Depression

Looking up AVM and anti-depressants there does seem to be a suggestion that the SSRIs are not good in this situation, but some of the older anti-depressants are not a problem.

Worth discussing with a specialist I would have thought.

Yoga know what you mean! Don't have what you have but have suffered with depression for many years. Medication works for a while. Drs unfortunately aren't interested after a while. Tried everything.
On good days I try and cook new dishes for my adult children. I also cook for two neighbours who are widows.
My thoughts are with you. Xx

I think a 'multi' approach is good , there is reactive depression which is a reaction to an event or events or build up of events and it is hardly surprising as we are only human

I am a believer of good counselling if nessessary to get 'rid' of the possible unresolved emotions being carried around and even if it is to talk to someone about how you are feeling at the time , talking helps as does doing something nice and peaceful for yourself , even smelling a flower!

It is difficult as my sister has a health problem which affects her mood , she has seen doctors and specialists to no avail and has given up on finding any 'medical help' but without it she has to live in chronic pain plus she does have some other emotional issues to go with it so it is a big struggle for her and am not sure what the answer is , would probably say for the emotional stuff it is layer by layer with a good counsellor and for the medical stuff to try and find someone in the medical profession who will listen and help which is easier said than done , it makes me wish my family had money as then she could see a private specialist who would possibly get to the bottom of things as they do not know what is CAUSING her chronic sinus pain but SOMETHING is wrong , so it is highly frustrating and I know she wants to 'get her life back' but no one knows how but if there is help out there I want her to get it

I got the help I needed when I needed it MOST of the time but I did struggle and rang helplines when feeling really low so I had someone to TALK to which really did help me get through some dark times , we all need support and that can be any time day and night when others aren't available so personally I am a great fan of Samaritans as well as they can help you through some really difficult days or nights even which is often the hardest time but I would say talk , talk and talk some more because that is personally what helped me and STILL DOES coz life certainly isn't always EASY for sure! lol xxxxx

P.S And sharing online on forums etc helps a GREAT deal ( I have a right old rant on forums when having a bad day!!!!! lol ) as you not only can 'get it all out' on there you get the added bonus of possible advice and encouragement and real support and if there is a group for people who suffer with similar problems that can be a GREAT help as it's other people who truly understand what you are going through because they are going through or have been through it themselves so you really do feel supported by people in the 'same boat' as it were and they may suggest something you have not thought of or help get you through a bad day but I wish you all the best in the world as I feel for my sister but nothing seems to change and I feel sad and frustrated about it but don't have all the answers xx

I do hope things ''change for the better'' one day though of course x

I think my sister might have to get help with the 'emotional stuff' FIRST and THEN they 'physical stuff'

With me I need the emotional help the most ( as am still having a BIT of a hard time at the moment ) and then if I need the physical stuff like a break I can get / ask for that , but the most 'urgent' bit is my soul , THEN my body , hence eg coming on here and sharing my stuff , then being able to go off and actually get some good sleep feeling all the more better for ''offloading'' it first and sharing it all and getting it all out xx

I have tried Cbt before via a telephone consultation with a practitioner. Appointments are hard to come by now. This was for insomnia and I couldn't do it. What is the difference between cbt and mindfulness based therapy. I can understand gp reluctance to give out diazepam, but they all seem to assume that patients are abusing them.

I suffer from insomnia and can never get enough sleep. I rely on tablets to get me to sleep, but again gp is reluctant to dish them out because of abuse. So when he or she decides I have had enough I will have to do without and the. Long term depression will ensue. It's a vicious circle.

I have suffered anxiety and depression for most of my adult life, but like most others I just get on with things and regularly attend my yoga classes and meet up with friends. If I get less than six hours sleep then I feel ill.
It's a horrible thing as insomnia and depression go hand in hand.

I can't say anything helpful. But just want to thank you for sharing this as you have made me more aware of how someone close to me may be feeling.

Hello Yogadatti , Like you I have depression caused by various life events. I am now housebound with arthritis BUT I have found two things which have been a lifesaver for me. (1) is Facebook so I can keep up with family & friends & made some new ones (including joining Gransnet) and (2) I got a Pinterest account which is most interesting because it has something for everyone whatever their interests are ! Just ideas but might help if you don't want to socialize but this way you socialize without going out ! Thinking of you !

I don't have AVM so don't know whether this will be helpful for you but it worked for me.

Most talking therapies concentrate on facing things from your past which cause the depression. These sessions left me feeling worse and I would always leave in tears. I found a different therapist who uses solution focused hypnotherapy. This states that what is past is past and cannot be changed and focuses instead on anything positive in your life. This can be hard at first, in my first session all I could think of was that my favourite ice cream was on sale at half price!! Together with hypnotherapy I find this has worked and I have a much more positive outlook on life and I stopped taking the anti-depressants I had been using for 8 years. I am also much more confident about meeting new people.

I hope you find a treatment which helps you - depression and anxiety is a real illness which a lot of people don't understand.

I think a lot of people including doctors don't realise depression is a physical illness as well or instead of a mental one. There are chemical changes in the brain and I can't see how counselling therapies can reverse this. I'm sure they help a lot of people but many people simply would not be able to function without medication and there are plenty of unfortunate people who see suicide as the only way out, when everything fails them.
No one tells a person with high blood pressure or thyroid problems , arthiritis etc etc that they will become addicted to the drugs and should try to get off them. Why do so many people assume that anti depressants are something you should strive to do without?

