Looking for answers

[gilded_masquerade]

Hi,

My boyfriend and I are talking about how he’s been feeling and how he wants to get better but we’re trying to figure out what it could be.

He 100% has depression, that much we know because we’ve seen it. He says that motivation to do things is a foreign concept to him. He’s not a fan of people really or struggles to communicate with them in the sense that he never knows what to talk about. He also struggles to elaborate on things such as how he’s feeling, he can’t communicate like the words he’s looking for don’t exist.

He’s pretty quite guy to begin with, he’s smart (in my eyes even though he doesn’t think so) but he’s bothered and wants to know why he’s feeling so off.

I’m NOT looking for a diagnosis and we are aware that his best bet would be to see a psychologist but we don’t have that kind of money 🙄

Just looking for possibilities as to what he could be going through. I certainly know that his depression is a leading factor, but we don’t know to what extent.

Again; NOT looking for a diagnosis, just thoughts.

Thank you.

Keep smiling

[Kat63]

It’s so hard when you don’t have access to professional health care.

There are depression support groups in some places. Maybe he could benefit by attending one.

[Marshall64 in reply to Kat63]

That is what I was thinking. I go to support groups and find them helpful. There are no paid professionals but there are people there that can share their knowledge and experience.

[Hidden]

To avoid pointing at the many things he likely is dealing with and the many places that would offer the best help, you might opt for a book instead. Specifically books that cover DIY cognitive behavioral therapy. This is what most of the "help" that would cost money would direct him towards. Kat's suggestion for local support groups is also a great idea. Maybe even have him look through some self-help books and see which one he wants to try.

He sort of reminds me of myself...I don't like people as a whole, but I enjoy individuals. Social phobias like that bother me...parties, crowded markets, and so on tend to make things very bothersome. I'm also in with "just wanting to feel normal or better". Again, I think if he just looked over some Amazon books that can help with mental health type do-it-yourself help, maybe he reads the reviews or overall concept of the book and is able to say, "Yes, this is it."

Mental health doesn't seem to have a specific target...and some of the smartest types are afflicted I think because some of us have the most persistent and constantly churning brains there are. They don't turn off as well as for others. It's hard to give you an answer without pointing at a diagnosis and the type of help. The clear and obvious, I'm sure you're both aware of. There is a small chance he's deficient in specific minerals and vitamins. A lot of popular ones are magnesium glycinate, L-theanine, and even iodine can help. They're not answers for the most part as much as nervous system type supplements. Iodine is different in that, if he were to have hypothyroidism, it would help solve the issue. It's shown promise with neurotransmitters with the same type of drugs he'd likely get with professional help.

I'm trying to avoid tossing too much in here and playing doctor, but other things he can try are getting more physically active by merely taking a 20-30 minute walk or attempting some mindfulness audio sessions that can be easily found on YouTube or phone apps. Some of these really help tune the brain and have significant positive results. Without the professional healthcare options, I would say there are some of the best options that are either cheaper or free.

[Hidden]

I think he has autism - it is a disorder where people can't communicate very well . Autistic people are more likely to be depressed and find it hard to reveal there feelings . I might have asd myself so that's how I know