Depression

The treatment is often worse than the condition!

If you are already on a mood enhancer, skip this post.

Why?

You must never stop an anxiety pill cold turkey.

Why?

Tranquilizers and mood enhancing pills are very addicitve and stopping abuptly can be life threatenng.

I am surrpised I lived through the drugs I was on--what a trip!

I was never even depressed--just made to take garbage "in case."

Paxil--the antidepressent. Terribly adidictive and downright stupid.
Xanax--the anti-anxiety medicine--not prescribed by the UK docs because of its many problems.
Eldepryl-- tanamount to amphetamines

What is my burden?

Just because you feel a little down in the dumps , don't see a doc and start a pill. Try something else first Have a busy day do lots of things that you want to do, need to do.

Exercise

Call an old friend

Do something creative.

Go to a movie.

Eat something you like.

Just because you feel like shooting yourself--deny yourself.

Alice,
It is a good reminder about depression and causes.
Perhaps being part of this forum has been somewhat therapeutic.

And if you do get depressed, before you pay all that money for those addictive drugs, try something like St. John's Wort for a while.

Ann

Abe,

When you are right you are so right!

Doing anything is much better than sitting about pondering how you feel.

It disturbs me to see depression medicine ads. They may be causing the trouble in the first place and they are wanting you to have another one.

Last summer I was in the hospital with a badly riled sternum, following cardiac by-pass surgery.

They wanted me to have prednisone. I told them it did not set well with me. They persisted until I finally said, 'Okay try it."

What a night! Nothing would kill the pain-not morphine or opiates.

I could not sleep--too much pain. Somewhere in the night I said, "Call securty and let them shoot me. "

In the morning a pain doctor came and said "We want you on Methadone."

"I don't want Methadone," I replied. "I do not want to be a street addict."

"You were calling for a gun last night. "

Why was I calilng for the gun--BECAUSE OF THE PREDNISONE!

Analyze your own situation--you know yourself better than anyone else does.

Thank Heavens I did not start the Methadone, haven't shot myself either.

alj wrote:

And if you do get depressed, before you pay all that money for those addictive drugs, try something like St. John's Wort for a while.

Ann

Good idea, you are a genius!

The danger of depression is you don't always notice that you are spiraling downwards emotionally. I think that is half the battle with most things in life, recognizing there is a problem so you can take the steps to deal with it.

Alice, we are all delighted that you did not shoot your self or have security do it, either! I am often amazed at the amount of drugs some folks take on a daily basis!

Zada,

I am glad you haven't shot anyone--best be careful or they will put you on an anti-murder pill.

I have a grand idea--it wll get you off of disabilty.

How about becoming the hangman for WA state?

Your posts kill me--funny woman!

There are numerous studies that pills alone won't cure depression, anxiety, etc. Sometimes people have a serious depression that needs medication, but also some counseling and monitoring of the medication. And sometimes medications cause serious problems.

I can't take prednisone as I turn into a crazy woman crying, not sleeping, and having panic attacks.

Why do medical people think they just have to give a pill? It is never that simple. But I also know some medication is life saving and life sustaining. But in addition people need people, and information, and good diets and even messageboards.

For some reason I got very depressed the other day. I had planned to drive to a meeting on my own, but our road is so torn up with deep ruts and the gravel access road changing every time one drives on it, I knew it was not a good idea for me to drive it. Somehow that road got me so angry and depressed. Maybe it was just anger and depression waiting for something intangible to take it out on!

Carol

You may be right, Carol. Some professional folks describe Depression as anger turned inward, and I think they are partially correct. The anger is sometimes due to circumstances that make one feel helpless.

Whatever the cause, it is essential that meds be monitored and counseling obtained. Sometimes all one needs is someone to talk to who will listen and not judge. Having a support system (or message board) is very important.

People often overlook the benefit of exercise when dealing with depression. And, the benefit of eating the right kind of foods to help your body. I spent about a year and a half of my life considering suicide. I had a plan and would ask myself several times a day if this was the day I was going to die. In a strange way it was empowering. To know that I had a choice. At one point I made a sign and put it on my wall. It said, "This is only temporary." It helped remind me that suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem.

thehairymob wrote:

The danger of depression is you don't always notice that you are spiraling downwards emotionally. I think that is half the battle with most things in life, recognizing there is a problem so you can take the steps to deal with it.

I agree, Billy. Often, we allow things to go on far too long before we speak out or seek help.

You are all as right as rain!

