Hanging on by a thread ↓↓↓

[JitterbugPerfume]

Hello, I’ve been trying to work with some serious depression for the past 5 years. But this summer when I lost my job my mental health took a serious hit. I haven’t seriously considered trying to get help until most recently, after a near suicide attempt just last week.

I’ve been doing better since Saturday but I feel I can’t just move on like I normally do because of it. I don’t sleep or eat well and barely have energy to read or write at times. My depression comes in waves and overtime it’s feels as though it’s been getting worse andmore overwhelming.

Which is why I’ve decided to reach out on here. I need to improve my mental health and find coping skills that stick. I don’t have a diagnosis but I have a family riddled with mental health issues and feel I should reach out for help but I don’t know how because I don’t have healthcare. I don’t know how to find/afford treatment.

Thanks for listening.

[LilyAnnepuppy]

Welcome to the site. You’ll get a lot of support as we all know what you’re feeling. I was diagnosed with MDD three or four years ago after a mental breakdown. I sought help through a psychiatrist, therapist, group support and medications. I’m sorry to hear you don’t have medical coverage. Have you checked with mental health services in your area? In the meantime, keep checking in here. But also think about calling the suicide hotline if you’re thinking in that direction.

[Rushf]

Hey friend. Same story here. But I retired a while ago and so don’t have to make office deadlines. But retirement is a two-edged sword. Not having enough to do is not good for me. And I also get “waves” of depression. I do use alprazolam (Xanax) upon demand to very good effect, though I am very careful not to overdo it. I think you should find some health care system and get help. If you can’t look around your region. Often you can find a free local service that can be helpful. Most of all, don’t give up. Help is out there. You need to persevere to find it. And this page will help.

[yhsbirny]

I am 75 and have suffered from depression since I was 21. I have been on and off every drug out there, seen more therapists than I can remember, tried TMS , etc. I can tell you for a fact you need to be on an anti-depressant. In all those years when I was not on one I could not function. When I say I have been on so many it is because many work but then stop working after a while and you have to switch to another one. Sometimes when you switch you need to stop the old one and then go 2 or 3 weeks before starting the new one to avoid an interaction. A few times I just got fed up and decided to quit on my own. These times I was off any drug were periods when I could not function. Therapy will not help if you are not on some drug to give you the mental energy to respond to the therapy. It may take some trial and error to find the right drug at first but you need to do it. Look for some "pay what you can" type of clinic run by a university or local government or even a religious group. Just Google "free mental health clinics near me". And try to get with a psychiatrist, not a general practitioner; a GP can subscribe an anti-depressant but the follow-up is not something they are trained for. Good luck.

[Raelyn71]

I am right there with you. I have learned some techniques that do help. Cognitive therapy techniques. I would be happy to share if you are interested.

[JitterbugPerfume in reply to Raelyn71]

Yes please, I would appreciate that!

[Raelyn71 in reply to JitterbugPerfume]

Have you ever done any awareness therapy? For example.. when we have an event in our life we have a choice as to how we respond to it. First we have a thought about the event good or bad and we can choose either good or bad. Then a feeling comes with that thought. With that feeling we can choose how we feel. Then we react. Where we can choose how to react.

So it's just slowing down the responses and being aware of the process of each event. Ideally to do this you would journal events and the process.

Hope this is something new and it helps.

[Singingmoose]

I feel the same way. So much going on at once and I can’t see my dr until April. And no refill of prescriptions until then! I can’t be of much help right now, but as you know from this group, you aren’t alone. Everything I try helps for a bit and then the feelings and anxiety come back. I have a few sheets of paper with things to do, but they aren’t ‘cures’ just things like do a cross word puzzle, color, play video games. Yeah those help pass the time sometimes, but are just temporary. I’m sorry you and everyone in here is suffering. It would be nice if there was a real cure and we All felt like we are suppose to feel and had the energy we are suppose to have.