Dealing with depression

I have a friend on anti-depressants. It's worked wonders for him, though there are side effects. dry mouth stuff like that- nothing too serious. He's a researcher for a major company- highly intelligent and it hasn't hindered his work at all. Quite the opposite, he now has the energy to do his work properly.
 
The problem is one becomes reliant on the pills. I think there is definitely a place for certain medication depending on the problem, but most of the time they do more harm than good. It's like a false sense of something, which often can be sorted out with other means.

This is a pretty generalized statement. The point is, when medication is necessary, it's totally necessary, believe me.

Regarding becoming dependent on the pills, I disagree for the most part. Compare wanting to kill yourself, and lying around moping all day VS taking a pill, and having the drive to actually get some **** done.

Which is going to be healthier for the individual and the society? The best option would be to use the medication to kickstart your wellbeing, and get off it once you have made positive changes, but some people are just ****ed and need chemical help. I am one of them, so I know what I am talking about.

*edit*

Talking specifically about AD's though - Tranqs are a huge problem, that's serious ****, those.
 
Very hard to reason with people, but it sounds like you need to chat with your dad without either of you getting hot headed... Try setup a meeting and explain to him as you have above, let him know it's putting a stress on your home life etc as best your can. Not easy to do but it sounds like that's the most complex relationship that's bring up the troubles. In the end explain to him that you are trying to make both you and him more happy, and that you would like to have a better business relationship with him!

working with family is always a problem. good luck OP
 
The best option would be to use the medication to kickstart your wellbeing, and get off it once you have made positive changes, but some people are just ****ed and need chemical help. I am one of them, so I know what I am talking about.

+1
 
Well if your brain is screwed then sure you may need medication, But I think in many cases it is a simple treatment to a more complicated issue. Psychiatrists and doctors prescribe the stuff left right and center.
 
You want to run this business successfully? Then google strategic business positioning.. Google competitive advantage.
Get a business case together that's stronger than your dad's...

He wants you out.. Are you the better person to run this butchery? If not - suck it up or move on... If so, take your place.. Every alpha male needs to move on sometime... IF needs be, wait it out, and don't be his bitch, let him do the firing he wants...
 
make him buy you out. tell him straight out he is the problem and you can no longer carry on. he has had his "life" as such and his kids are grown up now. you have your kids to sort out so you are going to move on to greener pastures where you are going to be happier. put it all in a document and tell him to sign. maybe you making him buy you out will open his eyes and he will realise he can't do this without you.
 
:D Sorry for that, it just came all bubbly out. I know I have to see the positive in all this, but hell it's so difficult. I dont want to pin point all of this to my dad, there is many other factors as well. But hell my dad makes my life difficult.

As manager, I'm responsible for the workplace health and safety, which includes a lot of safety rules. Then I start getting it all in order, it's a big butchery, so there's a lot of dangerous machinery, and all of this takes time. Then some stupid machine breaks, and I must repair it, because its too expensive to get someone to do it, and when he managed the butchery, he did it. Then I start with the health and safety act again, then I needs to sort out something about our clocking system first, my mother just say she dont want to know how to maintain it, so I needs to do it. Then I must attend union meetings. I want to help the staff with their complaints, my dad says no, we wont, so in their eyes, I'm the pig. Then my dad needs someone to sort out an employee he doesn't like, guess who must be the pig? Then this employee resigns, and even her parents phoned me, telling me how bad person i am. I can not tell them the truth that it wasn't me, because then my dad is cross with me again, and we fight again.

This butchery also have a "kitchen department" as we call it. There they bake all kinds of lekker cakes and eats. I know that that department have much potential to grow, he says no. He always tells me how bad the butchery side of things are. If he goes on holiday, all the problems I need to sort out, is in his kitchen.

And so I can go on and on. My wife also works with me, admin department, and she also has to go through all of this.

A year ago I made my dad an offer to buy his share of the business, so he can retire. Then he went on about how I just want to force him out, and it was his dream too to have such a business, etc etc. So I am really in a catch 22 situation, and wish I had a plan. When some day he retire, I know things will change, 90 % of the employees is also behind me and my wife. Then I can get someone to help me too.

**** dude I feel for you it seems like a really tough situation. My worry would be if you stick it out till the day he retires you might end up just as miserable as your father.
 
jacqvt, really sorry to hear about your situation. I've also gone through a very serious depression and it was the most painful and difficult thing in my life. I'm rooting for you dude, 100%. Just got to remember that it can be dealt with and you can get out of it.

There is some really good advice here, especially about going to see a professional (NOT a GP and NOT a psychiatrist!). A psychologist is good, but for your situation I would like to suggest a clinical social worker (please note that this is very very different to they stereotypical community social worker). They will be able to do in depth self analysis just like a psychologist would, but they also have lots lots more training in factoring external factors (like your family and work environments) into treatment. I know first hand that their methodologies focus very much on action and results and not just endlessly talking about your feelings like so many psychologists do sadly. (Don't want to generalize, do acknowledge that there are some really good psychologists out there)

But the above is just a possible option and actually may not be the best for you, or you might not have a good clinical social worker in your area. Do your research and keep learning so you can make good decisions on how to make progress away from the depression.

Also Copa is correct about the drugs. They can be very useful and helpful if used appropriately and in consultation with a professional. Just be careful of the ones that just want to push you onto the drugs without addressing the root cause of the depression.
 
