It's funny, as I'm in work I keep everybody happy, so silly stints like sing a song, do a little dance, bit of banter.
I would recommend looking at referring to an Improving Access to Psychology Therapy (IAPT) service, evidence shows that these service can be more clinically effective than traditional GP prescribed drugs, they are available across all of England and provide a range of interventions which are based on your needs. You can search for your local service via NHS choices http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Psychological-therapies-(IAPT)/LocationSearch/10008 There is also wide range of services available online that provide solid advice and guidance such as Mind and Mental Health Foundation and rethink.org http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/publications/ There are a plenty of ways you help boost your wellbeing, through walking, exercise, healthy eating and reducing alcohol, cut down on caffeine and reduce smoking. But as always, please seek professional help if you need support.
It's also worth pointing out that it is estimated that 1 in 4 people will suffer from depression or anxiety at some point in their life. You are not alone. Time to Change have also got an excellent supportive web site: http://www.time-to-change.org.uk HTH Lhasa2008
Since as long as i can remember i have had low moods, lack of motivation, always feeling tired and achy. literally i have every single sign of depression apart from self harming and suicidal thoughts. I sit on my sofa most nights staring into space while my head just constantly spins over the same things. I don't even know what is going on in my thoughts most of this time because its all just a blur, my head thinks too fast for me to process it if that makes sense. I hate going to bed because it takes me hours to fall asleep, and i feel guilty about disturbing my partner at what usually turns into 3-4 am. Anyway a while ago i finally went to the doc who prescribed me with mirtazapine 15mg tablets. I havent started taking them yet because i refuse to believe i need to rely on pills, but i have just taken my 1st one. Will let you all know how it goes as i have heard these make you reall groggy in the morning, I am already the worst morning person so this coud be interesting.
Do you or did you ever smoke (smoke..) a lot? No offense intended, just curious to compare notes more than anything...
None taken, the answer is yes. In my youth i used to smoke a fair bit of the green stuff. I realised it was not doing me any good after a while and stopped for a year or so. These days though i don't go out and buy it, however i do occasionally have a puff if i am with a pal that still smokes, the smell is too much to resist lol. I know this is 99.9% what has caused it but there is a but... i have had this problem of no sleeping and feeling rubbish even before i was smoking.
At least you live somewhere where you can actually say what you have publicly, in many countries you'd be shot or imprisoned for that. You could always go to live in rural Somalia, you won't get any media propaganda or corrupt govt there (they don't have a govt to speak of) of course the downside is that your neighbour may kill you to steal your clothes but I guess you can't have everything.
No thanks. A government is good, just less of the corruption and lies would be better. This is not the only reason i feel how i do, there are loads of reasons, for example; The fact that the whole world are bombing and killing eachother. Reasons and excuses aside, i don't give a ****, it shouldn't be happening. It makes me feel sick to be the same breed as these animals. I don't like my job anymore but i don't know what path to take. I've been going round in circles now for years and i'm just lucky that my boss likes me and keeps taking me back. So many things i can't do because I don't have any money. yes I know that sounds bad because there are plenty of people much worse off in the world and why is that? It's just the whole monetary system that makes me sick. There are people starving to death everywhere because they don't have any money or food. Money being this worthless thing that some corrupt banker invented for control of the people. Think about it. Bank print money, money is then loaned out with interest meaning there is more money owed back than there ever is in circulation. The result can only ever be debt and slavery. Nothing can be done about that now because we as a race are now dependant on it. So what does it mean to be successful? having loads of money that is actually just meaningless paper? What am i working for? how is the future going to get better? Fact, more and more people are becoming depressed. Fact, more and more people are working out what the system really is. Coincidence? I think not.
I know its easy to say but if you accept the fact that you can't do anything about it is there any point in worrying about it? However bad it is, it could be worse.
