Discussion & help on depression & mental health related issues

[Bobby B]

nice to see more and more people using this forum. obviously counselling,doctors etc is paramount but just to hear other people talking openly and the understanding of others is beneficial in its own right.

wbn61 - that is a major plus in this illness - talking to people openly about your problem.

It is not easy and you must decide who to confide in - not everyone will understand or be supportive but gradually you will find it easier to speak out about your/our problem. There is no longer a stigma to mental illness - more and more people are sufferers and more and more people as sympathetic but unfortunately not all are able to help.

Depression, in my experience, was like a black hole virtually impossible to get out of once in. I had locked myself into this underground cell and did not want to face the daylight or the people that lived in that light. But I eventually found solace in an unexpected source - like some on here, I started revisiting my favourite football club and found that I was among friends all with a common aim.

Goodison in the 60's was a great place to be and through to the 80's I often went to matches but let things slip until a few years ago I would take the wife shopping to Liverpool and catch a bus to the match. A couple of friends asked me to join them in their car and I eventually ended up a Season Ticket holder - once more I was amongst friends and in a place where I 'belonged'.

All this led me on the road to normality - which I am pleased to say now enables me to speak about my experiences and share them with others. Like a few on this board I too have sat holding my pint in the Wilmslow hoping that someone would speak to me - and they did.

 

[Nashtbs]

Great post. I think we all see a bit of our problems in those of others, and just being honest with others requires us hear our own truths, no matter how uncomfortable. I've been through tough times, and maybe soon I'll share it. Your post is brave, and I'm so glad you're sharing with us.

The fact that you've considered sharing it in time, is a much bigger step then you know. No pressure to put a time scale on these things, there's no point, just keep at it and know in time it'll come

 

[wbn61]

wbn61 - that is a major plus in this illness - talking to people openly about your problem.

It is not easy and you must decide who to confide in - not everyone will understand or be supportive but gradually you will find it easier to speak out about your/our problem. There is no longer a stigma to mental illness - more and more people are sufferers and more and more people as sympathetic but unfortunately not all are able to help.

Depression, in my experience, was like a black hole virtually impossible to get out of once in. I had locked myself into this underground cell and did not want to face the daylight or the people that lived in that light. But I eventually found solace in an unexpected source - like some on here, I started revisiting my favourite football club and found that I was among friends all with a common aim.

Goodison in the 60's was a great place to be and through to the 80's I often went to matches but let things slip until a few years ago I would take the wife shopping to Liverpool and catch a bus to the match. A couple of friends asked me to join them in their car and I eventually ended up a Season Ticket holder - once more I was amongst friends and in a place where I 'belonged'.

All this led me on the road to normality - which I am pleased to say now enables me to speak about my experiences and share them with others. Like a few on this board I too have sat holding my pint in the Wilmslow hoping that someone would speak to me - and they did.

this is where I struggle. reading all these posts i'm not sure if I suffer depression. I am in remission from cancer. i dont know if everyone understands remission but due to the treatment I had my body is wrecked and it's going to be a while before it recovers. so obviously I am off work at the moment and that is hard mentally. some days I feel ok others are painful. my body and mind don't seem connected. some days I want to do things but my body won't let me. other days i'm fit and raring to go but my mind says why bother. the only real bad side of it is when I struggle in bed and I often think it would be easier if I didn't wake up in the morning. that doesn't mean I'm suicidal,far from it just that i'm so fed up. is that a form of depression? I don't know.

 

[trebilcock66]

this is where I struggle. reading all these posts i'm not sure if I suffer depression. I am in remission from cancer. i dont know if everyone understands remission but due to the treatment I had my body is wrecked and it's going to be a while before it recovers. so obviously I am off work at the moment and that is hard mentally. some days I feel ok others are painful. my body and mind don't seem connected. some days I want to do things but my body won't let me. other days i'm fit and raring to go but my mind says why bother. the only real bad side of it is when I struggle in bed and I often think it would be easier if I didn't wake up in the morning. that doesn't mean I'm suicidal,far from it just that i'm so fed up. is that a form of depression? I don't know.

Take a look and see what you think: http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/depression/Pages/Introduction.aspx

 

[Thewhitepele]

I normally post on here as somebody else. As I'm having one of the toughest weeks of my adult life right now, I was recommended this short video by a friend.

Many on here will have seen it before or will have heard of this inspirational young man. If you too are feeling like rats**t right now, take a look. It might not work for you but it helped me.

