topic Re: serious depression in Community Chat

serious depression

gellen — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:21:01 GMT

I am two months into a serious depression. It began with isolation (solitary) during the beginning of Covid. My depression began in June. I have tried many different meds and therapy. Was there any one thing that got you through?

Re: serious depression

Vivian — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:31:07 GMT

Please don't give up trying everything you can do to get help and feel better. I speak from experience, having a very dear niece who deserted all the help she could have received. Even Michele Obama has admitted that she has been depressed during the pandemic. My husband, who has Alzheimer's, has also confessed that he has bouts of depression. This is an epidemic within a pandemic. You are NOT alone. Please keep trying and keep in touch with me in these boards, God bless,

Re: serious depression

Mz iMac — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:35:30 GMT

For me there were several things....

Fire TV

Massive DVD movie collection

Trips to BJ's

Walks in the woods (I live in the boonies).

Car trips to nowhere.

I'm retired. Pandemic has not changed my way of living except I never leave home w/o a mask.

Re: serious depression

bikerbabe — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:37:50 GMT

I’m sorry you are hurting @gellen.

First, please keep in contact with your therapist and let him/her know how you are still struggling. I can sometimes take awhile to hit on the correct combination of meds - and then several weeks after changing meds to tell if there is a difference. Don’t give up!

You mention solitary isolation. Do you have family or friends you are able to keep in contact with?

For me, forcing myself to open the door and go outside for awhile is a big plus, even if the walk is only in my own yard. I like to grow flowers, watch the bees and the birds. I think the sunshine and vitamin D helps.

Know that you are NOT alone and this won’t last forever. Keep with your therapist and physician. They want to help you and you deserve it.

Re: serious depression

ROMARY — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:38:51 GMT

Now that I'm thinking about it, I believe there could be several gov. sponsored talk phone hot lines which could help folks who are feeling the same as you and many others.

Maybe someone here might list a few.

Re: serious depression

Catty2 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:38:54 GMT

@gellen

Two months is a very short time to give any meds time to work for depression. Are you in counseling? I think there is over the phone or Facetime/Skype counseling available. Give this time and take good care of yourself.

Re: serious depression

EatWell — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:41:09 GMT

@gellen wrote:
I am two months into a serious depression. It began with isolation (solitary) during the beginning of Covid. My depression began in June. I have tried many different meds and therapy. Was there any one thing that got you through?

I live alone by choice . Having severe anxiety when coming in contact with strangers, I do not leave my basement apartment except for unavoidable person-to-person visits to my medical Dr. and psychiatrist. And now I do consultations with them via FaceTime. I order my groceries online, and have Chinese and Italian take-out delivered. Contactless. I never interact with the delivery person.

The one thing that I take comfort in? The strength of prayer. And the Bible.

I pray you find hope, and better times to come. 🙏

“Stay safe. Stay home.”

Re: serious depression

AuntG — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:41:53 GMT

Can you pinpoint the cause? Have you lost someone to Covid? Lost employment? Was an important event cancelled, like a wedding? Assuming, it was brought on simply by isolation, I'd think a call to any mental health professional could direct you to proper treatment. Millions of us have been isolated so there has to be tons of data on how we are coping during this pandemic.

Re: serious depression

Jannygaz — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:43:29 GMT

You're not alone. In addition to medication and therapy, you might try meditation. My son downloaded the Calm app on my phone. My therapist says it's one of the best.

I'm no new age guru (or old age guru). But it does help. Also, as others have said, avoid the news. Try to find someone to talk to on the phone every day. Watch some fun movies. Most of all, be kind to yourself.

Re: serious depression

Styleovertrend — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:48:18 GMT

For me, it's meditating on creation. My yard is full of flowers and birds of all kinds. If you can, put up a bird feeder (with a squirrel baffle-required). I have 5 in my yard, all full of different types of seeds to attract different kinds of birds. Even on the worst days, they are amazing to watch and quite enjoyable. Also, the hope in the Bible, knowing a better, cleaner, healthier world is coming.

Re: serious depression

Mindy D — Fri, 07 Aug 2020 01:50:03 GMT

@gellen wrote:
I am two months into a serious depression. It began with isolation (solitary) during the beginning of Covid. My depression began in June. I have tried many different meds and therapy. Was there any one thing that got you through?

@gellen @I hope that you see a board certified psychiatrist for evaluation and medication adjustments. If you're having serious symptoms right now, call and go into your dr. as an emergency. If your depression is mild and expected to be transient the psychiatrist will tell you. It can take a long time for some antidepressants to begin to work. It doesn't seem like you have been on any particular medication long enough to see results. Two months might not be long enough for your medication to fully kick in. An evaluation is necessary to determine if you need medicine. Seeing a therapist could come after this. You might also have a medical condition; many cause depression or have symptoms that are also found with depression; or medication side effects such as depression that occurs with blood pressure medication. Don't give up. I have suffered with Major Depressive Disorder. I've had it more than once. The first time I didn't need medication, it went away after months, on its own. The second time I just stayed on one medication. It took a couple months until it worked for most of my symptoms and I had some side effects but they finally went away. Each time you have depression it can be worse. My last time was much worse and I was given a medication I felt uncomfortable with so I went back on my previous med, at a higher dose, and it took about a month before I felt some difference and even longer until most of my symptoms abated. BTW, you do not have to have a reason to have depression. Sometimes reasons can act as triggers, but not always. For me, I have extreme anxiety which brings on my depression. I'm probably going to have to remain on medication. Just come here to us if you need to talk. We might not have all the solutions you need but we have heart.