This is my first attempt so please bear with me. I am now 70 and suffered acute anxiety since a dreadful childhood. At 43 I had my first big depression and after that about 7 more times. I don't know how I've coped except a wonderful caring husband. Last year I had a bad time, we had to have 4 cats put to sleep one after the other and found our little granddaughter had autism. I survived but a few weeks ago went down with a bang. My doctor told me that pounding heart to take more Propanalol, two days later i collapsed with low blood pressure. I take antidepressents and lithiam but the mornings are dreadful and the exhaustion like nothing you'd imagine.It started when someone, not a doctor rang to tell me to drop one of my anti-depressents, no advice on how slowly. All I heard from a doctor was some people react like that. I take Diazepam while in the awful stage but soon stop it, we eat healthily and look after ourselves. This second dose so soon has really scared me, sorry to be keeping on but know I will find friens here.

To all those that are posting with depression. Take heart, with time be assured that it will pass, not necessarily permanently, but it does go in cycles (in my experience)

If you can accept your current state of mind as a phase that will pass, you are on the first step to recovering to normality. Please seek professional help, however sceptical you may be, it does help.

I had counselling many years ago, thought it was a waste of time, but, strangely, after a few weeks I was seeing life a little clearer.

Again medications can help, if you don't get on with it, talk to your doc, there are many alternatives.

I have been on fluoxetine for years now, it keeps me normal (that's debatable) most of the time, but I still have dark spells, but I now know that they will pass, some times in a day or two, sometimes it may take several weeks.

Remember you are not alone, talk about it, many people will understand how you feel. Don't ever be ashamed of depression, it is an ailment just as any physical ailment is.

Only yesterday something was said to me that sent me spiralling down, today I managed to get it into perspective and caught myself in time.

Gransnet is a godsend for depression and loneliness. Until you get in a n argument!(but that doesn't last long!)

Pompa, it's amazing the power of things that someone can say can make us feel terrible. If I get out of the house, I do get another perspective on it. Too damn sensitive!

Wot....some people are sensitive, perhaps people should just learn to be kinder to each other. Everyone is entitled to their views, but I think some people on Gransnet think its funny to belittle other people's views.

Here's a very interesting article and TED talk on depression:

youtu.be/drv3BP0Fdi8

"Though he’s not entirely opposed to medication, Ildari says we can throw all the drugs in the world at the depression epidemic, and it won’t make a dent.
Anti depressant use has gone up 300 percent in the last 20 years, but the rate of depression has continued to increase. One in nine Americans over age 12 is currently taking an antidepressant, and one in five have been on them at some point.
The answer, Ildari says, is a change in lifestyle. He says the results of his six step program have exceeded his wildest dreams:
1. Exercise
2. Omega 3 Fatty Acids
3. Sunlight
4. Healthy Sleep
5. Anti-ruminative activity
6. Social connection
In his presentation, he emphasized the importance of exercise and social connection, as they are two of the hardest parts of the program for modern Americans".

Just as applicable here in the UK I think. Depression is universal.

Well, I get disproportionately upset when anyone's horrible to me. You can tell who are the tough nuts on GN. Perhaps they don't realise. I hope I haven't upset too many people!

Tes, I think social connection is very helpful.......if one can get it.

I would whole hearted agree with all those activities in helping depression. Trouble is, if you are already depressed, it is difficult to get the incentive to do any of them.

For me, meds help.

I particularly like the "anti-ruminating activity". My son is an over-thinker, and he has suffered from depression in the past. Now I hear his sister saying to him "Stop cogitating". Thankfully he's fine now. He didn't take medication when he was depressed (although it probably would have helped him in the short term). The circumstances that contributed to his depression, passed.

korky and everyone who suffers from depression and hugs.

I was a very anxious child after my parents got divorced when I was 4, but somewhere along the line I got on top of it. I don't remember when last I was really anxious.

I must also have a skin like a rhinoceros, because very little that people say upsets me. I used to be a lot more sensitive...

Ive been interested to read the posts in this thread. Ive had depression on and off for years but since before xmas i came down with a bang and am still struggling. I keep making appts at Drs but then convince myself im ok and cancel them. 50%of the time im close to tears and constantly over anaylise conversations. Ive had to take early retirement due to ill health and have very few friends. My husband gets worried about me so i make up friends i say ive met so he thinks im busy all day. I was on a depressant but it made me sick if i had a glass of wine, do you think they all do this?

I've been on fluoxetine for years. Never made me sick when I have a glass of wine. It's very helpful in fact.

jingle ditto.

Spacemum - there is no point in suffering if there is help out there. You would not think twice about seeing your GP or having insulin if you were diabetic. It makes no more sense to avoid help for an illness like depression. You definitely need help if it has pushed you so far that you need to lie to your OH. There really is help to be had, and your GP will not bat an eye;lid of you go and see her. She will see this every day and will be happy to help.

I am on a tiny dose of an antidepressant and another tiny dose of HRT, both of which help me to feel well. I would not dream of not seeking help when it is bad.

Please do go and get the help you need and deserve. We only have one life and there is no point wasting it feeling grim. Go for it.

Likewise. I've taken fluoxetine (Prozac) for about 16 years, never had any side effects, and I drink regularly.