Depression [Aware Helpline 1890 303 302] (1 Viewer)

[rampz]

Re: Depression

its mad that so many people on here seem to be touched in some way from mental health problems.

ive been dying to chip in with my own tuppence worth since im a psychiatric nurse working in the community and deal mostly with young people. psychiatry nowadays is a funny old game. im sure yis all know this, but medication is the primary treatment used by psychiatrists. within the health board, the public sector, counselling is really hard to get, unless its specific to child sex abuse, addiction etc. psychology referrals take ages to process. in the public sector, psychiatrists and nurses work really hard in the face of ever growing numbers of patients, staff shortages and other political shit. every day, i go to work and really put myself out there for these people. sometimes they throw it back in your face. thats just human nature i suppose, some people are assholes. anyway, i still keep smiling. i deal mostly with people in the acute stages of schizophrenia/psychosis or bi polar disorder in the depressive or manic phase. every so often we get referrals of people with borderline personality disorder, neurotic type illnesses like generalised anxiety disorder, panic disorder, eating disorders etc. often, the aforementioned are secondary to the major mental illnesses. my job primarily is as link between the patient and their psychiatrist. between us well try and stabilise the patient, or long term try and prevent a relapse. i also have a very important role in support and education for the patient and their family.

i enforce compliance to medication with my patients, right or wrong, as far as i can see its the only treatment option that works. so there you go. ive never had mental health problems which isnt to say that i wont. my brother is having a hard time at the minute. but anyway, if you end up dealing with the public mental health services, be nice to the nurse.


ps, ill happily share my moderate expertise if anyone has any questions.

 

[nuke terrorist]

Re: Depression

has anyone else developed weight problems since starting medication ?
i've been taking Risperdal (now) and other anti psychotics since 1996 and have gained over four stone in that time.
after leaving school in 1993 i became very withdrawn and had no interest in talking to anyone - i just wasn't bothered. i had two horrible dirty jobs until 1995 which along with becoming animal food free led me to start becoming cbsessed with being clean leading to me just not being able to cope any more by 1996. this doesn't fit into any established boxes of illness types. the first medicine i took Stelazine was hopeless except for gaining weight - no change.
however on Risperdal i steadily gave up obsessional behaviour by 1998 since which i've been ok.
i never liked work and have been basically unemployed since 1995. i wish i never had to go to work in the first place which i firmly believe set off the problems.
at that time i was generally angry most of the time and at one point went at least six months without laughing ( no exaggeration). i wasn't depressed ( no sad feelings) but the circumstances of my life a made me hate everything i blamed my job for my problems and although i still mostly do i always had a life long dispositon towards this behaviour.
i also didn't watch television or listen to radio from about feb. 1994 until about three years later and only looked at newspapers a handfull of times for a lot of that time.
for long years now i've been very happy which makes me cherish not working as long as don't have to do that i think i'll be OK.
i never wanted a job and don't want to have a 'proper' one again.
apart from medication the main legacy of this is me being fat which began in the months after begining medication.

 

[BC]

Re: Depression

has anyone else developed weight problems since starting medication ?
i've been taking Risperdal (now) and other anti psychotics since 1996 and have gained over four stone in that time.
after leaving school in 1993 i became very withdrawn and had no interest in talking to anyone - i just wasn't bothered. i had two horrible dirty jobs until 1995 which along with becoming animal food free led me to start becoming cbsessed with being clean leading to me just not being able to cope any more by 1996. this doesn't fit into any established boxes of illness types. the first medicine i took Stelazine was hopeless except for gaining weight - no change.
however on Risperdal i steadily gave up obsessional behaviour by 1998 since which i've been ok.
i never liked work and have been basically unemployed since 1995. i wish i never had to go to work in the first place which i firmly believe set off the problems.
at that time i was generally angry most of the time and at one point went at least six months without laughing ( no exaggeration). i wasn't depressed ( no sad feelings) but the circumstances of my life a made me hate everything i blamed my job for my problems and although i still mostly do i always had a life long dispositon towards this behaviour.
i also didn't watch television or listen to radio from about feb. 1994 until about three years later and only looked at newspapers a handfull of times for a lot of that time.
for long years now i've been very happy which makes me cherish not working as long as don't have to do that i think i'll be OK.
i never wanted a job and don't want to have a 'proper' one again.
apart from medication the main legacy of this is me being fat which began in the months after begining medication.

weight gain is a very common side effect of anti-psychotic drugs. particularly bad with regards to that is olanzapiem, one of the most widely perscribed anti-psychotic medications. it causes weight gain on its own, but also increases ones appetite immensely: after eating a full meal you still feel hungry. olanzapiem also greatly increases the chance of developing diabeties.
a good alternative anti-psychotic, if you are troubled by the weight gain, is seroquel. mention it to you doctor if it is bothering you especially.
my best wishes and regards to all on this thread.

