[happygolucky]

Sabrina, you are certainly having a hard time, it must be very difficult some days, hope you are improving by the day, a good friend of mine has Brest cancer and has never replied to my messages, posts or emails, although her family send small me messages, I do not know what to say to her, as I suppose none of us know what is good to say or bad. The treatment is a double edged sword for you too....
I do understand that no wanting to go anywhere feeling, just staying in the cocoon, my brother suffers but makes himself go to the shops each day to chat with people, get warm and get some interest and exercise, I am so proud of him as he lives alone yet given up drink and smoking years ago, anyway, to help in my down times.... voluntary work gave something back to me more than any money would, I trained on the Nat. drug and alcohol helpline and loved that, just feeling wanted was a great buz.
A problem shared is a problem halved.
 

[Tilly]

 
I am another one!
 
Been on medication for 25 years. My doctor has been my saviour and I don`t class myself as cured but have learned to adapt and deal with my lot!
 
I remind myself daily of the good things in life  and harness those thoughts and feelings to help me through the bad times.
 
The animals are a huge part of my life and the routine of taking care of them is good for me I think.
 
I also enjoy craftwork and immerse myself in projects, creating stuff -just to make me and others smile....

Tilly   
 

[deepinthewoods]

me too.

i think ive had it since childhood, but only got a proper diagnosis after a nasty carcrash, where i also got diagnosed with ptsd, ptsd is a wierd one, you know somethings wrong and it is totally debilitating but there is sod all you can do about it, i was first diagnosed with it in 2000 but it wasnt really understood as well as it is now and the treatment was umm not a lot. ive been on anti d's for 3 years now and my life has definitley got much better however the ptsd element is still there and probably always will be, it goes some way to explaining my somewhat intolerant and forthright views i sometimes express on here....

[happygolucky]

Tilly that is so beautiful 
I asked to see a counsellor years ago and did not like the look or feel of them one bit, because of that I managed to sort out the issues at that time but in my way, however, talking with other help groups can be great.
I also started on a cognative therapy training course, I loved that but due to circumstances, could not complete the training, that's the story of my life!! That however is not great for every one but it gets me looking at things from different perspectives...........sometimes.
 
Sometimes the anxiety is due to our feeling vulnerable, so confidence may have been knocked while growing up or due to some trauma, also illness, if you feel poorly or weak its certainly hard to do things that take a bit of push......
 
 

[in the hills]

   never suffered myself .... but my mother has always struggled with mental health issues. Depression, panic attacks and anxiety and spells of very intense behaviour. Distressing for herself and made family life a roller coaster. It is very common but was never talked about where I lived before. Since moving here, I've found people more open and less self-protective. As people have told me all about their problems or their parents, it has given me more understanding of my mothers problems. Good to talk.


Tilly -    [size=78%] that is really beautiful. Will show that pic. to my daughter when she gets home. She would love it if I was clever enough to make one. I do knit her lots of animals and she really values anything handmade.[/size]

[feldar]

Thankyou for sharing this. I have never suffered from depression, but who knows; these days just getting through the day can be hard.
I like many others have in the past just thought it was a state of mind brought on by overanxious people. How wrong  Now I think differently having met people at work and home whom i would never have thought suffered they seem so, well "normal"
my ignorance is not finding out enough about this problem and in truth the problems can be multi layered. I have learnt to not judge people too soon. i have also learnt to put myself in their shoes and imagine what it must be like. i can never put myself fully in their shoes no-one can unless you've actually been there, how can you?
I can't really imagine life being so bad that  not wanting to get up in the morning is the norm, i would be fibbing if i did.
But like us all i have had bad times, and to have to live that every day must be awful.
Non sufferers can say we sympathise and listen but it is difficult to fully understand how low a low day can be, but by you all sharing your experiences with us and bringing what is still a taboo subject out into the open we can get a concept of what it must be like and be more understanding  of the situation.
Personally i think you are all very brave

[NormandyMary]

I have been on and off Prozak since 2004 when I was stressed out at work and was having lots of time off as I was unable to function. Since that time, any little bit of stress I have gets blown out of proportion in my mind and I get convinced that I just cant cope. Im on the tablets at the moment, I have been for a couple of months. They just seem to take the edge of my anxiety which allows me to cope with most things..like OH's illnesses for one! Once I feel strong enough, I wean myself off them, but I do know that if I feel bad again, the doctor will prescribe me some more as he knows that I do not abuse them. OH doesnt like me being on them, I think that he thinks there's nothing wrong with me and that I dont need them but there are certain things I cant talk to him about as he wouldnt understand..Ive tried...so now I dont even tell him when I'm taking them.

[plumseverywhere]

Oh my goodness - so many of us! I'm so pleased that this thread was started, I hope everyone else who has talked about their health here feels the same 

With regard to taking medication Mary, I always think that if I was anaemic I'd take Iron tablets - because its Seretonin I'm deficient in I take Citalopram which helps me with that deficiency 
My background meant that it was very much taboo and its only been the last 2 years that my Dad has felt able to talk to me about my illness - that was because he too suffered a bout and realized that we can't just pull ourselves together, we need help and support and sometimes medication.
That old saying "if it was a broken leg, at least everyone would be able to see it and be supportive....." is so very true.   

