Chronic depression.

[SusanLR]

What about turning the process around?
It IS scientific to believe positive thoughts alone may work as well as medication for some.
Look at how the body reacts to The Placebo effect, or a belief system whether of a religious nature or not,
meditation slows down the release of chemicals produced in our body when we ruminate, are hurt by
someone's put downs and words, or just our own negative thoughts.
Simply, anything that produces a positive emotion equals release of natural body chemicals that can help the mind and the physical health.
Anything that produces hurtful emotions releases the opposite. Hormones and chemicals that can alter
the brain and start physical deteriorations leading to disease.

Bottom line: Meds aren't the only thing that can help or hurt. The proof is out there.

 

[owlet]

I'm sorry you've been dealing with chronic depression. I've had it since I was 14 and tried various things (counselling, medication etc.), which hasn't really had much of an impact. It mostly went off a bit after several years, when I had a good routine and little stress, but came back really badly when I went back to university for my MA. However, even when it was 'off', I would still get periods of deep depression - there would just be longer 'okay' periods in between.

I'm hesitant about medication in general since I had a bad experience with sertraline. I took it for 10 months to get me through my MA, but as it went on, my anxiety was getting worse and the depression came back, as well as the fact that when I tried to come off it, I got severe withdrawal symptoms (despite taking all the doctor's advice) that lasted for 5 months, with 3 of those being so bad I couldn't leave the house.

Something which did help with my periods of depression is treating it like a recurring bout of flu: I spend the time taking care of myself and doing easy things when I can (while going to work, I tend to just focus solely on the work and try to get through the day while 'acting normal'). Carrying on like you normally would can help too, but it's best not to push yourself too hard, so if you usually go for a run but feel too exhausted while depressed, go for a walk or even just go out to pick something up from the shop if you can. If you can't concentrate on anything, put a TV series or music on and maybe try to do something like doodling shapes or pictures in a notebook. I also try to play certain video games when depressed, because they tend to require a certain level of concentration but there's no consequence to not doing well at them. It's also good to let yourself cry, as that can help rebalance everything, at least for a while (or encourage yourself to cry, even).

These methods haven't cured me of depression, but they've helped.

 

[Stardust Parade]

You are not a good medical doctor, I have been working in neuroscience for 24 years. If you dont want to bicker as you put it then you should not have responded. Toodlepippie Madame

That's an awful thing to say about someone you don't know. So rude and completely uncalled for.

 

[Filomena]

It is awful to wake up everyday to the thought of Oh, no, another day.
There is no desire to get out of bed or want to do anything. It's like nothing has any meaning.
No motivation. And mornings are the worst.
It's a big effort to make myself get out of bed to at least eat breakfast after which I go back and sleep some more.
Evenings and the night are a little better as it seems a quiet ending of the day is here.
It is chronic and on going for years now. I would call it reactive rather than endogenous
since changes in my life that I didn't want happened and don't see an out.
Physical health has made doing activities almost impossible. Anything like walking or playing tennis
that I loved is now impossible.
The feeling of just wanting someone to talk with that I know cares.
That is the problem, no one who really cares.
Tell it to a friend and they turn away as it brings them down.
The person I live with is so hateful and just when I start to feel a bit comfortable around him
he will suddenly yell and scold me over something silly. Then I'm back down worse for days.
I never know when I'll say something he'll turn into an argument and seems to take pleasure
in knowing his blasts hurt me.

I've tried every type of anitdepressant and none helped.
That was when I was having anxiety and panic attacks with agoraphobia.
I kept telling them it wasn't depression then that was bothering me, it was the sudden panic attacks and
anxiety. Still I was told it was depression that was doing it.
That was about 25 years ago.
But now I do feel everyday suffocating chronic depression for at least the past 6 years.
I meditate, listen to music and get therapy from a psychologist.
She is really the only one I can open up to without fear of being abandoned.


Is this possibly 5 HTP instead of 5hpt?
5 HTP is 5-hydroxytriptophan which is a supplement that is a precursor to seratonin.
I would be interested, but, want to make certain I have the name correct.

