Depression and Sadness

[ryst]

Hark the eh steve,

 

Oh I know you weren't mocking me. I was actually responding to Halljams. I was under the impression that he thought I was "BOB". No offense taken at all. The one thing I have left is my cynical sense of humor . And yes, Super 8, maybe too much garmonbozia. But just reading the responses here is a breath of fresh air. No need to for anyone walk on egg shells. I think humor is very important nad it's much needed!

[Sp3nc3r]

No new insight or advice from me, what's been said here already is just as good as anything I could offer. Just adding my name to the list of wellwishers and concerned!

 

I seriously hope you find what you're looking for Nathan. My best wishes to you. I've known others to not be so forthcoming with their desire for help - and it cost them dearly. Thankfully, you've already progressed beyond that.

 

Cheers!

Spencer

[Edgar Summers]

Hey R man

I don't know what it is that puts us in such a bad place sometimes. I wasn't too happy in my 20's and 30's-couldn't tell you exactly why.

 

If there is a secret it's that I quit just letting life happen to me. I realized that I had a lot of control over what I do. Negative things and negative people can be real soul-quenchers, but I've gotten a lot better at keeping that stuff at a distance.

 

You sound like you do a lot of positive things for yourself already. Just know that talking to people-professionals or otherwise, is helpful to keep it together. I don't think anyone can tell you how to be happy. You learn how yourself. After twenty-some years I can only say it seems clearer now. Maybe it WAS chemical!

 

I don't blame others anymore, but more important I don't blame myself. Self-flagellation can be worse than anything.

 

I wish you well on your journey.

 

For what it's worth a rather unenlightened friend of mine would often suggest, "shut up and have beer!"

 

ED

[seclusion]

Diet, diet diet, you have the exercise down, now it's just about what you're eating... My wife and I found that adding loads of seafood to our diet helps for clarity. We're talking 3x's a week. Only fish contains omega-3.

Check out some of the info here

http://qualitycounts.com/fpfattyacids.html

Talks about depression etc. Very helpful.

Realize that depression is one of the major causes of illness .

You are not alone... .

After adopting our 5 kids I've also noticed a decrease in sad times as they are so uplifting.

[halljams]

Originally posted by Hark the eh steve:

dude,

 

I knew that wasnt a picture of you. in fact I vaguely remember you posting something about it when you changed it awhile back. fyi and anyone else for that matter, I was not mocking you. I was just adding a little levity to a serious thread.

 

the fact that you are taking steps to deal with your issues is good. I hope the best for you.

 

take joy and an inventory of all the good things you have (wife/job/friends/whatever). there are many people bummed out because they don't have these things.

 

LMAO. What a weinie i can be.

 

Ryst check out

this

[Michelle ggurl]

Originally posted by ryst:

I know a lot of you are suggesting meds. I believe they work for some people. I think I have a lot of unresolved issues that meds would not cure. I have to heal from these things. Right now I am trying to take life one day at a time and improve things with "baby steps" I am taking all of the advise here. Everything has been great from you guys and I will PM the ones who have offered. I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers.

This is wise, to look for ways to break the mental patterns that make you sad. I have a couple of friends who have clinical depression, and they have been on meds at various times, and the meds DO help stop the physical/chemical side of the imbalance. But based on how one doctor described these meds to me, I think of them like this:

 

They lift you out of the hole you are in. BUT, meds alone will only suspend you there, over the hole. You have to use them in conjunction with therapy or some means of changing your thought patterns, so that you can move away from the hole. Once you stop meds (if you go on them), you stand a better chance of landing on the ground ... instead of back into the hole.

 

Does that make sense?

 

I don't have clinical depression or anything major enough to merit meds. BUT, I've had some serious bouts of, well, sumpthin'. To the point of suicidal. And what worked for me was a determination to change my thoughts about myself.

 

You would be surprised at how much impact telling yourself "I AM a good person" or "I have a place in this world" or "I CAN succeed" (or whatever intangible secret to happiness you feel you lack most) can have. At first you say things about yourself that you simply don't believe. But then, after a while, strange things happen ... you see outward manifestation of a better you -- like a mirror reflecting back at you -- that perhaps those things are really true. It's a trip, really.