Thank you Mike gt for starting this, you have no idea how much better it's made me feel knowing that others suffer - not that I wish it on them - but are so openly talking about it. I have had nasty depression for a good couple of years. I knew but felt ashamed because I am about the strongest person you could meet. Went to doctor and the first lot of medication stopped working after about 4 months so he upped the dose. I ended up with massive swollen feet, ankles and legs due to it. He changed it and 2 taken am and 1 pm but after a few months I dunno if they really are doing much good. Last Monday I could have slit my throat but would not do that as I have a husband, dogs, cat and horse so it would be selfish and do no good. The depression is the reason I have not been on hear for so long but a kind person gave me a poke and it motivated me. Thank you big time. Like some of you, I can be either very down or at best medium. Today is a medium day, so far. I can't remember the last time I felt happy it was years ago. Thanks again for starting this thread. xx
I don't think it's becoming more prevalent as such Ian, I think it's just becoming more socially acceptable and not looked on as a weakness and therefore more people are acknowledging they have an issue and approaching the relevant parties rather than suffering in silence.
Off topic but you sound like someone who would enjoy the Zeitgeist series. [video]https://youtu.be/EewGMBOB4Gg[/video] Back on topic, I also find it great to see people admitting their issues. Having had many partners with mental health issues it's a real life breaker at times but that's the fight I guess. I think the prime way to cope is to keep thinking logically - as soon as the irrational actions start it's a slippery slope.
I have seen them, definately an eye opener! Off topic again but have to say say it sorry! After watching Zeitgeist, watch the matrix. So many quotes in this film that ring true... I could go on lol.
What other option do you have? To get away from it I guess you would just need to be self sufficient???
I'm intrigued to hear how you got on with the Mirtazapine? I started taking them on a Friday evening (15mg once a day) and between 10pm Friday and 7am Monday I think I was awake for about 5 hours of the weekend! By mid-week I was starting to get used to it and didn't spend as much of each morning feeling drunk/hungover/spaced out/stupid. I took them for about 2 months before we started cutting down my dose and slowly getting me off them. I finished taking them in July 2015, I've still got a packet in my wash bag but haven't felt the need to take any since. "Depression" (like its regular partner, Anxiety) covers a vast spread of conditions - sometimes it can do more harm than good when somebody says "my mate had depression - what you need to do is...." The really important thing is to feel able to talk about it, one of the most damaging symptoms of any kind of mental illness / mental injury / mental health issue is the feeling of having something embarrassing or shameful wrong with you. (My issue was stress related, "PTSD-like", leading to hyper-alertness amongst other things. Basically the stress level at my work was triggering a similar physiological response to when I'd been off playing soldiers - so my mind and body were looking for who was going to try to kill me and keeping me ready to react. Turns out if you stay in fight/flight for 3 months continuously it's bad for you... who knew?)
Folks, Just to resurrect this topic - I'm another one that has and does suffer from depression/anxiety. It first hit me in my early 20's and I've had several episodes over the years with the most recent episode hitting me in late April/early May this year. I'm not 100% sure what triggered the most recent episode but I'm damn sure that COVID-19 and all the misfortune and suffering that it has brought certainly contributed. I should have said something sooner about my depression but I'm only just starting to try put some shape and sense into my own head in the last 3-4 weeks and I wanted to be at some kind of an even keel before bringing this up. I'm currently on 2 different meds (1 at night and 1 in the morning) and will probably be on those for the next 12 months give or take. I also see a counsellor and attend a self-help group every week. I just want to put it out there that if anyone is struggling in these times - You are absolutely not alone and please speak up and let someone know. That is the most god-awful characteristic of this illness - it empowers you to do absolutely nothing other than withdraw into yourself and speaking from my own experience that is the worst thing you can do. Speak to someone - put it out there in this forum if you're comfortable to do so, send me a PM if you prefer, speak to a family member, work colleague whatever works for you. I'm no shrink but this illness has at times taken me about as low as you can go. Anyways I just wanted to share this in the hope that it may help someone else.
I held a bit of a meeting for mates a few months back as I had concerns about a few. Anyone who thinks they're alone in suffering, you couldn't be more wrong. A few of the lads opened up to me since I openly spoke about my own struggle to keep the cheery side out. And some of the guys who confided to me were the ones you'd be most envious of. So don't suffer in silence. A few years ago, I was really down in the dumps, and mentioned it here. A PM from a member who I'd never met or spoken to, expressing concern, was enough to make me realise things can get better. So if anyone IS struggling, feel free to PM me, as an unbiased, but empathic listener. It's a cliché, but it really is good to talk. Tristan.
Fair play my fellow Irishman - it wasn't that long ago if it was even suspected that you "suffered from the nerves" you were consigned to a human rubbish tip and became a pariah in your own community. I'm glad to see that s##t has ground to a halt. Robert
