Discussion & help on depression & mental health related issues

[Rita_Poon]

Thank you! It’s been a weird few months. Initially lowering the dose of sertraline helped, but then it’s had to go back up a little - after the second dosage lowering I began to feel a lot worse and it’s not really changed.

I know I’m extremely self critical - and I often say I hate the way I look. I find it incredibly hard to be nice to myself and lately I’ve found my mood has become very low, I’m more irritable and tired and feel like nothing is working. I look at my body and still see my little beer belly and feel horrible about it. Not sure what I can do other than keep persisting.

I think some other things have impacted it too. I’ve had to be A LOT more sociable the last few weeks. I’m a ‘functioning introvert’ and find socialising really tires me out. I got wasted a few weeks ago and noticed that my mood significantly lowered the next day, and this continued for a few days after.

I’ve all but come off social media. I have Instagram, but don’t have the app on my phone, and try to have only a few apps for other stuff on my phone so I’m not buried in it all the time.

I think I’ve found it harder to talk to people, girls in particular. Which everyone finds odd when I say it, because they say I’m ‘a talker’ and that my physique has improved. But I see none of this, and instead constantly dig myself out like I have a vendetta against my own happiness

It'd be easy to reel off instructions, but that doesn't work. Alcohol is a depressant, and contains a lot of empty calories. (a gram of fat has 9 calories, a gram of alcohol 7). There was a gym thread open (and besides the pish taking) there was some interesting stories about diet and regimen and discipline and all that. Some people I know found it easier to connect to others over shared hobbies, for instance one slightly prickly pear found a long term partner going to cooking lessons. We don't recover from a big binge of booze (and worse) like we did when we were 20.

I can't comment on social media, I managed to avoid it, and I might just get to see it out being regulated and controlled (which will nullify it) before it gets it's rancid hooks into me. I care what I think, not what someone else supposedly does.

Being relaxed and comfortable talking to ladies comes with practice, try not to be to serious, you're not negotiating world peace, try and have a laugh, I wish I'd learned a lot lot sooner to lighten up a bit and try and find the funny side. The beating life gives the vast majority of us is actually a great big shared experience, learning to laugh where you can goes a long way to rounding character and being approachable and all the rest of it. (I am no professor here btw). Try and relax and remember to breathe, it's a marathon not a sprint, and the race is with no one but ourselves.

 

[Seamus23]

There`s a lad called @Spotty, who`s a mental health professional, he`ll be able to give you the best advice you`ll get anywhere mate

Appreciate that. Will give him a shout

 

[Seamus23]

It'd be easy to reel off instructions, but that doesn't work. Alcohol is a depressant, and contains a lot of empty calories. (a gram of fat has 9 calories, a gram of alcohol 7). There was a gym thread open (and besides the pish taking) there was some interesting stories about diet and regimen and discipline and all that. Some people I know found it easier to connect to others over shared hobbies, for instance one slightly prickly pear found a long term partner going to cooking lessons. We don't recover from a big binge of booze (and worse) like we did when we were 20.

I can't comment on social media, I managed to avoid it, and I might just get to see it out being regulated and controlled (which will nullify it) before it gets it's rancid hooks into me. I care what I think, not what someone else supposedly does.

Being relaxed and comfortable talking to ladies comes with practice, try not to be to serious, you're not negotiating world peace, try and have a laugh, I wish I'd learned a lot lot sooner to lighten up a bit and try and find the funny side. The beating life gives the vast majority of us is actually a great big shared experience, learning to laugh where you can goes a long way to rounding character and being approachable and all the rest of it. (I am no professor here btw). Try and relax and remember to breathe, it's a marathon not a sprint, and the race is with no one but ourselves.

Yeah it has really hit recently, when I’ve had a drink, how [Poor language removed] I feel the next day. I’ve barely touched beer since. Someone got me a bottle of Bacardi for my birthday

I feel like I’ve regressed a bit. I’m actually a really chatty person, and seem to be able to get on with most people. So it’s against my normal nature to feel this kind of low confidence and low belief in self. The girl in question, is someone I’ve seen at the gym, but feel worried to approach her for multiple reasons.

Is there still a gym chat here? I’ll have a look for it!

