"putting the SPRING back in our step - village support for depression and anxiety"

[LEMmingaround]

Heres the new thread guys. What is this, thread 9?

This is a thread that is situated in a virtual village of support for those suffering from mental health issues, or just those struggling with what life throws at them.

Please feel free to join in.

((((Snowy))))

Thanks, (((( LEM ))))

Thank you.i don't really know about the depression other than after my first child the citalopram worked a treat,I was on it for about 18momths then came off.i was then ok ish til I had my second child.then the second bout of pnd has been much worse as it has happened alongside my sisters illness.the side effects at 40 mg were awful & the doctor cut it back (didn't react we'll to sertraline either)i can probably get signed off work but it means a lot to me not to let something control my life..I try very hard to keep it all together & I'm a perfectionist which doesn't help.sorry if this is a ramble,i am in floods again as I bought a book called 'us minus mum' for my niece & thought I should read it before I gave to to her..bad idea at the moment.

hi lem, nana, snowy, vitrix and everyone else.

Welcome ginger as others have said it sounds like you have a lot on your plate at the moment. So sorry to hear about your sister. I think bereavement counselling sounds like a very good idea. I have the Mindfulness book and the first few chapters that I've read are v good - and CD is really helpful too so would definitely give it a try. Be kind to yourself.

I will try the mindfulness book everyone

oh dear, (((( ginger ))))

bit late in but anyone mind if I join? I didn't realise this was going when I did my me me me thread

I have done/am trying to do meditation. Another good book is 'the miracle of mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh. I've read it a few times but I've now leant it to a friend (think I could do with a reminder :D) It's not geared towards people with MH probs, it was geared towards buddhists in Vietnam as far as I remember...I might be wrong as my pal has my copy. It's very short. And extremely simple- great for those that have the concentration span of a goldfish.

Welcome fluffybunnies

welcome fluffy would you like to tell us a bit more?

hi snowy did you speak to your GP?

good luck with the book ginger

I've finally made it to the sofa - dh out, so long day. Tired today so assuming that's why my mood has been struggling and motivation rather low.. but have managed to get stuff done. Finally got a GP appt on Thur. Not sure what I want to say, but think I should catch up. Wondering a bit whether to reduce the fluoxetine to see if that helps with the anxiety - its definitely helped with the depression but I'm not so sure about the anxiety. Anyhow we'll see. Did manage to say No to dm this pm - she asked if I could bring the dcs over after school tomorrow, but its an hour each way and too much after school, for me and the kids, so pleased I managed to stand my ground.

I've been given iron tablets to take for a few months. Not keen on taking more tablets, but if it helps with the tiredness it's worth it (easy to assume it's down to the meds).

I hope your catch up goes ok, CIQ - well done on standing your ground!

I hope everyone else is managing/surviving or better!

Good morning afternoon all, how are things?

CIQ well done for saying no. Sometimes we have to put ourselves first for a change, otherwise we go mad...............

I am doing ok today snowy, how are you? I had a chat with my friend who has the breast cancer, oh, she is so brave - i wish i had a magic wand for her :( She has had to have so many investigations (scary), yet she still finds it in her to smile and laugh.

Have pottered about in the garden, don't seem to be able to manage anything that requires brain power. Which is awkward because my friend who i did the spider work wants me to pick it back up again, he emailed me yesterday and said he would like us to finish the project, write up a paper and there is a small possibility of paid work if we can get a project going with a zoological organisation. I should be pleased, but to be honest im just terrified. I can't remember what i did, let alone amounts and results I am really not sure i WANT a career in science, but in another way, its all i know, err, knew

Welcome to the "village" fluffybunnies - i like rabbits :) I used to have giant rabbits, they were great. I think i might start looking into this mindfulness business, it seems to help alot of people. These threads have been running for a while now and are a great support, thanks to Vicar who started them, people pop in and out, stay a while, go off to their lives and come back. Its a safe place where we can just get off our chests our day to day stuff, or major crap, no one judges

Your poor friend, LEM I think it's a really difficult decision LEM - I ended up leaving my DPhil due to mental health issues, I just couldn't cope with fulltime. I really miss the people, but there's no way I could handle the experimental side and even reading journal articles. Could you see what could be done to make it easier to handle?

Yet another very crap day here - just feel defeated to be honest. I had crap day on Sunday and Monday and then yesterday was out with my cousin having coffee and cream cake in garden centre, with the sum shining. Today I have been mostly under the duvet crying on and off and feeling I've had enough. It is coming up to 5 years since my relapse started and I should be used to the bad days now but I never am. When I saw the psych end March he was suggesting changing imipramine to sertraline but because April was a good month I agreed with my CPN last week to leave things as they were. However now I don't think I have anything to lose by the change, unless of course it made me worse.....

Sorry I am totally self absorbed today and defeated by the pure torment of mental illness.

Still thinking of you all and hoping you are coping............

(((( NN )))) I'm sorry that you're having such a bad day I think you're right that a meds change is worth a try.

((Nana)) everyone is allowed to be self absorbed here - if it helps! Cream cake sounds lush though i have to say. I might make my friend come for cream cake tororrow as we are doing a skip run with stuff she absolutely needs to get rid off before next week to keep her mind off the shitting bastard hell her cancer is already putting her through. I mean, it would be a charitable thing, the cake!! I am craving!

Cream cake sounds good :) I've added tongue and liver to my online shop, hoping they'll help with iron.

Gosh, thats some dedication to your iron levels there snowy! Broccolli is a good source of iron. I love the gravy you get from liver and bacon but liver is vile.

Had a good morning with my lovely friend, she is holding up well and her sisters arrive at the weekend, so busy busy for her.

Well, blood test results are all normal which means whatever is wrong is in my head. Bad day.

What did they test for, Victrix? Mental health issues are treatable too... You're being so strong for your friend, LEM

(((( all ))))

Hi Snowy, think the main thing they were looking for was an overactive thyroid which could have explained the jitters. I'm feeling 50/50 about it, on one hand I'm obviously glad I'm not physically ill but that might have been easier to treat if you see what I mean?

Also the citalopram is making me feel really flat and I'm still not sleeping properly, on the bright side though my eyebrows look particularly luxurious after a few weeks of hiding from the world.

Anti anxiety (and antidepressant and antipsychotic) drugs can work really well, you get an over-representation of people for whom they don't work online.

How long have you been on the citalopram, it can take a few weeks to work?

I've only been on it for a week and it's a low dose, I know it takes time though. Back at the GP next Wednesday.

Can you tell I have no chocolate in the house today?

I'm looking forward to sushi in the next 1.5 hours, (as long as shopping isn't late).

Ooooh, I like sushi

I discovered a lone Options hot chocolate sachet in the kitchen and have sent instructions to the other half to return bearing chocolate- day saved!