Depression [Aware Helpline 1890 303 302] (2 Viewers)

[Juno]

Re: Depression

It's the drug payment scheme card. If you have it then you need only pay the first €85 (for prescription medication) each month.

Only, she says...

 

[brianoak]

Re: Depression

Not aimed at anyone here but..

I know a lot of people who drink their way through the weekend,smoke joints constantly i.e. everyday all the time along with lashing pills into them and staying in bed till stupid hours.Also they dont do a tap of exercise or anything and then turn around and say they are depressed.....I think lifestyle and diet is responsible for a lot of cases of "depression".

Please no one take this personally as it is merely an observation I have made over the years,I know there are some genuine cases but I think the difference in definition between clinical depression and feeling shit because of your lifestyle is one that is missed by a lot of people and the answer is not always in a bottle of pills or an "expert opinion".

Your best counciller is always yourself and you need to get the root of what is bothering you yourself and not be told that you are suffering from a blanket condition and fobbed off with a bottle of pills.

 

[Super Dexta]

Re: Depression

Your best counciller is always yourself and you need to get the root of what is bothering you yourself and not be told that you are suffering from a blanket condition and fobbed off with a bottle of pills.

i would imagine you didn't mean the last bit of that quote there about everyone who has depression but rather the people you're talking about in the rest of your post.. for some people, medication is quite literally a life-saver. in my own case, it wasn't till i went on medication that i was actually able to get sufficient perspective on my own situation to do anything about it.. medication basically broke the cycle of feeling shit so that i could address my own problems. and i'm not the only person that has found that about antidepressants.

anyway what i was actually going to say is that the bit of your quote that i emphasised there is probably the hardest thing i've ever learned in my life.. that friends and family and psychologists can support you and help you, but in the end, you're the only person that can do all the work that has to be done to make yourself better. nobody else can do that for you. it's a horrible thing to realise but it can also be very empowering.. it can make you realise that you have to stop being your own worst enemy and start supporting yourself and giving yourself credit for the things you do. while i say it's the hardest thing i've ever learned, it's also probably the most important.

 

[krystal]

Re: Depression

Interestingly enough, taking millins of pills can lead to chemical imbalances i.e. they deplete serotonin in your brain, and then you get very down and can't get back up again without help. So anti-depressants can help in that case. And dexta's right too, medication can help you to calm down and stop panicing and because of that it can allow you to get a handle on what's wrong and try and sort it out. I think doctors will also prescribe low dose medication as a sort of placebo too - if you're told here, this will sort you out that's reassuring on it's own.

I know a lot of people who drink their way through the weekend,smoke joints constantly i.e. everyday all the time along with lashing pills into them and staying in bed till stupid hours.Also they dont do a tap of exercise or anything and then turn around and say they are depressed.....I think lifestyle and diet is responsible for a lot of cases of "depression".

.

 

[cheryl]

Re: Depression

Not aimed at anyone here but..

I know a lot of people who drink their way through the weekend,smoke joints constantly i.e. everyday all the time along with lashing pills into them and staying in bed till stupid hours.Also they dont do a tap of exercise or anything and then turn around and say they are depressed.....I think lifestyle and diet is responsible for a lot of cases of "depression".

Please no one take this personally as it is merely an observation I have made over the years,I know there are some genuine cases but I think the difference in definition between clinical depression and feeling shit because of your lifestyle is one that is missed by a lot of people and the answer is not always in a bottle of pills or an "expert opinion".

Your best counciller is always yourself and you need to get the root of what is bothering you yourself and not be told that you are suffering from a blanket condition and fobbed off with a bottle of pills.

did you ever stop to think why they're always drinking/taking loads of drugs and sleeping in all the time in the first place. it's a form of escape. sometimes an expert's opinion is the only thing that will kick you into doing something about it.

 

[classic seanc]

Re: Depression

I think this thread might be as much about reassuring people that they're just in a rut or whatever, and not actually ill, as it is about supporting people who've actually suffered from depression and similar illnesses.
but I might be wrong.

 

[Buzzo]

Re: Depression

Well look at all the mad different experiences on here:

Bad lifestyles can be both the cause of and symptomatic of low self esteem/depression/other badness

Chemically induced depression can be genuinely addressed by medicine.

Some people are moany whiners who can't actually recognise their first -world self- induced problems for what they are.

Labelling someone with depression can be a positive thing because it helps the person to realise it's curable and solveable and they're not alone.

Labelling things can be really dangerous and allow someone to wallow in a 'condition' instead of taking responsibility for solving problems

Seanc likes interpreting threads

 

[cheryl]

Re: Depression

Well look at all the mad different experiences on here:

Bad lifestyles can be both the cause of and symptomatic of low self esteem/depression/other badness

Chemically induced depression can be genuinely addressed by medicine.

Some people are moany whiners who can't actually recognise their first -world self- induced problems for what they are.

