fighting depression

[lady amarant]

I was going to leave it at that, but would they let me?  Nooooo...  Inquiring minds wanted to know.

There is no knowledge that is bad knowledge - even if it does make your brain ooze out your ears. Remember kids, Indiana Jones is fiction.

Thank you for broadening my horizons Lisbeth.  >

~Simone.

[lisagurl]

fighting depression

Pasta and avocado.

[Shana A]

I'm really glad I know that CBT means Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

I was going to leave it at that, but would they let me?  Nooooo...  Inquiring minds wanted to know.

Lisbeth, you know how folks are here  >

Z

[NicholeW.]

I'm really glad I know that CBT means Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

I was going to leave it at that, but would they let me?  Nooooo...  Inquiring minds wanted to know.

And discreet posters, Liz, sometimes don't give in to the temptation!! 



Besides, it's not like you keep all of yourself totally 'under wraps' around here. 

Nichole

[Lisbeth]

fighting depression

Pasta and avocado.

Chocolate!!!!

Lisbeth, you know how folks are here  >

Besides, it's not like you keep all of yourself totally 'under wraps' around here. 

Hee!

[TreeFlower]

Exercise and light therapy.  I have SAD, Seasonal affective disorder.  Walks in the park on a sunny day.

[Shana A]

Chocolate!!!!

Yes, chocolate!! And if that doesn't work... even more chocolate 

After all that chocolate, I should probably try some exercise instead  

Z

[funnygrl]

For me, seeing a therapist, of course one with GID / TG specialty which I have. She sent me also to a nurse practitioner for an anti-depressant which i wasn't to happy about (pardon the pun), but i did it and i have been taking "Effexor XR" for about 4.5 months now. seem's to be working, but most importantly the "positive self talk" my therapist has taught me has really worked the best.

lately i have about one or two days of bad, severe depression instead of every damn day. on those days it's important to engage in the positive self talk and work out what is depressing me and stay firm in a better, healthy attitude. it does work at least it has for me.

and of course, i have to further agree that exercise is also a big help in combating depression!!! and combating this God awful, male-large-assed butt of mine!!!

it's a little @ a time. i found out that i was actually addicted to being depressed and full of self loathing strange i didn't see that being a healthcare worker in a substance abuse center

hope that will help you.

[Lisbeth]

For those who, like me, end up on an anti-depressant, be aware that SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) have some dangerous effects during the first six weeks you are taking them.  They can deepen your depression and increase the risk of suicide.  I know, because I was there.  There two instances when I was ready to kill myself which terribly distressed my dearest.

[NicholeW.]

That is definitely true. I also had the experience with one. If you have negative side-effects there are others. You and the prescriber work together to find one that may work for you. *sigh* That's generally the way with most psych-meds. It sometimes takes some changing about before something works with few side-effects.

Honestly, except for a very few things, psych-meds is often 'hit-or-miss.' (NO puns, Liz!! > )

[joannatsf]

For those who, like me, end up on an anti-depressant, be aware that SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) have some dangerous effects during the first six weeks you are taking them.  They can deepen your depression and increase the risk of suicide.  I know, because I was there.  There two instances when I was ready to kill myself which terribly distressed my dearest.

That's how long it takes for them to take effect 2 - 6 weeks.  Everyone's reaction is different.

BTW Effexor isn't an SSRI; it's a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, SNRI.
Wellbutrin, which seems to be the drug of choice for many, myself included is a norepinephrine-dopamine reuptake inhibitor.

[Shana A]

For those who, like me, end up on an anti-depressant, be aware that SSRIs (Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors) have some dangerous effects during the first six weeks you are taking them.  They can deepen your depression and increase the risk of suicide.  I know, because I was there.  There two instances when I was ready to kill myself which terribly distressed my dearest.

Don't you dare leave us Lisbeth!