Abe, messageboards are good

Billy, If one starts thinking they are no good--look for depression.

Merri, Glad you got over it on the rght side of the ground.
Carol, It is odd how it sneaks up on one.

Shelagh good advice.

Depression:
Like any other feeling you have, don’t waste the opportunity. Write a short one character story, and put the feelings into the character.

Save these little treasures for stories you write…this way you bring your characters to life. Do the same with all feelings.
I learned this from actors. When they do a scene, the recall something in their past that puts them into the mood. Me, I put them to paper, and save them...they are truly treasures.

domenic,

That is a very good idea.

Some people don't know the difference between true clinical depression and the kind of depression that comes from having a down day, going through a short-term bad experience, not getting enough exercise. So they rush out and get a pill.

On the other side of the coin, pills--whether lithium or Paxil or Zoloft--have changed people's lives from daily hell to livable, if not "normal." Once livable, other measures (diet, talk therapy, exercise, holistic herbal approaches, etc.) start making things even better.

Having been there and having been close to other people who were also there, I'll never dismiss the pills out of hand. I do have problems with the people with garden variety depression who think they need heavy meds and go running to a doctor for them.

Malcolm

Depression is not an enemy. If you felt good all the time, it would become boring normal. Throw in a few spots of depression, now you have a yardstick...you can measure feelings. This I have learned about women..If things are good, they will upset the cart so they can measure, good from bad...it's a woman's yardstick. If a women is living alone, they take this normal feeling as depression. You are writers, use these feelings for your characters. Take a stiff drink. Go out into the back yard, and shout, "Fuck it," as loud as you can...you will feel better.

Well said, Malcolm. For some they are necessary. Some pills are just mood levelers but quite necessary. In any case, one should never just flush them without seeking advice on the matter from a medical professional!


Domenic, that was a very sweeping statement. I have to add that I have known women who were not like that, and men who were.

Trust me Zad...Women always understand other women, never their self...it's akin to how you dress. Never for a man, always for other women. You guys just don't want the male to understand your guts. If no one has told you, I will..."We have understood for a very long time." Why do you thing we go, hunting, fishing, and play golf?

domenic Pappalardo wrote:

Depression is not an enemy. If you felt good all the time, it would become boring normal. Throw in a few spots of depression, now you have a yardstick...you can measure feelings. This I have learned about women..If things are good, they will upset the cart so they can measure, good from bad...it's a woman's yardstick. If a women is living alone, they take this normal feeling as depression. You are writers, use these feelings for you characters. Take a stiff drink. Go out into the back yard, and shout, "Fuck it," as loud as you can...you will feel better.

Sorry domenic,

None of that would make me feel better. My mother didn't even like me to say, " Ya" instead of " Yes." Yelling was unthinkable.

We have close neighbors who would be shocked.

Malcolm,



I agree. We also need to separate serious clinical depression from the normal process of grieving non-death losses. We sometimes ignore those.

I am not depressed. I am exhausted. Five hours at the little amusement park have exhausted me, but it was fun and my older grandson was a fantastic help and I've got another grandson going with us and my little grandson to the Blue Angels tomorrow.

Carol

Even though I was in the Air Force, and even though I like the Thunderbirds, I still would rather watch the Angels fly. There is a great air show at Tyndal Air Force base here in the Panhandle every year, and we never miss it.

I've been lucky to be able to take my grandkids to several air shows, and they now love them as much as I do. My youngest son, Derek, once got the autographs of all of the Stealth pilots that were at one of the shows. He's grown now, and has been to many shows, but he still talks about that particular day.

As an automatic flight control specialist, I worked on F-4C Phantom Jets in the sixties, and sometimes wish I'd stayed in. But of course, that's another story.

I love to watch the Blue Angels fly, Carol, tell your husband that I'm sure you guys will have a great time at the show.

One year we saw the Canadian team, the Snowbirds, fly, and those guys are also very good.

My ex husband was depressed. Both of my children suffer from depression. My son takes nothing, my daughter has been over prescribed.

I think heredity has something to do with the chemicals in the body and brain that that keep one on a positive wave length.

Me,
Every day is a new day. Each day ends and a new one begins. I am born again every morning. I do not carry all the baggage of one day into the next one and clutter it up.
I wish my children were more like me.

Love,
Betty

Betty,

We need more folks like you.

Betty has a beautiful way of saying things we all need to hear.

E. Don, the last time we say the Blue Angels was when we were in Pensacola in November 2007. But this will be much more fun with grandkids along.

Carol