 

Maybe this will work for you, maybe not. But if you do feel truly out of control with this thing, seek help.

 

Oh yeah, and don't ever believe that validity of your art relies on you being debilitatingly angry or sad. You will find other music to make -- I did.

[KenElevenShadows]

Although my feeling is that one should not be adverse to taking medication if one is clinically depressed, in my opinion one should attempt other avenues before seeking medication. This is the reason I recommended that one see a therapist first.

 

I'd recommend a therapist to see how it goes first, and then soon after, consider seeing a doctor if the feeling is that it is more than therapy can address or there is some underlying physical reason for your depression.

 

Medication can help - I'm not saying at all that it doesn't. However, my feeling is that there should be fundamental changes to your thought processes, habits, the way you go about things. And these things can often best be addressed through therapy. Medication can help, but ultimately someone needs true change to cope.

 

Then, of course, there is the physical component of simply taking what is quite literally a mind-altering substance, something that might be taken a bit lightly in today's medically advanced climate. By all means, see a doctor, have a physical, but in my opinion try not to reach for medication as a first option.

 

And obviously, if someone has a medical condition that is producing depression, by all means, address the issue through medication or whatever a GOOD doctor prescribes.

[Dan South]

OKAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

LET'S take a SMALL step back look at the BIG PICTURE, shall we?

 

First of all, happiness doesn't come in a bottle. Not from a bottle of booze, and not from a bottle of pills. I'm sure that EVERYONE here is well-meaning, but I'm also certain the ryst has access to physicians who can evaluate his condition and advise him on the relative merits of pharmaceuticals.

 

Yes, it's possible that ryst is suffering from clinical depression, and it's very possible that he is NOT suffering from clinical depression. Depression and low self-esteem are not the same thing. Depression is usually marked by low energy, the inability to get up and do things, and a VOID of emotion. Low self-esteem is typfied by STRONG, NEGATIVE emotions - anger, envy, jealousy, a sense of worthlessness. Again, I would encourage ryst to talk to some qualified people locally; a psychologist would be the place to start.

 

Pills may help your mood and they may screw up your brain, too.

 

Low self-esteem can be improved dramatically. At first, it's a little difficult, because when you feel that you are worthless, you don't have confidence that you'll ever amount to anything. You believe that you are genetically predisposed to failure, that successful, happy people are born that way, that you obviously weren't, so why bother? But you CAN do it.

 

YOU *CAN* DO IT!!!!!

 

It seems like pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps at first, but after a little while, it gets easier, just like working out or learning a new instrument.

 

Here are a few ideas to get you started.

 

(1) Enjoy comedy as often as you can. You need to boost your mood daily. Comedy is better than drugs. Make a daily half-hour of Comedy Central a priority in your life. Take time to listen to inspring music, too. Whatever inspires you is fine, from Charlie Parker to Ozzy Osbourne. Listen to something that you LOVE and note how it affects your mood.

 

(2) Be active. Force yourself to move. Take a walk every day, even if for only ten minutes. Walk briskly. Keep your head up. While walking, look forward to your next comedy session.

 

(3) Get better at something. Buy a cookbook and try to make a few simple recipes. Take your wife to a salsa class. Hit the gym with the plan of improving your biceps, or sign up for a yoga, spinning, or martial arts class. Take a class in woodworking or photography or whatever interests you. Take a music or film history/appreciation class. Talk with others who share your interests. Become an expert at some kind of trivia - sports, tv, music, whatever. Give yourself a REASON to hold yourself in higher esteem. Look forward to the day when you can say, "I'm really good at Activity X," or "I know a lot about Subject Y."

 

(4) If money is getting you down, address the issue in a realistic way and develop a plan that will help you to move forward.

 

(5) Realize that your "beautiful wife" would not be there if she didn't see something of value in you.

 

(6) Spend some time with friends who like you just for who you are.

