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Just curious. Do (or have) any of you suffer from depression? If so, what are some things that you do to try to make yourself feel better? Just a poll....

I have been clinicly depressed (now that I found out what that was) as long as I can remember. My mom is bipolar (diagnosed) and I'm sure my dad was depressive (not diagnosed...but explains the alcoholism.

I was counseled by 4 professionals over a couple of years to try medication before I finally caved due to the deepest depression I've ever experienced. I have been on Zoloft since the middle of December (2002).

Contrary to popular ignorance, depression medication is not a "happy pill" that you take to make everything all better. It chemically resets your seratonin (sp) flow and allows your emotions (and consequently thoughts) to stablize and "clear up" so you can deal with the issues that are present (my depression, althought chemical, also contains other issues that I must deal with...medication just allows me to do that).

There are other things I can and need to do besides medication and continued counseling (medication alone rarely cuts it...get counseling also!!). I need to get off my ass and exercise...I'm obese. I need to be more deliberate in my professional and academic ambitions and not wait for things to happen. I need to learn to control my spending better. Those issues are personality/circumstantial things that medication doesn't cure.

I'm not a mental health professional (yet) so don't take my thoughts to the bank. However, they are a glimpse into my 29 years of experience with depression.

Hope this helps...

Both my brother-in-laws suffer from chronic depression (one is bi-polar and the other won't go back for follow up doctor visits) ... and neither one of them will take the meds or go to thearpy to contol it, as perscribed by their doctors.

Both families are in a living h£ll, their lives are miserable and their quality of life is beyond horrible.

My sister finally, after 27 years of marriage and the childeren had all grown and left the nest ... filed for a divorce. She just couldn't take the abuse anymore when he went into his 'funk'.

My wife's sister-in-law, on the other hand, has developed the 'battered woman's syndrom', and thinks she is useless and can't make it on her own. She, over the years, has lost all self esteem ... due to her constant abuse ...

... and consiquently, has developed her own form of depression, and won't so anything about it, except sleep all day, and ignore her two ADD daughters and autistic son.

The sad thing is ... it's all preventable, if diagnosed correctly, and the proper medication is taken followed by the appropriate therapy.

billyjackson

for others who do not know, clinical depression is not feeling sad, it is a chemical imbalance that subtly takes over your entire thinking and feeling. if it is not treated, you can find yourself thinking of suicide as an option.

as an example. a sudden dramatic increase in adrenilen
(sp) caused by anger when comeone cuts you off on the freeway, can trigger "road rage". your body simply reacts.

a lack of enough seratonin can cause clinical depression, your body just reacts.

my doctor, who knows me for 20 years or so recognized my clinical depression.

i too fought the idea of happy pills. i also take zoloft (sertraline} and have been for for 5 or 6 years.

i started at 50mg and over the 5 or 6 years i am now taking 150mg. i knew when i needed to bump to 100 mg and 150 mg and the doctor agreed with me each time i felt i needed to increase my medication.

I've been on Zoloft and Buspar for the past few years to help treat both depression and panic attacks which have burdened my life for many, many years. The meds do help a great deal, but they aren't the end of the story. To answer the original question, I find that I feel better when I provide myself with numerous constructive distractions: I have a number of hobbies that I make lots of time for--fishing, metal detecting, golf, collecting comic books and all sorts of historical stuff, etc. I'm also starting my own non-profit to get a bit out of myself and give something to others. And, of course, I enjoy my daily cigars! I've found that too much idleness is very destructive for those of us who suffer with depression; admittedly, though, one of the greatest struggles is pushing yourself to keep active--depression carries with it a tendency toward entropy and inaction, which encourages the vicious cycle. Anyway, my antidote is meds, hobbies, and pets--they all help!!

'battered woman's syndrom'

Yep, unfortunatley this is what I have suffered from for many many years due to my last marriage. The feeling of no self worth is a major part of my ever day life. I tried Zoloft but had allergic reactions to it. Tar, just one day at a time is all I can suggest to you. Some days are hell, some are okay. I have only thought about suicide, but never really attempted it. Thank God for my kids. If it was not for them, I probably would have taken my own life. Regardless what people think or say, unless they have walked a mile in your shoes they have no damned idea what you are going through. They can give you a book, suggest all kinds of rememdies, nag and bitch at you, tell you that you are mental, sympathise with you, fill you full of drugs, but when it comes down to it...It is all up to you. I found my peace in music and God. I played the organ and piano to get me through the worst days. My boys, who also suffer from depression because of the life we lived, found their peace as well in hunting and music. I'll keep you in my prayers.

Mrs. Usahog

Good discussion thread. I have always wondered about my level of fatigue sometimes. May be a milder form of depression. Or it's just being so busy with home, kids, work, bills, bad running cars, events, family requirements, trying to find time for recreation only to find the recreation is more fatiguing than relaxing.