Labelling someone with depression can be a positive thing because it helps the person to realise it's curable and solveable and they're not alone.

Labelling things can be really dangerous and allow someone to wallow in a 'condition' instead of taking responsibility for solving problems

Seanc likes interpreting threads

i agree fully. sometimes the best thing is when someone says to you you might be stressed and you need to sort it out before it gets worse. tell tale signs are usually moodiness, irritability and general feeling crap. if you can sort it at that stage with exercise, positive thinking, taking time out for yourself and generally slowing down then it might not get worse. it's when you don't do something about it that it turns into depression i think. obviously there are many causes of depression but I think alot of people in Ireland today are way too stressed out with jobs/family/mortgages and don't have time to eat properly and get proper exercise. it takes a mental breakdown for them to realise something's wrong.

i wouldn't like someone i know to label me with depression but getting an expert opinion if you do think something's wrong with you is a good idea. It's not normal to be feeling crap all the time and no one should have to feel like that. what you decide to do with the GP's advice is up to you.

 

[BC]

Re: Depression

did you ever stop to think why they're always drinking/taking loads of drugs and sleeping in all the time in the first place. it's a form of escape. sometimes an expert's opinion is the only thing that will kick you into doing something about it.

not necessarily, though. the reason why many people drink and take drugs is not to escape, but rather to enhance life, relax and so forth. being pleasurable experiences, it is human nature to want to repeat them, and this may lead to overdoing it at times. i do agree with your point in some cases, though not all.

as aoifed so succinctly stated, there are many and varied reasons behind these things. the problem is in generalisation, and it perhaps there that some in the medical / psychiatric world cause problems with misdiagnosis and over(or unhelpful) medication.

but, i know of many cases personally in which medication has totally helped people, and been a literal life-saver. the generalisation (once again) that all psychiatric medication is "bad" is an ignorant and unhelpful one. its an opinion i have come across a few times, and ironically and pecularly enough from users of recreational (that is to say, uncontrolled) drugs.

I know a lot of people who drink their way through the weekend,smoke joints constantly i.e. everyday all the time along with lashing pills into them and staying in bed till stupid hours.Also they dont do a tap of exercise or anything and then turn around and say they are depressed.....I think lifestyle and diet is responsible for a lot of cases of "depression".

Interestingly enough, taking millins of pills can lead to chemical imbalances i.e. they deplete serotonin in your brain, and then you get very down and can't get back up again without help. So anti-depressants can help in that case.

these are both excellent points. it takes a long time for your serotonin producing cells and receptors to regenerate after even a fairly low dose of ecstacy, so those experiencing fall out from excessive use may find SSRI anti-depressants to be of extraordinary benefit.

Is there an unusually high incidence of depression (and worse) on thumped? Sounds like it - I wonder why?

i dont think so, i think depression and such are extremely common. i would say we are living in an age of dissatisfaction. significant things in life such as relationships, work, creative activity and so forth can bring immense hights of joy, but can also be almost soul-crushingly difficult. in our culture of constant stimulus and mixed messages (for example, the prevelance of advertising - "if you dont buy this you wont get laid"), people in general are left without direction, meaning and true connection with themselves and others. suffering is experienced by all, everyone has problems, but these truths should be the basis of compassion not nihilism.

 

[rampz]

Re: Depression

so in that case. does this thread serve as an online public support group or does it serve that certain people can celebrate or romanticise the whole notion of mental illness or depression as somehow giving their lives some sense of worth or belonging or something.

 

[broken arm]

Re: Depression

i hate capitalism because it made my dad depressed

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

i started this thread to see if im not on my own out there and it has been of great use
thanks all

 

[Goff]

Re: Depression

i think there is an unusually high incidence of depression in ireland also, apparently 1 in 5 people are being treated for some form of depression or anxiety

Different studies give different amounts. Usually about 1 in 6 women at some stage in their lives and about 1 in 8 men, although I reckon the men thing is because most blokes won't admit to it, so it's probably more even.

Got hit with it full force again last year due to a mixture of different things, work, personal, general over-riding stress, grief and a whole passle of other little things that, by themselves aren't too bad, but bunched up with everything else, is a killer.

It almost got me this time though. But I beat it/(am beating it). Though there were a few dodgy moments.

The thing is, you have to do fight it. It might be difficult (at first). But you have to. It's worth it.

Even if it seems like there's no one to help you (and boy did it feel that way for me last year....), there are. Seek them out. Talk to your GP. and TELL HIM/HER WHAT YOU NEED. You need to see a Clinical Psychologist. Because the Health Centre Shrinks are a load of wank and "don't have the time" to do anything for you. That, in my case, includes neglecting to tell me about the fact that they have a Psychological Service at all. Actually, I told him they existed and he denied all knowledge of it. Strange that.

Statistically the best treatment for non-recurrence of Depression, and illnesses of that ilk, is a mixture of medication and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. It's about how you perceive the world and how to change your negative perceptions. Even if the depression is a chemical thing, it helps you cope.

