Managing depression without meds

[katsh]

I had depression about 10 yrs ago and had fluoxatine which was great but side effects going on it were terrible. Recently hit with another bout of reactive depression. I've been to the GP and she's referred to a mental health team so hopefully I'll see someone soon for some talking therapy as that really helped last time. It's moderate to severe, but I don't want to go on meds as I can't face the side effects and feel I've enough to cope with at the moment. Am I being really ridiculous? Currently feeling exhausted, detached and sad, but managing basic functioning day to day. Your thoughts please?

zut well done for getting to the meeting - hope you've managed a walk too. I'm having a pretty low day here. just overwhelmed by everything again so having my last weepy moments before i go to collect dcs from school.

Life can easily be a bit overwhelming, especially for mothers katsh - hope you enjoy picking the children up from school, maybe see someone to talk to there?

thank you - hopefully 10 mins of sunshine and school gate chat will help. Can't even figure out what to cook for dinner. one of those days

I am doing bright light therapy 30 mins 10000 lux within 10 mins of waking and think it has helped. Have been off meds a few weeks and on low dose since July and despite some recent very serious family stuff doing well.

Hobbies. I had none when this started. Now I sing in a choir, go to sewing class, yoga and crochet. Major difference. Choir most notable, singing very therapeutic for me as it takes me back to the best parts of being a child.

Walking in the light eg at lunchtime. Meeting supportive friends for non talky stuff like cinema. Omega 3s. I also find rational reasons for feeling low vs monitoring it as an illness.

I am not a fan of meds though they were a necessary evil for me.

see gp re meds if ur experiencing a lot of side effects all u may need is a change of meds to such as either sertaline or citalopram. and make sure they give u a good trial and increase dose if ur not getting any benefits after a month. if ur motivated self help is brill try www.getselfhelp.co.uk or google living life to the full programme. aware defeat depression offer a range of services including one to one sessions. lifeline also offer one to one sessions altho max 6-7 sessions. an all round good multi vit make sure it includes vit b complex helps with mood. some gps can prescribe online cbt and they can also prescribe gym sessions to help ur mood. diet and exercise v important. hope this helps

"Meeting supportive friends for non talky stuff"

YY, I love to see my friends, but they always want to talk so much, and often either about their own or other people's problems - though not mine so much!! It's exhausting!

Works better if we go for a walk or some other slightly structured thing - enjoyed going on holiday with some friends this summer, but that can get a bit stressy too at times.

Juggling, do you have experience of meetings, if you don't mind me asking? You don't have to answer.

working, non-talky-stuff, totally on the money. I used to play music, used to play cards, used to take drugs and rave - all ways of being among people without the constant beam of their verbal attention. Music and card playing are healthy, I think, drugs not so much

Wishing you all a calm and refreshing night's sleep

Hi Zut, no I haven't been to an AA meeting, though have friends that go.

I've not tried drugs much (legal or otherwise) to help with my rumbling along low level depression - perhaps I should have been more creative!!

Do you think you might go again, or have you been put off for good?

It wasn't terrible - I just found it terrifying to be there and to sort of admit that this is what it has come to, I suppose, though I am not sure I have.

out last night - off the sauce - amused by skipping about late and dark and sober and cheerful

How is everyone?

Have you come across the "Brave Babes Bus" threads Zut ?
Not quite sure what their latest bus trip is called but I'm sure it's easy to find ?
It's like AA for Mumsnet, driven by the gorgeous mouse (hope she doesn't mind the cross-reference here) - and they have a lot more fun on there than most regular meetings I guess, and the support is second to none.

I've hopped on for a few stops myself on the flimsy pretext that I'm feeling a bit down and have opened a bottle of wine - sometimes when DH away and kids in bed.

don't really get on with the brave babes dynamic tbh. sure they are all lovely but ach, it's not me. best of luck to them all though

Fair enough zut - I've only travelled with them a few stops as I said, but they were good company when feeling low, and mouse is such a sweetie

Katsh how are you doing since Wednesday or are you still standing chatting at the school gates?

Hi all
I'm looking into light therapy- sounds interesting.
Getting out everyday-occasionally I don't leave the house for days at a time. Or if I do leave its only very local and that's just not enough sadly to make a difference.
It's odd, I'm never happy. Never, just flat.
I can do angry, jealous and upset pretty well though.
I feel pretty lost, I don't really recognise my life to be mine.
I'm just the camel- loaded up with the baggage of being chief carer for DH and DC. DH leans on me a lot, it's really hard.

I'm so sorry I really just needed to get that out.

There has been a death in the family and it's even harder to stay afloat. Especially when I'm doing the supporting and listening.

Today I am:
Going to buy a cake to share with a pal
Going to the seaside
Going to take my vitamins- I never reliably do this!

Sorry things are hard 3frenchhens

• Can you find anyone who can listen to you ?

I think I need to find the same. Other than us lot of course

A random aside for you ... on your NN ....
my great-grandparents kept 3 hens and called them faith, hope and charity Don't know if they were French though

Exercise really really helps. The problem is that one of the effects of depression is that it makes it incredibly hard to get going with exercise (and other positive habits).

I get some free telephone counselling with my healthcare cover so I may try it. Feels strange though.
It just seems I have turned off positive emotions.
I always see everything as 'but if had -insert name of object- then I would be happy'. It doesn't work, I don't know why I still do it.
I have a void in my life and I don't know what to fill it with.
I'm certainly busy enough- I'm really active within my town, back at work from Mat leave soon. I'm doing a distance learning course.
Yet something is missing.

Love the names of your great grandparents hens :)

Hello all

((())) to 3frenchhens. Yes I think you should try the phone counselling. It is astonishing how much it can help to talk to someone even if it doesn't seem that it has objectively changed anything.

Today, I will

Not drink booze
not dick about on the internet too much
write something for me
Get some work done
Go to bed early

Have a good day everyone xx

Can i join please?

Today i will:

Fast
Meditate as start of week 1 mindfulness course
Work! And not mn procrastinate

If i do all above, hope to sleep better due to increased peace of mind

Thanks zut :)

Oh Buffy, you have been through a lot.
How's the St. John's Wort?
I often wondered if that worked?

Had a good catch up with a friend today, felt surprisingly better.
Did some tidying too, sense of achievement is good.
I'm also looking into someone to help clean the house once a month maybe. Going to work is hard for me and coming back to a messy house makes me feel even worse :(

hi Buffy! Sorry to hear about everything going on for you this year.
Glad you have your manager on side.
Let us know how it all goes.