Depressed, unemployed - please help.

[HelloPossums]

Anyone awake?

Been feeling very down for months now, partly due to being unemployed. What's made it tricky as well is that I'm finding it really hard to get the motivation I need to apply for jobs and to keep applying when I haven't heard back from the jobs that I've applied to.

I've tried counselling and CBT to help with the depression (was referred earlier this year by a GP to phone therapy for depression and anxiety), and it has helped, but now I'm really struggling - I just can't seem to fight it any more.

Does anyone have any advice or support?

Thanks very much.

In the same place sweetheart. Other circumstances in my case but it's a hard place to be in. Go back to your GP. I doubt you want to be medicated but if counselling hasn't helped it might be something to consider. I know it's awful and embarrassing and humiliating but your doctor has seen it before (and if you're not happy with them you can request someone else).

Please go back to your GP now. There are other steps you can take.

It is really hard I think. I lost my job earlier in the year, absolute wagon of a boss, used me and spat me out. I felt like a husk, and she wouldn't give me a reference either. I have applied for loads of jobs and had only rejections. I was focusing on staying positive, listening overnight to hypnosis motivation (Thomas Hall, on youtube), keeping a gratitude journal, keeping a routine and making myself job-hunt between 10.30 and 12,00 and then being free for the rest of the day and doing things i enjoy. The guilt and the shame never go away though. For some reason I feel answerable to ''society'' the same fucking society that won't employ me! i listened to alain de botton's talk on Pessimism the other day and it cheered me up. Tomorrow I go back to positive thinking and looking at and identifying my transferable skills! It is really hard though, and I'm a single parent so there's nobody in my corner or on my team.

Good night, I must listen to the last one now I think

If I can offer you one piece of advice?
Do everything you can to stop thinking about life and the bigger picture between the hours of 1 and 4am!
I know it's awful when insomnia sets in and it feels like the rest of the world is happy and asleep.
Give yourself permission to feel whatever you are feeling at other times, but in the wee hours give yourself permission to tune out the negative voices and Distract yourself.

This sounds so trite but it comes from lengthy personal experience and ongoing battles with depression.

My husband knows that when I wake him up at 3am and say " I've been giving it some serious thought and I think the best thing for everyone all round is if I kill myself" that it's the very darkest hours talking.

There's a reason most people in hospital and nursing homes die around this time, your body is at its lowest ebb.

In addition to everything you're doing (which sounds bloody marvellous actually, and completely the right way to approach things) please give yourself permission to take the hours between 1 and 4am off dwelling on your life.
Either distract properly (read, funny dvd, housework etc) or if you are lying awake, focus on your dc, how wonderful they are, funny things they've done recently.
It takes practice to break the cycle,.and possibly anti depressants will help with insomnia (I wonder if its common for you to wake in the early hours?)

Keep posting, I think you'll find that a lot of people are on team Hellopossums!

Seconding the recommendation for going back to your GP and discussing medication. But also finding something positive to do in your days - maybe as a reward for doing the gruelling job applications? Could be anything - running, knitting, art, whatever you enjoy.

I hear you. I got bullied out of my job by a so called friend just after Christmas.
I've been up since 4am worried sick.
I haven't been able to claim any benefits either and as from yesterday my savings ran out.
I just want a job and my life back.

Thanks so much everyone - bridget and Loves, your advice is really helpful - thanks!

I'm so sorry eating, Cosmo and Tooth. Sending you all my very best wishes (and certainty that I promise you will find something wonderful soon!)

Tooth, I didn't want to read and run - i apologise if you've already looked into this and it isn't an option, but have you looked into asking family/friends for help or approached charities for financial help? Feel free to PM me if you'd like to I really hope it gets better soon for you

So sorry to hear people on this thread feel like this 💐
I would recommend going back to the GP to discuss things.
It is so disheartening the way job applications go these days, quite frankly it's disgusting! Just keep going and try to think positive that maybe the right one just needs to turn up 😊
Have you thought of maybe doing a little volunteering for a charity a couple of days a week? Then you will be in a work environment and will have something great to put on your cv. Also helps as a distraction so you're not in the same place all the time so you get a bit of 'out time'.
I also recommend writing your thoughts down, then you can look back and see how you're doing.