Depression Support

[roygrip]

Hi Lassie!  I'm glad your working thru it.  And yes sometimes those anti depressants just mask what is going on.  Each person we would agree is different, for some the pain is so real and great, the anti depressants "help" over the rough spots.  The hope would be that through counseling everyone would wean off them and work through stuff with a counselor.  Yes I'm back!   Did ya miss me?

[Jaguar]

Hi Roy how are you doing ?

[roygrip]

Hi Sug!  I took a break.  I'm doing well, life is good.  How are you?

[Jaguar]

I'm hanging on.

[roygrip]

 All any of us can do!

[Jaguar]

I'm going through a lot of grief right now, with both my sister cancer and my BIL COPD, that's my sister's husband.

It's just a hell of a lot of stress on this family.

[roygrip]

Sug, my thoughts and prayers. We're going thru it with my wifes sister and I've got some issues from all the damage the drug/alcohol use did to me that are starting to rear their head. I wish you the best, We take it one step at a time and we just deal. We deal because we have to. There isn't any other alternative. I lived so long on the "ugly side of the track" I know hell, it ain't pretty. Its hard to get up sometimes, I truly get that, but you are not alone, truly you are not. PM me if you wish, I'm a great sounding board, I can listen. Hugs!

[Blonde Granny]

What am I doing in the pits? That's a great question Sugi!!

I can allow myself to wallow in all of lifes problems, or I can be grateful that today I have the tools to greet each day with joy & happiness. Abe Lincoln once said "most people are as happy as they make up their minds to be"...sorry Abe if I botched that quote, but it's a good message none the less.

My Dh is a disabled Viet Nam vet, and today he is slowly dying from the effects of Agent Orange. To look at him everyone thinks he has no medical problems at all. After his diagnosis of kidney disease (that what it's called now, not kidney failure) I quickly went off the deep end and had him dead and buried in a matter of months. That was almost 2 years ago and his situation today is still stable.

As for his diagnosis of dementia caused by Alzheimers, that has been a slow progression over a few years, so I didn't panic.  It is what it is.

Dh has seen me thru my alcoholism, then stage II breast cancer, I'll take care of him as long as I physically can.

The sun is shining today, and I get to see it!!!  How great is that

For today, I'm choosing happiness, there is enough sorrow to go around, but I'll leave it for someone else.

[Jaguar]

[Jaguar]

[Jaguar]

[Jaguar]

I'm just getting this thread all ready for everyone.

[sesfw]

For today, I'm choosing happiness, there is enough sorrow to go around, but I'll leave it for someone else.

Blessings granny ...... to you and your DH.  I thank him for his service to our great country.

I got a call from my SIL yesterday.  Her DH (my DHs bro) passed away the end of July and since then she has been battling a facial bone cancer.  She is getting chemo and radiation (in 2 places) and now is getting depressed.  When we talked she was surprised at the depth of the depression.  She was dx about 2 days before her DH died so with the double whammy it's getting to her.  I told her depression is a normal part of both paths and with the 2 combined it's doubly hard.

She is in IN and I'm in AZ ...... and if my health were better I would be there with her.  She lives in a close-knit farming community and has family around but that doesn't really help the empty home at night.  I send cards to her to let her know we are thinking of her but I wish I could do more.

So I pray.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

I had a fairly lengthy update almost completed to post last night, then thought twice about it. There's some depression issues, as well as some physical health issues I'm dealing with that are weighing heavily on me - but I think I may edit my draft a bit before posting it. Still not too much personal information I want to share publicly - especially since one member here has always seemed to relish in any unhappiness or pain I might be going through, and has done so for well over a year now. I'd hate to supply them with more fodder to gloat on.

I am trying to focus on staying upbeat, and maintain my sense of humor, but some days even that's a struggle. The upcoming winter season is also something else I'm dreading - due to S.A.D.(Seasonal Affective Disorder) - and we had our first taste of what's ahead for the next few months yesterday, with a freak snowstorm.

That certainly hasn't helped this downward spiral I've been feeling in for about a month now. Not sure how much more I can take hitting my fan.

At least I have my art & hobbies to distract me and take my mind off things when they start eating away at me - but lately even focusing on that seems like work.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Le Sigh - the time here is only 7:40 or so, and already getting dusky outside. the S.A.D. symptoms are already starting to set in (a bit earlier this year than last).

When the snow and frigid cold temperatures start moving in, I'm hoping I have the strength to slog through another winter. I'm also missing the friendship of someone dear to me, due to a mis-communication. (Another Le Sigh).

We're still semi-speaking, but the reception is cool - and not like before. I believe they're being overly emotional about something that was a non-issue - they apparently must feel otherwise. This is someone I always thought of as forgiving and kind. (And I still do).

I miss the closeness we shared. I think they over-reacted over something completely not worth getting upset about - they probably think they're justified - but I know in my heart of hearts, I would rather mend fences before it's too late, than build a brick wall. I hope they come around - but I can't beat
myself up trying to fix this all on my own if they continue to hold onto bad feelings or a grudge.

I take all friendships seriously - and would never throw one away over some misunderstanding. And yes, I made my sincere apologies to them - and offered the olive branch.

I will continue to leave the door open & hope they will come around & walk through it again. I'll never turn my back - I didn't think they were someone who would either (triple Le Sigh).

[busymom]

Don't beat yourself up, SL. People change over time. Some people move towards you, & others drift away. The older I get, the less I believe in "best friends forever".

This is a bad time of year for me too. If it wasn't for Thanksgiving & Christmas, I'd consider those 2 months they're in a complete waste of calendar space.

I may have asked this last winter, but do you own one of those SAD lamps?  I'm wondering if I should check into finding myself one.