 

(7) If the weather is nice this weekend, take a nice drive and enjoy everything that you see.

 

(8) List your top 20 favorite films of all time and make a plan to rent them and watch them over the next 6 months.

 

(9) Try completing these sentences. The answers may be useful.

 

- I like my life best when ....

 

- I like myself best when ....

 

(10) Remember that there is NOTHING inherently wrong with you. Yes, you might have some sort of medical imbalance, but if so, your doctors can help you with that. You are not any less worth of joy and happiness and feelings of self-worth than anyone else is. We all get "off track" sometimes, and it doesn't matter how well things are going. If we focus on the negative, we'll become negative. It's human nature.

 

Do you find yourself comparing yourself to others? Does that make you feel inferior? Think about this. I'm sure that you can think of at least ONE person SOMEWHERE who is not as well off as you are, and yet that person is happy. Why are they happy? Why are you NOT happy? Is it because you are really worthless, or have you just conned yourself into believing that you are?

 

YOU CAN DO IT, MY BROTHER! DON'T LET YOURSELF BELIEVE OTHERWISE!

[Manolito]

heya ryst

 

nothing more to tell with all the good spirits and thoughts inhere.

i am 28 years old and i often felt depressed and strenghtless. actual i had a period of 3 years where i've been bowed down by depression, i just did not know how this was called, if there is or ever was a happy life. The first and most important step is your knowledge of yourself, your likes, your dont-likes and your own boarders. You sound like you actually know thoose

Next step would be to accept your present situation and building a will for your future. You have dreams, keep on steering to them. I am talking about acceptance what maybe sounds strange to some. But its what i call my own boarders. Depressions dont come out of nowhere. You just hit your own Boarders and they throwed you back ... i spended a load of time in accepting, and you know what happend? Most of the borders blowed up in air. I knewed about them but i saw the things behind them and can take my first steps into new territorities i first thought that would be impossible.

When did you breathed last aware of breathing air? How does air taste? .. (oh man, the cheese-nudles where great )

To me it's all a mater of consciousness. See what is happening around you. Every slice of your life. There is so much love and harmony around of us, we just have to extend our hands and the will to touch it.

 

Hey, i usually talk german, my english is silly. It took me hours to write that and i am not sure if you got my points So i finish here, with some last words ...

 

Medicaments dont help you. In the best situation, they just cover 'yourself' for a while. Learn to accept your moods and you will also appreciate your Depression! Believe in me! It's a pool of creativity with the right knowledge. It's on you to handle situations. Dont bow down, use your Depression whenever it comes trough ... you're a musician, handle depressions like one Creative!

And you have a wife and family that loves you! Man! Dont cover, you are not alone, everyone feels depressed sometimes. It's an other thing, if most peoples ever know about theyr depression. You know! You can handle! To repeat a fellow inhere ... Just do it

[KenElevenShadows]

Agreed, Dan. Since no one knows the root cause of the depression, reelin' in a professional therapist would help try and determine that root cause. Ditto with the doctor.

[Jeff Leites]

Nathan

 

Theres been a lot of good advice here (and a couple that make me shutter), the main thing is I think you can see that your problem is not uncommon, depression is a wide spread ailment. I agree with Craig, see you physician first, and let him make the diagnosis, he can recommend a therapist if necessary. I just want to add that you should take action as soon as you can because untreated depression can have dire consequences. Good luck.

[deanmass]

The point on many of the comments regarding medication is that MANY people stigmatize it, when it has proven it can be helpfu. Medication can stabilize you while you work through it, then wean off it. Most people do not end up staying on medication. There are too many posts in here saying 'no way on meds, man'

 

What I am saying is 'any port in a storm' if it gets you through the day and moving in the right direction.

 

After listening to beloved soon-to-be-ex tell me these things over the past 2 years;

 

"You are going to end up an f***ing junkie"

"You're not gonna take all that shit, are you?"

