Anyone else prone to Depression and Anxiety

dseag2

dseag2

Dallas, TX
Location
Dallas, TX
Sorry if this has been discussed in previous threads. Depression and anxiety used to be taboo subjects and something to be ashamed of, but no longer.

My mother went through many years of clinical depression. So bad, in fact, that she didn't leave the house for 4 years. She was agoraphobic when my father passed away. He also suffered from frequent bouts of depression.

Since this is genetic, I went through severe depression in 2005. Very few people realize that it is not just sadness but a lack of interest in doing everyday things. I didn't want to get out of bed. I also had these bouts of nervousness that were intolerable. I did get help from both SSRI's and therapy. The depression has abated, but when I was working I still had anxiety attacks, especially a couple of days prior to traveling for my job.

This is not an issue now that I've retired because there are no "uncertainties". I know what each day will bring, but I still sometimes get anxious due to worrying that I will become depressed. (Ironic, isn't it?) I find that exercise and time outdoors helps tremendously, and I take homeopathic supplements for stress.

Does anyone else suffer from this? Please share your stories. I completely empathize.
 

Yes, I deal with depression very much and have had treatment resistant depression for a very long time. I also have PTSD from being traumatized numerous times in my life.

I have gotten therapy before and did somewhat better but after therapy ended some time later the depression returned.

I have tried numerous medicines. Some made me even worse. I went for several years recently with no medicine and no therapy. I recently started therapy and medicine again and feel some improvement but am not back up to speed yet.

I feel for those going through any sort of mental health problems. It's a rough road.
 
Have you tried Lexapro? It worked for me and for my mother.

I just remember the agony during my time with depression. I also feel for those with any mental health issues.
 

dseag2 said:
Have you tried Lexapro? It worked for me and for my mother.

I just remember the agony during my time with depression. I also feel for those with any mental health issues.
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I'm doing better now with Prozac. I'm not at the therapeutic dose yet due to my m.d. taking so long to up the dose but I will.

I had a problem with Lexapro. It helped some but gave me a very bad side effect. But thanks.
 
My son has been through 27 medications and combinations of medications, and 56 electroshock therapy treatments. He still has treatment resistant depression. His insurance company recently refused to allow him to take Ketamine treatments. The price went way up to 1,700 a dose, from $800. It is harder on him because so many people think he's faking it, trying to get out of work (household chores, walking the dog). These people are mainly in my immediate family.

Another son is Bipolar and gets depressed because of that. Unfortunately, during these times, he self-medicates. He has a medical marijuana card.

I have been depressed before. Went to therapy and took Zoloft. The Zoloft didn't work very well. It suppressed my emotions too much. Now I am taking Effexor because the palliative care doc thinks people who have cancer need it. I feel fine, so I keep taking it. I think it helps with the anxiety I had concerning various problems with my family.

BTW, palliative care is not the same as hospice, although it can be used in conjunction with it. It is also for people who have cancer or other life-threatening diseases, to help them cope with it. I didn't know that, and I was alarmed to be referred to palliative care. I was depressed, afraid, anxious, and frustrated because I didn't have anyone to talk with who wasn't telling me that this would be cured, not to worry, etc. No one would just listen and acknowledge my feelings and the severity of my disease. I also got a lot of advice about how horse urine pills and eating lemons daily would cure it.

When I am able, I wouldn't mind working with hospice patients or people who have cancer. It's something I think I would be good at. I was very sad when the first friend I made at chemo died a week after her treatment ended. We were friends for one day, and talked and had a good time for 6 hours, and made plans for the future when we were both cured. I was surprised by how quickly we bonded -- two zany birds of a feather. We kept everyone else there entertained since she was hard of hearing, and our conversation was therefore public. I handled that, though, and I'm sure I could if I volunteered to work with dying people. I also don't have a problem listening to their concerns -- I have some of the same ones, after all, although I am not planning on dying yet. I hope I didn't just jinx it. :)
 
GeorgiaXplant said:
@WheatenLover I also got a lot of advice about how horse urine pills and eating lemons daily would cure it.

LOL! How about peach or apricot pits? Nobody suggested those?
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No, and here I thought I'd heard it all! :) Arsenic and cyanide are not my go-to treatments for cancer. I wonder how many pits one would need to extract the "good stuff". /joking

But horse urine pills? Who would take that? Especially from a guy who claimed his remedy cured all cancers quickly. Who would suggest it? My mother's zany friend, who if you overlook some of the rather odd things she believes, is a fun person to be around. I haven't talked to or texted her since that suggestion. I am waiting for my doc to (hopefully) tell me the cancer is gone, which will happen next month.
 
Absolutely. I'm always scared, worried, anxious and down. I do think much of mine is situational rather than clinical. But I don't really know.

For example. I had carpal tunnel release surgery yesterday. Out patient, no sedation, able to drive afterward. While I'm doing well today my right dominant hand is not fully functional. Somethings came to mind, like I should have put gas in the car and I should have done that load of laundry etc. prior to the procedure. (my tabby had an abdominal ultrasound the day before and in reality, that was my main worry and priority) It reminds me how alone I am and how my own mother always had my stepfather to help her no matter how badly she treated him.

But as long as I can feed the cats and clean the litter box, all is OK I guess.
 
