Depression - Page 3

I can understand the sentiment, but don't throw it in their faces. Sever ties and help your sister, though.

Bumping this thread. How are things going now PE?

Have you been feeling any better since you first posted about this, or are you still kind of stuck in a rut?

Fair enough, sorry to hear your problems have not entirely cleared up. Hope your appointment today went well with minimal hassle

If I may ask, how old are you?

That's what I thought. You know, a lot of this is quite common at your age. 26 was when I first started experiencing panic attacks, and when I went into my doctor she was like, "oh, you're 26 aren't you? Yeah, that's pretty much when this starts to happen in most people."


Not saying we're totally analogous or anything. But dealing with things like this at your age is very common. It's no coincidence that you're getting ready to finish school and are facing unavoidable and significant shifts in your life. And no matter how positive they ultimately might be, they're also pretty damn frightening. (even if that fear never makes it past your unconscious mind)

Hang in there.

Sorry to hear that Pomp. Hang in there we are thinking of you.

PS When you see the senior staff, follow my advice: If you have issues you need to talk them out, don't let them just tell you "Try this prescription and come back in a month to tell us if it's worked". That's BS and doesn't ever help (IMHO). Meds *may* be part of the solution but they are not the entire solution, they just numb you enough to give you emotional breathing room. I think that having been on prozac for so many years (from like 2nd grade to 8th grade) actually messed me up more because I never felt compelled to deal with my problems, after all, they no longer bothered me that much so why make a big deal of it? Don't let the same thing happen to you

Really sorry about everything, Pomp. Try to stay positive if you can. I hope you get the help you need soon. I'll be sending prayers your way, man.

I wound not take the meds, but that just me. I have read to much negative crap about Anti- depressants in medical journals over the last couple of years.

Yeah well I have people very close to me that would be dead now without having had time on them so I'd be careful what you go around recommending there een.

Yeah if the doc seems sensible try out meds if they recommend them. Worst case: they don't work for you and you quit/try something else.

Like a great many things in life, whether or not anti-depressants are right for you depends upon your priorities. If the symptoms of your depression strike you as more debilitating than the side-effects, I think that's a good reason to try the anti-depressants.

In my case, the only anti-depressants that worked were heavy duty serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which have the lovely side effect of causing erectile dysfunction. Living in a house with five friendly, sexually active Irish women and not being able to do anything about it wasn't exactly a desired outcome for me. So, I chose to continue with therapy but seek alternative strategies to deal with the chemical imbalance, which entailed meditation, exercise, and starting a regimen of Omega 3 supplements.

The important thing to keep in mind is the medication is merely a band-aid. It's there to keep you functional while you work on the underlying causes of your depression. If your doctor is telling you that's what he/she thinks you need, follow that advice.

However, if the doctor seems to view the medication as the answer in itself--which is unfortunately common to overworked people working in settings like university student health services departments--I would recommend seeking out another doctor.

Definitely don't discount medication, and definitely talk to your doctor about medication.

SSRI's can be very helpful. I'm on 'em! I've experienced minor side effects, like nausea, but nothing intense. Before being on them, I would usually have a panic attack if I left my house, but I haven't had an attack in a few months.

Waiting is tough, but stay focused. Every phone call and visit to a doctor or counselor is a step in a better direction.

Holy fuck some of you people throwing around medical advice without training.

PE, don't listen to anyone saying don't take meds, listen to your shrink.

And, Cuch, ED? Most SSRI's actually cause delayed ejaculatory effect making you a sexual dynamo. May I ask what kind of dose and of what you were on?

A lot of what Cuch said holds weight. The meds should be a crutch to lean on while you work on (and ideally fix) the root of the problem.

But you seem like a smart guy, I'm sure you've considered all of this already.

Also HIGHLY recommend supplementing everything with meditation, exercise, proper rest and eating habits (if you're not engaging in those already).

I was diagnosed with PTSD stemming from my the circumstances of my brother's death and clinical depression featuring suicidal ideation. Since Celexa has a proven off-label use as an anti-anxiety medication as well an anti-depressant--and the side effect of sedation was thought to help me actually sleep without having to down a bottle of whiskey or have my girlfriend spend the night--my psychiatrist and social worker thought that it was a good fit for me. I was eventually put on a 60mg per day dose. It wasn't fun.

I know people who are dead because they took them. so what your point. I just saying that they are very dangurous.

You should be careful, because it's not very useful to discourage someone from seeking help.

60 of Celexa? I can imagine it not being fun. Christ, I fly like a fucking spaceman on 20 of Lexapro.

I've had patients that come in on 40 at the most of some of this stuff. Then the rare patient comes in on multiple anti-depressants at different doses and I just have to remind myself to not pick my jaw up[ off the floor in front of them.

Medication definitely has its place but damn some of these MD's go a little crazy with some of these people.

