Depression (the disease, not the economy)

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by libramunoz

It's like talking about drug addiction or alcoholism, it's the pink elephant in the room, but people don't want to admit that it's there.

I didn't say it was the elephant in the room. I'm in a grad program that's related to mental health, so I certainly don't think that. I just wouldn't want my exact combo of meds on a message board.

[Dionysus]

Originally Posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu

No one wants to talk about this? Really? 17 million American adults are struck by depression each year and I'm the only one of them on GC?

Right. We can talk about periods, bloating, cramps, sore boobs on the birth control thread (which now has 437 replies), but no one wants to talk about this?

I'll take a shot, I have a history of depression, my worst episodes were the summer before eighth grade and my freshman year in college. Prozac and Paxil really helped though. And I'm sure that I have undiagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder. Winter just depresses the shit out of me. Last year I was severely depressed from Thanksgiving to Valentine's day, with it peaking around Christmas. This year was pretty bad too, especially the fact I almost lost my mother a month ago. I'm not on anything right now, but I think I could use something.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

We talk about specific meds on the birth control thread. Why is this any different?

I don't need to be ashamed that I have depression or that I take medication to control it. Having depression doesn't make me a weaker person or mean that I don't have strong character. It's not my fault I got depression and I refuse to feel guilty for having it.

We talk about our sex lives and share stories from college on here. Why is it not okay to talk about a disease that affects many, many college students?

I'm not ashamed to have depression and I don't want to act like I am. I think it's important to talk about depression so kids in college (well, anyone) don't feel worthless and despondent about getting help. It's okay to have depression. It's okay to get help. Getting help can make the difference between life and death for some people.

I don't know. If you're that irritated to read what I wrote about depression or medication names, this thread probably isn't for you.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Right. We can talk about periods, bloating, cramps, sore boobs on the birth control thread (which now has 437 replies), but no one wants to talk about this?

I'll take a shot, I have a history of depression, my worst episodes were the summer before eighth grade and my freshman year in college. Prozac and Paxil really helped though. And I'm sure that I have undiagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder. Winter just depresses the shit out of me. Last year I was severely depressed from Thanksgiving to Valentine's day, with it peaking around Christmas. This year was pretty bad too, especially the fact I almost lost my mother a month ago. I'm not on anything right now, but I think I could use something.

Thanks for not making me feel like the only one

You know, maybe it wouldn't be bad to talk to your doctor. They know how to tell the difference between normal grief and actual depression. And (as I'm sure you know) having had depression before makes you more likely to get it again.

I'm really sorry about your mom.

[KSUViolet06]

Originally Posted by HotDamnImAPhiMu

We talk about specific meds on the birth control thread. Why is this any different?

I don't need to be ashamed that I have depression or that I take medication to control it. Having depression doesn't make me a weaker person or mean that I don't have strong character. It's not my fault I got depression and I refuse to feel guilty for having it.

Um, when did I say any of THIS?

[awkward1]

I had to take Wellbutrin. It made my hands shake like crazy! It is very distressing and impossible to hide. It is a well documented side effect of that particular medicine but I thought that it was supposed to resolve itself after you had been on the med for a while.

Depression is tough because you don't know that you are getting it, you just know when you finally have it. It creeps up on you so to speak. I believe that you have to keep in mind always that it is a chemical imbalance in the brain and not just a mental breakdown, and it can be treated with the right meds. good luck to you..

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

Um, when did I say any of THIS?

You didn't.

Sometimes people are used to fighting battles that they assume there's one when there isn't.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

it DOES sneak up on you. You have a few bad days. Then you're having a few bad days every week. Then you're having almost all bad days. And suddenly you realize you can't remember the last time you had a good day.

I'm lucky that I spend a lot of time with my family and they pay close attention to me. It's easier sometimes for someone on the outside to notice the symptoms before you do. My mom pulled me aside and explained all the changes in me she'd been seeing, and once she spelled it out it for me I could see the pattern.

[AGDee]

Being in my early 40s, my peer group has found that peri-menopause is wreaking havoc on our emotions. Some of them have started taking anti-depressants to help the effects. Dr's are more careful about HRT these days so they are treating symptoms instead if there is any family history of heart disease.

Dionysus: A lot of people find those special lights to be especially effective with Seasonal Affective Disorder. I'm very sorry to hear about your mom. I lost my Mom in September '07. The grief of losing a parent is really difficult. I found it helpful just to wallow in it when I had to. It did ease, after about 6 months but there are still days when it comes flooding back, sometimes over small things that shock me. I was a basket case on election day, for example, because voting and Obama winning were both very important to my mom. I wanted to share with her so badly that day. That grief is to be expected but if it interferes with your ability to function, you probably should seek some help. Bereavement support groups can be really helpful. It will get better, slowly and you'll start to feel like yourself again, but it does take time.