I've suffered from depression for most of my life, but wasn't diagnosed as such until about 10 years ago. I didn't do well with most meds I was given, until I went on a combination of Escitalopram and Aripiprazole (Abilify) (which is not a good combination for everyone). I tried to go off it once .. very bad move.
 
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Pinky said:
I've suffered from depression for most of my life, but wasn't diagnosed as such until about 10 years ago. I didn't do well with most meds I was given, until I went on a combination of Escitalopram and Aripiprazole (Abilify) (which is not a good combination for everyone). I tried to go off it once .. very bad move.
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I'm on the same medication. These are the only ones that work for me too.
 
Pinky said:
I've suffered from depression for most of my life, but wasn't diagnosed as such until about 10 years ago. I didn't do well with most meds I was given, until I went on a combination of Escitalopram and Aripiprazole (Abilify) (which is not a good combination for everyone). I tried to go off it once .. very bad move.
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I have had a very similar experience as you @Pinky. It seems like I hardly ever get "free" of dealing with my moods. I tried to taper and had minimal success. It is now well known that these meds are very difficult to stop, and never try to do it cold turkey. Ironic that the very reason we started taking these meds, start again - big time -when trying to get off them.!
 
WheatenLover said:
No, and here I thought I'd heard it all! :) Arsenic and cyanide are not my go-to treatments for cancer. I wonder how many pits one would need to extract the "good stuff". /joking

But horse urine pills? Who would take that? Especially from a guy who claimed his remedy cured all cancers quickly. Who would suggest it? My mother's zany friend, who if you overlook some of the rather odd things she believes, is a fun person to be around. I haven't talked to or texted her since that suggestion. I am waiting for my doc to (hopefully) tell me the cancer is gone, which will happen next month.
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Pregnant horse urine is female Estrogen, Premarin pills.
 
Pinky said:
I've suffered from depression for most of my life, but wasn't diagnosed as such until about 10 years ago. I didn't do well with most meds I was given, until I went on a combination of Escitalopram and Aripiprazole (Abilify) (which is not a good combination for everyone). I tried to go off it once .. very bad move.
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Yes, Escitalopram is the generic for Lexapro. I've taken it for 16 years now. It works. So glad to hear you are feeling better.
 
WheatenLover said:
No, and here I thought I'd heard it all! :) Arsenic and cyanide are not my go-to treatments for cancer. I wonder how many pits one would need to extract the "good stuff". /joking

But horse urine pills? Who would take that? Especially from a guy who claimed his remedy cured all cancers quickly. Who would suggest it? My mother's zany friend, who if you overlook some of the rather odd things she believes, is a fun person to be around. I haven't talked to or texted her since that suggestion. I am waiting for my doc to (hopefully) tell me the cancer is gone, which will happen next month.
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Lots of women take that:
The estrogen-replacement drug Premarin, prescribed to menopausal women, is made from horse urine; in fact, the drug's name is short for PREgnant MARes' urINe. About 750,000 mares are impregnated each year for the sole purpose of collecting their estrogen-rich urine.
 
win231 said:
Lots of women take that:
The estrogen-replacement drug Premarin, prescribed to menopausal women, is made from horse urine; in fact, the drug's name is short for PREgnant MARes' urINe. About 750,000 mares are impregnated each year for the sole purpose of collecting their estrogen-rich urine.
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I am glad I never took it or anything else taken for that purpose. The pills my friend talked about were developed by a doctor (allegedly) and cure all cancers. If only that were true!
 
My sister has clinical depression. So severe she doesn't want to get out of bed and told me this morning that she has her plan for her exit in place. There's not much I can do. I am paying for therapy because her HMO's therapists are a joke. Unfortunately, the therapist she's seeing is so busy he has to hunt for times to squeeze her in and it's not often enough to help. Anti-depressants apparently didn't work - made her sick and dizzy but otherwise no help and she apparently tried several different ones. I'm really at my wit's end because she lives with me and I listen to her rages and cries and anger at the world on a daily basis. I'm trying to help her but I need to protect myself from being dragged down into the black hole she is in. This is a horrible disease that I would wish on no one.
 
WheatenLover said:
No, and here I thought I'd heard it all! :) Arsenic and cyanide are not my go-to treatments for cancer. I wonder how many pits one would need to extract the "good stuff". /joking

But horse urine pills? Who would take that? Especially from a guy who claimed his remedy cured all cancers quickly. Who would suggest it? My mother's zany friend, who if you overlook some of the rather odd things she believes, is a fun person to be around. I haven't talked to or texted her since that suggestion. I am waiting for my doc to (hopefully) tell me the cancer is gone, which will happen next month.
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Please keep us posted on your diagnosis next month. Fingers crossed!🤞
 
dseag2 said:
Anyone else prone to Depression and Anxiety
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My A&D struggles began with my involvement in Vietnam. I [thought] I was able to beat back the demons, majored in psychology after coming home. However, the ghosts continued to haunt me in the background, affecting relationships and presenting challenges over the next 50 years.
For the last couple months I've been able to control the A&D, and see opportunities to keep it that way. I'm not currently taking meds, I did take Celexa back in 2014 for about 4 or 5 months. That helped, but I couldn't stand the way I felt. <shrugs>
 

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