed to make any difference. Eventually, after suffering considerably and finding myself at my mental limit to cope, I finally agreed to try anti depressants. Previously I'd rejected the whole "are you sure you're not depressed?" question doctors asked as a measure of their inability to find the cause of my problems, which I was still convinced was physically based.

The pills I got put on, Effexor, made quite a difference, both physically and mentally, much to my surprise, though I found out later they are often used for CF sufferers. They did a good job of masking the symptoms most of the time, though I always felt the underlying cause remained. Unfortunately they stopped working after about a year, and all the negative symptoms returned, possibly worse than ever.

Eventually I found a doctor who convinced me to be re- tested for toxic heavy metals. I'd had a hair analysis early on which showed little, but apparently hair only shows recent exposure, not so much lifetime accumulation. The provoked urine test I had showed the highest level of lead he'd seen, and a fair amount of mercury as well, all told certainly enough to cause health problems. I'd had exposure to such things via work, so it wasn't a bolt from the blue, it just took way too long to find.

Getting rid of all that is a long, slow process that tends to make your symptoms worse before you get better. I wish I could say it's all over now, but unfortunately there's still a way to go.

Through all of that, although the physical fatigue was difficult to deal with, the mental side was the worst. To have to deal with a brain that doesn't function anywhere near as well as it used to, to struggle with tasks you'd have flown through before, to stuff up the simplest of things sometimes, is extremely difficult to cope with. The frustration level is often off the chart, and you just can't help but feel useless. I've done a lot in my life, and nothing had ever really beaten me before, setbacks were always dealt with somehow, no matter how tough the going got. But without all the mental fortitude I'd summoned in the past at my disposal, I eventually got to the point where I felt completely beaten, and could easily see why some would eventually chose to end it all if there was no hope of improvement.

I wish I could say other people around me understood what I was going through, but it's just not a position you can put yourself in hypothetically. You make enough excuses to yourself, and end up so sick of having to explain your lack of ability to others, and feel like a spectator in your own life, that contact with people just becomes another potential problem to face. Avoidance brings problems as well, and it can become a downward spiral.

Years ago, in my ignorance, I though anyone who suffered from depression was just weak and pathetic, that they should just "snap out of it". I sure learned my lesson there, in the worst way possible.

.
 
smasha said:
Who couldn't care less if they were run over by a truck today?:(


Who lives in the past and doesn't see anything good in todays society?


Music down the pooper,sport becoming a big business,over population.


Feck,not much to be happy about today.


Not ****ing much at all.

Being a drummer(drummers are now extinct)Richmond supporter doesn't fecking help.


Who gets really down that you don't care?

Anti depressants do feck all.

All they do is help you write yourself off.

Tried alot and none of them work.
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Drummers are fantastic and richmond are interesting. ;)

Get accupuncture, if you live in melbourne i know a good chinese lady who can help you. PM me if you're keen.
 
PowerKat said:
I had a close relative with depression and did a fair bit of research. As per Power King's post, the beyond blue website is a really helpful starting point.

This person was on medication for a while but stopped taking it of their own accord and I believe that was mainly assisted by the support received from his family and friends. We made an effort to call more often and let him know he could call us whenever he needed 'someone'. Letting him 'offload' without deriding, being encouraging and positive, and also arranging short get-togethers and activities whenever we could to involve him at every opportunity to make sure he wasn't just sitting home alone day after day. Sometimes it took some convincing but the efforts of his 'support network' no doubt helped him.

Considering the points debated throughout this thread so far, I'll point out that under 'Help Yourself' the site lists a number of points and has helpful links with more information, with the key headings being...

(1) Reducing stress and anxiety

- Practise slow-breathing exercises to decrease stress and anxiety.
- Learn and practise relaxation techniques.
- Understand how important physical activity is for good mental health

(2) Getting enough sleep

(3) Keeping active
- Regular gentle exercise is helpful.
- Exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga, dancing, golf or a gym workout can help relieve mental tension, as well as muscle tension.
- Try to do some exercise every day, even if it's just walking around the block.

(4) Reducing alcohol and other drugs

Also, for 'Dealing with a bad day'

(1) Don't stay in bed
(2) Catch up with friends
(3) Keep active
(4) Learn to manage stress

There's heaps of helpful info for people dealing with it, or those trying to help someone else

Help Yourself
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I also have a close relative who suffers from depression. She also has a drug problem and I must say the mental health system in this state is a joke. None of those sites you mentioned have helped. I remember ringing one and a 12 year old answered and told me to get my relative to see a doctor :D "Have you taken her to a doctor?"
She has been rejected from hospitals because she has a drug problem and is rejected from rehabs because she has depression/mental issues.

The worst fate is one where you fall through the cracks of the mental health system.

I have that many stories and sagas i could write a book.
 
nicky said:
I also have a close relative who suffers from depression. She also has a drug problem and I must say the mental health system in this state is a joke. None of those sites you mentioned have helped. I remember ringing one and a 12 year old answered and told me to get my relative to see a doctor :D "Have you taken her to a doctor?"
She has been rejected from hospitals because she has a drug problem and is rejected from rehabs because she has depression/mental issues.

The worst fate is one where you fall through the cracks of the mental health system.

I have that many stories and sagas i could write a book.
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Sadly, the mental health care in this country is beyond a joke. For many people, the best place for them to be to receive mental health care is prison. Similarly, for those people who have mental health problems or who suffer from an intellectual disability, if their family don't have a great deal of money to pay for an aged care home, there is often nowhere for them to receive adequate care.

You'd think that in a country of such great wealth and initiative towards mental health and providing for the disabled, there would be better systems in place. Many people like your relative that you have described who fall through the cracks keep falling until they hit rock bottom. Usually this results in them becoming homeless and becoming lost in their own little world.

For anyone interested in understanding how the mind of someone works who is suffering from mental health issues (more specifically schizophrenia), I recommend reading the book, 'Strange Places: A Memoir of mental illness By Will Elliot'. I picked this book up randomly in the ABC shop and couldn't put it down. Very, very good read. Anyone who thinks they can smoke marijuana without any repercussions should probably try and get a copy as well.
 
top post

It's hard to know if marijuana causes mental illness OR if people with mental illness self medicate. My relative definitely self medicates because she is on the wrong medication.

Before anyone tells me to get her on the right one, it's MUCH MUCH MUCH more difficult than it sounds.

She has also been diagnosed (incorrectly) with borderline personality which has an awful stigma with mental health professionals. This means her treatment in hospital (when she gets in) is even worse. I really can't be bothered going into the nightmare, but cam, i can assure you, she hit rock bottom a lonnnnnnnnng time ago.

i will definitely pick up that book.
 
nicky said:
top post

It's hard to know if marijuana causes mental illness OR if people with mental illness self medicate. My relative definitely self medicates because she is on the wrong medication.

Before anyone tells me to get her on the right one, it's MUCH MUCH MUCH more difficult than it sounds.

She has also been diagnosed (incorrectly) with borderline personality which has an awful stigma with mental health professionals. This means her treatment in hospital (when she gets in) is even worse. I really can't be bothered going into the nightmare, but cam, i can assure you, she hit rock bottom a lonnnnnnnnng time ago.

i will definitely pick up that book.
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What makes you think she has been incorrectly diagnosed Borderline personality?

My girlfriend has that paired with bi polar. She is doing a lot better then when i first met her, but my experience then was that going to emergency or having anything to do with the mental health system is a waste of time.

Finding a good psychiatrist in the end, is pretty much the key.
 
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