Re: serious depression

queendiva — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:54:31 GMT

What works for me every time, in this order: prayer, gratitude, my dog, getting outdoors in green space, even if I had to drive there, reaching out by phone to see how a friend or family member is doing, focusing on things other than myself.

I will add that so far my income has not been interrupted. Those who have lost jobs or loved ones during this time have a very heavy burden. I hope that does not include the OP.

Re: serious depression

Boomernichols — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 21:57:53 GMT

@gellen Meds take time to level off and reacha peak performance or perhaps you can contact your dr for a different one. Stay in touch with friends and family. Grab a book and soak up some rays as vitamin d has been shown to improve mood. Go for a walk or tune in to a preacher on tv, faith brings hope. God bless and take care.

Re: serious depression

Rose429 — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:06:21 GMT

@gellen Hi, I am sorry you are going through this. Please continue your therapy and meds take 6 to 8 weeks to work. Try to exercise ( I recommend a walk outside) in some way daily. I avoid all news and social media esp. Facebook right now. The world is a scary place and it is easy to get pulled into a hopeless place. I have 2 dogs that give me a lot of love and happiness. I hope you start feeling better soon.

Re: serious depression

FlowerBear — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:18:16 GMT

I have dealt with depression on and off for a few years and take 10 mg of Paxil daily. It seems to help. Things that help me too are daily exercise even walking is good, even at home. I found some good vids on youtube for walking that I got from these forums. Turn off the News. Prayer, Bible, Inspirational material and things online, Play trivia or puzzles or games even if you do them online. Make a list of positive affirmations and repeat a few times evey day. Get up each morning and get started on things you want to accomplish. Get plenty of sleep, eating healthy and not alot of sugar and junk. I do all of these things. Best wishes to you.

Re: serious depression

SunSprite — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:22:51 GMT

@gellen I'm sorry you are still struggling. I've been trying to keep up with you (and another poster) to see how things were going.

I've suffered from situational depression before--that's what my doc called it, not sure if that is a medical term. Anyway, I went on Wellbutrin the two times before and got through it. This time I'm also dealing with anxiety that is hard to control. My doctor is aware and we are working out my drug cocktail.

For me the tipping point came a couple of weeks ago when I realized my best buddy, one of my cats, had become very ill. Turns out he has congestive heart failure (who knew cats could get that? actually vet says it's pretty rare and usually genetic).....He turned 15 this year and he's literally been my best friend. So now he's at risk for sudden cardiac arrest, and I know my time is limited with him by my side. At least we did get his appetite going again! He had dropped over two pounds in 15 days.

Sorry, I'm rambling. What works to lift me now is my daughter. After avoiding each other for what seems like forever, she's coming for a visit tomorrow. We're taking a substantial risk, and we both know it. She's a teacher though, and she will refuse to be around me once she returns to school. She too also loves our cat and would like to see him again one more time.

We talked about it and between my mental health, the cat's illness, and school getting ready to start.....it feels like the time is now to see each other. I haven't felt this happy in a very long time.

Please hang in there. I care about you---I think I"m identifying with you to some degree--and I don't want to see you hurting. Just think-- if some complete, random stranger out in internet land is thinking about you and praying for you........imagine how many in your real life circle that you have interacted with are doing the same.

We WILL get through this. There is no other option.

Much love being sent your way

Re: serious depression

gellen — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:48:35 GMT

Sorry for the lostt of your niece. I know there are many hotlines around that you can call these days

Re: serious depression

firestorm — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 22:59:02 GMT

Depression hot line number:

866-503-2075

Re: serious depression

EatWell — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 23:10:21 GMT

@Mz iMac wrote:
For me there were several things....
Fire TV
Massive DVD movie collection
Trips to BJ's
Walks in the woods (I live in the boonies).
Car trips to nowhere.

I'm retired. Pandemic has not changed my way of living except I never leave home w/o a mask.

@Mz iMac

Sorry to ask, but what /where is BJ's?

“Stay safe. Stay home.”

Re: serious depression

chessylady — Thu, 06 Aug 2020 23:19:45 GMT

My health provider gave me a subscription to the Calm app. I do their 10 minute meditation every morning, it's called the daily calm. They also have specialized meditations for anxiety, gratitude, how to meditate instructions, lectures by different people and bedtime stories by famous or not so famous people. The bedtime stories usually take you to an exotic place or a trainride. I think it helps slow the racing, monkey mind. Sometimes I fall asleep before the story is over.