Depression Support

[Deleted]

Good morning Rosegarden..

Thanks for the welcome-in. I will be sure to look for your pleasant visit from time to time..



Wanted to get my greeting in before the clock struck 12..

[weezybear]

I think I'm going to the other end of manic. I woke up this morning feeling like I wanted to cry. After a week of beeing manic , now I may be coming depressed. I hate myself right now with these cycling all of a sudden I just hope it sn't depression.

[darla44]

Weezy, I'm so sorry to hear about how you're feeling. I really hope also that it isn't depression. Hang in there.

Does anyone know anything about situational depression? I've heard this term before but not sure what it's all about. I keep having things happen in my life, one on top the other, and it's gotten to the point now that I just can't handle it anymore. I'm ready to give up on even getting out of the house. What's the point. Could this all be the result of situational depression, too many things at once?

[me2]

Hang in there Weezy! Hope this passes soon for you.

Darla...I can relate. I keep asking myself "what next"...I think there can't be anything to top this...but then something else comes up! I am feeling very tired - drained. I do not know anything about situational depression...but I do know that events do push me to being (more) depressed.

I have been kind of down myself. I had been doing so well for a couple of weeks. Yesterday was a heart wrenching day. I tried not to watch to many of the memorials. I did watch the one at ground zero. It was very touching. I love the memorial they built. I now want to go there to see it. Then during the football game last night they showed the military person playing taps with the memorial in the background. I think that was the most amazing thing I have ever seen.

[toomuchreality]

Sept 12, 2011 10:03:15 GMT -5 @heart2heart said:

Tsk tsk on you, tmr..

We gonna think and say nice things to everybody, right?

;D You are still your crazy self..

---

And I STILL practice!!! (I'm getting pretty good at too! Don't you think??!)
;D ;D ;D ;D



-You don't have to get all () with me, ya'know. Just cuz you can post pictures, and I can't! -->You could help me, ya'know....
But that's okay. You just keep posting those pretty "nice-nices" all by yourself. And don't worry. I can handle it. I'll figure it out all by my-self!



Hey, How be you, anyways?

I am going to the State Fair today, with my daughter, and 'the boyfriend'. (The one I helped move, a month ago.) That's where the REAL crazies are! LOL I think we'll have a good time.
Do you ever attend your St. Fair???


I'd post a graphic here for you, BUT....

;D


BCNU!

[Opti]

Sept 12, 2011 11:25:51 GMT -5 weezybear said:

I think I'm going to the other end of manic. I woke up this morning feeling like I wanted to cry. After a week of beeing manic , now I may be coming depressed. I hate myself right now with these cycling all of a sudden I just hope it sn't depression.

Weezy, I'm curious. How long are your cycles usually between mania and depression?

ETD: Weezy, feel free to PM me an answer instead of posting if you prefer. I know a bit about depression both uni and bipolar, but less
about those who cycle between mania and depression more than once a year.

[Opti]

Interesting thoughts Snerd. I found clinical depression to be a whole different level from being garden variety depressed so entitlement or whatever other people thought had nothing to do with it once it got to that state.

Not sure what positive thinking crowd you are talking about but I hang with some people who choose to look at what makes them happy. So one may concentrate on the thorns of the rose because they think they are cool, others might look at the whole rose, and some might prefer looking at the flower only. IMO, they are all right for them.

Being grateful is good. Seeing everything can be useful, but so can rose colored glasses. Not sure if you have ever experienced true clinical depression, but for me an example would be looking at a rose and not liking any of it and normally loving roses.

[mmhmm]

Sept 12, 2011 12:09:14 GMT -5 @darla44 said:

Weezy, I'm so sorry to hear about how you're feeling. I really hope also that it isn't depression. Hang in there.

Does anyone know anything about situational depression? I've heard this term before but not sure what it's all about. I keep having things happen in my life, one on top the other, and it's gotten to the point now that I just can't handle it anymore. I'm ready to give up on even getting out of the house. What's the point. Could this all be the result of situational depression, too many things at once?