 

[Anfield1972]

Not just Gary Speed but another great guy and one of Neville Southall's reserve keepers followed the same path a few months before. RIP Gary Speed and Sam Jones.
Depression is one of the biggest killers and is vastly under researched and combatted by this government and all previous ones. As a previous sufferer who has overcome all depression I would advise these procedures:
1.Accept the fact that only intelligent, thoughtful people get depressed.
2.Try and maintain common sense, i.e. the more negative life becomes, the shorter the odds on more positive outcomes rectifying the balance in the future, and usually surprisingly quickly.
3.Eat well, don't rely on alcohol & get plenty of light to the retinas,(if need be get a quick trip to a sunnier climate, even a cheap budget airline trip to the sun for a few days.
4.Never take life too seriously, treat it like a game, stay true to your own sense of honour and decency, pity any fools or life itself trying to break You & remember that setbacks only make You emotionally and psychologically stronger.
5.Laugh in the face of adversity.

 

[Bobby B]

wbn61 - Very sorry to learn about your cancer -you have obviously had/ are having a bad time.

It appears, from what you say, that your perceived depression may well result from your cancer illness and treatment and I am pretty sure that having undergone all that it would be enough to make anyone depressed.
I am sure that as your body strengthens so will your frame of mind and all being well any thoughts of depression
may be short-lived.

While not wishing to play-down your experiences, depression sufferers usually do not have a valid reason, or so they think, for feeling depressed and in their depression they are in a continual merry-go-round searching for answers without really knowing the questions!

Does that make sense? Sorry if it doesn't.

 

[wbn61]

wbn61 - Very sorry to learn about your cancer -you have obviously had/ are having a bad time.

It appears, from what you say, that your perceived depression may well result from your cancer illness and treatment and I am pretty sure that having undergone all that it would be enough to make anyone depressed.
I am sure that as your body strengthens so will your frame of mind and all being well any thoughts of depression
may be short-lived.

While not wishing to play-down your experiences, depression sufferers usually do not have a valid reason, or so they think, for feeling depressed and in their depression they are in a continual merry-go-round searching for answers without really knowing the questions!

Does that make sense? Sorry if it doesn't.

yes it makes sense. that's the point I was trying to make. whilst I use this forum to offload my feelings I didn't think that the depression I feel at times was the same as the real (for want of a better word) depression that most on here are going/went through hence feeling false.

 

[Bobby B]

wbn61 - I had also meant to say that depression or not, not one of us would wish to change places with you.

You sound like a very brave and positive person and I am sure you will fight and get through it.

Keep your pecker up.

 

[Deleted member 28206]

I love reading this thread, for one to see i'm not on my own. Two, to see we are all human.

 

[Bobby B]

Sorry I missed your last post wbn61 when you said 'hence feeling false' !!!!

Bollocks - no such things as feeling false, for whatever reason, you are depressed - only difference is you will get over it as you progress.

Cheers.

 

[Clint Planet]

I went to a seminar recently that was saying that cashew nuts are natures prozac. I would never mess with anti-depressant drugs personally.

Just to be clear, anti-depressants are not dangerous when taken as recommended and are not addictive. They do not "space you out" (they are different to tranquilizers). They generally work by making your brain retain its seratonin (the "feel-good" chemical that your body produces naturally) for longer.

They can be a great help in just letting you get on with life in a normal manner, should you have issues with depression or anxiety.

I used Prozac about 11 years ago for a while to get me through a dark period in my life. They helped enormously. When I was ready, I came off them with no ill-effects.

I am currently on Sertraline (better for anxiety and panic attacks than prozac) following an episode that left me with PTSD a while back. Again, it is really helping.

No stigma in using anti-depressants, folks. This is a tough world. If you cut your hand, put a plaster on it. If you break a leg, get to A&E. If you're suffering from depression, see your doctor and consider taking medication for it.

 

[GwladysBlue]

I find the gays generally hate it when you try to skirt the "gay banter" thing. Its putting on a fuss and bringing attention to something which shouldn't be an issue. Gays don't mind being ripped too like.

Just look at @micknick, he loves it.

Very true.

 

[chicoazul]

Very true.

The amount of straightophobia I receive from my hom mates is shocking.

I actually may make a complaint. Who do I direct official complaints about the gays to? Do you know?

 

[GwladysBlue]

The amount of straightophobia I receive from my hom mates is shocking.

I actually may make a complaint. Who do I direct official complaints about the gays to? Do you know?

Pete Price I think mate.