Severe Depression - Curable or Permanent Condition

[Flappycat]

I'm fortunate enough to be tough as nails. However, I know from the experiences of others that depression is a crusher. Meds work for some, but others can't stand them. There's no easy solution that I know of. It's a matter of learning a certain toughness of spirit, a certain defiance, and this takes time and won't really correct the chemistry problem. It's frustrating because you want to help them but don't really know how.

In regard to the proselytizing, a note of advice to the vultures: if I ever become bound to a wheelchair, don't come around waving bibles in my face because I'd probably smack your leg with my left front wheel.

 

[Storm Moon]

I'm fortunate enough to be tough as nails. However, I know from the experiences of others that depression is a crusher. Meds work for some, but others can't stand them. There's no easy solution that I know of. It's a matter of learning a certain toughness of spirit, a certain defiance, and this takes time and won't really correct the chemistry problem. It's frustrating because you want to help them but don't really know how.

In regard to the proselytizing, a note of advice to the vultures: if I ever become bound to a wheelchair, don't come around waving bibles in my face because I'd probably smack your leg with my left front wheel.

Just use a cattle prod. That'll get rid of 'em in a heartbeat. :biglaugh:

 

[Bishka]

I hate to bring this back up, but it's been awhile on this thread, and something that was talked about in one of my classes brought this up.

We were talking about how some members of the LDS Church and other Christian Churches say

"If you have enough faith, God will heal you."

Baloney my behind! Look at the Prophet of the LDS Church, along that line of reasoning, he could have saved his wife from dying.

I could go example on example on this, but I think you could have all the faith in the world, and still things like this may not be healed from you, because God gave them to you.

 

[Booko]

Defintley. Some home and natural remedies work just well for some people. I'm not one of them. :bounce I have the chemical imbalance along with it being biological so I'm pretty much stuck, there isn't any way I am growing out of it or it just suddenly being cured. Fine with though.

I did therapy for awhile, but I didn't help, they kept drudging ujp what I had done and that would keep me spiraling in different directions. I like medication, to an extent.

My brother-in-law is in a similar boat. His clinical depression kicked in in his late teens. When he's not on his meds and/or not taking care of himself, it's not a good thing. Sometimes his alcohol addiction gets the better of him (especially off the meds), as it's pretty much an attempt to self-medicate.

The depression I had was very different. It didn't start in my teens and 20s, it started in my 40s. And it was a bunch of chemical/hormanal imbalances at work, along with trying to "live" spending half a week at a time in unremitting pain of severe migraines. That would be enough to make anyone depressed.

With some very hard work with my doc, plus some nutritional changes and supplements, I got through that part of it.

Still, I am thankful that the only functional guns we had in the house at the time we're so stuffed behind junk in the closet that I couldn't manage to get at them. Also, I think if I hadn't had kids that would've made a big difference. It's one thing to leave my husband behind...but the kids? I just couldn't quite do that.

I'm glad to see that you've found a way to come to grips with the problems.

 

[FyreBrigidIce]

As a chronically depressed, anxious, panicky, and possibly bi-polar alcoholic, I am happy to hear that faith alone works for some people. I agree that for others it takes meds and therapy. For me, I have faith in a higher power than myself and that higher power can help me when I choose to listen and help myself by staying on my meds and being honest about how I feel each day. Some days are better than others but that happens to everyone, even those who do not have depression or other health concerns or addictions.

It is easy for some to tell someone what they need to do in order to handle what they are dealt with in life when they do not truly understand what we are going through. Those of us that do have mental illness and addiction need to have support from everyone around us, understanding that sometimes we can not control what is happening to us. This does not mean that we want to be mean or sad or have severe mood swings. I think I can speak for most of us when I say we would rather not lash out at our loved ones, aquaintances, co-workers, or anyone else for that matter. We wish we could handle what life gives us with an easy-going attitude. Unfortunately, there are times when that is next to impossible for us.

I am glad that the beginning post of this thread mentioned helping someone who may be having a more difficult time than we are. However, we must also be careful not to focus so much on the other person's needs that we neglect our own. I am not saying that we need to be selfish with our needs but that we must balance self-care with helping others.

FBI

 

[Sanguine]

I've found it difficult to cope with certain life events and the misery which followed, and I suppose I've always ben jealous of those who can believe in something. I myself find it difficult to trust and find any sort of faith in anything at my times of misery.

I've always wanted to find something which I could believe in, something to help me through, but I've realised now that I have to use my own merits and my own strength before I can borrow that of a deity - in fact, I feel like I need to realise my own strength to get through this and in my case, the particularly shaky faith I have in 'The Management' isn't going to sort me out. I've had to relise that faith - in anything - is not an instant fix. Nothing is.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

For me, it's been a pretty much permanent condition. I can't say that my life wouldn't have been easier without it, but it's allowed me to see things from the point of view of others', and has sometimes helped me to know where they are in order to try to help them back.

 

[Bishka]

For me, it's been a pretty much permanent condition. I can't say that my life wouldn't have been easier without it, but it's allowed me to see things from the point of view of others', and has sometimes helped me to know where they are in order to try to help them back.

Exactly, I know it's helped me in a variety of things, I am glad I was blessed with Bipolar Disorder. (Yes, I consider it a blessing)

 

[Ori]

I hope it's curable, i've been strugling for years without any real difference.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I think there might be two different classifications- severe depression and chronic depression. Thankfully, the two aren't always combined.

 

[Bishka]

I hope it's curable, i've been strugling for years without any real difference.

I hope it is too, but in the time being, I'm learning to deal with it.