"You are over medicated"

"You are gonna end up in rehab" (due to anti-depressants)

 

.... all this among other things, I have zero tolerance for people saying/pleading 'don't give in to meds, man'. You just don't know. I don't have any deep inherant trust in doctors, but I am not beyond considering the options they present, and if medication is one of them, I think any one should CONSIDER it and count on support for making the decision to get help.

 

I am not saying this to attack anyone, but I feel adamantly that far too many people keep others from trying medication due to some personal bias. Are many of them over prescribed? Hell yes, but with all the people taking it who should not be, there probably an equal number who are not that should be. I went though hell with my spouse regarding this. I would not wish this on anyone.

[Dan South]

I'm really kind of amazed at how many people here have been quick to suggest to ryst that he run down to the doctor's office for a prescription of the latest feel-good pill. There are a lot of new medications out there, and we have no idea what the long term effects might be. Ryst is a young guy; he and his wife may want to have children. What if they find out years down the road that anti-depressants taken by parents cause abnormalities in children.

 

Homo sapiens has been around for, what, a hundred thousand years or more? We seem to have gotten along fine for all that time without pumping mind-numbing chemicals into our systems. We have so many modern conveniences today that previous generations would envy. How is it that despite all of our technology and opportunities, large numbers of us believe that we can't be happy without popping pills? It doesn't make any sense. What did people do when they were depressed fifty, a hundred, two hundred years ago? Was life so easy on the American frontier that no one ever got depressed or dejected? How much easier is your life today with central heating and air conditioning, hot and cold running water, automobiles, airplanes, and public transportation, limitless on demand entertainment possibilities, affordable music production technology, cell phones, home entertainment systems, disposable contact lenses and laser surgery, supermarkets and shopping malls, and the entire eCommerce system?

 

To paraphrase George Carlin, what do people today have to be depressed about? The Gap is out of Khakis? The plastic surgeon is booked up until next month? The TV remote is on the other side of the room? THINK about it. Think about the Great Depression and the war era. Think about the Civil War and frontier life. THOSE people might have needed anti-depressants in mass quantities, but today, I suspect that the vast majority of prescriptions are unwarranted and ill-advised. Hey, if you REALLY have a problem, get help. But don't opt for chemical nirvana just because you're too lazy to do what it takes to lift your own spirits. I've heard of the dumbing down of America; I never thought that I'd live to see the institutional NUMBING down of America. It's like a science fiction story - everyone is conned into taking mind-altering drugs so some sinister entity can take control.

 

Suddenly, everybody's depressed. Everybody needs a pill to cope. Everybody needs a pill to perform in the bedroom. Everybody needs a pill to lower their cholesterol. Everybody needs a pill to slow their hair loss. Everybody needs a pill to lose a few pounds. Every kid needs a pill to sit still in class. Are we THIS weak? Are we capable of doing NOTHING for ourselves without the aid of Merck and Novartis and Pfizer? Are we that helpless? Are we that gullible?

[Phait]

Good points Dan. Like I suggested to Ryst - try music first. Why are any of us doing music in the first place anyway? Fun? Catharsis? All the other options available are valid of course but should be a last resort.

 

BTW Dan, I think your points would make a nice article.

[deanmass]

Dan

 

(nothing productive for the original poster)

 

I digress and totally disagree. Your last post is so totally out of context, I am amazed.

 

Phait, NO ONE suggested running down to the pharmacy.

[KenElevenShadows]

Hey, I'd like to try and steer this back to the original intent, which was to try and help the poor guy. Medication can indeed be extremely helpful - often necessary - but other options should also be explored (often, they should be explored first). Dan didn't say that he was anti-medication, and in fact, wrote: "Pills may help your mood and they may screw up your brain, too." That seems fairly accurate, no?

[halljams]

Originally posted by Dan South:

I'm really kind of amazed at how many people here have been quick to suggest to ryst that he run down to the doctor's office for a prescription of the latest feel-good pill. There are a lot of new medications out there, and we have no idea what the long term effects might be. Ryst is a young guy; he and his wife may want to have children. What if they find out years down the road that anti-depressants taken by parents cause abnormalities in children.