It is interesting that fatigue is a symptom across the board. I get so whupped every day, that I tend not to take care of things that really need taking care of. I read an article about something they call "Baby Boomers Syndrome", a version of chronic fatigue.
A lot of it rings true in that every day looms ahead like another day of non-stop activity and events....have-to's. I guess its time to stop and smeel some roses.

I thought that was yours Tar...

I to have writen things like that before!!! not just once but many times...
thats why I asked why did you bring up this topic also...

Hog

tarheel4ly

please don't look for it. it is the past. it is no longer part of you. finding it and looking at it will not help you with anything. forget it.

Prayer said Jason on helping you with your inner strength. Sincerely best regards, brother. Continue to move forward is the only thing I can say as I won't even begin to understand what it must be like.

Tar, Cheer up...........WOW, look at all the friends you have here, and most or all you have never seen in person. What a GREAT bunch of loving and caring people. You mention you have a daughter, I have three and one son. You, my BOTL are a fortunate person. Pick your self up and enjoy what is out there to offer.
Scotty

^ ^ ^ ^

The book...Your Erroneous Zones. The author... Dr. Wanye Dyer. The store... Amazon.com . That's all needed to be said. JonR

I don't think I have any clinical depression problems. But I get down like everyone else does from time to time.

I've found that I'm more likely to get depressed when I'm just sitting doing nothing. If I'm doing something (i.e. working on the house, playing in my band, going to the gym or biking or rollerblading, spending time with my wife doing something)I'm to busy to get down.

So when you are feeling down get up and doing something. Get your body moving and your mind working. I guess other then drugs this is the best thing to do.

I have great respect for those, here, with the courage to discuss their depression. I am very thankful that I, personally, have not experienced true depression, but a dear friend, a woman with four children and a loving husband, took her own life as a result of her depression, and I challenged myself to learn as much as I can about it.

Depression is not only treatable, it's beatable!

The new generation of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, like Paxil, can virtually make depression disappear for many sufferers. But you absolutely must be both honest and proactive with your healthcare provider. If you feel like crap with the current prescribed medication, albeit, better than you did before, tell the Doc. Don't settle for just feeling okay.

Any medication, Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac taken without counseling and a plan of physical exercise isn't sufficient. If you are suffering from depression, weight gain and pain is very common. Exercise really helps and so does a solid nutritional plan.

Whatever you do..DON'T DISRGARD YOUR DEPRESSION THINKING IT WILL GO AWAY!! Depression doesn't just go away without the appropriate course of treatment.

And, always, keep in mind, that you has a human being, have value.

My wife's depression destroyed our marriage... It's an insidious disease. For the most part, it's invisible, it masquerades as other things, it is argumentative, defensive, aggressive and unyielding.

If you or someone you love is clinically depressed, beware... take steps (major ones) to protect yourself.

As a young man, I had some really low times. This is what I found out. No alcohol. It's a trigger. Exercise. Your brain loves the endorphins. Always remember that there are people who NEED you. I think there is still a stigma associated with this issue in the Navy. But if you relly need them, get the meds!

People just don't wanna hear about how you feel bad! That's what I mean. Yes the Navy has some good health care professionals. Use them. But the guys you work with just want you to get your job done. They may even hold it against you if you are debilitated. "There's nothing wrong with him. He oughta pull his weight". A broken leg is one thing. People can see it. Many people who haven't experienced depression don't believe it's a big deal. And they expect you to miraculously snap out of it. That's my opinion. I understand your experience may be different. In fact,I hope it is. I guess it's not just the Navy. Could be any job.

After reading this post I honestly could feel the pain here and the only thing that made me laugh was thinking about posting "hey we are beating a dead horse". At risk of offending many of those here I don't know, I hope those I do can laugh a bit at my attempt to bring back my nutty sense of humor. I leave you all with a bid of kudos. While I am not close to this issue, I envy your ability to share such personal experiences with honesty and courage. It's not easy to let people in, even behind the wall of anonymity; the internet. I don't think when I posted here 4 years ago, such a new forum would evolve to the point where the members would discuss such real issues.

mrtelcom wrote: "weird tendancy to be depressed from 4-5am"

Check your temperature. It may also be a fluctuation in your Circadian rhythm. See the following article, which seems to address your issue:

http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/317/7174/1704

sounds like the least of your problems. You need to find out why you are bartering for **** gourds......

tarheel4lyf: If you have a couple of **** guards on the fireplace mantel, you will never lack for a conversational starting point. For example:

"A noted botanist sought to create a gourd in my honor and after many years of hybridization developed the Gigante Schwantzorific, modeled after me."