Ya know.... depression sucks

[MissMillie]

I guess I've been battling depression for about 7 years now. About 4 months ago, I hit a big low, and spent a week in bed. I saw the doc, who promptly upped my meds and sent me to therapy.

Things got better.

Lately though, with my mom's cancer diagnosis, my son taking off for camp and leaving me alone for 2 weeks, and an upcoming birthday, I feel myself wanting to do nothing again. Nothing interests me at all.

I've been exercising every day for the past 2 weeks, hoping that the endorphins kick and and help me feel better.

There's a lot of things that are about to happen to me that will change my life for the better, but for right now, I just want to lay in bed and eat.

Wish someone had a magic wand that could just wave this all away.....

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

1. I hear ya... hang in there

It's a terrible thing to deal with, and you have my deepest sympathies. If there's anything we can do for you, please, just let us know. I know I for one would be more than willing to help, as many other folks here. :hug:

[terrya]

2. It sure does.

I've been battling depression for about a decade now. I know exactly what you're going through. It's so easy to lay in bed and eat (I didn't realize I was the only one doing that). There have been whole weekends where I have done nothing except lay and bed and sleep and watch television.

My dad passed away from cancer last year, and it's still hard to deal with. Plus, knowing how much my mom and my sisters are hurting from Dad's death makes it even harder.

I'm on Wellbutrin and Celexa, which do help. But it's still hard.

I wish the same thing you do, Miss Millie. For someone to come along, wave a magic wand, and make it disappear.

[demnan]

3. I'm waving my magic wand your way

it's time to do something out of the ordinary.

Do something out of your routine. Take a drive in the country (very theraputic) have lunch in a new spot. Go shopping with a girlfriend you haven't seen in a while. Or you could do something for someone else.

One time I got out of a funk (I also have diagnosed depression) by visiting a co-worker in the hospital after surgery. I wasn't a close friend but she appreciated my visit and I felt good that I had reached out to someone. It helped me probably more than it helped her.

The other way is get a pet.

[MissMillie]

4. I've got 3 cats

and they do bring me much joy.... but sometimes I think they like it when I lay around in bed all day. :shrug:

[demnan]

5. Of course they do

they are enablers they would love to keep you in bed all day. Defy them, they need that in their lives. ;-)

[flordehinojos]

6. All of the life-cycle changes that you mention,

your mom's cancer, your son being at camp for two weeks, transitioning into another year ... all of that are a compass pointing you to your own very empty (THE EMPTY PLACE THAT IS IN THERE FOR EACH AND EVERYONE OF US AS WE ALL HAVE AN EMPTY PLACE).

So many of us try to put other people in that empty place, or we try to fill it in with religion, or alcohol, or drugs, ... only to become more disappointed and more empty.

Sometimes the best help comes from knowing what you might put in that empty space to help make it feel less empty, something that only you can put into your empty to make it less so and that is dependent on no one else, sometimes it is a tough job to figure it out. But sometimes with just a little bit of thought (and helpful guidance from a good therapist) people can figure it out.

Sometimes just to be able to talk to your mom about how each of you feels about her cancer can help.

Sometimes forgiving our own imperfect relationships with those we love most, or forgiving their own imperfect relationships with us can help. Talking with them about those times we sold ourselves short to them, or about the times we thought they sold themselves short to us, can help.

And sometimes a good KIT KAT or something like that helps with the work that has to be done.

:)