 

[coollino]

Thank you! It’s been a weird few months. Initially lowering the dose of sertraline helped, but then it’s had to go back up a little - after the second dosage lowering I began to feel a lot worse and it’s not really changed.

I know I’m extremely self critical - and I often say I hate the way I look. I find it incredibly hard to be nice to myself and lately I’ve found my mood has become very low, I’m more irritable and tired and feel like nothing is working. I look at my body and still see my little beer belly and feel horrible about it. Not sure what I can do other than keep persisting.

I think some other things have impacted it too. I’ve had to be A LOT more sociable the last few weeks. I’m a ‘functioning introvert’ and find socialising really tires me out. I got wasted a few weeks ago and noticed that my mood significantly lowered the next day, and this continued for a few days after.

I’ve all but come off social media. I have Instagram, but don’t have the app on my phone, and try to have only a few apps for other stuff on my phone so I’m not buried in it all the time.

I think I’ve found it harder to talk to people, girls in particular. Which everyone finds odd when I say it, because they say I’m ‘a talker’ and that my physique has improved. But I see none of this, and instead constantly dig myself out like I have a vendetta against my own happiness

I know social media has skewed what a normal person looks like, and you could argue the perfect male body type has accelerated over the last few years (it's been like this for women for decades of course), but also from social media there days - perfect gym people seem like an absolute nightmare, and a lot seem to avoid guys like that now unless they are gym people themselves

From their training routine, their awful clothes, their treat meal of some mince, broccoli and plain rice.

A 'normal' person body type is a lot more desirable than you see online. There some pics of Olly Murs (stay with me) on twitter recently. Where he did a before and after him going gym mad, and so many women said they prefer before, and so many gym guys were losing their heads

 

[Bryan+]

I know social media has skewed what a normal person looks like, and you could argue the perfect male body type has accelerated over the last few years (it's been like this for women for decades of course), but also from social media there days - perfect gym people seem like an absolute nightmare, and a lot seem to avoid guys like that now unless they are gym people themselves

From their training routine, their awful clothes, their treat meal of some mince, broccoli and plain rice.

A 'normal' person body type is a lot more desirable than you see online. There some pics of Olly Murs (stay with me) on twitter recently. Where he did a before and after him going gym mad, and so many women said they prefer before, and so many gym guys were losing their heads

Fantastic post.

 

[matty1878]

I know social media has skewed what a normal person looks like, and you could argue the perfect male body type has accelerated over the last few years (it's been like this for women for decades of course), but also from social media there days - perfect gym people seem like an absolute nightmare, and a lot seem to avoid guys like that now unless they are gym people themselves

From their training routine, their awful clothes, their treat meal of some mince, broccoli and plain rice.

A 'normal' person body type is a lot more desirable than you see online. There some pics of Olly Murs (stay with me) on twitter recently. Where he did a before and after him going gym mad, and so many women said they prefer before, and so many gym guys were losing their heads

i agree mate it’s bad that on social media people try and either show what they are etc to outdo each other

IE gym look at me etc

 

[Seamus23]

I know social media has skewed what a normal person looks like, and you could argue the perfect male body type has accelerated over the last few years (it's been like this for women for decades of course), but also from social media there days - perfect gym people seem like an absolute nightmare, and a lot seem to avoid guys like that now unless they are gym people themselves

From their training routine, their awful clothes, their treat meal of some mince, broccoli and plain rice.

A 'normal' person body type is a lot more desirable than you see online. There some pics of Olly Murs (stay with me) on twitter recently. Where he did a before and after him going gym mad, and so many women said they prefer before, and so many gym guys were losing their heads

It’s part of the reason I stay away from social media tbh.

I think because I’ve struggled with how I look for so long that I’ve trained myself to hate the way I look. And in some ways going to the gym hasn’t helped. I see these ‘perfect’ men and women, so when I see someone I like I just automatically think there’s no way she’d be interested in me when there’s so many better options.

Conversely I can quite easily start a conversation with anyone, but when the pressure of liking someone gets added then I freeze.

 

[Seamus23]

i agree mate it’s bad that on social media people try and either show what they are etc to outdo each other

IE gym look at me etc

A lot of gym people are awful. Those who continually post online or slam their weights down unnecessarily or are constantly looking around. The good ones are the clam ones, heads down, working hard - just like anything else

 

[Seamus23]

*calm ones even, not clam