The difference between clinical depression and situational depression is, primarily, a matter of cause. People who are clinically depressed cannot identify a reason for feeling depressed. People who are suffering from situational depression can easily identify events in their lives that are triggering their feelings of hopelessness and helplessness.

If you are facing a lot of difficulty, whether over one event or a number of events, it's not unusual to feel sad and overwhelmed. In fact, you'd probably have to be comatose not to feel so. If you feel like it's closing in on you and you just plain don't know what the heck to do, that's the time to seek the help of a professional. Talk to your doctor, or get a recommendation from a friend for a counsellor with whom you can discuss the issues with which you're trying to deal. There's no sense in slogging through the muck and mire life can sometimes strand us in all alone. Get some help and you'll find it a lot easier to clear your way to better times.

[Opti]

From an everyday health link:

Situational depression is usually considered an adjustment disorder — because the person affected is having problems adjusting to a situation — rather than true depression. But if situational depression is left untreated, it could develop into a major depression.

I'm guessing what they term major depression is clinical depression to me. I am a big fan of the book "Learned Optimism" which helped me keep situational or other depressive triggers from creating another major depression episode in my life.

I don't think of depression as self-serving, actually the opposite. When it got bad for me is when I felt I had no way to improve my life and I was trapped. I think to some extent this has been true of a relative of mine who has battled depression for years.

"But, i also find that sometimes a person is judged as being "negative" or a pessimist or whatever and not allowed to be who they are either."
Snerd, the only one who can make you not be you is you. But you are correct that people don't always want to hang out with someone in their "negative" phase or someone they don't click with. I think free will is a good thing!

[Opti]

Sept 12, 2011 23:40:46 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

Snerd, the only one who can make you not be you is you

True, but some of this issue is that you feel you are not measuring up to how you may think other people want you to be.

I think that's a general problem. Trying to be what other people want you to be in general is a losing proposition. Wish I had a good quote on hand, but to paraphrase something I heard, "if you need someone else to change to be happy, you are never going to be happy". What goes with that is if you change to make other people happy you've already sold your own happiness.

[Deleted]

Very interesting reads, I must say. Some really good points from everyone in my opinion..

From my own personal perspective concerning depression.. I believe situational depression is very self-focus and when dealing with either, situational or clinical depression, I believe good coping skills must be developed, introduced and practiced by the sufferer. Coping skills differ of course, from person to person, but is so vital to that persons stability in life..

I've found most, myself included, when experiencing bouts of either type depression it is because something outside of myself I've allowed to plunge me into the sadness depression brings. Interestingly enough is, it could be because I/others are not measuring up to others thoughts concerning them (and they of themselves) or measuring up to the world's view of what the status of one's life ought to look like during the many stages of life over a persons lifetime..

Societies really do teach us how to focus on ourselves, and if one falls short of that, (financial status, educational background, materialism, beauty, etc,..) there are a million ways plus, articles and books, written by folks who've suffered the lack of the ideal and more acceptable status for life or know someone else who does, teaching us how to combat our imperfections..

Coping skills is a must for me when anything outside of ME differs from my ideal standard of what brings me happiness inwardly.. In part, I also believe depression is brought on by living in severe homes as children and not knowing how to cope, but develop routes of escapism, not understanding why their world is unpleasant to them..

I could go on and on, but won't, I love listening to you who've been in great disscussion..

[weezybear]

Optimist4life;
I can cycle 1o2 times a month every month of the year. Most are not really high high , but I do get the full blown mania quite often. Last year I had 4 full blown mania attacks along with my other mania attacks and my depressions I get maybe once every other month, sometimes its every month .
It just depends on what my system is doing at the time.

[Opti]

Weezy, that sounds rough. Do you have at least one to two weeks each month where you feel mostly stable/like yourself?

[darla44]

mmhmm, thanks for your input to my question. I do understand the difference. I guess I was also wondering if situational depression is an actual legitimate term of depression. But what you said about getting help if everything gets too overwhelming is probably the best piece of advice. I've put that step in motion. I don't like burdening my family/friends with any of it, and it's probably best to get an impartial opinion also.

