i wonder if im depressed or just stressed???

[biglips]

as unsure which one??

here are my signs -

1. I havent cried for a long time (prob just sad movies etc but not cried myself).

2. Ive had all the blood tests this year and all back fine.

3. We got a new mattress back in January which is very comfy as old mattress was knackered but im still waking up a few times a night.

4. I know the source of the prob as its finanical strain (Dp's became self employed 3.5 yrs ago and money was the worst this time last year but its very slowly getting better). Its not worth me going back to work until my 2.5 yrs old starts reception.

5. I feel very flat, exhausted, my social life is suffering and i cant be bothered talking/listening to people at the children's centres, forgetful, concentration is crap!, very moody, got purple rings under my eyes from lack of sleep, cant nap during the day as my head wont let me anymore plus ive got a 2.5 yrs old to look after,

i basically just cant be arse with anything as i wake up shattered and go to bed shattered!!!

BUT good thing ive started running 6 weeks ago but i am struggling atm as my limbs feels very heavy permantly...

Just wonder if Anti-depressants tabs will give me that lift to feel normal???

thank you

well you could try them. I did and they did me no good at all. But my new Gp said thats becasue she thought i wasn't depressed. I was just struggling with my diabetes, ds2 who did not sleep at all at night for 3 months, ds1 who tuned out to be Sn, and a redundant dh.
what does your best freind or mum think. what does dp think. do they think you need to get on down to see the gp ?
You say that the main concern is money worries. can you explain more., what exactly is the problem and have you really adressed the real source of stress on this issue ?

It's a hard one: your GP's the one to ask, of course. From the bit of experience I do have -(have had 3 x episodes of depression over last 10 years, now being treated for anxiety, big family history) - some of your symptoms sound as if they fit the bill, esp. flat mood and not being bothered to talk to anyone etc. I find though that that feeling of not being bothered to do anything extends to everything, iyswim. The fact you've started going running is a good thing and doesn't necessarily fit with depression... What happens when you go to bed? The classic is not so much about not being able to go to sleep - that tends to be more anxiety/stress related - but going off okay, and waking v early without being able to get back to sleep - so being 'up' for the day from 3/4am onward.
I don't know about the significance of the crying thing - the first (and worst) of my episodes saw me crying almost constantly, without noticing or it being about anything.
At the end of the day, everyone's symptoms can be v different - hopefully the GP will be able to help? HTH x

Weird italics thing happened -apologies!

dp had asked me to see the gp and also said to book in a hotel to "have a good night sleep!" as i always wake up shattered so obv im not sleeping properly.

the money situation - Dp and his business partner lost some contracts/jobs last year thru the recession and we've literally nearly used up all on our credit cards just to pay our household bills . We're just about to keep our head above water. Also, we are constantly chasing up payments, but our business is not big enough to wait around for money as we just give them 4 weeks and then chase up but its not plain sailing! !

If the money is not there on time to pay our bills and mortgage, i start to feel suffocating. Im trying to put it in my head that there's nothing that we can do about it!

Stressed, not depressed. If this is your definition of depressed then I suspect a lot of us should join you.

When you say have your bloods done, were you tested for hypothyroidism? That could be a possibility to feeling flat and exhausted and not sleeping well, some of the symptoms are very similar.

midge - yes i can go to sleep but just waking up and feeling moody.

the running bit - i decided that i need to channel my stress to elsewhere instead of it chewing up inside my head!.

ive always been known (by my mum) that if i was moody, its cos i was tired and its true. Im just not good coping with tiredness.

This week, I went to the childrens centre for one hour and came back home all crashed out! i was exhausted.

i was just thinking about myself. Ive been watching my life going by as im soo tired to do anything.

Just wondered if the gp would give me summat to try to lift my mood? as i cant carry on like this

orient -

mumtoted - i cannot remember but i think it was done (its the thyriods isnt it?).....im so crap remembering!! You can asked me summat and a few hours later ill forget! what happened to my super memory!!

I would say stress but stress can tip over into depression. The thing that makes me think you could be depressed is you talking of feeling flat,exhausted and can't be bothered to talk/listen to people. That sounds like depression to me but it could be very mild. Have a talk with your GP - theyhave a check list and then can decide if you are depressed - if so it can be mild/moderate or severe. The gp will probably offer ADs if he/she thinks you are moderately depressed as they work better in moderate/severe depression.

Nana - yes ill ring my docs and get it sorted. As i said...unsure which one i am

thanks everyone for the advices

well i went to the docs and he diagnosed as chronic tiredness (im just very very stressed and not depressed, which is a good thing) and also he put me on a stronger mg of same sleeping tabs - 7.5mg

He said to try it for a month and go from there.

the tabs is making me woozy after 20 mins of taking it (ive been on them since Friday) but still waking up in the middle of the night but i do feel ive slept heavy when i wake up in the mornings......i last took tabs (3.75mg) back in October...

i really do hope it will work and get my sleeping pattern back or will it be the same whilst the money stress is still there???

I'm surpised your GP has prescribed sleeping pills for a month. Are they zopiclone? I was prescribed about 4, (7.5) and used to cut them in half which zonked me out. You obviously need more than that, but you can very soon become dependent on them. You have a lot going on really and the money worries sound like they may be the reason you are still not sleeping well.

Anyway glad you aren't depressed, as that is truly horrid.

Coming late to this thread, but what I found helped a bit years ago when on Income Support and desperately trying to sell old house, was to have a proper, thorough half an hour of worrying each day.

nana - yes they are zopiclone and he said to try it for a month to see how i go. cant see it working at all!!!! ive been feeling so crap for the past 4 days..ive been waiting for my dp to give me a hard slap to tell me to calm down (even though he never had laid a finger on me), but we had a talk tonite as i know that my patience had gone out of the window with our girls and dp too...i ficking hate it being so off the handle as its just not me!!

in the past 4 days, ive had a abit of a headcold (today feeling much better), im on my period and my temper is all over the place!!

dp said on tues and wed nite when he got into bed, i woke up but i dont remember a thing. Maybe its the tabs that is working until about 4 - 5pm and then i start waking up every hour from then which im exhausted by then!!

i feel crap now!!!!

Have you tried 5-http ? It's an amino acid, trptophan which basically gives you a boost. It'sa fantastic mood lifter, from Holland & Barrett.