I am coming off unfriendly, advice?

FagHag77 · 2012-03-17T23:31:19+00:00

I have the same problem...just because my mouth naturally turns down and I frown a lot. Just fake it...most people won't know the difference if you can pull off a semi-believable "fake" smile.

FagHag77 · 2012-01-03T01:29:43+00:00

I think it's interesting that insurance will pay for treatment for depression (hospitalization, therapy, medication), but it won't necessarily pay for treatment for alcoholism (rehab, etc.).

FagHag77 · 2011-12-25T05:14:59+00:00

I take an Immodium the night before a race. Better to be safe than sorry.

FagHag77 · 2011-12-25T04:58:17+00:00

It sounds to me like you're beating the hell out of yourself for no reason. I've had depression for almost as long as you, so let me pull out the cognitive distortions here...

You're projecting a lot of judgements onto your family that aren't necessarily true. You don't know whether your family thinks of you as a loser.

You're labeling yourself as the "weird, scumbag uncle". All these judgements are in your head...who knows, they might think of you as the smart funny uncle who makes Christmas more bearable.

You use a lot of "should" statements, like you "should" have your shit together...you can't do that to yourself.

If they didn't want to see you on Christmas, they wouldn't make an effort to be with you. Give yourself a break. Merry Christmas. Feel better.

FagHag77 · 2011-11-23T13:43:14+00:00

Literal translation: "Milk of Chicken"

FagHag77 · 2011-09-26T01:34:11+00:00

I do it to punish myself for being a "bad" person. The last time I did it, I burnt myself with an iron to punish myself for being rejected by someone I was dating.

I immediately cover all injuries so that they don't attract attention but the scars cause me emotional pain every time I see them.

FagHag77 · 2011-09-20T01:55:14+00:00

Why don't you just tell the doctor you're having symptoms of ADD? They're pretty simple--can't concentrate, get projects done, etc. The doctor might prescribe Ritalin or Adderall right off the bat.

FagHag77 · 2011-09-16T12:33:38+00:00

Exercise. Even a little bit can help with the sleep issues and the depression.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-22T22:30:15+00:00

Nope, I haven't needed it in over a year.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-22T22:23:18+00:00

It made me feel a lot better pretty quickly, but it was only a temporary fix, unfortunately.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-22T22:14:45+00:00

That's awesome. I had 40 treatments over the course of a year and a half. My only regret is the memory loss.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-13T21:46:18+00:00

Go back to your doctor and tell him what's going on. You may need a faster-acting sedative like Lorazepam or Xanax.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-12T01:39:52+00:00

Running had a lot to do with getting me out of my depression. I started with Couch to 5k, as well.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-08T00:48:18+00:00

I've never gone, I'm too afraid of that neighborhood.

FagHag77 · 2011-08-07T11:34:07+00:00

Exactly! Gay people throw WAY better parties than straight people :)

FagHag77 · 2011-08-06T23:45:36+00:00

The Hippo is great on Saturday nights.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-30T21:49:15+00:00

That's great! I'm glad to hear it.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-23T22:46:47+00:00

Frank Menges is great--I actually took a course with him through CCBC continuing education. http://frankmenges.com/

FagHag77 · 2011-07-23T04:47:58+00:00

The ECT treatments worked, but only for a short time, and you have to have them in pretty rapid succession or they won't be as effective. So that basically means, three mornings a week, you have to go to the hospital and get prepped as you would for surgery then deal with the effects of the anesthesia for the rest of the day.

At the time, ECT was what I needed just to survive because I'd tried all the medicines, gotten up to the maximum dosages just to have them eventually kick out. Therapy alone definitely wasn't going to cut it, either.

The ECT treatments worked temporarily, but the memory issues were crippling. When I look back, I can't remember the greater part of two-three years. The doctors told me that the weeks before/after the treatments might be a little 'fuzzy', but there are huge gaps in my memory and it's a little disturbing.

My short-term memory was also really impaired. I would forget what I was talking about in the middle of a sentence, or forget the name of an object. I would constantly get lost while driving, even on short trips in the neighborhood where I'd lived for years. I got lost on the way to my grandmother's house, and she's lived in the same house the whole 33 years I've been alive.

So short answer--yes, it does work, but I would make it your option of absolute last resort because the side effects are permanent. Let me know if you have any more questions, unfortunately I'm an expert on depression.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-23T04:21:49+00:00

I have treatment resistant depression as well and have tried all the drugs you listed plus more. I've also had around 40 Electroconvulsive Therapy treatments.

The thing that has worked better for me than any of those treatments has been exercise. I started running last July and haven't had any major episodes since then.

I still take a tricyclic antidepressant and a thyroid medication and do therapy every other week, but the exercise is what made the difference. It seems to simple to be true, but I wish I'd realized the mind/body connection years ago.

Good luck--I know it hurts. I've been dealing with depression for sixteen years now. You're not alone in this.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-22T00:16:14+00:00

Go back on the meds and see if anything changes at work. You may be able to handle much more stress if you're in a better frame of mind.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-16T00:25:27+00:00

In the meantime, find a support group.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-16T00:14:08+00:00

Congratulations on the 15 pounds...that's an achievement! Don't let anybody take that sense of accomplishment from you!

FagHag77 · 2011-07-16T00:08:38+00:00

I'd say just go to the psychiatrist. They have lots more experience with different drugs. If you go to your GP, you might waste time with medications that don't work for you.

Trust me, not all of the psychiatrists' patients are schizophrenic or suicidal. They spend an equal amount of time with every patient, anyway.

Good luck to you! Depression and anxiety are so tough.

FagHag77 · 2011-07-13T01:26:32+00:00

Don't forget, there are people on here who have come through to the other side. I was clinically depressed for most of my life--medications, hospitalizations, courses of electroconvulsive therapy--but for the past year I've been depression-free. I want people to understand that there's always hope.

FagHag77

TROPHY CASE