 

[rampz]

Re: Depression

has anyone else developed weight problems since starting medication ?
i've been taking Risperdal (now) and other anti psychotics since 1996 and have gained over four stone in that time.
after leaving school in 1993 i became very withdrawn and had no interest in talking to anyone - i just wasn't bothered. i had two horrible dirty jobs until 1995 which along with becoming animal food free led me to start becoming cbsessed with being clean leading to me just not being able to cope any more by 1996. this doesn't fit into any established boxes of illness types. the first medicine i took Stelazine was hopeless except for gaining weight - no change.
however on Risperdal i steadily gave up obsessional behaviour by 1998 since which i've been ok.
i never liked work and have been basically unemployed since 1995. i wish i never had to go to work in the first place which i firmly believe set off the problems.
at that time i was generally angry most of the time and at one point went at least six months without laughing ( no exaggeration). i wasn't depressed ( no sad feelings) but the circumstances of my life a made me hate everything i blamed my job for my problems and although i still mostly do i always had a life long dispositon towards this behaviour.
i also didn't watch television or listen to radio from about feb. 1994 until about three years later and only looked at newspapers a handfull of times for a lot of that time.
for long years now i've been very happy which makes me cherish not working as long as don't have to do that i think i'll be OK.
i never wanted a job and don't want to have a 'proper' one again.
apart from medication the main legacy of this is me being fat which began in the months after begining medication.

you dont get weight gain with risperdal. only olanzapine or possibly clozapine.

 

[RSJ]

Re: Depression

Man, i could have used this thread about four years ago. Got back from an amazing summer on the J1 in long island and basically spent two years in my room, sleeping from about 10am to 10pm, only leaving at the weekends to get drunk and melancholic. Failed college twice, wasn't until i got out of tralee i realised what had happened. Had occured to me once or twice to go talk to someone, but would have felt too selfish. Things are better these days but still find it hard meeting people. Alcohol helps/makes things worse - can relax you but sometimes make you boorish to compensate for the nerves, which then makes things harder. Good to see people talking about it here though, like someone said, there's a lot of things in this thread that will come in helpful in the future i'm sure.

 

[nuke terrorist]

Re: Depression

you dont get weight gain with risperdal. only olanzapine or possibly clozapine.

my doctor thinks differently and the the two other people i know who took it are also got very overweight after taking it but they took other medication as well.
i certainly have a much bigger appetite in the time i began to take medication and my doctor asked me to take something else that might suit me better but it wasn't vegan so i said no. ( i take liquid stuff instead of tablets ).
i'll only find out if i quit taking it.
anyhow it doesn't cause me any other problems.

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

ive been put on cymbalta and only on it the last week. bit spaced and dry mouth and my pupils are huge but think its just the side effects that wear off after a couple of weeks.

thanks all you guys for keeping this thread going.

here's to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel

 

[Doctor Muscles]

Re: Depression

Alcohol helps/makes things worse - can relax you but sometimes make you boorish to compensate for the nerves, which then makes things harder.

Truly the cause of and solution to all of life's problems.

 

[Juno]

Re: Depression

you dont get weight gain with risperdal. only olanzapine or possibly clozapine.

You do actually. I was on it for a year and put on a lot of weight despite serious dieting in order to try to stop it. I'm not the only person I know who this happened to either. It's an unfortunate side-effect but if it works then it's probably worth putting up with it.

 

[Lefty Frizzell]

Re: Depression

Does anyone here take ambien?

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

dont know it

 

[Lefty Frizzell]

Re: Depression

its a sleeping pill

 

[krystal]

Re: Depression

I'm partial to the auld zimmovane if I can't sleep. I use them sparingly though.

Does anyone here take ambien?

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

I'm partial to the auld zimmovane if I can't sleep. I use them sparingly though.

yeah my mum takes those and would take them myself very rarely too

god we're a nation of pill poppers i tell you

 

[rampz]

Re: Depression

You do actually. I was on it for a year and put on a lot of weight despite serious dieting in order to try to stop it. I'm not the only person I know who this happened to either. It's an unfortunate side-effect but if it works then it's probably worth putting up with it.

i stand corrected. the most common side effect ive been seeing lately with it is hyperprolactinaemia. if your periods stop (if your a girl) it might be worth talking to the dcotor about coming off it. jansen cilag who make risperdal will probably play down the weight gain thing cos its probably less common than the other anti psychotics i mentioned.

 

[spuded]

Re: Depression

what a thoroughyl interesting thread, and im posi as fuck that this sorta stuff got mentioned without any reactionary remarks. I for a fair few years now have been on the auld prothiaden, was on it from 15-17 and then again from May 2002 til the present day, it might seem strange to some people to be on medication for that long, but if ya knew prothiaden you'd know it aint so bad. I was diagnosed with a severe clinical depression years ago, a chemical imbalance, that kinda being the difference between that and a reactionary depression (due to huge life change, other bad buzzes that cause the depression) i got counselling for it years ago but havent gone to that in years, how come?

well really because im fully aare of where im at, im well aware of my foibles and quirks, well aware of how my depression can change me and how i interact with people around me, and i really feel that it is a purely chemical thing ive been predisposed to. I honestly do think the worst thing about depression is how it impacts on those around you, ive fucked up relationships, lost friends and more due to that shit, due to being moody, or being paranoid, but ive learnt from that, leart when to step back from the brink of a pointless argument with a loved one because i know its not real its just the fuckin cloud makes ya not be able to see shit straight. It really is all about learning how ur depression makes you act, and being aware as possible of what that means and then trying to change that behaviour.

