Can't get motivated

[alexa1]

Hi. I am feeling really low at the moment. I have had depression on and off since my DD's birth 4 years ago. I have a 4 year old and a DS who was 1 last week. I also suffer with panic attacks.

I started an access course at my local college last September and since the beginning of June I have been on Holiday (we finished our course early). Anway, I go back to college in 2 weeks time and should be doing assignments and studying but I am really having a hard time getting motivated to do anything. Every day seems a struggle lately.

I don't want to take AD's (I took citralopram back in May and hated it). I have reflexology, meditate and try and excercise as much as possible which I find all helps, but I get weeks when I feel OK and have plenty of energy and enthusiasm for everything, then weeks (like now) where I find doing anthing a struggle.

Has anyone got any advice? As I mentioned I don't want to take AD's but I really need to get through this course as I can then gain entry to UNI. I'm 35 soon so need to do this course now. The way I feel now I might not bother going back to college.
Alexa

Not all ADs make you feel awful. I was in a state after a messy divorce and ended up getting very ill. Doc gave me immipramine which was non addictive and helped me get back to myself in just a few months. I actually felt really really good after just a week but the long term cure was an extended course of ADs and counselling. Perhaps you should talk to a medic and see what else could be done for you.

i dont know if this will sound silly but r ur moods related to your periods atall?i only ask cos in the past(im preg at the mo)ive suffered from really bad depression and mood swings for the 2 weeks b4 my period and till about 4 days after it started where i couldnt get motivated and everything was awful etc but for a week a month i would feel fine.
unfortunatly i found doctors didnt really listen to me though and just gave me ad's,which helped me a bit(kind of like a kick in the bum to get going again)but not all the time.
u could maybe have a word with ur course tutor and explain the situation?i know access courses are designed for adults wanting to get back into education/higher ed and in my experience they are quite flexible and tutors are understanding.i only say this as i was 6 weeks into an access course when i got pg with ds2 and i quit cos i felt tired all the time etc but now i wish i'd carried on and asked for help etc

How long did you take ADs for?

divastrop - I don't know what my tutor could say or do to help me to be honest. I think he will either say come back next term or I really don't know. I feel presurised to complete the course. I have until next June.

As for the period thing, that rings true for me to but not all of the time. Anyway, thanks for advice.

Thanks to emismum also. I know there are various AD's but I don't want to take them.

madmarchehare - I only took the AD's for a week (i know, I know) they made me feel AWFUL, I was prescribed them for panic attacks and bouts of depression but I was having hallucinations, could'nt sleep, having night sweats, and felt more depressed and panicky than ever, so I decidecd not to take them.

I took the prescribed ADs for about 4 months on the full dose and then weaned off them during the fifth month once I had attended counselling and after regular update consultations with my doc. I didn't have any nasty side effects thankfully. Not all drugs suit everyone so sometimes several types need to be tried before the solution is found.

I started on Seroxat as I was bf 5 years ago but needed something stronger after about 6 months as stress in my life increased (not baby related) so I went onto venlafaxine. Though I didn't want to take anything in a way, I knew I had to in the same way I would take any other prescribed/recommended drug for any other illness.
I also saw a shrink which was like a nice chat where I could offload so to speak and on his recommendation I had cognitive therapy which I think was fantastic.
I think the combination (and luckily the support of family and friends) of ad's and cognitive therapy really helped. I will say though that the cause of the stress/depression needs to be eliminated too.

I started on Seroxat as I was bf 5 years ago but needed something stronger after about 6 months as stress in my life increased (not baby related) so I went onto venlafaxine. Though I didn't want to take anything in a way, I knew I had to in the same way I would take any other prescribed/recommended drug for any other illness.
I also saw a shrink which was like a nice chat where I could offload so to speak and on his recommendation I had cognitive therapy which I think was fantastic.
I think the combination (and luckily the support of family and friends) of ad's and cognitive therapy really helped. I will say though that the cause of the stress/depression needs to be eliminated too.