Depression.

Lets all go to truth (copa included), im sure at one point, sometime in my past, I had a night there of fun without regret
 
Don't do that. It all plays on the subconscious.

self deprecating jokes are to be avoided too


Easier said than done.....

Agreed

Copa maybe you give us an update:

Like what have you been changing, what exercises have you been practicing? I should say what are you actively doing to change your negative frame of mind?
 
About self deprecating jokes.... Why is it so hard for people to avoid these kinds of jokes?

My new years resolution is to avoid joking in any form at someone else's expense. That includes posting typical memes and 'demotivationals' that rip real people off if you know what I mean. Do unto others...

So feel free to pick me out when I fail :)

Sarcasm is another horrible habit I'm determined to break.
 
maybe we can convince the mods to ban copa for a week every time he posts something negative about himself...

:D
 
In an attempt to help someone who stumbles across this thread and has a :wtf: moment, I thought I'd take the liberty of wading through the last 30 pages and requoting relevant posts..........and I failed miserably :D .
So here is a link to a site that can help someone understand this illness better.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/what-is-depression.shtml
Let me just add that it's important to be able to distinguish between mild, moderate and major depression. Mild and moderate depression can mimic the symptoms of major depression, but will not respond well to antidepressants. Case studies have shown that mild and moderate depression respond well to therapy alone. Further, it is important to be diagnosed by a mental health specialist and not your GP. There are certain criteria that mental health specialists check for, and your treatment will depend on that.
 
About self deprecating jokes.... Why is it so hard for people to avoid these kinds of jokes?

My new years resolution is to avoid joking in any form at someone else's expense. That includes posting typical memes and 'demotivationals' that rip real people off if you know what I mean. Do unto others...

So feel free to pick me out when I fail :)

Sarcasm is another horrible habit I'm determined to break.

Just remember to add the smileys ;):p
 
In an attempt to help someone who stumbles across this thread and has a :wtf: moment, I thought I'd take the liberty of wading through the last 30 pages and requoting relevant posts..........and I failed miserably :D .
So here is a link to a site that can help someone understand this illness better.
http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/depression/what-is-depression.shtml
Let me just add that it's important to be able to distinguish between mild, moderate and major depression. Mild and moderate depression can mimic the symptoms of major depression, but will not respond well to antidepressants. Case studies have shown that mild and moderate depression respond well to therapy alone. Further, it is important to be diagnosed by a mental health specialist and not your GP. There are certain criteria that mental health specialists check for, and your treatment will depend on that.

You really should be linking people to CBT therapy sites as well, they use both positive mindset and drugs should they be needed. They still use the positive stuff while giving the patient the drugs they require.

http://www.cognitive-behaviour-therapy.co.za/

Not very big in SA but people also need to look into that before anything else just to be sure they are getting the best possible treatment.
 
You really should be linking people to CBT therapy sites as well, they use both positive mindset and drugs should they be needed. They still use the positive stuff while giving the patient the drugs they require.

http://www.cognitive-behaviour-therapy.co.za/

Not very big in SA but people also look into that before anything else just to be sure they are getting the best possible treatment.
The link I posted has information about CBT.
 
Oooh just the thought of Truth gives me goose bumps. Yeah I remember partying with you and morgan and that crazy blonde in the toilet and the DJ booth. What the hell, madness.



What do you mean by that you're coming too. Hehehe

We must arrange this sometime. Can finally prove to killa who I am. He still doesn't believe me...:D


Back OT:
As someone who is diagnosed bi-polar, the best thing I ever did was get onto Seroquel and Lamictin. It has no really adverse side-effects apart from an incredibly dry mouth in the mornings, but it really has calmed me down, made me less volatile in my moods and I don't hit those deep lows that I used to. I went off them for a while thinking I could also do the positive thinking thing, and reverted back to type. It simply isn't worth it.

I still have fun, but I don't take the risks I used to and I feel, in general, far happier than ever before...
 
