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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

Can we have a support thread for us with depressed dp's please.....

3 replies

bonniefromboot · 22/04/2008 09:49

I'm sure there must be other people out there in my situation. Basically dh suffering from depression for last 2 1/2 years. All came to head about a year ago and I managed to get him to go and ask for help.
Has been taking AD's since then and now coming off them. Withdrawl effects are horrible, like being back at square one. Horrendous mood swings, massive highs then crashing lows...
His way of dealing with it is to argue with me and then I'm the one left feeling upset.
It is so hard. I know it is an illness and not his fault BUT how much can one person sit back and watch thier loved ones suffer like this and take all the anger etc...

OP posts:
Twoddle · 22/04/2008 12:27

bonniefromboot, just wanted to send ((( hugs )))

A good idea to set up a support thread for this, as I know how hard it can be.

My now ex-partner had winter depressions for a number of years before experiencing his first high in 2006, and then another last autumn following a six-month, worst-yet depression.

For the first few months of his worst-ever depression, I was really supportive, nurturing. But after a while, I became more and more impatient. I knew he couldn't help it, but he didn't seem to be doing anything about it, and that angered me. It was having repercussions on family life - he didn't want to do anything with us, complained about everything domestic from washing-up to fixing a broken fence. He managed to make the first sunny Spring day feel miserable. It was draining. And he would sleep in most mornings until almost lunch time (he didn't work for six months), no matter how difficult a night I might have had with ds, or if people came over.

My ex then went way up again, behaved like he didn't need us in his life, and like a philandering loon. Why am I half-willing to try again?! I dunno.

Anyway, I do feel for you. There is the whole for-better-or-worse thing, I realise that. But I suppose you need to be able to honour that and be self-respecting and if coping with literally years of your husband's anger and mood swings and argumentativeness is required ... well, that's a tall order.

Why has he come off the antidepressants by the way? Has he ever tried high doses of EPA (a specific type of fish oil)?

bonniefromboot · 22/04/2008 23:29

Hi Twoddle
thanks for your message, was starting to think it was just me!!
He has decided to come of the AD's because he now feels ready to cope on his own. I am really proud of him because of this. And I suppose I'm feeling sorry for myself because he is now experiencing the withdrawl which is tough even when you wean off them slowly....
you made me laugh saying it's a tall order to live with the highs and lows! It really is a tall order. I never knew when I first met him that he had a tendency towards depression. In fact I only found out he had suffered from it before when we moved doctors recently and our gp printed out his recent case notes for him to pass on to the new gp straight away. I had a look and it said that he had 2 failed suicide attempts when he was younger. I was so upset by that and persuaded him to talk about it etc... I don't think he would do it again, he has grown up since then and moved on.
Sorry to drivel on so much, but the hardest thing for me is to watch him. I guess I am really lucky and I have never suffered from any type of illness. I feel like such a cruel cow when I want to shout at him, for gods sake get out of bed, don't you think I want to stay in bed all day, but I can't, I have the kids to look after and work to do, so I have to force myself to get up and get over it. It's so hard to resist the temptation to say that sometimes.

OP posts:
AttilaTheMeerkat · 23/04/2008 10:16

Was wondering if any of you had heard of Depression Alliance as they can help depressed people along with their families.

www.depressionalliance.org

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