So, yes, my depression has been chronic for the past six years.
If you would like to ask questions or discuss more in depth feel free to PM me also.

5 HTP is 5-hydroxytriptophan

 

[Filomena]

Yes, thank you for the correction it should read 5 HTP which is 5-hydroxytripophan.
Agreed there are no easy one size fits all answers. This is not an instant quick fix, it takes time to build up serotonin levels as do all prescription medications. I hope it helps someone.
I also find some regular form of exercise such as walking and watching some funny u-tube videos, instead of the news also helps. Anyone seen Mrs. Brown's Boys?

 

[Kirsty]

I feel for you, OP. I don't have chronic depression, but I've had recurring depressions since my early teenage years. I'm currently in the deep end again as well. I don't like waking up in the morning because it just means I have another day ahead of me.

Same here. I have a sense of deep emptiness with a depression which stems from external circumstances. I ‘dressed up’ this afternoon in a more powerful presentation. It’s a better version of who I am, in my opinion. It helps gives me more drive to see me through the day. Suddenly, I lose that sense of lost inner direction. This time of year is also a good excuse for wearing my wooly (but smart) jumper!

 

[Horsegirl]

I'm sorry you are going through this.
There are people who care about you. Just don't forget that.

 

[Kirsty]

Thank you. I find your words very comforting and it feels so mature coming from a thirteen year old. I forget people care at times, because either they don't show it or I feel I'm second best, etc., but I'm trying to become stronger despite this and trying not to care so much.

 

[Fade2black]

Chronic hardcore depression…. I’ve suffered through it for more than forty years, since I was a teen. Done the pills, the combinations of the pills none of which work and many send me into an even deeper depression. Had three failed suicide attempts that until now, I can’t understand how I lived through them. Been hospitalized, had every possible test that could be done, spent hundreds of thousands my own dollars looking for a cure. I’ve had ECT, Electromagnetic Cranial Stimulation, ketamine infusions, and a lot more. Nothing has helped and I remain chronically depressed. I may be the only person on earth who wakes up every day praying for cancer to take me away.

For those who don’t understand, don’t tell us who have been cursed with Chronic Depression what we “should” do. We hate that we’re chronically depressed because it there was a way out, we would have already found it. Don’t ask us what’s making us depressed – Because we don’t know. If we did, the problem would be solved. Don’t tell us to take melatonin or some absurdly stupid first level remedy – We’ve already tried that and it didn’t work. Don’t tell us to shake it off. Just shut the F up with your pathetic solutions. We don’t want to hear them from you.

To the original poster, yes I know what you’re going through. It’s terrible, for sure. Try to keep the faith that the next treatment you try will find some relief. The time between one treatment to the next takes a lot of time, it’s the way it is. Keep the hope, ok?

 

[Bolletje]

I may be the only person on earth who wakes up every day praying for cancer to take me away.

I can assure you that you are not. I hear this fairly often from severely depressed patients.

 

[Shamar]

For those who don’t understand, don’t tell us who have been cursed with Chronic Depression what we “should” do. We hate that we’re chronically depressed because it there was a way out, we would have already found it. Don’t ask us what’s making us depressed – Because we don’t know. If we did, the problem would be solved. Don’t tell us to take melatonin or some absurdly stupid first level remedy – We’ve already tried that and it didn’t work. Don’t tell us to shake it off. Just shut the F up with your pathetic solutions. We don’t want to hear them from you.

This pretty much sums it up. For twenty years I woke up every morning trying to find a reason for not killing myself, and usually failing. I just continued to stumble through life. I was told to "Just cheer up and be happy." That hurt more than anything else.

 

[Xerces Blue]

From my experience working out seems to help - nothing seems to work all the time for me. I figure it's probably like that for other people too.
I use a lot of escaping as well - books and video games. movies don't last long enough to make a difference from my experience.
Activities with other people that require teamwork help me as well if I do them with people I know.
If I do them with people I don't know it doesn't help much perhaps it matters if I care what they think or not, I don't know.
Honestly whatever helps you get up in the morning and decide life is worth living is all that matters.
Forget other people's expectations live life for you and yours all others are secondary.