 

Homo sapiens has been around for, what, a hundred thousand years or more? We seem to have gotten along fine for all that time without pumping mind-numbing chemicals into our systems. We have so many modern conveniences today that previous generations would envy. How is it that despite all of our technology and opportunities, large numbers of us believe that we can't be happy without popping pills? It doesn't make any sense. What did people do when they were depressed fifty, a hundred, two hundred years ago? Was life so easy on the American frontier that no one ever got depressed or dejected? How much easier is your life today with central heating and air conditioning, hot and cold running water, automobiles, airplanes, and public transportation, limitless on demand entertainment possibilities, affordable music production technology, cell phones, home entertainment systems, disposable contact lenses and laser surgery, supermarkets and shopping malls, and the entire eCommerce system?

 

To paraphrase George Carlin, what do people today have to be depressed about? The Gap is out of Khakis? The plastic surgeon is booked up until next month? The TV remote is on the other side of the room? THINK about it. Think about the Great Depression and the war era. Think about the Civil War and frontier life. THOSE people might have needed anti-depressants in mass quantities, but today, I suspect that the vast majority of prescriptions are unwarranted and ill-advised. Hey, if you REALLY have a problem, get help. But don't opt for chemical nirvana just because you're too lazy to do what it takes to lift your own spirits. I've heard of the dumbing down of America; I never thought that I'd live to see the institutional NUMBING down of America. It's like a science fiction story - everyone is conned into taking mind-altering drugs so some sinister entity can take control.

 

Suddenly, everybody's depressed. Everybody needs a pill to cope. Everybody needs a pill to perform in the bedroom. Everybody needs a pill to lower their cholesterol. Everybody needs a pill to slow their hair loss. Everybody needs a pill to lose a few pounds. Every kid needs a pill to sit still in class. Are we THIS weak? Are we capable of doing NOTHING for ourselves without the aid of Merck and Novartis and Pfizer? Are we that helpless? Are we that gullible?

Dan i see where you are coming from with this attitude.

I just spent 3 years with someone who was severly depressed and still is.

I felt the way you do until recently.

There are things you are missing and not seeing.

The fact is some people need more than an attitude change.

All anyone is suggesting to Ryst is to NOT disregard investigating a medical avenue.

 

I do agree there is an epidemic of laziness and plain stupidity, i think largley due to commercialism and television.

Allowing oneself to be subject to this stupidity is one's choice.

 

But my opinions and attitude have changed on that front as well recently.

I'll take care of my life and happiness first, then the people i care about and everyone else can piss away their lives all they wish.

As they sink we rise, fine with me.

I believe Ryst's situation is not in that category and he should at this point in his life get serious about nailing down a solution to what has been a long time problem.

[Dan South]

I'm sure that there are plenty of people who need anti-depressants. I'm sure that many of them are NOT taking them, either because they are unaware of them, can't afford them, haven't admitted that they have a problem, etc.

 

But I'm also sure that there are lots of people who take anti-depressants and lots of kids on Ritalin who shoud NOT be on these medications, and WOULD not be on them if someone weren't making big bucks hawking this stuff.

 

Someone said that some of the posts on this thread make them cringe. Well, the ones that make ME cringe are the ones that have determined, without the benefit of an examination by a qualified professional, that ryst is a candidate for anti-depressants. Perhaps he is, but I felt that a balanced opinion should be voiced. If my opinion annoys you, call your doctor and get a prescription for happy pills. In no time, you'll forget all about what a tiresome, relentless agitator I am.

 

[Manolito]

quit smoking weed for a while could do the trick too

[halljams]

The thing that makes me think meds are something to reconsider is the amount of time Ryst has been in this condition.

Whats the longest you have ever felt bad or down Dan?

If it was your whole life would it maby Dawn on you that it could be chemical?

[Gulliver]

Depression and Sadness are my two best friends.

[ryst]

Now this is just funny. You guys have found a way to make me laugh without really trying.....here are some of my favorite recent quotes...

Ryst is a young guy; he and his wife may want to have children.