Also Copa is correct about the drugs. They can be very useful and helpful if used appropriately and in consultation with a professional. Just be careful of the ones that just want to push you onto the drugs without addressing the root cause of the depression.

I must point out that my path to medication was precisely this route - My GP just said 'take this you idiot' (paraphrasing), and I did because I was at my wit's end.

However, I made sure I knew what I was taking, and why.

At the end of the day, if you are going to put powerful psychiatric drugs into your body, there is a wealth of information at anyone's fingertips to help you make a decision. Never leave it in the hands of any one 'professional'.

The fact that this **** is indeed handed out like candy is precisely why you must educate yourself.
 
You want to run this business successfully? Then google strategic business positioning.. Google competitive advantage.
Get a business case together that's stronger than your dad's...

He wants you out.. Are you the better person to run this butchery? If not - suck it up or move on... If so, take your place.. Every alpha male needs to move on sometime... IF needs be, wait it out, and don't be his bitch, let him do the firing he wants...
Thing is, he knows that he cant do it on his own again. He has all the experience, but never put the experience together to actually make a success. He knows all the facts and figures of this trade through the years of experience. But boy oh boy, he has too many schemes. And while I think about something over and over to know that it will works, or whatever, he just do it, stuffing up most of the times.

make him buy you out. tell him straight out he is the problem and you can no longer carry on. he has had his "life" as such and his kids are grown up now. you have your kids to sort out so you are going to move on to greener pastures where you are going to be happier. put it all in a document and tell him to sign. maybe you making him buy you out will open his eyes and he will realise he can't do this without you.
I tried that too before. Thing is, when he takes over again, first of all many of the key personell will leave, that I know for a fact. Then secondly he can not work with money, like originizing his financial life. So financially he will start suffering. So what will happen in the end, I wont get my money and I will be stuffed. There is also debt for the business that I also signed surety for. So I will also be nailed if he goes down.

**** dude I feel for you it seems like a really tough situation. My worry would be if you stick it out till the day he retires you might end up just as miserable as your father.
Me and my wife have spoken about this exact same thing this weekend.
 
Very hard to reason with people, but it sounds like you need to chat with your dad without either of you getting hot headed... Try setup a meeting and explain to him as you have above, let him know it's putting a stress on your home life etc as best your can. Not easy to do but it sounds like that's the most complex relationship that's bring up the troubles. In the end explain to him that you are trying to make both you and him more happy, and that you would like to have a better business relationship with him!

Some really good advice there !

IMO it seems that you've managed to get yourself into a bad situation and just need to find a way to get out of it. Pills are not going to help. You're probably feeling the stress now because the situation has been going on so long. Almost always, when it comes to working with family, there are going to be problems. If you don't make some changes soon, you probably will be heading towards depression.
 
Well if your brain is screwed then sure you may need medication, But I think in many cases it is a simple treatment to a more complicated issue. Psychiatrists and doctors prescribe the stuff left right and center.

I agree with you. Very often we look for the easiest solution. Need to lose weight? Pop a pill. Need to cheer up? Pop a pill.
 
Depression can be greatly helped by pills, and it pisses me the **** off when people say otherwise -
I concur.

People should really educate themselves about depression before making comments that antidepressants are not the way to go. There are many different types of depression. Antidepressants are not prescribed or required in all cases. Simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in someone's wellbeing.

Others have no idea how someone with clinical depression feels. With the stigma attached to depression, it takes a very brave person to come right out and say "I suffer from depression and take antidepressants to cope ". Peoples belittling comments on antidepressants have many people who need them, choosing not to take them.
 
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People should really educate themselves about depression before making comments that antidepressants are not the way to go. There are many different types of depression. Antidepressants are not prescribed or required in all cases. Simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in someone's wellbeing.

But you just agreed...
 
After a few years of which I think I have depression, I really think I have to do something about it. Like many people, I thought I can handle it without help, but I think I've had enough. I have a lovely wife and 2 gourgeous children. Today I thought, hell so many people I know would kill for what I have, but still I cant seem to get myself to smile. At work I'm the moaning one, so many times loosing my temper so bad, and at home too. And I really do not want to be like this. I want to be a loving husband, and loving dad.

Why I always steered away from pills, is my parents are both on anti-depressants, Cylift, and I have seen them both getting older very quickly. I'm Afrikaans, so bear with me explaining. My mom was always on top of things, remembering everything from telephone numbers, right down to their bank balance, and my dad the same. My dad is always complaining that hes so tired, sleeping their weekends through, etc etc. So one day I mentioned this to a doctor, because it worried me about my mom especially. he told me that every anti depressant will eventually suppress your brain, hope I explain myself good? Thus leaving you forgetting easily, feeling tired, not mentally so sharp, and so on. Is this true?

So if I want help, where do one start? Normal gp, shrink?

Thanks

Do I remember correctly that your kids are still very young? It could be postnatal depression on your side.
 
I concur.

People should really educate themselves about depression before making comments that antidepressants are not the way to go. There are many different types of depression. Antidepressants are not prescribed or required in all cases. Simple lifestyle changes can make a huge difference in someone's wellbeing.

Others have no idea how someone with clinical depression feels. With the stigma attached to depression, it takes a very brave person to come right out and say "I suffer from depression and take antidepressants to cope ". Peoples belittling comments on antidepressants have many people who need them, choosing not to take them.

Yep. :)
 
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