Warning about depression - please read

Ivan,

See someone about it, and get professional and capable assistance.

If all that you do is to find someone that you can have a massive whinge to, then do that. Hanging out with other people that are calm or upbeat is great.... being alone is not so good.

The trouble with depression is that its easy to keep going down .... it can lead you to places that you don't need to be, and that you might not need to get to if you seek a bit of help.
Depression and sadness are real, normal and reasonable emotions and we all have them. They are the result of brain chemistry affecting moods, but the trouble is that the moods can affect the brain chemistry in return.

The good thing is that when you come out the other side you will be a better person for it, and will be more resiliant to life's knocks.

There really is no substitute for seeking assistance.

Ivan
As a GP I have seen many people with depression. (even thought this is not my primary interest)
There is good help avaliable throught friends, and the medical system.
Please go and see your GP for advice.

G'day Ivan,
like the good Doc stated, please talk to someone, it's the real blokey Blokes who get knocked by life and forget they're not islands.


Bruce C.

Yes it's 2.15 a.m. I just knocked off after 5 hours putting TWO coats of primer sealer on the plaster board in the last roomtobe painted - because SWMBO said it must have two coats even though the rest of the house didn't get two coats. Just did it to save an argument from starting.

Reading these posts is pretty sad - I feel for you guys who have had, or currently do have - depression. Right at the monent I am trying to spend every spare moment I can either working with wood (after many years absent from the pleasure of wood) or getting my tools up to speed again. I feel a desperate urgency to be 'doing something' all the time because this seems to be the only thing that keeps the black dog away from me. He bit me about a year ago and the doc said yeah, pretty serious depression, and he was right. Since then I have been trying so hard to keep on top of things but I feel I am losing the battle and that black dog is about to bite really hard.
If I can't get on top of it all soon through my woodie stuff I dunno what will become of me. I really do feel like I am slowly becoming invisible, you know, just disappearing. Let's hope the good wood gives me the boost I think it will.

Thanks for reading this - crazy isn't it - I don't know a single one of you, but I feel safe with you.
Jeff

I typed most of a longish post last night and the bloody browser crashed didn't it:rolleyes: . Anyway in abreviated form I can only add to what others have said Ivan, go and see a GP! If like me you need a wake-up call because you don't believe you have depression, go and do one or more of the questionaires on somewhere like beyond blue. That will give you a good indication if you have a problem if you answer honestly. About 6 years ago I went on meds for 6mnths but couldn't bear an annoying side-effect of that one (aropax), so got off it and went without until about 3mnths ago. Couldn't believe the black dog was back because nothing major seemed wrong, but the questionire said otherwise. So packed myself off to GP and am now on an excellent med for me (lexipro). She also suggested it was time to look at the triggers for my depression (fairly mild by some standards), so she suggested I visit an online CBT site run by ANU. www.moodgym.anu.edu.au/. Personaly I found it quite useful in identifying triggers and I'm hoping that I will have more tools in the future to deal with this drug free. I hope you all have a similar experience soon. Life really is too much joy to feel like ##### most of the time when there is help out there. The sooner you do it the less chance you will be kicking yourself that you wasted so much of your life.

Best wishes!
Michael

Ivan and all,,Sorry to read so much sadness.All i can offer is to seek help NOW(i left it 7 years). Councelling is invaluable,so is consulting your gp.Now i am on medication,and councelling a couple times a year.Believe in yourself,dont bottle stuff up,get professional adviceand always feel good(hard to do,but achievable) PS go into shed with dog or trusted pet,talk to it ,they are good listeners,come out feeling better. Cheers Graham Vvet

Sooooo much has happened since that post of mine. Unfortunately the parents have not bounced back at all, the siblings are arguing over who gets the superannuation($80K) which is really gross. I think that I have come out of a mild depressive episode too.

Ivan - do have a read of this website. The sleep deprivation theory of theirs makes sense, and the training on not thinking 'black and white' can help everyone. Talk to people - anyone. Don't let it rule you mate.

http://www.clinical-depression.co.uk...tion/signs.htm

Jeff,
What will you do when you run out of things to do?
Depression is an illness - its real and treatable, but I'm not too sure if it goes away if you avoid it???
:confused:

What else have you been doing - just getting stuck into the renno's?

Hi

That was an interesting link tassiekiwi.

After reading it a couple of things came to mind.

The first is to get a proper, thorough and detailed diagnosis. Not all depressive episodes will respond to the same treatment.

And the second is to put the effort into getting well.

I have two loved ones with depression. One will try anything to get better, the other will try something for a few days and if there are any side effects stops instantly.

Not hard to guess which one is healthier.

cheers

dazzler

G'Day All,
seem's that we all a susceptable to the blue's (in some cases blacks), I like Jeff keep myself busy around the house, garden and shed. There is real sound advise in these posts e.g.

• Seek medical advise.
• Keep busy, but don't burn yourself out, take some time out.
• Definitely get a dog, fantastic companions (you never feel alone when the house is empty).
• Take the medication even if you have side effects, you will get past them when it is fully in your system.
• Go out for lunch with the wife, she'll love it, and it will do you good.
• Take it easy on the grog.

The last one I found out the hard way, in that I was drinking less and less as I felt sick each time I had a drink, now I don't drink at all and don't really miss it. There are lot's of people to talk to here, or I am sure if you didn't want to be that open P.M. one of us. Be positive and look ahead, it get's better, I still have days where I don't give a shyte, tommorow is another day.:) :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ivan in Oz

Life's a Bitch, then she takes it ALL;
including the Kids:mad:

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I haven't posted for about a year because I became drepressed. Now a year later, I take the kids to my family for xmas while she goes to rehab for glug glug difficulties and I return to find that we are to separate.
She is so utterly confused and suggestible.
Have just written my life story,but you dont want to hear about my erroneous past.:no:
She is getting herself back on track tho I have slipped a bit lately but we had the chance for something great this year.
I had xanax (tranquiliser) and a repeat at home but burned the repeat, now I just have my counselor and kids (whom I haven't seen for 2 weeks)

This has led to some financial difficulty some I was wondering if anyone could give me (PM me) some advice on the worth and saleability of the below 100 odd year old planes

I wonder if the all the broken "Help" links at beyondblue, and the total lack of "Mens Services" and "What's On" at mensline contribute to the problems of folk using them to seek help?

I know it felt like a kick in the teeth when I was sitting there clicking broken link after broken link. Add them to the list of people in the world who don't give a fark about me

Gingermick, might be worth starting another thread for advice on the planes.

Hope 2007 is a good year, fellas.


Cheers.....................Sean