[Chris H]

I have been a clinical depressive for nearly 20 years, I can not take medication as I have other health issues. For me the animals help in needing me and loving me even when I am a wreck!
 I find the following helps;
Someone to love
Something to do
Something to look forward to
Bit trite but I think it helps. Nice to know we are not alone
 

[happygolucky]

Someone to love
Something to do
Something to look forward to

Thats another thing to put on my fridge......Chris,. thats.Wonderful
A lot of my close family  suffer's or suffered  I could hazzard a guess why but no, mainly due to being judged not being able to be the person that they were expected to be I suppose and posibly due to not actualy knowing or letting themself be who they naturaly are, I suspect that is rife these days with all the modern pressures and lack of work or money, soo many turn to self medication or self harm.....its horrid to see loved ones killing themself slowly!!! Thankfuly, apart from my mum, they are all ok, or so I think at the moment. and truely hope thats how they all stay  .....they all have had very very bad times, I have seen a few blue flashing lights   I appear to keep it together but often am just on the edge, although a few tears is not too bad, it shows we are alive!! Its the lack of emotion and enthusiasum that is worse
Some of the stories told by homeless people gave me an insight, people who had it all but lost it equaly easily, often through addictions and  B Banks over lending   breakup of families or break downs....we had chaps stay here who both had been out of work a while and lost jobs due to recession, they thought they would be safe for life and had bought houses on the security, the job they came here to do was short term BUT, its turned out fantastic for both of them so one sucess story.
 

[sabrina]

I feel for the young who want to work but cannot get a job. it must be so hard not to see a future. Our country is such a mess. I think I am lucky, we live in a nice place with animals we love and space to do our own thing. Now if I was stuck in a flat !! does not bear thinking about it. Well done everyone for being so brave and talking about your depression. Good to know there are others just like us .

[colliewoman]

Another one here
I survive depression (I refuse to say 'suffer' ) and have OCD, I'm not too bad at the moment and can tell as I don't have to check if I shut the chickens in
Hubby has bi-polar so between us we make quite a pair!


Learn to recognise you symptoms as well as your triggers and when you are feeling well confide in a close friend what these are so when you are unable to drag yourself out of the hole someone can reach down and help you


My animals are what keep me striving to stay healthy, If I can't do it for me, I WILL do it for them and a good nights sleep caused by being sodding knackered is a very healing thing


I WAS on prozac but have since found 5htp which is an amino acid also known as natures prozac. It has been the most helpful thing I have discovered yet 


Also, especially for us ladies watch your protein intake...
When I was first ill I researched and found that many cases of depression in women were apparently exacerbated by a protein deficiency! Certainly since eating more low carb/ adequate protein I have felt much much better

I am always open for a natter or a rant or a cry if anyone ever wants to talk, PM and I'llsend you my number or PM me yours and I'll ring ASAP [size=78%] [/size]

[Lesley Silvester]

Me too although I haven't had to take meds for it for years.  I was in an absuive marriage for years and often thought that killing myself would be a way out.  I just couldn't do it to my children.  Eventually I escaped and am now happily married but have, in the last year, become disabled due to Rheumatoid arthritis and have been very depressed, spending days just crying.  I'm working now to get over that stage by doing creative things - just about to start weaving again after years of not doing it.

Having had to give up so many of the things I enjoyed - caravanning, cycling, swimming, walking - has been hard and people keep saying I should give up my goats as they're too much for me.  I have a very supportive husband now and some very good friends who have helped me so much with the goats and I'm determined to keep them as doing the milking (one of the few jobs I can still do) is so soothing.  I love to go and talk to them as well.

I'm around as well if anyone wants to pm me or to talk.

[Ina]

My name is Ina, and I am a vampire...

Ooops - sorry, wrong meeting! 

(For those who "get" the reference - Terry Pratchett helps me survive the worst times. Being able to submerse myself into a different world - one in which things aren't always great, but generally work out ok - is immensely helpful. I suppose if I were younger I might go for computer games.)

My animals are what keep me striving to stay healthy, If I can't do it for me, I WILL do it for them and a good nights sleep caused by being sodding knackered is a very healing thing


I WAS on prozac but have since found 5htp which is an amino acid also known as natures prozac. It has been the most helpful thing I have discovered yet 
 

I have the feeling that this might be a reason why so many depressed people have smallholdings - not the other way round - because we recognise the beneficial influence of being needed by creatures that never judge, always accept you, and are generally grateful for any attention we give them.

I was on ADs for years, but the side effects were worse than what they were supposed to cure. (One of them, can't remember what it was called, was responsible for a suicide attempt. I read afterwards that this was quite a common side effect...) I now also take 5HTPs most of the time (when affordable - unfortunately you don't get them on NHS - they were half price at Holland & Barrett just now!); they seem to have at least a mildly beneficial effect, and no side effects, nasty or otherwise.

[colliewoman]

Millennium hand and shrimp!!


 (I agree one hundred %) and own everything he has ever written
I get my 5htp from H&B too, I stock up when they are on offer and the manager will let me know when the sales/offers are coming up so I can budget for them
I have seen cheaper on the interwebz but I know the H&B ones are a consistent quality and will work