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Mental health

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Original poster

How do you know when you are depressed?

12 replies

FeelinBlue · 13/10/2011 20:08

I've been admitted to hospital twice in the past and have had several bouts of major depression so I really should know but I can't remember at what stage I need to worry...

I have an ongoing, as yet undiagnosed, health problem that makes me feel quite unwell at times.

I'm not sad or 'depressed' and I feel ok really, but I'm tired. So tired. Yet I can't sleep - I don't fall asleep or I wake up frequently and feel just as tired as when I went to bed. Yet I have fleeting passive thoughts of thinking life would be easier if I were dead. I don't WANT to die but the thoughts have unsettled me.

I have a stressful situation I've been worrying about and have had lots of thoughts of SH (I have a history of it) in order to release the anxiety. I haven;t acted on them but worry they will become overpowering.

Is this just stress and anxiety or should I see my GP?

OP posts:

omaoma · 13/10/2011 20:14

maybe try something like moodgym (google it, it's an australian selfhelp website but free) which has a couple of quick yes/no tests to show how your current anxiety, depression etc levels rate against the 'average'. could help you get a sense of how bad things are?

the sleep thing sounds pretty full-on, is it worth seeing a gp about that anyway, even if it's not depression. maybe also get some support re the SH (helpline?) - well done for resisting it in the face of so much stress, that's impressive. but you don't have to do this by yourself x

Original poster

FeelinBlue · 13/10/2011 20:19

Thanks.

I will google.

I don't feel strong - I feel like a failure because I'm having those thoughts. I don't like it. I know I don't have to act on them and in that sense, I am strong. But it's unnerving, I think.

OP posts:

omaoma · 13/10/2011 20:26

ach, FeelinBlue, it's ok. nobody's strong all of the time and you says yourself you're having a stressful time at the mo. be kind to yourself. it's not a failing to reach the limit of your strength, bet you've been holding out for a while. your muscles struggling to carry on when they've been working hard and the brain isimilar.

ikwym re finding thoughts of 'giving up' unnerving. i think sometimes it's just another way of saying 'i really need a rest and for it all to go away', which is entirely understandable.

omaoma · 13/10/2011 20:27

sorry for garbled message 'your muscles struggle to carry on when they've been working hard and the brain is similar' x

Original poster

FeelinBlue · 13/10/2011 20:51

I suppose so. Thanks Oma.

All the quizzes I've done online say I should see a dr. Ho Hum.

OP posts:

omaoma · 13/10/2011 21:27

x it's not a failure to need help and neither are you.

Original poster

FeelinBlue · 15/10/2011 13:58

Thanks Oma. The thing is I don't know if I need help. How can you tell if you are just having a crap few days which will pass or if it is more than that? We all have times when we feel rubbish about stuff

OP posts:

omaoma · 15/10/2011 22:32

what's the worst that could happen if you sought help, and then realised you things were getting better by themselves? what's the worst case scenario if you really did need help, but didn't seek it because you weren't sure what was going on?

Original poster

FeelinBlue · 16/10/2011 08:03

I know that for me, the worst case is that I will die. These thoughts are there all the time now and it's quite distracting when I am trying to do nice stuff with DS. I hate feeling like this.

OP posts:

omaoma · 17/10/2011 22:29

please listen to yourself FeelinBlue. You hate the way you're feeling. you're so tired you think being dead would be a relief, but you can't sleep. you have had lots of feelings about SH. you're worried these could get overpowering. when you try an online tool to help you see if your thoughts indicate lower than usual mood and higher than usual anxiety, they say you should see a doctor. you've been posting on here for 4 days and things don't appear to have changed in that period.

you are trying to look after your DS but are distracted by dark thoughts.

if asking for a bit of help or support could offer even a small amount of lifting of this weight, it would be worth it, no? it might be able to offer lots more. please go see your gp, or pick up the phone and talk to a helpline, samaritans are always there. i get that you're feeling exhausted and even an effort to see the doc might feel too much. but i feel like you're trapped like a rabbit in the headlines and just waiting for something even worse to hit you. xxx

omaoma · 17/10/2011 22:30

I'M worried about you, babe. you sound in a really hard place

Original poster

FeelinBlue · 18/10/2011 19:43

Sorry Oma, I'm ok.

I saw my GP today, and was honest about how I was feeling. He has given me sleeping pills to help for the next couple of weeks and then I'm seeing him again. I feel a bit better knowing I may sleep but the thoughts are still there.

I did talk to Sane at the weekend and the lovely lady was very helpful.

Thank you for your support oma

OP posts:

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