How many of you have experienced depression in your life?

[mahayana]

I've been trying to get other people to read this thread, which I really like.

Two of them are PTers, one is a niece who has expressed interest in becoming a clinical psychologist (counselor).

I wish there was more understanding of this subject by more people, more compassion about mental health issues in the general public. Guess it is a scary subject.

Also, if you are reading this, please vote in the poll! thanks.

[G.P.girl]

Originally posted by mahayana
I'm sorry I didn't write something to you when I saw your last post, GP.

Afraid I'd say something wrong, make it worse.

I have a ton of guilt inside for not being better at helping people I care about with their serious problems.

Hope you are doing better now.

thanks i am doing better now. i guess i was just in a wierd mood. i am such a perfectionist and i hate that. because i think it's annoying when other people are perfectionists. we get progress reports next week and i have all A's. but the only grade i'm totaly satifyed with is my social studies grade (102.6 %) i feel so obnoxios and stuck-up. but i'm not i just want to do well so i can get in to a good college and get a god job. you know. oh well i'll stop blabbing now.

p.s. almost to 500!!

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I have had depression and do have bouts of it due to my health condition. Since I had Bipolar disorder, this is a little harder to treat than just depression alone. It is like depression and it's exact opposite, at the same time, or cycles of depression, and then cycles of mania. The mania actually feels good. You can be so happy, that you get on everyone elses nerves, or the mania may make you, feel overly confident, or cause you to spend more money than you have. It may make you rage. And then the depression comes along and you just hit rock bottom. You don't want to see anyone, talk to anyone and you find every excuse in the world why you didn't answer your phone or why you appeared not to be home or whatever. For the depression I was given wellbutrin, and for the mania, Depakote, which is an anticonvusive medication. I had many other kinds, but my memory doesn't serve me well enough to tell you what they were. That was over three years ago.
Now, I have studied up on my condition and will talk about what I am feeling. I have been dealing with this on my own much better than with all of those drugs that made me feel so groggy. i recognize my symptoms and phases, and just deal with them as they come. I know the warning signs, and I know when it is getting out of hand. But so far, in the last three years, I have been okay, not cured, but better, and free from unpleasant side effects of medication. If you need it, never be ashamed to ask for it though. You will know if you learn about your illness, whether you need help or not. Thanks for this thread, it is an interesting topic, and it is good to talk about it if we can. It is interesting to see what everyone else is taking or doing for their depression.

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I've decided to share just a little more about my history of depression. I have seen here that many have been kind enough to give a bit more details than I just shared so, I will tell you a bit more.
Mine became very out of control while taking medication. Not to say medication is bad, as I am sure it has helped many people. I had a doctor who was "prescription happy", for every new symptom there was a new pill for it. I took all the medication, and tried to keep up with it right, but there was just so much! I was like a zombie most of the time. I did things I would normally never do, had I not been influenced by the numbing affects of these medications. Some really bad things happened in my personal life. Things I just could not deal with, especially while so brain dead on all of this medicine. One day, I snapped. I had no control over what I was doing like I was watching a movie of myself. A horror movie. I will not go into the gruesome details as I know there are young people present, but I tried to take my life and almost succeeded. It's not "success", when a person takes their life, but I am sure you know what I meant. I am sure I am still suffering today from what I call a suicide attempt that back- fired. I didn't plan it; it just happened, and I couldn't stop myself from what Iwas doing. If you have thoughts, get help while you can. Don't wait until you have no control of what you are doing. Also, because I care, BEWARE OF "PRESCRIPTION HAPPY DOCTORS!!!". Mine almost killed me, and used my own hand to do it. I know I needed medication of some sort at that time, but all that I was on was unnecessary, and dangerous, said a doctor at Vanderbilt's University Medical Center, in Nashville, TN. So, I had a bad doctor giving me bad medicine, and had BAD results from it. Be careful about what you are being prescribed and ask for a second opinion. A third would not hurt.

[mahayana]

Suicide is a hard subject for me to talk about, but I'm really glad you survived, Anathiona.

All of us have people that love us, and a purpose for being here, though it's hard to see it sometimes.

Like many have said, pets to love and people to share with really help too...

Thank you for telling your experiences.

[[email protected]]

Thank you Mahayana. I do appreciate that. Things are better for me now, though my daily life is more difficult these days in many ways, I am handling everything one day at a time. The serenity prayer helps me through each day. I am thankful to be alive to enjoy my family and my April.

[Relentless]

I was depressed from about age 10 to age 16, I had a really neglective mother.

[Vio&Juni]

I have to agree that people over-use the term, but we still have a long way to go in order to accept what it really is.

I have and have had close relatives with severe depression. My aunt had severe depression for almost a year. When she went to the doctor, he told her "Just go home, woman! You don't have anything." She jumped off a bridge in front of a train 5 years ago, two days after her 41st birthday. My other aunt was depressed for two years and she got over it with - you will not believe - sports and painting.

I think I am a happy person, though I have my sad moments as anybody else. I just try to not sink in my self-pitty and bad mood, but also not denying the reason for being upset. Analyzing yourself, your reasons for acting one way or another, looking for what could improve your mood or your life, and taking your responsibilities to other people to the fullest helps a lot.

[trayi52]

*Bump*