Questions on Depression
Is anyone here being treated for Depression? Did
you have to tell your doctor that you are Depressed
or did they just noticed it? Have you heard of or
gone thur Cognitive Behavior Therapy? Has being
treated for Depression helped you control your blood
sugars? I’ve always thought that I’m depressed but no
doctor has ever noticed. The other morning my husband
noticed I was a “little down” and asked me what was wrong
and I started crying and couldn’t stop for like an
hour and a half. And I only stopped because I fell
asleep. I had my husband really worried. He noticed an
article on how to fight depression and it talks about
Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and I was wondering if I
should bring up the subject with my doctor? Thanks for
your help.
July 20th, 2004 at 5:36 am
Dawneeb,<br
your symptoms! There are lots of reasons for
depression! Chemical imbalance is one, hormones are
another…..those are just two of many reasons. I’ve been treated
for depression for many years now. After I started
medication I realized that I had been depressed since
childhood and just never had been diagnosed. My
psychiatrist started me on an anti-depressant and within weeks
the difference in my outlook was amazing! I have
changed medications several times over the years and as I
have gotten older (I’m 51 now) and close to menopause,
my hormones have wreaked havoc with my emotions.
Adding hormone therapy has helped tremendously. For me,
medication was my route to improvement. From time to time I
tried counseling for some of the deep rooted problems
in my life but never stuck with it. In spite of
that, the medication has done amazing things for me.
Usually short term depression goes away on it’s own, but
long-term depression, clinical depression, chemical
depression…whatever you want to call it, only gets worse with time.
Had I not taken that first step, I really think I
would not be here today. I only wish I had known to
seek help when I was a young adult or that someone had
realized I was depressed as a child! Just recently I have
recognized that I have childhood issues that I need to deal
with….or I guess I’ve always known they were there but
never was ready to deal with them until now. So having
said all of that, I think that you need to see a
doctor immediately to let him/her evaluate you and
determine a plan of action. It could be just medication,
therapy, or a combination of both. Let me say one
thing…..anti-depressants do NOT give me a “high”……they help me feel
normal and even……balanced. I thank God for medical
science and the help it provides. If I have to take
medication the rest of my life that is okay with me…..I
never want to go back to the mental life I had before
diagnosis and medication. <br
my experience. Other people may have other
experiences. But you are in the midst of YOUR experience and
you will be so glad when you do talk about it with a
professional and get the help you need. I understand the
uncontrollable tears, sadness, and fear. Don’t wait! Help is out
there. By the way, depression is nothing to be ashamed
of. You didn’t ask for it and you didn’t cause it.
But you can do something about it. I wish the you the
best and will keep you in my prayers. I especially
with pray that God will direct you to a doctor who can
give you the help you seek! God bless you!<br
in Texas
July 23rd, 2004 at 10:22 am
I was on antidepressants for 3 months. I really
should still be on them. When I went to the doctor, it
was for another reason. I didn’t have to tell him I
was depressed, he noticed it. I hadn’t really
realized it myself. Deep down I did, but I wasn’t ready to
confront it. I experienced the same uncontrollable crying
(and its starting to come back again for me). I could
cry at the drop of a hat, even if nothing caused it.
When I was sitting there crying at an Office Depot
commercial, I started to realize I needed help. Don’t be
ashamed or embarrased of this. My depression is due to
the stress of diabetes on top of the normal stress of
life. I try to maintain a healthy outlook on life, but
sometimes I just sink into awful feelings. Keep yourself
busy, call your doctor, and keep a smile on that face.
Find something that cheers you up and concentrate on
doing that when you feel down. For me, I started doing
volunteer work. That can really make you feel good and it
helps distract you because you are busy caring for
other people or animals. I know its hard, I’ve been
there and I’m still going through it. Email me if you
ever need to talk.
July 25th, 2004 at 1:33 pm
HI JUST GOT BACK FROM VISITING GRANDMA SHE’S 85
DIABETIC AND VERY LONELY<br
AND SHE’S NOT VERY MOBILE SHE CRIES AND TRIES TO
CARRY ON HER DOCTOR SAYS SHE IS A DIFFERENT PERSON WHEN
WE VISIT BUT EVENTUALLY ALL OF HAVE TO GET BACK. IT
WAS VERY SAD WHEN WE SAID GOODBYE. DOCTOR SAYS
MEDICATION FOR HER IS NOT AN OPTION BEC OF AGE AND OTHER
MEDICAL PROBLEMS
July 28th, 2004 at 6:20 pm
Hi! I’ve also been diagnosed with major
off-and-on for the past 13 years. With GBT I was able to
recognise the futility of my depression and learn to take
steps to combat it. And most importantly of all, I
learned to recognise the signs that I was lapsing back
into it and what to do to ward it off.<br
good for many types of depresson, but not all. CBT
does not go in for all that Freudian crap, that you
have to come to terms with “unresolved issues” from
your childhood, and that all present day problems
result from faulty potty training or that you had
incestous feelings for a parent. It just helps you to
control what is wrong in the present without delving too
deeply into the past.<br
now for years, and have been off medications for
years also. A few times when I felt a major funk coming
on, I would go back to my Doctor and get a
prescription for a serotonin reuptate blocker and stay on it
for 6-months to a year. The periods between
medication have gotten longer and longer, and I recognise
signs of depression now much earler and take steps to
prevent way before med.s are needed.<br
would like to add though, is that having Depression is
nothing to be ashamed about. Depression is as valid an
illness as any other, such as Cancer or Diabetes. If your
doctor does not take your Depression seriously, then it
is time to find a new Doctor. Depression, if handled
properly, can be treated easily and the symptoms
lessened.<br
Diabetes, I am bothered much less now by the Depression.
Now that I have something concrete to deal with, I
have much better control over my life and my health.
Go figure…?<br
ask your doctor to help you.<br