Some very good comments in here, very thought-provoking.

[weezybear]

Optimist4life I usually get a couple weeks a month if I'm lucky some months because I cycle so fast I don't know what the norn is any more.

[Deleted]

Aw, Weezy, I wish I could help Here's you a karma.

ETA: Oops. I karma'd you and forgot the icon. Here ya go

[Deleted]

Sept 12, 2011 22:38:25 GMT -5 Lady Gaga Gaga Snerd said:

Part of dealing with depression is the entitlement mentality that is being pushed on us constantly. The notion that we are supposed to have a trouble free life. That if you don't you are a victim of something. It really is endemic and hard not to adopt that thinking. Sometimes it takes some effort to really accept the circumstances of life and learn to be grateful and thankful for the good things in life. Many people think that depression is something where you only see the thorns but not the roses. However, i would submit that it is often a state of seeing the thorns AND the roses and that while you see the beauty of the rose, you mourn the fact that it is so fleeting and the recognition that it only lasts but a brief time. And, i would also submit that the "positive thinking" crowd often ONLY wants to see the rose but not want to deal with the thorns. For a beautiful rose to grow, there has to be a certain amount of excrement. And, often we want to hide or ignore the painful, the ugly, or the warts of life. I think we can see and acknowledge this and acknowledge the good and the bad.

Also from Snerd:
"Yes, i have had issues with depression. So, here are some of my opinions on my own journey in life. Depression has a big fat "I" in the middle of it. It can become very self serving and narcissistic in many ways and then it takes on a life of its own. I have found that while life may be raining on my parade today, that it is unfair for me to allow it rain on the parade of others and even when you don't feel like it that sometimes i need to stand back and go "hooray". And, i have some sunny optimists types of friends and i love how they view life and find them very uplifting. But, i also find that sometimes a person is judged as being "negative" or a pessimist or whatever and not allowed to be who they are either. I used to beat myself up for not being that way and have to learn to accept myself as well."

And finally (or not !) from Snerd:
"As for self serving, part of depression is thinking " I feel so bad". And, that may be true. But, there is a point where you can acknowledge those feelings but it doesn't get you anywhere. And, i think there is a notion that you shouldn't have those feelings so you try to fight it or pretend or whatever instead of realizing that you can't always control how you feel and allow that some days you just feel bad."


You can suffocate a thought by expressing it with too many words...(with grateful thanks to one among us for this tag line)

[Opti]

Sept 13, 2011 13:56:09 GMT -5 weezybear said:

Optimist4life I usually get a couple weeks a month if I'm lucky some months because I cycle so fast I don't know what the norn is any more.

Ouch. I think some of the martial arts and energy work I do could be very helpful for bipolar folks but I'm not sure how easy or quickly it would work for someone who cycles as quickly or quick as you.

Keep the faith. I'm praying for you.

[mmhmm]

Sept 13, 2011 13:35:40 GMT -5 @darla44 said:

mmhmm, thanks for your input to my question. I do understand the difference. I guess I was also wondering if situational depression is an actual legitimate term of depression. But what you said about getting help if everything gets too overwhelming is probably the best piece of advice. I've put that step in motion. I don't like burdening my family/friends with any of it, and it's probably best to get an impartial opinion also.

Some very good comments in here, very thought-provoking.

Yes, situational depression is an acceptable term when referring to other than clinical depression, hon. The depression arises because of an event, or situation, rather than coming out of nowhere.

Glad to hear you're going to seek some guidance. That's the best way to ensure the feelings of hopelessness and helplessness don't take over your life. Learning new coping methods is not only helpful, it's actually pretty interesting and something you can share with family and friends that will help them should similar situations arise in their lives.

[Deleted]

I went over to the bipolar & depression boards & became sad that they are not there. I spent 5 years on those boards & they were an important part of my life. I wish they had not shut them down.

