looking for help with these specific aspects of depression
thx for ur time. fairly new here and hvnt interacted much yet but wanting to make it a habit. struggling heavily for a while now with some things that i experience related to depression and don't know if it's the same for others or not. there are several specifics but the big ones for me are 1) losing the need/want for things close to me such as hobbies, interests, but also feelings for people close to me. i just cant seem to hang on to anything anymore; 2) huge swings in the type of person i am. i can b totally into life for a period of weeks/months, only to b at rock bottom for the same stretches, with no drive to do much other than sleep and eat, and barely sleep at that; 3) I CANT SLEEP!!!! It's getting really difficult recently to hide it from my family and need to change the tide soon. when i'm doing well it seems like everyone around me is happy, but when i'm down it seems like i bring everyone else down, although my wife says its not nearly as bad as i think its. it feels like shit. but i guess i'm holding it together for now. hoping like hell this resonates with someone so we can talk thru it.
how tha FU** do u get by without antidepressants, anxiety meds, weed, alcohol or all the above?? i'm not currently on AD meds and hvnt been for many years, i've been sober for 6 weeks, (on and off for the last 18 months with the goal of quitting), and, recently found that weed does do a very good job of helping with my symptoms, but the age old stigma keeps me from using it medically during daytime hours. obviously holding me back from some much needed daytime relief. the swings are getting fairly unnerving and there's got to b a better way
Some background on me: 52. married for 28 years with 2 daughters 7 and 17(managed to not mess that part up somehow lol). currently unemployed after a layoff in '19 but slowly growing a small business. diagnosed w/depression about 12 years ago, stemming from childhood sexual abuse from older teenage males. (i hvnt gotten up the courage to tell my story here yet) if you're familiar w/the terms "fog" or "downswing", whatever the fu** it was, i woke up from one in Feb this year. no idea exactly when it started, but it felt like i had missed out on the last 15 years or so. i was functioning, apparently, but its really hard to describe. auto-pilot i guess. anyway, i got to spend 3 months this year out of the fog with a ton of clarity and energy that i hadnt felt in as long as i can remember. YEARS. it was 3 months of utopia as far as i'm concerned. but now that i've experienced coming all the way up and really living life for a while, and then all the way back down again, i'm concerned. its really messed up getting ur hands on what life shld b like only to hv depression yank it away from u and hang it out of ur reach. its really messed up. antidepressants/anxiety meds mostly left me numb so i managed over the years with diet and exercise. unfortunately arthritis has progressed to the point (temporarily i'm hoping) where i can't exercise, and missing out on family stuff. my depression-control-mechanisms are getting pretty thin.
other than that i'm right as rain.
hoping to get more involved here and help others, while hoping to find help. maybe finding something related to my condition that i'm always gonna need help with will keep me attached to something. here's to hoping
how tha FU** do u get by without antidepressants, anxiety meds, weed, alcohol or all the above?? i'm not currently on AD meds and hvnt been for many years, i've been sober for 6 weeks, (on and off for the last 18 months with the goal of quitting), and, recently found that weed does do a very good job of helping with my symptoms, but the age old stigma keeps me from using it medically during daytime hours. obviously holding me back from some much needed daytime relief. the swings are getting fairly unnerving and there's got to b a better way
Some background on me: 52. married for 28 years with 2 daughters 7 and 17(managed to not mess that part up somehow lol). currently unemployed after a layoff in '19 but slowly growing a small business. diagnosed w/depression about 12 years ago, stemming from childhood sexual abuse from older teenage males. (i hvnt gotten up the courage to tell my story here yet) if you're familiar w/the terms "fog" or "downswing", whatever the fu** it was, i woke up from one in Feb this year. no idea exactly when it started, but it felt like i had missed out on the last 15 years or so. i was functioning, apparently, but its really hard to describe. auto-pilot i guess. anyway, i got to spend 3 months this year out of the fog with a ton of clarity and energy that i hadnt felt in as long as i can remember. YEARS. it was 3 months of utopia as far as i'm concerned. but now that i've experienced coming all the way up and really living life for a while, and then all the way back down again, i'm concerned. its really messed up getting ur hands on what life shld b like only to hv depression yank it away from u and hang it out of ur reach. its really messed up. antidepressants/anxiety meds mostly left me numb so i managed over the years with diet and exercise. unfortunately arthritis has progressed to the point (temporarily i'm hoping) where i can't exercise, and missing out on family stuff. my depression-control-mechanisms are getting pretty thin.
other than that i'm right as rain.
hoping to get more involved here and help others, while hoping to find help. maybe finding something related to my condition that i'm always gonna need help with will keep me attached to something. here's to hoping