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I don't know if this will help you, but here is something I've done a lot the past several months. I try to "compartmentalize" or "separate" my depression from my overall life. I feel the depression, I hate it, it robs me of all energy...... But even in the midst of my "dark hole," I am intellectually aware that overall my life has been good (despite my current isolation and loneliness), that things will be much better in the future,
excellent post and excellent suggestion! Additionally, one can tell oneself that the low feeling will pass, as it always does. So one knows that even though you're feeling low now, you also know that the feelings will pass, because you know this from experience. So knowing the low feelings will pass, as they always have in the past, can be a source of comfort.
If you're referring to me (?), I'm not "anti-AD." In fact, I said tricyclic antidepressants helped me at the time. What I'm "anti" is ADs for every vagary in emotion that humans naturally go through. A lot of people have taken a lot of time out of their day(s) to try to help you. Good luck!
There are other posters who's posts came off as anti-AD.
I agree with that, however I wrote a few posts on here stating that I was diagnosed with depression and a panic disorder, so clearly I'm not just feeling "sad, lonely or bored" which is what I was trying to convey. I don't think anyone would argue with you that AD should not be taken for simply feeling sad or any other human emotion, however it seemed you were implying that was what I was doing.
One thing that's been helping a bit with my loneliness has been listening to podcasts, especially ones that I'm already very familiar with. I feel like the hosts are friends of mine, and it's just us having a conversation. "Stuff You Should Know" has been a good one because the vibe is very casual and Josh and Clark intersperse the informational content with anecdotes from their own lives.
Are there local FB groups you could become more active in, like neighborhood groups? The people there might not be people you already know, but I find that I feel an innate kinship with people in the same city or neighborhood as I am. Also, we can commiserate over the same local inconveniences (COVID-related and otherwise), like a major local highway bridge being under construction for the next 2 years, or businesses that we enjoyed that have closed, or just the incompetence of local politicians.
There are other posters who's posts came off as anti-AD.
I agree with that, however I wrote a few posts on here stating that I was diagnosed with depression and a panic disorder, so clearly I'm not just feeling "sad, lonely or bored" which is what I was trying to convey. I don't think anyone would argue with you that AD should not be taken for simply feeling sad or any other human emotion, however it seemed you were implying that was what I was doing.
I, for one, am spending way too much time on this thread, but...
Your initial post, to which a lot of people will respond (most don't have time to read the entire thread), says nothing about being diagnosed with depression. You start off with FEELING depressed about COVID restrictions and quarantine, mention a break-up, say you were put on AD but didn't get a good result or like the feeling so went off them and didn't want to take them again. You then go on to cite more SITUATIONAL reasons, including family relationships, for feeling sad, lonely, bored, unmotivated, and frustrated.
Since then, you seem to have changed your story and are now insisting that you have a clinical depression that needs to be treated with ADs (and scolding anyone who doesn't agree).
If you think that will help, by all means give it another try and, again, good luck.
I, for one, am spending way too much time on this thread, but...
Your initial post, to which a lot of people will respond (most don't have time to read the entire thread), says nothing about being diagnosed with depression. You start off with feeling depressed about COVID restrictions and quarantine, mention a break-up, say you were put on AD but didn't get a good result or like the feeling so went off them and didn't want to take them again. You then go on to cite more SITUATIONAL reasons for feeling sad, lonely, bored, and frustrated.
Since then, you seem to have changed your story and are now insisting that you have clinical depression that needs to be treated with ADs (and scolding anyone who doesn't agree).
If you think that will help, by all means give it another try and, again, good luck.
She didn't 'change her story', she gave more detail. As much time as you are on CD you should understand how that plays out in threads, I am surprised to see you picking an an OP for failing to disclose every detail in an OP.
I, for one, am spending way too much time on this thread, but...
Your initial post, to which a lot of people will respond (most don't have time to read the entire thread), says nothing about being diagnosed with depression. You start off with FEELING depressed about COVID restrictions and quarantine, mention a break-up, say you were put on AD but didn't get a good result or like the feeling so went off them and didn't want to take them again. You then go on to cite more SITUATIONAL reasons, including family relationships, for feeling sad, lonely, bored, unmotivated, and frustrated.
Since then, you seem to have changed your story and are now insisting that you have a clinical depression that needs to be treated with ADs (and scolding anyone who doesn't agree).
If you think that will help, by all means give it another try and, again, good luck.
My story was never changed, I gave more background information in an additional post so that people would better understand my situation. You chose to disregard my other posts and just gave your opinion based on my initial post, I guess because you thought I "changed" my story.
At this point I think it's best to agree to disagree, as you've said you've spent way too much time on this thread already.
ok so with all that out of the way, for me it doesn't matter if it's situational or 'clinical'. Lack of serotonin for 'clinically' depressed people is a mere theory, and apparently more complicated than that due to the side effects and other problems with SSRIs.
Also, activities that lift depression also produce 'feel good' bran chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.
Whether you are clinically depressed or not, your current situation has been brought on by a lack of going to work and other activities that you used to do, so my personal advice is to seek out other things that were mentioned upthread.
Opportunities may be less/different during COVID, but they are not absent.
This is my opinion and it's not some sort of bootstrappy thing either, it's due to my personal experience with these drugs. They have no idea what they are doing. It's taking a sledgehammer to a finely tuned thing. Getting off Effexor is like getting off crack. I've read about people shaving tiny little parts going off it, and still experiencing big problems.
A friend of mine went into a psychotic episode going off one of those. I want to say Effexor but that was a really long time ago.
ok so with all that out of the way, for me it doesn't matter if it's situational or 'clinical'. Lack of serotonin for 'clinically' depressed people is a mere theory, and apparently more complicated than that due to the side effects and other problems with SSRIs.
Also, activities that lift depression also produce 'feel good' bran chemicals like dopamine and serotonin.
Whether you are clinically depressed or not, your current situation has been brought on by a lack of going to work and other activities that you used to do, so my personal advice is to seek out other things that were mentioned upthread.
Opportunities may be less/different during COVID, but they are not absent.
This is my opinion and it's not some sort of bootstrappy thing either, it's due to my personal experience with these drugs. They have no idea what they are doing. It's taking a sledgehammer to a finely tuned thing. Getting off Effexor is like getting off crack. I've read about people shaving tiny little parts going off it, and still experiencing big problems.
A friend of mine went into a psychotic episode going off one of those. I want to say Effexor but that was a really long time ago.
Bottom line, to me they are a last resort.
I agree, they are a last resort and I haven't taken anything since September. I am trying to find activities to do, but online would be the only choice for me and I just can't get into an online class. In person is where I thrive, but unfortunately that's not an option for me at the moment. I am going to go back to doing my walks/runs and hopefully that should help.
I agree, they are a last resort and I haven't taken anything since September. I am trying to find activities to do, but online would be the only choice for me and I just can't get into an online class. In person is where I thrive, but unfortunately that's not an option for me at the moment. I am going to go back to doing my walks/runs and hopefully that should help.
walking/running will give you dopamine. Picking up a neighbor's dog to go with you will give you dopamine and......oxy.....oxy something, the LOVE hormone. It's GOOD STUFF.
Or maybe go to a dog shelter, they need someone to take them walking/playing. They get really scared and depressed. You can help each other.
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