[Mad Dawg Wiccan]

I set foot outside my apartment today for the first time in six days. It actually felt good, maybe the Prozac is kicking in.

[roygrip]

For my friend Mad Dawg. Keep putting one foot in front of the other. Know you have friends who support you and care. As your friend I offer my support, friendship, and a hand. Peace Dawg! May your days get brighter.


For everyone else here. I'm new here some may recognize my nic from MSN

I'm a recovering alcoholic addict, clean over 10 yrs. My wife is also in recovery and Bi -polar she's been clean 9 + yrs.
What I offer is that there's always hope. We just gotta try.
Prayers, Peace and hope for all.

[mmhmm]

Hang in there, Wiccan. Antidepressants take time to start doing their job and waiting through that time is difficult. Sounds like some progress is being made and that's a good sign. Many of those posting on this thread will understand what you're going through. Just realize you're not alone, and there are quite a few who will be here for you. Just reach out when you need to.

[roygrip]

What great support here for everyone. It's always good and right not to feel alone. I relate with my wifes and my struggles. Sometimes just the act of getting up, and putting one foot in front of the other was hard.

Together makes it so much easier. Peace.

[diamonds]

Sept 14, 2011 9:00:07 GMT -5 roygrip said:

What great support here for everyone. It's always good and right not to feel alone. I relate with my wifes and my struggles. Sometimes just the act of getting up, and putting one foot in front of the other was hard.

Together makes it so much easier. Peace.

Roy: So happy to see you here, welcome!!!! You will love it, really nice people and away from the stress of the nasty trolls. Enjoy and keep the faith. You have always been a positive inspiration! <white diamonds>

[diamonds]

Sept 13, 2011 23:59:13 GMT -5 Mad Dawg Wiccan said:

I set foot outside my apartment today for the first time in six days. It actually felt good, maybe the Prozac is kicking in.

Great to hear that dawg, enjoy the sunshine and the warmth of the days to come. I know just walking around and clearing the mind is a good thing.
kudos to you!!!!

[Deleted]

Hello hello

I loved reading how everyone is coping and encouraging the other..

Mad. Congratulations on making your first successful steps forward.. I would give all the credit to a pill.. Part of your success was your willingness to cooperate. I love to hear your type first attempts to wholeness.. Keep putting one foot in front of the other as suggested.. Before you know it, you'll begin seeing mile markers... My hat off to you.

Daphnee.. Vacation hospital stay? That's because of the, sit back and joy of room service.. That was funny..

So happy to know you all are out there and whenever you're feeling a bit under the weather.. Lean on one another, right here..

Roy.. So wonderful to hear about you and your wife's ongoing good days of sobriety..

Loved hearing from everyone.. I'm listening and not only that, I can really get my gab one too!

Hope everyone's day was a good one..

[mizbear]

Hey everyone. Popping in to say hi. Very busy right now- not too busy for my friends.

HUGS

[roygrip]

Sept 14, 2011 14:54:08 GMT -5 diamonds said:

Sept 14, 2011 9:00:07 GMT -5 roygrip said:

What great support here for everyone. It's always good and right not to feel alone. I relate with my wifes and my struggles. Sometimes just the act of getting up, and putting one foot in front of the other was hard.

Together makes it so much easier. Peace.

Roy: So happy to see you here, welcome!!!! You will love it, really nice people and away from the stress of the nasty trolls. Enjoy and keep the faith. You have always been a positive inspiration! <white diamonds>

Diamonds! Thank you kind lady! We keep keeping on! Glad to be here. Dawg gave me a heads up you were around. I feel right at home, thank you

[roygrip]

heart2, thank you! The road to freedom (like many here from what I read) is not an easy one. We do the best we can. We try. As I said, sometimes the act of putting one foot in front of the other is enough motivation to get the mechamism (our mind) rolling. Best wishes for all. I know in my wifes case being a dual diagnosis of both manic deppressive and the addictions was tough at first. None of this is easy to walk thru, but the benefits are tremendous!