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Hey, I'd like to try and steer this back to the original intent, which was to try and help the poor guy

Am I poor?

 

quit smoking weed for a while could do the trick too

I don't like weed. I am too analytical as it is.

 

Depression and Sadness are my two best friends.

LOLOL!

 

First thing I am doing is changing my diet a bit and doing different workouts. I actually haven't been to the gym in a while. Second, as Phait suggested, is music. Writing songs is a natural high for me. The only problem is I haven't been creative in a while. But changing my bad habits should help that. Also waiting on a callback from the shrink.....still waiting. Like I said before, I have done the meds before. When I was off of them I realized that they made me numb but did not solve the issues I have had burning inside of me. I have done meds. And I feel like they didn't work for me. But I am trying to keep an open mind about everything. You guys are great and ALL the suggestions here are valid.

[Griffinator]

Originally posted by ryst:

First thing I am doing is changing my diet a bit and doing different workouts. I actually haven't been to the gym in a while. Second, as Phait suggested, is music. Writing songs is a natural high for me. The only problem is I haven't been creative in a while. But changing my bad habits should help that. Also waiting on a callback from the shrink.....still waiting. Like I said before, I have done the meds before. When I was off of them I realized that they made me numb but did not solve the issues I have had burning inside of me. I have done meds. And I feel like they didn't work for me. But I am trying to keep an open mind about everything. You guys are great and ALL the suggestions here are valid.

Sounds like you're taking some serious steps in the right direction, my friend.

 

I did the medication roller coaster when I first admitted to myself that I had a problem, and soon discovered that the "cure" was much worse than the "disease", at least for me.

 

Do your best to always remember that you are not a failure if you don't accomplish everything you want to on a given day. Congratulate yourself for what you do, don't beat yourself up for what you don't. This is a huge though process change that will create positive momentum.

[Bbach1]

check yourpm's Nathan. (and please ignore my nudity)

[Dan South]

Originally posted by halljams:

Whats the longest you have ever felt bad or down Dan?

If it was your whole life would it maby Dawn on you that it could be chemical?

Chemical, schmemical! Every emotion that we have is chemical.

 

Low self-esteem from age 13 to 20 (approximately), improving steadily until my mid-twenties. If it were chemical, I'd still be angst-ridden today.

[Jeff Klopmeyer]

Ryst, one more thing... there are indeed online support groups for depression that are a little more focused than our silly musician community.

 

Try checking out alt.support.depression on usenet. You can access it via a number of ways... Google has a Groups feature that will allow you to read and post as you want...

 

Direct link to depression newsgroup via Google

 

Good luck! Sounds like you're being proactive and taking a great approach to getting better.

 

- Jeff

[Rim]

I definitely see Dan's point about some people over medicating themselves but I do believe medication is the way to go for some things (especially when it involves chemical imbalance when a body is not producing enough naturally).

 

Nathan, we're all trying to help but you really just need to see a professional to get you checked out on all sides - mentally and physically. There are way too many causes of depression to diagnose "online". Many causes have already been mentioned and I'll add one more that hasn't been mentioned: sleep apnea (lack of enough REM sleep).

 

I guess my only point is, you've stated your condition has been with you on and off for a long period of time. Though you've had limited success, the condition eventually returns. I feel it's time to seek professional help.

 

Oh, and one thing that stood out in your post: Do not compare yourself to others. Sometimes the ones who look most confident on the outside are the ones most lacking in confidence on the inside and this is their way of hiding it. Same goes with some people who seem happy all the time but are covering how unhappy they are.

 

Good luck and God bless.

 

- Rim

[KenElevenShadows]

Originally posted by Rim.:

I definitely see Dan's point about some people over medicating themselves but I do believe medication is the way to go for some things (especially when it involves chemical imbalance when a body is not producing enough naturally).

 

Nathan, we're all trying to help but you really just need to see a professional to get you checked out on all sides - mentally and physically.

I agree on both points, and from the sound of it, Nathan is going to see a professional. Both a therapist and a doctor, I hope.