You & I, once we're officially retired, need to find a warm, sunny place to spend our Winters at! 

[mmhmm]

Me, too, on the S.A.D. stuff! I literally loathe winter!

[Jaguar]

I'm upping my Vitamin D and trying to get out everyday for a little walk, but I got my Qigong DVD's coming this week. Plus I made lots of room to just move.

[engineerdoe]

Hello all.  As you can see I am not a prolific poster but I need to get some angst out before I take it out on someone close to me.  I like to keep things to myself and don't like to burden people with my issues but that obviously is not working for me.  Just got my prozac upped to 60 mg and was hoping that would help but so far it seems to be the opposite.  I may need to go back to doctor to make a different adjustment.
How do you get energy to exercise which will make you feel better but you just don't want to do anything but sleep?  

[mmhmm]

Sept 24, 2014 11:12:59 GMT -5 engineerdoe said:

Hello all.  As you can see I am not a prolific poster but I need to get some angst out before I take it out on someone close to me.  I like to keep things to myself and don't like to burden people with my issues but that obviously is not working for me.  Just got my prozac upped to 60 mg and was hoping that would help but so far it seems to be the opposite.  I may need to go back to doctor to make a different adjustment.
How do you get energy to exercise which will make you feel better but you just don't want to do anything but sleep?  

I think first you have to get the depression under control. The higher dose of Prozac may do that for you. If not, there are combination drugs that can help, or another anti-depressant can be tried. Getting a handle on clinical depression isn't always easy and often requires quite a few adjustments to get it right.

[busymom]

Welcome Engineerdoe!

  Winter is totally my low energy time of the year.  My favorite thing to do for exercise is walk.  If you find exercising to be totally boring, pick an activity you really like, & do it for a short while, then gradually increase the amount of time you do it.

Another thing I do, because it's hard for me to get moving in the morning, is (after my youngest is on the school bus) CRANK a lively tune I like on YouTube.  

By the way, feel free to rant here, or on the other threads.  Holding it in is too hard on yourself.  I agree with mmhmm that it may take several attempts to get the right combination of meds & dosages that works best for you.  Hang in there!

[engineerdoe]

Thanks mmhmm and busymom.  I do need to figure out how to get past this whole "body at rest stays at rest".  Damn you Newton!
After my massage last night I feel a little better today so I might give the 60 mg another week before I go tweaking anything.

[mmhmm]

Sure, engineerdoe. Give it a bit of time and see how it goes. The lethargy should dissipate. Then, it's just a matter of convincing yourself you CAN do it. That pretty much can't be done until the chemical mess is under better control.

[Jaguar]

We are all here for each other.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

Sept 23, 2014 21:34:24 GMT -5 busymom said:

Don't beat yourself up, SL. People change over time. Some people move towards you, & others drift away. The older I get, the less I believe in "best friends forever".

This is a bad time of year for me too. If it wasn't for Thanksgiving & Christmas, I'd consider those 2 months they're in a complete waste of calendar space.

I may have asked this last winter, but do you own one of those SAD lamps?  I'm wondering if I should check into finding myself one.

You & I, once we're officially retired, need to find a warm, sunny place to spend our Winters at! 

I could certainly go for the warmer climate. That's another thing that's weighing me down these last few weeks. My gimpy legs have been been giving me more than the usual grief lately - almost as badly as when they were first injured. Colder temps only make them hurt more.

So I'm dreading the thought of slogging through freezing temps & snow-drifts again this winter.

[busymom]

Blech! It's hard for me to get moving when the days are getting shorter. I'm cranking tunes on YouTube, & it's like I've gone from 0 to 60 as far as getting things done.

[ՏՇԾԵԵʅՏɧ_LԹՏՏʅҼ]

My day was relatively good today for the most part. I was FINALLY able to get out of the house around 5:30 pm (after it had gotten dark)> to pick up a few groceries after the guys doing the new siding on the house (from our Sept hailstorm) were done working for the day.

They got a lot done, but they'll no doubt be here early tomorrow to keep hustling to get it completed  and making tons of noise while the weather's still half-decent. There's a lot of tall scaffolding around the entrance to the house that they erected before leaving, so I won't be able to get out of here tomorrow either (unless it's after they leave) since they usually block the driveway with their vehicles & equip. If they were better-looking or more buff, I might not mind seeing them through my window.

At least I managed to pick up enough at the store tonight to get me through the next few days while they're working.

I'm feeling dragged down though, because other than Saturday, the temps are starting to really drop in the long-range weekly forecast ahead (especially at night) and there's even some sNOw or flurries in the long range 7-day forecast - and the daylight sunlight is dwindling too quickly. The S.A.D. and "winter blues" is already starting to kick into gear. Top that off with a bit of insomnia the last few nights, and it's already starting to eat at me.

(End of my pity rant).

[sesfw]

((((((((((( SL )))))))))))))))) mega hugs my friend

[Deleted]

I'm glad I finally ran across this board!   I have had major health issues over the last two years; while I am recovering to the point that I can, I am suffering depression.  I think from the fact that I will never be the same again.  I am under the care of a therapist, and taking Xanax and antidepressants.  These are help me somewhat, but not to the point where I am jumping up and down and saying "ain't life grand".

I read in this thread about S.A.D. disorder.  That is something my therapist had mentioned, in that I seem to be going through a bad spell.  Where do you get the S.A.D. lights?  Do they work?

.

[mmhmm]

Target (and most of the big box stores) has a selection of SAD lights, @ezzie. There are small ones that are inexpensive and there are larger ones that can be a bit pricey, but it depends on what you need. They do help a lot of folks get through the yearly "dark ages".