Hi all. Is it me or do we all feel that there is no getting over this illness. I have been ill for over a year now and just fill worse.

[dgreenleaf]

So much frustration. so little help. I find it hard to socialize with others, even friends and family. And feel no one gives you enough time to talk about what your feeling.

[Respighi]

Hi there. Have you been having medical help from your GP along with counselling? If you're on meds, perhaps the dosage needs reviewing or the medication itself. Support structures around us are very important when we have depression, but if you are alone a lot of the time that can make things difficult.

[Holly101]

You're not alone, we're always here for you!

keep posting and writing things down, it helps.. And people on here understand, coz we're all suffering from the

same thing.

When you feel alone and mis-understood, or not understood at all, just come on here, and there'll always be

someone who knows what you're going through and will have a chat with you.

Take care,

Love Holly xx

[Gambit62]

My depression comes and goes and has done for about 40 years. The black bits are horrible and can be totally unbearable but that doesn't mean that you can't have a full life - and my experience doesn't mean that there aren't people who make a complete recovery.

Most of us have coping strategies - things that help us to just carry on and get through the really black bits.

It is very difficult for people who haven't experienced the blackness to understand what it is like and how numbing it is. The people I find really helpful aren't the ones who want to understand but the ones who can accept and let me know that they are there even though they don't understand ... and I'm glad they don't understand because if they did it meant they would have experienced the awful blackness and I don't want that for me or anyone else.

Would you find it easier to socialise with a group of people who understand what you are going through - there are groups out there - Mind and similar organisations and may be there is one near you - we have an organisation called Restore in our area and they run a lot of gardening and similar projects.

[David196]

You are not alone in those thoughts and feelings.

Although I struggle to talk with friends and family and also find it hard sometimes to get out and socialise, I know i feel better when I do.

All the posts above are valid and have helped me. the last few months I have visited this site have supported me in improving how i manage this illness.

I am continuing to fight the illness and getting better at managing my moods and thoughts. My commitment to keep p trying different approaches and ideas until I am rid of it wavers sometimes but i put it down to flawed thinking.

Part of me accepts I may never be over it but I will become my own expert in how I manage it.

Counselling helped me and mindfulness helps me manage faulty thinking.

I am off to try CBT tomorrow to find tools to help me change my thoughts.

Maintaining contact with friends is something I miss. When i have shared my condition with trusted friends and family, they have all been supportive. I found my brother has depression too and a partner of a close friend does not manage it well which has led to positive conversations.

I would still like to talk more about my condition with others, strangely people who have had mental health issues are the best liseners. We all wnt to help others and seek insight into our own condition.

I will echo Holly's point again. You are not alone and use this site for encouragement and support.

Regards

Dave

[Andy0611]

Hi, I've had depression on and off since I was a teenager, maybe earlier, I'm 36 now and am still suffering with it. I feel the same, will it ever end? I've been on lots of different medications, I have recently come off citalapram, 7 weeks ago, but think I need to get back on them because I feel back to square one. I'd love to just be normal and not have to rely on tablets!

[Holly101 in reply to Andy0611]

Hi Andy,

I know it can feel like that sometimes, that it's just neverending misery, but I'm sure, when they

get you on the right medication, you make sure you do things that are suggested (you know, the

ones we're all sick of hearing; go for a walk, exercise, don't isolate etc.) , because they do work..

It's just so hard to motivate yourself, and actually go and do them, when you feel like nothing matters and everything's pointless anyway... But you probably know yourself it does help to get some fresh air, go for a bath or what-ever..

Don't give up Andy, I'm sure there'll come a time when your good days will start out-weighing the

bad ones!

So in the meantime, keep posting and share your feelings, coz that helps too!

Love n encouragement, Holly xxx

[Andy0611]

Thanx holly! Nice to know there's people who understand what it's like! I go to the gym or swim every morning before work, I eat healthy, I go for walks all the time with my dog, but nothing seems to help. I'm going back to the doctors again tomorrow, so will probably get back on the citalapram again and hopefully settle down. Feel like I'm missing out on my 4 kids childhoods, cos I spend most of the time shouting at them, and being really distant with them. I push everyone away when I'm like this, I find it so hard to talk about it. So thanx for your reply!

[formidible]

dgreen, it does seem that you need someone to listen to you properly. Have you tried counselling? If you have not had a good experience with one counsellor then my advice wouldbe to try again with someone new. Also I find doing some self-help things such as meditation, exercise such as walking, and being careful and balanced with diet will all help to improve your mood. The problem with depression is that its like having a voice in your head telling you everything is doom and gloom. Positive thinking is a skill we need to learn when depressed. Its not easy, but finding a way to do things instead of avoiding them is a big step forward, and then allowing time to pat yourself on the back for doing it. If you are not happy with the help or support you have had so far, then I'd also recommend calling one of the depression helplines such as Sane or Rethink. I really hope you will feel better soon. Keep posting.

[MCHAMMER82]

hi, no it is not just you that feels this way. i feel exactly the same and at the moment i am really struggling as i dont know what to do with myself. i am on duloxetine and have been for a while now. i am probably due to see psychiatrist again soon. i am also having appointments with a psychotherapist but i am finding it really hard to open up and really talk about things and i am left feeling frutstrated with myself.

i work full time but dont feel like i am part of any team and this has left me feeling alone and isolated and i dont know how to include myself.

sorry for babbling on but i dont know where to turn or what to do.