[libramunoz]

Doc, you said that there is a time and place for talking about the pink elephant in the room. Well, since Hot Damn brought it to the place, I just found that it was the time.
Having depression is a bitch if someone hasn't had it and if you have it or are suffering from it, only you and those that have it know what you're talking about.
When you find yourself having bad days, weeks, months, and eventually years, you begin to experience SERIOUS bouts of insomnia, have SEVERE weight gain/loss, begin to THINK, PLAN, DAYDREAM about suicide, and FEEL completely hopeless, HELL talking about it with ANYONE who is experiencing the same thing as you is the BEGINNING of a break for you!
You don't begin to feel like you are truly in a room filled with people screaming at the top of your lungs, yet you seem, feel, think, and believe that you are invisible. Having been there, right after my Grandfather died, in college, after one of my aunts died, having an uncle die, having my mom in the hospital, having another grandparent die, and losing a job or 2, hell it was amazing that I didn't jump, throw, put the bullet in the gun, etc during those times in my life. THAT'S what DEPRESSION does to you! If you can have someone begin to talk about it, then they tell you what they did to help them, that's how you begin to get the help for yourself that you need.
Yes, sometimes, you need someone to pull you aside and say, "hey (fill in the name) you ain't looking, thinking, acting right. What's wrong?" That may be a person who has been there before and KNOWS what you are going through and can help to guide you along with path of getting yourself help.
I wish that after my Grandfather had died, I would have gotten professional help at that time. My help came from God one dreadful day. Yes, when my thoughts lead my down a crazy ass path. But in the time and place, it's about being able to say, hey this is what happened to me, and before you get there, this is what I think that you should do because it may/might begin to help you.
It's just like when people go to see a psychologist, psychiatrist (?), social worker, therapist, they go unwillingly at first because someone noticed something was wrong with them. They go because someone helped in getting them there.
People might think that I'm embarrassed about what my depression has lead me to think, no I'm not. Because if someone reading this can say, hey, I'm feeling/I've felt that way, and they can see that they can get the help for themselves, then I am all for telling my story.
If you can come to a board and talk about everything else under the sun, then why can't depression be a part of that discussion as well.

[libramunoz]

Akward--you are right, depression sneaks upon you like a snake in the grass. Things will be going great, and then BOOM, it's like, "I gotcha now!" You're like "WTF, how in the HELL did THAT happen?" And you're wondering what in the world am I gonna do now?
I have learned to recognize the signs of my depression as one of the best things in the world. When I find that I am beginning to in insomnia or hypersomnia and I have to fight it or I find that the sucidial thoughts (when it's horribly bad) are beginning to swim around in my head, or I'm always angry or sad, then I KNOW I need to stop and get it together.

[libramunoz]

Originally Posted by Dionysus

Winter just depresses the shit out of me. Last year I was severely depressed from Thanksgiving to Valentine's day, with it peaking around Christmas. This year was pretty bad too, especially the fact I almost lost my mother a month ago. I'm not on anything right now, but I think I could use something.

Dionysus, I am so sorry about the loss of your mother and I know that this grief is hard for you right now. I will pray that the Lord continue to guide your hand and your heart in being able to find hope and light again.
Try going back to your doctor and see if because of your grief and your hx of depression that they can refer you and get the additional care that you know and feel that you desire.

[libramunoz]

Originally Posted by KSUViolet06

I didn't say it was the elephant in the room. I'm in a grad program that's related to mental health, so I certainly don't think that. I just wouldn't want my exact combo of meds on a message board.

I think if a person is comfortable with it, then fine. Sometimes it's good because it may be a medication that a person hasn't tried or even heard of before and it's something that they can talk with their doctor about. I know that's how I learned of some of the medications for my hypothyroidism by when I talked with some of my friends and my sister.

[HotDamnImAPhiMu]

Originally Posted by libramunoz

... HELL talking about it with ANYONE who is experiencing the same thing as you is the BEGINNING of a break for you!

...If you can have someone begin to talk about it, then they tell you what they did to help them, that's how you begin to get the help for yourself that you need.

...Because if someone reading this can say, hey, I'm feeling/I've felt that way, and they can see that they can get the help for themselves, then I am all for telling my story.

If you can come to a board and talk about everything else under the sun, then why can't depression be a part of that discussion as well.

Thank you so much for knowing what I was trying to do (and not making me feel like a little girl who doesn't understand about posting TMI on the innernets.)

Seriously, I want to marry you.

[DrPhil]

Originally Posted by libramunoz

Doc, you said that there is a time and place for talking about the pink elephant in the room.

You called it a pink elephant in the room. I did not.

I said there's a time and place.

You all want this to be the time and place, that's on you. The rest of us will read and comment as we see fit.