having this on and off over the years it is something i have learnt to live with, it has shaped who i am and is an integral part of me, i dont view myself as suffering from 'depression' or being a 'depressive' but i knwo the clouds come from time to time and when that happens i try shake em away. I agree with people posting here above saying about playin music being a real help to them, it is to me too, when i put all the bullshit and frustration i feel into a song, write dark lyrics and scream my lungs out i really feel like im gettin one over on my depressive times, its kinda like 'fuckk you depression, i can turn all these negative things into something positive, something i love doin (singing in de novissimis) and something other people seem to enjoy hearing, to me thats a way of winning.

my depression shaped who i am today, i did social care after school and have worked in the homeless services for 5 years now, why? because someone gave me a dig out years ago when i needed it and it made me realise the difference even the shortest kind sentence can make.

i also reocmmend listening to GORILLA BISCUITS 'start today' and BLACK FLAG 'rise above' first thing in the morning that makes me posi as fuck

 

[La La]

Re: Depression

super post ed..|..|

At the age of about 19, I was sat down and told that i'd been suffering from clinical depression since about 13.
I consider that period of my life very bleak, and alot of it had to do with being taken halfway across the world, watching my relationship with my father break down, and watching my parents get involved in a bitter divorce battle that spanned the two hemispheres. my hair started thinning out, i began getting symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder, and i cant believe im saying it here (but this thread is enabling me to and not feel ashamed) but i also started cutting myself.
i said it in a previous post here but ill say it again - being diagnosed literally saved my life. i went to a fabulous counsellor (whose voice was so soothing that all i have to do is think about it, and i feel less stressed) and managed to dig deeper than i ever had before. i refused medication because i didnt feel it was right for me personally, but through an amazing support network i finally was able to listen to myself and learn to, in a way, control my depression. my hair grew back thicker again and i finally stopped reaching for sharp utensils everytime something upset me. i actually feel like a completely different person.

that's why i realy like your post ed, cos you seem to feel the way i do. that you learn to live with it, and to listen to what your body is telling you, and it's so important.

i think this thread should be stickied at the earliest possible convenience, because it's proof that
a) there are a fair few of us who have gone through/are going through depression
b) people have some very valuable advice.

kudos to all

what a thoroughyl interesting thread, and im posi as fuck that this sorta stuff got mentioned without any reactionary remarks. I for a fair few years now have been on the auld prothiaden, was on it from 15-17 and then again from May 2002 til the present day, it might seem strange to some people to be on medication for that long, but if ya knew prothiaden you'd know it aint so bad. I was diagnosed with a severe clinical depression years ago, a chemical imbalance, that kinda being the difference between that and a reactionary depression (due to huge life change, other bad buzzes that cause the depression) i got counselling for it years ago but havent gone to that in years, how come?

well really because im fully aware of where im at, im well aware of my foibles and quirks, well aware of how my depression can change me and how i interact with people around me, and i really feel that it is a purely chemical thing ive been predisposed to. I honestly do think the worst thing about depression is how it impacts on those around you, ive fucked up relationships, lost friends and more due to that shit, due to being moody, or being paranoid, but ive learnt from that, leart when to step back from the brink of a pointless argument with a loved one because i know its not real its just the fuckin cloud makes ya not be able to see shit straight. It really is all about learning how ur depression makes you act, and being aware as possible of what that means and then trying to change that behaviour.

having this on and off over the years it is something i have learnt to live with, it has shaped who i am and is an integral part of me, i dont view myself as suffering from 'depression' or being a 'depressive' but i knwo the clouds come from time to time and when that happens i try shake em away. I agree with people posting here above saying about playin music being a real help to them, it is to me too, when i put all the bullshit and frustration i feel into a song, write dark lyrics and scream my lungs out i really feel like im gettin one over on my depressive times, its kinda like 'fuckk you depression, i can turn all these negative things into something positive, something i love doin (singing in de novissimis) and something other people seem to enjoy hearing, to me thats a way of winning.

my depression shaped who i am today, i did social care after school and have worked in the homeless services for 5 years now, why? because someone gave me a dig out years ago when i needed it and it made me realise the difference even the shortest kind sentence can make.

i also reocmmend listening to GORILLA BISCUITS 'start today' and BLACK FLAG 'rise above' first thing in the morning that makes me posi as fuck

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

cant believe i started this post in 2004, thanks guys for keeping it going!

 

[theweeyin]

Re: Depression

This is sooooo amazing! Although it is horrible to know that some of us have suffered so much it is also fantastic that we can share it on here and be like a mini-support network. I'm certainly open to giving any advice I can to anyone who feels they just need an ear. It is nice to know that there is someone out there you can get in touch with if you need to, even if you never do it. So any of you feel free to PM me if you need to vent or anything.

We are such cool people .|..|

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

so is this thread going to get stickeyed?​