question about depression

[sinjinsmythe33]

i understand its a broad and sweeping topic, but are there any indicators/symptoms other than lethargy, apathy and feelings of loss and hopelessness? not looking for a diagnosis or a flame, but i was wondering if anybody on this board has suffered from one of the types of depresssion. can one 'recover' without medication or extensive therapy? i did an online search and there seems to be alot of conflicting opinions.

 

[FISHTALES]

http://menanddepression.nimh.nih.gov/infopage.asp?id=10#types

i think it was casavant who originally posted this...

 

[sinjinsmythe33]

well i have a few of these

Persistent sad, anxious, or "empty" mood y
Feelings of hopelessness, pessimism y
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, helplessness y
Loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, fatigue, being "slowed down"
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions y
Trouble sleeping, early-morning awakening, or oversleeping y
Appetite and/or weight changes
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts
Restlessness, irritability y
Persistent physical symptoms, such as headaches, digestive disorders, and chronic pain, which do not respond to routine treatment

 

[rsnoble]

I have personal experience with manic depression, if you want further info let me know. Not myself, but my mother and mother-in-law. Although some in the family have suspected me of being a possible suspect of the disease because of my behavior sometimes. Fuck them, Im just trying to get a point across. It might not, but they sure won't forget how I feel about it.

 

[sinjinsmythe33]

thanks. i will do some more research. its difficult to concentrate....

 

[gonelifting]

Talk to someone you know personally. They don`t have to be a doctor, but just someone to talk to that will listen. A friend a relative...

 

[sinjinsmythe33]

i know people that wil listen, but its embarassing. perhaps that is part of the problem, but i cant stand to bare my soul. i will talk to a priest this weekend, i think its the place to start. thanks for the advice.

 

[gonelifting]

i know people that wil listen, but its embarassing. perhaps that is part of the problem, but i cant stand to bare my soul. i will talk to a priest this weekend, i think its the place to start. thanks for the advice.

Yes that is a good start.

Also, You don`t have to tell your friends/family EVERYTHING at once. You can just say one thing, just something that`s bothering you and then THEY will ask a question and you respond and they might ask another... You have to start somewhere.

I think it`s great that you already started asking about it here. It`s a start. keep your head up. good luck

 

[hellorhih2o]

i understand its a broad and sweeping topic, but are there any indicators/symptoms other than lethargy, apathy and feelings of loss and hopelessness? not looking for a diagnosis or a flame, but i was wondering if anybody on this board has suffered from one of the types of depresssion. can one 'recover' without medication or extensive therapy? i did an online search and there seems to be alot of conflicting opinions.

You may not want to hear this but I think what you listed is enough to call it a clinical depression. And yes, according to my shrink, your body can and will revocer from depression on its own but it takes 12-24 months, and in the meantime you're doing some serious damage to your system. I can't remember the statistics but you shorten your lifespan if you leave a depression untreated. I keep telling all my friends to swallow their pride and go see a qualified shrink (psychiatrist not psychologist) if they think they're clinically depressed. It can save your life, or at least a few years of your life.

Also, I wouldn't see you regular doc, this is serious shit and most GP don't have the knowledge to treat you. You need a psychiatrist.

I can still remember the day when I felt "normal" again. I'm telling ya, it was worth the medication.

Good luck to ya!

 

[sinjinsmythe33]

thank you. my brother is an md, very intelligent, well respected. he would listen, but he has his own issues to deal with (wife of less than one year has cancer, very serious). i just want to know where to start and you guys have helped. i will continue to research and take the first step.

 

[gonelifting]

Re: Re: question about depression

I can still remember the day when I felt "normal" again. I'm telling ya, it was worth the medication.

Good luck to ya!

Wow. Really? You felt "normal" and were conscious of it THE DAY IT HAPPENED. That`s interesting. I thought people just felt better over weeks or months ... I don`t know too much about it but it`s just interesting that you felt better and felt a difference from the day before. not from "last week" or "last month". Good for you

 

[presguy]

i had depression last year. i took pills for about 6 months, they did nothing for me. the best thing i found is exercise. get endorphins going, its natural anti depressant.

 

[hellorhih2o]

Re: Re: Re: question about depression

Wow. Really? You felt "normal" and were conscious of it THE DAY IT HAPPENED. That`s interesting. I thought people just felt better over weeks or months ... I don`t know too much about it but it`s just interesting that you felt better and felt a difference from the day before. not from "last week" or "last month". Good for you

it takes a while for the medication to kick in so yeah, it's a slow process but i DO remember walking the dog and thinking "hell, i don't feel even a tiny bit sad, hopeless, etc.". I wasn't jumping for joy or anything like that. I just felt "normal" again. I'm telling ya, it's a great feeling after feeling like crap for months.