Depression

[Irishgurl123]

I'm depressed looks like I'm going to lose my job any help out there ?

Hello, have you seen your GP? Depression is an illness that can be treated. What’s happening for you, regarding your job?

I keep missing days .GP keeps signing me off work instead of helping me with the depression.i don't want to be off work . Said I am on the highest dose and that's it . I'm due to see her tomorrow. What can I do now ?

So the GP is treating you with medication. It takes time to work. The other things to try are counselling and exercise.

Thank you for your advice . I've been doing all you've suggested .I'm on the same medication for 3 years . Dr just keeps saying try cbt and exercise and time off work . . Can I demand a new medication or am I just not fixable ?

Are you in Ireland or UK?

Ireland x

My best friend died last week and I feel If the Dr had sorted me out months ago I could deal with this better . What should I say tomorrow to the doctor ?

Tell the GP that the meds are not managing your symptoms and that you want to try a different one.

Same here. Being on the same meds for three years with no improvement doesn't sound great at all (as I'm sure you know). What does your typical day look like if you don't mind me asking?

Struggling to keep my head above water ... A horrible huge pain where my heart should be . Not enjoying life and feeling so sad and anxiety about missing work . I don't see a way out

I'm sorry ur in the same boat with ur doctor . Doctors in Ireland seem so way behind with medication for depression

I totally understand so you're not alone in that. I did spend some time in hospital last year, voluntary admission and it was beneficial. But a last resort I would think. It might be time to look at new meds and and/or a new GP. I'm going to keep peppering you with questions if you don't mind, don't answer if you feel uncomfortable.

• do you have a family/partner?
• are you close to your family of birth?
• do you have close friends that you connect with regularly?
• how is your diet/exercise/drinking/drugs
• are there any obvious stressors eg housing, problems at work
• do you connect well with your doctor

As I said, ignore anything you feel is too intrusive. I really do get where you're coming from so no judgement here x

Oh and, you don't need a way out, you need a way up.

Sorry you are going through this, sending some hugs. I suffered with depression for years and have reached many extreme low points. I was medicated once and I decided to stop and have since avoided anything. I have also done all sorts of therapy which helped a bit but depression is a funny thing because despite all the help sometimes it's really also trying to help yourself. I started a small journal where on the days I felt horrible I would write about it and then I would look back and think wow I've come a long way to remind myself it's not permanent. If you can try to get into something for example gym I've heard exercise can help with lowering depression or getting into a hobby. It's hard and I sympathise because I've been there but you need to allow yourself the time to try and tackle one problem at a time and try and replace each bad day doing something positive to lift your mood. I truly hope you get better soon x

You can get used to the medication and it becomes less effective, if it's not working for you the GP should prescribe an alternative as it can be trial and error to find the right one.

I've been on antidepressant medication for 22 years (since age 19) and have had to change numerous times. Had to get an increase on duloxetine this week so now on max dose, will have to change if no better in month.

Honestly OP, after struggling for years to get help from the NHS, I found it helped when a GP was honest and admitted that he was disgusted at the lack of help available for moderate to severe depression and anxiety on the NHS. He said the services such as psychotherapy that he wanted to refer me to just weren't available for my level of illness. I don't know much about the situation in Ireland, but everything I've heard suggests it's not very different.

You can end up blaming yourself for not getting the 'help' that everyone keeps telling you is out there. It often isn't there.

If you respond to SSRIs alone you're lucky. Otherwise it's self-help, paying for private help or finding help from a charity such as https://www.mentalhealthireland.ie/ but they often concentrate on 'awareness raising' rather than provision of counselling. Worth checking though. Also worth asking your employer about if they have access to an employee support service or occupational health.

I found this series of books really helpful. They were part of a books on prescription scheme here:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Overcoming-Depression-Self-Help-Behavioural-Techniques/dp/B07YBGP9ZX/ref=mpssa111?adgrpid=59992029104&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.hh1cgTnHv3UxslQXtwVSyNkBfgFMtHgNXwjd7BoUwQJ8dAxKi4MTMIXbFIXAyYwjSN62Cgf6y97UB5da4TeXIHoowpzFdfgupGtjlxyre-0BvG0hcUQ1Khvo7KrYhHSulqwhl2QMi-QZ0z88ZdbhLx0Tcz7Zkwv1tD5slTwVJ8bUIjur0ZVCObf1DBWhprUDzlJzd39x3XcYqAlS1hg..reWHI7fcZswqnmAMwVX-FScZqlQeUeNuND3c2H9R5Q&dibtag=se&hvadid=606276363559&hvdev=m&hvlocphy=1006886&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3351292545533038970&hvtargid=kwd-33714832&hydadcr=2161552291908&keywords=overcoming+depression&qid=1710380139&sr=8-1

To answer your question, you are absolutely not 'unfixable'!

I am very sorry for your loss, that is a lot to be coping with in addition to depression.

Yes definitely ask for a different anti depressant. I tried five different ones before settling on Mirtazapine. For me it’s a wonder drug. I no longer want to go to sleep and not wake up. I’ve also had some CBT, which has helped. There are several online courses available.

https://positivepsychology.com/cbt-cognitive-behavioral-therapy-techniques-worksheets/

Sorry to hear how you are feeling.
Definitely ask to try another antidepressant if you are at the maximum dose. NICE guidelines recommended trialing at least 2 prior to seeking specialist psychiatric advice.
If you do trial another one make sure that it has chance to work and is fully optimised (going upto max dose) if required
Others have also made some great suggestions physical exercise has a string evidence base for improving low mood. Get out and moving as much as you can. I'm not familiar with support in Ireland but worth looking to see of you have anything like sport in mind. They have a whole range of groups to improve mental health from yoga, walking and football local to us.
CBT also has a great evidence base, however I see that you have been recently bereaved so a service may suggest you allow a period to process your grief.
I am sorry for your loss but please don't feel bad about your grief it does hurt and takes time to process. That doesn't make you a bad person or a failure just hunan.
The overcoming depression book mentioned by another PP is worth a read.
Take care

I maxed out on three different ones and they did help during times of extreme anxiety and depression,this was brought on by an employer I've now decided to have a go at life without them and I know if need be I can get again.good luck op on whatever you decide.

I think the problem can be that you dutifully take what you're given, and you wait for an improvement, and when none comes, you don't have the strength to go through the whole process again. It takes such a monumental effort to ask for help the first time, it's really hard to have to do it all over again. It's so tough at the beginning, until you find what works for you. It's trial and error, but there will be something eventually.

I'm not quite sure what you mean, @DanielGault. I've had periods of better mental health, but most recently I've been asking the NHS for help since 2013. I've done everything suggested, been assessed by CMHT twice, been told there is nothing appropriate countless times by GP, practice MH nurse, and CMHT psychologist. I am too severe for IAPT, but not severe enough for secondary services.

I have kept asking, because I am desperate.

Saying that there will be help "eventually" seems meaningless given the above,

I mean that it's really hard to build yourself up to get help, only to find it doesn't work. And then it's harder again to go back and ask again. It wasn't a criticism by any means.

I wasn't taking it as a criticism at all, @DanielGault. More as false hope. When does "eventually" come when you have been asking for over ten years?

I am so tired of reading 'ask for help/reach out'. There is often nothing there.

I do appreciate that it varies geographically and some people of course get appropriate help.

Anyway, I don't want to derail OP's thread. I hope your appointment was useful, @Irishgurl123.