Can't-get-out-of-bed days.....depression. (memory loss, body, side effects, eat)

[chiluvr1228]

I doubt you have offended anybody, you haven't me. Wouldn't it be nice if we could pray depression away. After years and years of dealing with this I have began to wonder if there really is a God. Like you said, I feel if there is one, he has turned His face from me also.


Fatigue is usually caused by the depression. If I could actually sleep and didn't have pets I think I would stay in bed all day and not even bother eating. But I can't do that especially since I work two days a week. So I plaster on my fake smile and let everybody think I am fine. This thread is the only place where I can be real. I started a journal also to put down my feelings. I'm not sure how much it helps but at least I get my feelings out of my head.


I never had patience for my late husband's panic attacks until I started experiencing them. Sometimes I wonder if it is some sort of punishment for not being understanding enough.

[Chint]

Originally Posted by Dawter

Well, I may as well join in. I've been taking Cymbalta for about 15 years. It takes the edge off. What I mean is, I stop taking it and I get irritated REAL easy...LOL. That's what I mean when I say it takes the edge off.

Right now I have an ache on the top of my foot that will not go away. They say depression causes aches and pains.
I'm sad most of the time and am fatigued. I do have joy in my heart but in this world I seem sad, I guess.

The born again Christian who said you could pray depression away...LOL.
I have walked the floors of hell and wouldn't wish this on anyone. I have been where it seems God has turned His face from me. The mind can do a lot of good and it can do a lot of damage.

I never had much patience for someone with mental issues. I thought it was all in there head until I became depressed.
Now I have compassion for others.

Hope I haven't offended anyone, I sure don't mean to.

Well it is - in a way. Its really not external events that usually causes these things (actual situational depression is fairly rare), its a brain issue. However, that does not mean its not real. It is absolutely entirely real. Our whole notion of reality comes from what our brain does, how it acts, what it perceives. The brain is an organ. Like every other single organ in the body - it can go wrong. There is no magical dividing line that immunizes the brain from problems.


We do not understand how consciousness, conscious thought and subconscious thought are actually embodied by brain tissue. But there is absolutely no doubt that its the brain that gives rise to this (brain injuries, chemically induced brain changes and brain imaging studies long ago put any dispute to rest). However, it does appear that by thinking in a certain way we can change the physical connections in the brain. It appears to be a feedback sort of mechanism. Its basic correlate is like learning a new skill. Say, go to ski lessons for two months. Your nervous system, and specifically parts of the brain (synaptic connection strength, pathways and branches) actually physically change by the end of that two month period as you learn new neural pathways.


When your brain naturally gets into a rut (both literally and figuratively - the same well worn neural path) it is easy for that to be the default path always. But.... it can be changed - it does take a lot of sustained effort though (and a really good therapist; hard to do alone). During the painful period, where one loses interest & joy in life, medication can help dull the symptoms or relieve them - but one still needs to work on the conscious and subconscious thinking patterns to change them. Magical thinking like prayer is really a stopgap, a real solution is harder than just "asking". Does one lose weight just by asking God? No, obviously that's silly.


Interestingly, some people seem naturally to fight negative thoughts, pessimism and self-defeating thought patterns. I'm not talking about people who don't get these things in the first place, I'm talking about people who get them but never indulge them - they somehow innately (or learned young) to oppose and fight such thoughts - which blunts them and ultimately disable those negative processes. (Until they come again). Others find it much, much harder - and will need help to oppose them.


Its mental exercise, much like regularly physical exercise. One always needs to do maintenance, but sometimes one needs to be actively fighting the negative as well (the cruel twist being the very energy you want for the fight has been depleted, hidden and obscured).

Here's one recipe that can help:
Medication for symptoms
Therapy for changing thought paths
Exercise
Outdoor time
Social connections - keep them up and tend to them
Learning & reading
Helping others (volunteering at the cat shelter, cleaning garbage from the harbor, visiting senior citizens home - whatever takes your fancy)


Combined, these things help. Its an emergent effect - the sum is greater than these individual added parts.

[Misty Mountains]

Hi there, new here. Just thought I would share our recent findings since I know how hard it is to get help.

Many in my family have Bi Polar 1. We have been to Mayo in Rochester. Psychiatric neurologists there told us if you have BP1, DO NOT USE ANTI DEPRESSANTS. They do not work on BP1.

You have to cycle or oscillate if you have BP1.

Mood stabilizers are the remedy if you can tolerate the side effects. Some side effects can be permanent.

My daughter took a Abilify, which required she sign a document that stated she could not sue drug manufacturer if she got permanent adverse side effects. She got the dystonia side effect, thankfully it is going away.

We are still searching. Suggestions for mood stablizers are welcome for my BP1 family.

[ingaa]

I also suffered from depression. I was helped by Fenibut nootropicboost.com. It is a nootropic drug that simultaneously has a calming and stimulating effect on the nervous system. Phenibut normalizes the metabolism in the nerve cells of the brain. The drug reduces stress, fears, anxiety and improves a healthy sleep.

[greatblueheron]

Originally Posted by ingaa

I also suffered from depression. I was helped by Fenibut nootropicboost.com. It is a nootropic drug that simultaneously has a calming and stimulating effect on the nervous system. Phenibut normalizes the metabolism in the nerve cells of the brain. The drug reduces stress, fears, anxiety and improves a healthy sleep.

Phenibut is a vitamin/supplement that has not yet been proven by the FDA as helpful to patients.

[chiluvr1228]

Hi everyone - feeling a little better - I have my appt for the DNA test August 10th. Joined a gym Sunday when I was having a good day so hopefully exercise will release those endorphins. I don't think the 20 minute walk with the dog at night was helping much.


How is everyone doing today?

[greatblueheron]

Good to hear!

Will be so interesting to get your test results back...hope you won't mind sharing just a little of what you find out...

Just a couple of days feeling like a slug...nothing permanent here. No energy but then it's been cloudy for days.

[chiluvr1228]

I have no problem sharing the test results, maybe it could help someone else who needs the info. Are you feeling a little sluggish because of the cloudy days? Here where I live I welcome the clouds as it means the sun isn't heating everything up to over 95 degrees. With our heat index we are usually 102 degrees in July-Sept.


Yesterday morning I wanted nothing more than to go take a nap at about 10 a.m. (I'd been up since 6:30) but I forced myself to go to the gym and I didn't feel as tired the rest of the day. I do understand that on my really bad days I won't be able to force myself to do anything and I realize that a lot of people feel that way also.


I joined the gym more out of boredom and so I have someplace to go three days a week instead of sitting home getting depressed.

[Dawter]

Originally Posted by ingaa

I also suffered from depression. I was helped by Fenibut nootropicboost.com. It is a nootropic drug that simultaneously has a calming and stimulating effect on the nervous system. Phenibut normalizes the metabolism in the nerve cells of the brain. The drug reduces stress, fears, anxiety and improves a healthy sleep.

Has it helped you?

[Dawter]

Originally Posted by greatblueheron

Good to hear!

Will be so interesting to get your test results back...hope you won't mind sharing just a little of what you find out...

Just a couple of days feeling like a slug...nothing permanent here. No energy but then it's been cloudy for days.

My weekend was very sluggish...Just another day.