Although diagnosed with clinical depression, I've opted to not take any meds. I know a few too many people who've had bad experiences with them. I was prescribed anti depressants many years ago and took them for a few months, the side effects seemed to outweigh the benefits for me, and I quit taking them, against medical advice. I felt better once they wore off, however the doc didn't bother to tell me about the withdrawal symptoms since I think he hoped I'd go back on them. Such a compassionate fellow  They really scare me... although it's also good to know that I have the option if things were to ever get worse. Besides, there are other things that can help ones' serotonin levels 

Zythyra

[lisagurl]

20% of our people in the war zone are on depression drugs.

[NicholeW.]

Z,

Generally a doctor with more compassion will titrate someone down from a med that has withdrawal effects. Just keeps lowering the dose until you reach a non-therapeutic level. Obviously, not all do. Cheeky doc.

Nichole

[Shana A]

Z,

Generally a doctor with more compassion will titrate someone down from a med that has withdrawal effects. Just keeps lowering the dose until you reach a non-therapeutic level. Obviously, not all do. Cheeky doc.

Nichole

This guy didn't give a @#$%. I was on public assistance at the time, no insurance. I was suicidal and had signed myself into a hospital, they prescribed some mix of things which I took for a while after I got out. I think I saw the doc for about 5 mins total...

Z

[NicholeW.]

This guy didn't give a @#$%. I was on public assistance at the time, no insurance. I was suicidal and had signed myself into a hospital, they prescribed some mix of things which I took for a while after I got out. I think I saw the doc for about 5 mins total...

Z

O, that sorta doc. TBH, I'm surprised you got that much time. Hospital shrinks are usually only prescribers and usually seem to just try things until they work. It's often not a part of their jobs anymore to actually talk with a patient, just toss meds at them and sign the insurance payment forms if requested by the admins. *sigh*

Insurance-run behavioral health 'care.' Especially for the Medicaid/Medicare/ Indigent-Care insured. So sad. I hope Obama and the Congress will actually make some effective medical policy for the country and give behavioral health care the parity it absolutely must have to keep us all from going nuts simultaneously.

People just weren't built for living in an ultra-capitalistic, ueber-materialistic, ueber-mechanistic society. Positive in many ways for consumer goods and such, absolutely horrid for most people.

Nichole

[Shana A]

O, that sorta doc. TBH, I'm surprised you got that much time. Hospital shrinks are usually only prescribers and usually seem to just try things until they work. It's often not a part of their jobs anymore top actually talk with a patient, just toss meds at them and sign the insurance payment forms if requested by the admins. *sigh*

Not only that, later when I got out of the hospital, I researched my prescription, Elavil and Melaril. One was a depressant and the other was a mood elevator... I'm not a professional, but the combination of an upper and a downer didn't make much sense to me.

Interestingly, during my 2 weeks time in the ward, other patients were the most helpful for me, and each other.

The health care system in USA is severely broken, I really hope we get Obama in and he can start to work on fixing it. Maybe we could send the insurance company CEOs to the moon or another planet > ...except I really don't want them messing with extraterrestrials either.... 

Z

[NicholeW.]

Elavil!!? Don't say but I hope this was fifteen years ago or so. That one has some very nasty side-effects and I haven't seen anyone prescribe it in an elephant's age. I would think it's not even on the market anymore!

Your well-shed of it, Z.

N~

[Lisbeth]

Elavil!!? Don't say but I hope this was fifteen years ago or so. That one has some very nasty side-effects and I haven't seen anyone prescribe it in an elephant's age. I would think it's not even on the market anymore!

Your well-shed of it, Z.

N~

Not necessarily.  People on public assistance get prescribed the oldest, cheapest meds available whether they are good for them or not.

Don't you dare leave us Lisbeth!

I'd be insane to leave now that I've found Ellie.

[Shana A]

Elavil!!? Don't say but I hope this was fifteen years ago or so. That one has some very nasty side-effects and I haven't seen anyone prescribe it in an elephant's age. I would think it's not even on the market anymore!

Your well-shed of it, Z.

N~

This was back in the mid 70s... yow! 30 years ago...

I'd be insane to leave now that I've found Ellie.

Yes, absolutely! BTW, it's been truly wonderful to watch this unfold. I think you two are perfectly matched! 

Z