Feeling mentally "delicate" after depression

[wigglybeezer]

I have ostensibly recovered from my latest bout of depression and am fairly contented most of the time, although not the life and soul of the part, but still can't face anything too challenging or stimulating or contemplate full-time work or retraining. I almost feel as if my intellect has been blunted. Does anyone else feel like this? I am not on any medication by the way.

Do you think medication may help.

Why not do a simple course to boost your self confidence. An easy one for me would be computers, for you it may be a cooking class.

Hmm depression is a very nasty illness and I think can have an adverse effect on our self esteem (that's certainly been the case for me) A very wise consultant psychiatrist said to me many years ago "don't do anything that's an ordeal.........." but times have changed and nowadays I think we're more likely to be encouraged to "get on with life" - so I don't know really. I'm retired so don't have to worry about work but I know that my life has changed quite a lot - I still have intermittent depression but am on meds, but I've become more introverted even though I'm an extravert by nature and I shy away from things that I'd have done without a second thought in the past.

I think you just need to "go with the flow" and do what you feel you can without pushing yourself too much.

yes, I have felt 'delicate' as you put it too, and vulnerable, afterwards. I think it passes slowly over time. my Gp seemed to understand, so it may be quite usual after depression. and yes, I didn't feel like taking on too much either. Good wishes.

I'm in a similar position wiggly and my psychiatrist has told me to try and do things which give to me more than they take from me iykwim. I feel my intellect has been affected. I have an MSc and all sorts of qualifications I couldn't imagine doing now.

Thanks for all the replies, good to know I am not unique in this, it is difficult to save energy for activities when life has a habit of using up your reserves, so far this year we have had a child badly injured and left with permanent physical damage, major house restoration, a teen crashing and burning his exams and a teen with Aspergers being bullied at school. I coped with all this (and infact slept better than usual in hospital with DS2) but my energy levels and memory are rubbish and when I try to achieve something that uses my brain or skills (to help boost esteem etc.) I don't get very far!

I think that's more than enough for any one person - your brain is fully occupied! Maybe go easier on yourself - you don't have to recover/cope either perfectly immediately