 

In my profession as a Special Education teacher, and my knowledge of medication from obtaining a Psychology degree, I would say that medication can be effective if administered appropriately.

 

But I also agree with Dan that far too many people reach for the pill bottle as an almost knee-jerk sort of reaction. Try other things first if possible (and it's usually possible) and then if it's still not working or if you are medically diagnosed by a medical professional (or three - getting more than one opinion is often a very prudent thing to do), try medication.

 

And a lot of times, it's the really simple things that might actually work. Talking to people and opening up sometimes really helps. Not to everyone, but to friends who have a discerning ear. Exercising, eating right, reading good books devoted to self-improvement, getting a new hobby or pastime that you are really good at, volunteering to help people, and all sorts of things can bring about a fundamental change for the better. And if one is seeing a therapist or taking medication, all of the above can augment that and make it more effective.

 

Unless one has a severe medical condition under extenuating circumstances, I would generally encourage you to view any taking of medication as a short-term thing, something that can help while you address the real root of the problem. Unless, of course, for some reason, the real, genuine root of the problem is a severe medical condition that can only be addressed by medication (and that's just not all that common for most cases of depression that I've come across).

 

I know I've sort of repeated myself several times, but what I'm attempting to do is provide a balanced view of medication and what I hope is an effective method of approaching the treatment of depression, especially recurring depression.

[Strangerbytheminute]

Hey ryst,

 

As someone who's suffered from clinical depression for the better part of my life I sympathize with you. Until you've stared at the world through the "black hole" one cannot imagine what it feels like.

 

There have been many great bits of good advise here and a few that sucked, but my advise to you is:

 

-See a doctor first to make sure that you don't have a phsyical reason for this bout.

 

-If he wants to put you on meds, go to a pshychatrist to help you find the right one or combination. They have more experience with these drugs and might save you the pain of trying one that doesn't work.

 

-There's alot of research showing that the helpful effects of anti depressents only lasts 6 months in some people.

 

-Do not listen to people who tell you to "just take a walk, you'll feel better" I did and it cost me years of my life.

 

-Clinical depression left untreated is a fatal disease.

 

-Don't expect people who have never had true clinical depression to understand how you feel. I'm not a doctor but it really sounds like you have clinical depression, rather than a depressive episode. The difference is a depressive episode can be helped by taking a walk. It's what most people experience from a sad experience. Where as Clinical depression is a malfunction of the brain where the nero transmitters are depleated or not used properly by the brain. One would have to experience the feeling to understand it.

 

-Take action soon, like tomorrow. The sooner the better. The longer it goes on the harder it is to treat.

 

-Get some conseling after or during to help you understand what you are and have been going through. I went through conseling and joined a depression men's group and both help me alot.....

 

Good luck Brother. Don't know why we have to go through this but we do. I hope you get to feeling better soon.

 

Best wishes......

[ryst]

I don't want to keep bringing up a depressing thread but I wanted to inform you of my progress for all the ones here who cared enough to give advise and PM's to lift my spirits. From the suggestions for meds, therapy, Omega 3's, writing music, exercise, and even the PM's I recieved about lending an hear for me to spill my guts.....thanks again. I went to my first therapy session with a shrink. For the most part he was cool. I was a little hesitant but I let him do what he did and I answered all of his questions. The conclusions we came up with I had already known about. But to hear someone else acknowledge that the majority of my problems are due to mental abuse I recieved as I child (which I clearly remember), was was reassuring. I already knew what it was. It just justified my conclusions a bit. So he gave me some homework. I have to learn some things and try and think and say certain things differently to stop these bad habits. I think I can do it as long as I don't give up. I know I can be happy consistantly. My mind is a bit clearer now. I can write music again and I feel a lot better from going to the gym again. So, I just wanted to thank everyone here who gave a shit and I feel lucky to have grown up in a time where technology has aloud for us to communicate through modems and satelites and ethernet cables in order to seek help. I don't know how else I would have gotten such excellent and diverse advise all in one place!

 

N8 Dizzity