Get some exercise, even if it's just a short walk at a nice leisurely pace. Get some sunlight. Winter is over. The days are getting longer. Use it.

Talk to someone. Anyone. Everyone. You'll be surprised at how understanding people can be (Of course, not everyone will be able to cope; you need to understand that too. You can't blame them. Even your closest loved one might not be up for it. That's okay as well. It can be harder for your partner to understand than it is for strangers. After all, as far as they're concerned, they're "supposed to make you happy". Which is not true: You can't MAKE someone happy; happiness happens).

.
Your best counciller is always yourself and you need to get the root of what is bothering you yourself and not be told that you are suffering from a blanket condition and fobbed off with a bottle of pills.

Nah, don’t think so. There’s a lot of dead people out there who were their own best counsellors. And their counsel told them to kill themselves. The problem with depression is that you just don’t think straight. That’s why medication can be a help. It enables you to get some perspective on what’s happening to you. And it’s all about perspective. People don’t kill themselves because they’re “cowards” (there’d be a whole lot fewer people walking around if that was the case). They kill themselves because it’s a perfectly reasonable and rational thing to do. Or SO THEY THINK. It’s a solution. I just happen to think it’s the wrong solution. MOST (though ,by all means, not all) suicides are not on the spur of the moment.. Most people who kill themselves plan it weeks in advance, making sure they’re alone. That’s not cowardice. (I really don’t think I’d like to die alone). When that starts to happen, make that call.

The Aware Helpline
1890 303 302

I’ve said it here before. Stick that on your phone. Everyone. Not just people who are depressed. Everyone should have that number on their phone.
They’re really good.

As for the fool who “de-repped” and said, “Hah Hah you’re depressed!” (see earlier on in the thread). As John Lennon would say, “Instant Karma’s gonna get you.” Though I hope you, or anyone you love, never suffers it.

One good thing about the Health Board Psychiatric Services: When they prescribe your meds, they’re free. You don’t even have to pay the first 85 quid (or whatever it is these days). All mental health medication should be free. And it’s a huge help. When I was out sick and wasn’t getting paid, it was a godsend. Another friend of mine couldn’t afford to go to a doctor when they were suffering, let alone pay anything.

Take EPA’s. MoreEPA is what I use. Makes you smarter as well.

It’s a destructive illness/disability. Long term depression is now legally considered a disability. There’s a reason for that.

And no matter what the reason, what the cause of it, medical, chemical, physical, emotional, it’s curable. You can get help that will enable you to see things in perspective.

You’ll come out of it with a much better appreciation of life. You’ll also be more forgiving towards others. Especially when you can recognise the fact that everyone has problems in some form or another. You’ll be more understanding. You’ll be more patient. You’ll be more zen. And being nice to others pays off in spades.

Enjoy the weekend, all.

Life is there to be lived.

(God, I sound like such a gobshite).

 

[rampz]

Re: Depression

health board psychiatric services are doing the best they can under difficult circumstances. your bad experiences are not the law.

 

[La La]

Re: Depression

does it serve that certain people can celebrate or romanticise the whole notion of mental illness or depression as somehow giving their lives some sense of worth or belonging or something.

i dont think it's being used to celebrate or romanticise this condition at all...but i could be misinterpreting your point so pls excuse me if that's the case

 

[BC]

Re: Depression

yes, i dont really know what you mean or where you are coming from with that, ramps. i am aware that you work in this area, and as such i am extremely interested in your opinions and input.
i dont see any example of romantising or celebrating mental illness here, i think this thread is really wonderful: genuine insight, help and support here.
mental illness is exactly that: an illness (although there are issues of agency, but thats getting into extremely subjective and variable territory).
mental health issues are very complex, and again, i do think alot of damage is done by generalisation.

 

[Buzzo]

Re: Depression

Re romanticising mental illness:

I was talking to my cousin, she's 17 and in 5th year. She says it's cool to be on medication and have a counsellor/psychiatrist in her school.

I remember it being similar when I was younger.

I don't think the notion of it happening on a thread on the internet is in any way absurd. Not pointing fingers, just sayin.

 

[broken arm]

Re: Depression

Re romanticising mental illness:

I was talking to my cousin, she's 17 and in 5th year. She says it's cool to be on medication and have a counsellor/psychiatrist in her school.

I remember it being similar when I was younger.

yea. i was a Cure head for a while as a kid

"i didn't aaaaaaassssssskkkkkkkk to be born"

 

[Squack]

Re: Depression

Re romanticising mental illness:

I was talking to my cousin, she's 17 and in 5th year. She says it's cool to be on medication and have a counsellor/psychiatrist in her school.

I remember it being similar when I was younger.

I don't think the notion of it happening on a thread on the internet is in any way absurd. Not pointing fingers, just sayin.

what does the last bit mean? im confused

 

[SONYMEGADRIVE]

Re: Depression