Talk to me about mental health and medication please.

[beaniesteve]

When do you know the time is right to seek medication for depression/moods/mental health?

I am wondering if I am such a bad person that I bring other people down or if perhaps I am just so depressed by the things and people in my life that it is making me into a negative person. What came first? Am I negative person or has my life experience made me one? Am I putting a downer on everything or am I down because of everything.

It's getting to the point now where I am having so many moments of absolute misery and am taking it out on other people close to me, that I feel like it is my mind which is wrong.

I have always thought too much but in the last 2 years I have escaped from a bad relationship and started a new one. I had a particularly tough 10 months living with the ex and when I got through all that I went to see a counsellor for a few sessions. Really it was just to help me make the transition from my old life to new as I was aware that after 12 years in a relationship (the last 6 quite bad) I had put up a lot of barriers which needed to be broken down for me to feel comfortable in my new relationship. The counsellor and I agreed after 4 sessions that I really just needed to realise that I was allowed to be happy and that I needed to stop trying to control things.

However I seem to have now slipped into a cycle of very bad behaviour where I rant and rave, I am anxious and worried and I am quite accusing. I have always been a strong person who likes to think she can cope with everything but I am clearly not coping at all at the moment and am often tearful and self-pitying.

I have always been very against things like Prozac and other AD but am now getting myself into such a tangle that I wonder if there is some kind of chemical imbalance which could be addressed through prescribed ADs.

One problem I have is that I am TTC. I am fairly sure that the stress of this (it's been 10 months) is contributing to my moods and I am worried about taking ADs if I want to have children, on the other hand I am worried that if I don't I will be a sh*t parent and a shit partner.

I am so negative about everything and yet I see myself as a glass half full person, I'm clearly not one though. I can't work out if it's anxiety and worry (irrational) or if I am actually genuinely entitled to be feeling the way I do.

CAn anyone talk me through their experience please?

bump

Think it might be a good idea to go and have a chat with your GP. Stress can adversely affect serotonin levels and low serotonin levels are associated with depression. From wehat you describe - i.e. irritability, tearfulness, anxiety, it is very possible that you are depressed and that an AD may help. Not ideal TTC whilst on an antidepressant (although some are safe in pregnancy). Being pregnant / having a baby can be very stressful at times (as I am sure you know) so if you are already feeling stressed, would it be better to perhaps wait until you are feeling a bit less stressed before trying? You might only need to be on the ADs (if you are prescribed them) for 6 months or so, and if they are effective, then you would be in a much better position mental health wise TTC in 8 months or so and would probably cope better and enjoy the pregnancy more. HTH

thank you

I have sat down with my OH tonight and had a long talk and realise my self esteem is rock bottom. I am old (38) nd with someone I really want kids with so there's a bit of pressure but I am going to try to do more excercise and then see how I go.

I share your concern about AD's. I just see them as pasting over the cracks and not getting to the root cause of things. This is purely a personal point of view and I know that they work for many many people but for me they scare me, particularly as I like you would love to conceive. I've done some research and I have found this brilliant book called Taming the Black Dog by Patrick Ellverton. It's really practical and he's obviously suffered from it himself in the past. It's not academic and it's not too touchy feely either. Have a look at it. I feel for you.

Thank you. I'll get a copy.
My sister is prescribed ADs and I really don't want to go down that route but I am struggling to work out wen it is absolutely necessary for a person.

beanie i have had such dark depression that i have had 2 spells in a Psychiatric Hospital.
In my opinion medication isnt the answer.

Yes,i still get dark days but get through the day somehow.
I do not take any medication and refuse any suggested.

The tablet doesnt solve the problem

Thanks Notasheep

Did you get counselling? I tried it but it really wasn't for me, then again I didn't really click with the woman I went to see, I felt like she was almost bored of my talking.

I have had one period of fepression over 13 years ago, where I spoke to my doctor about ADs and he said he thought they would not be a good idea for me then.

Beaniesteve, I really identified with your idea that you 'think too much'. So do I. All the time; so much so that it used to actually stop me from doing anything most of the time. I live inside my head, rather than the real world, I think.

I am on 2-a-day Prozac and it has been amazing for me. I feel calm and happy, whereas before I was a tortured soul sort of person. Anxious about everything. I can't tell you how much AD's have improved my outlook on life, where cbt and counselling didn't help at all.

Just trying to give you another view. I'm not saying go for the drugs if you're TTC, but they can do marvellous things sometimes.

Beanie- I had Psychotherapy.You DO need to get on with who ever you are talking to.Mine was a very calm,patient man.

You may get to the root of the problem,I did.

I wish you well and happiness

My thinking too much means that I feel like when I am in unfamiliar situatons or with people I don't feel comfortable with (I mean social situations not work ones where I know what I need to be doing) I basically am three steps ahead in my thinking and I'm not spontaneous. I can't be natural because I am always thinking about what the best way to say something is, or very aware of what is going on around me. This also means I pre-empt everything everyone else is doing or about to say and so obviously I interpret things in completely the wrong way or I make massive assumptions or read into what they have said.

I also spend far to much time analysing absolutely everything all the time. Specially at night! Analysing, criticising, getting upset...

Basically I need to turn that off somehow but I am scared of doing it at the expense of the thoughts I do think are useful.