As others have noted, listen to your doctor and ignore people who don't know dick and crow about how dangerous meds are. Fucking things saved my life and no, I don't suffer from any side effects, apart from dizziness when I forget to take them a couple days running.

Yeah, don't listen to anyone who's not your doctor unless that person is telling you not to listen to anyone who's not your doctor; also, it's "complement." Sorry, major pet peeve.

The focus issue is usually treated with something like Ritalin, even in adults. If you're talking about drug treatments with your doctor/therapist, just ask outright about things like that. They'll probably want you to get active and engaged with hobbies/projects. Just depends on whether they're happy mixing the medications.

Best of luck.

but I do agree he should get help, just read up on the facts, that you can find in medical journals, about any med you may be taking long term. It not like he can't understand what the journals are saying.

He defiantly need to talk through his problems, and he need to exercise if he he not already. If any med they may try to give him will help beyond that is a question of medical debate at this point. As long as he keep talking and keep exercising in time he will get better. The only exception to that rule is if he has a hormone deficiency, and even then he should understand the pro, and con. The point being once he get on any type of med at this point, he better understand the pros and cons, because he will most likely never be getting of them, once he starts taking them.

Christ, don't read medical journals. Are you even remotely serious? Keep with therapists and don't listen to this.

For fuck's sake.

Also, take the medicine they prescribe you, even if it takes one or two tries to get it right, because that's how it usually works. Telling someone to avoid meds because someone died thanks to them is like telling someone not to eat because someone choked to death once. It's never that black and white and the benefits (even if they're eventual) are worth the hassle.

I'm certainly not advising you to stay off meds or whatever. That's for you and your Dr., of course.

But what you describe here, though definitely effected by depression, is something that you're eventually going to have to sort out for yourself. Drugs won't fix that.

Those sort of activities and the drive to do them are like a muscle, and you have to exercise it. Some people naturally have that drive, others have to really work at it.

Even if you're not feeling the creative "vibe" or whatever, you just have to smack yourself and "do work," as one of my artist friends likes to say. Set a time for yourself and no matter what, no matter how irritating or boring or whatever, you fucking do it. Whether it's writing, practicing an instrument/stand up, whatever. Do it.

And it will SUCK for a while and you probably won't produce anything worth anything at all. But the point is you're forcing yourself into the process and at some point, the doors will open and you'll be doing what you want for yourself.


ETA: Also, doing that for a while will work WONDERS on your other issues, I'm betting. It does for most people. Keep hammering at it and one day you'll look up without realizing and say, "holy shit. I feel better."

Also, go the fuck outside. Again. Keep doing that. Stay active. Please tell me you're not sitting in your room moping around like a sadsack while all this shit is rocketing around in your head.

I miss the old days of Chud where someone could suggest Cuch should be looking into this, but he should at least go through the Chud link, so Nick can get a cut. And everyone would understand the joke.

But those days of jest are gone, so I won't make the joke.

Great, now my work's gonna think I'm suicidal. Maybe if I show them this thread they'll rush to buy copies for themselves.

Holy shit, that book. I kid you not a patient just walked into the office ten minutes ago and on the local talk radio they were speaking about assisted suicide. She asked me my thoughts and I recounted to her how I was sent to the counselors office as a freshman in high school for walking the halls with my nose stuck in that very same book.

For some reason they were worried about me.

You don't say.

Hey, Kevorkian was big news.

In 2007, I went through some extremely difficult times, situations somewhat similar to what PE is going through. Do you know why I'm just now telling you guys that? Because while I know CHUD is wonderful and a great place to talk about movies or shoot the shit about pop culture and nerdy minutia, ultimately, it's the internet, and it's a pretty fucking terrible place to share personal information about yourself. This stuff will come back to haunt you, whether it's a poster making wisecracks, or an employer, or, hell, Cuch's case, a religious right winger from UW discovering that he likes pegging and/or couldn't get it up, which he then forwards to media outlets or the DCCC.

I'm speaking from experience here: Find actual people in your life to talk about this shit with. Go get some friends who you can bounce this stuff off of. Stop fucking talking about your extreme personal anguish on the internet with people you don't know. It's not good for you, and it's not good for anybody. Enough. As the former and probably future King of the Overshare (though Cuch and PE are pretty close to usurping that), enough with these fucking threads.

I vote this thread to be closed.

I vote for it to stay open. While I can appreciate Mr Bandu's point, I respectively disagree.

Or at least gently asphyxiated with a pillow to ease it's suffering.

I'm depressed cause I swear I'm dying. I can't eat shit without my chest going nuts with palpatations, I'm having trouble breathing, constantly light headed... and lately, I've been suffering from sleep paraylasis. Doctors don't know what's wrong with me. first they thought it was H Pylori.. but now they have no idea...