So let me get this straight... copa has gone cold turkey off his meds as opposed to winding down slowly?
 
So let me get this straight... copa has gone cold turkey off his meds as opposed to winding down slowly?

Yup but i think it is mostly due to his financial situation partly as well, i am not sure what he has stopped entirely and what he hasn't. Updates are not happening. He is trying to get off nicotine, wheat, anti pressants all at once last i heard which he has tried prior to this debate but until he updates us we are kinda in the dark hey.

Dj we spoke over pm i think we can leave it there. I am not on a witch hunt so relax :D. As for copa i dunno hey he is trying to get off so many things, nicotine is a big one though but last i heard he sounds much more positive, making jokes and what not so things must be going pretty well. We will just have to wait his update.
 
Let me just add that it's important to be able to distinguish between mild, moderate and major depression.

I could tell you about a certain medication that put me into a depressed state and if I didn't understand a bit about depression or research the drug, I would have thought I was losing my mind...being unhappy and angry about everything . I also agree that doctor's are negligent when prescribing meds. Having read about how difficult it is to get a doctor to prescribe this drug, I went to him with a whole spiel ready to convince him to prescribe it. He just handed me the script with no blood tests or any of the other tests required done, and told me the only side effects were that it would probably keep me awake.
 
I could tell you about a certain medication that put me into a depressed state and if I didn't understand a bit about depression or research the drug, I would have thought I was losing my mind...being unhappy for no reason. I also agree that doctor's are negilgent when prescribing meds. Having read about how difficult it is to get a doctor to prescribe this drug, I went to him with a whole spiel ready to convince him to prescribe it. He just handed me the script with no blood tests or any of the other tests required done, and told me the only side effects were that it would probably keep me awake.

Welcome to the real world of depression where meds are handed out upon request. It's a sad industry that destroys many people with meds they may or not may not need.

It needs to be regulated better but right now you go in have a chit chat and walk out with drugs and a diagnosis. Was it a GP?
 
This is something I've learned from experience.
No matter how much love and support we give them,only the people who suffer from clinical depression can overcome their own illness ...and when people like us, who haven't suffered the debilitating disease, insist that they can overcome their depression and start giving all kinds of helpful advice which works for us, it adds to their stress...because it's not easy for someone with clinical depression to just 'get over it'. By all means, give them love and support, just don't smother them or take their illness lightly...and while i'm dispensing advice :p ...get rid of the mindset you have that people who take antidepressants are taking the easy and lazy route, as well as the idea that people who suffer from depression enjoy wallowing in their misery. From what I've seen, some people who suffer with clinical depression will do almost anything to escape their misery. Having said that, I do realise there are people who have a depressed or emo personality who certainly do wallow in self-pity.

I'm sure Copa is at a point where he understands his illness and will not be stressed (and honest to God,I admire that man's restraint in this thread :D if anyone deserves a Bells...), but this is just something to remember if you have loved ones who are suffering from clinical depression and who are not receiving treatment or are in the early stages of treatment. Making an attempt to understand their illness will also go a long way towards helping them.

@ Copa...I came across this on a site and although I read it as advice for preventing a recurrence of mild to moderate depression, I still thought it was worth quoting...( had to say that before someone starts touting positivity alone again ;):p)

The key to prevent depression is to develop a realistic, intrinsic and strong sense of personal worth. If you feel valued and adequate within yourself as a person you would have a robust self to fight adverse experiences. Developing one close relationship where you can share everything and feel understood and loved for who you are adds to psychological strength. Interpreting failure experiences in a more rational manner (‘I failed in my exam’ rather than saying ‘I’m a failure’) and reminding yourself of your positive attributes can go a long way. However, if despite this you continue to feel depressed do not shy away from consulting a psychologist.




/I sincerely hope no one here takes umbrage at anything I've said and feels compelled to start up the circus again...and no, I don't enjoy preaching or climbing up on my soapbox, but the more we discuss depression and share experiences ,the bigger the step we take towards possibly removing the stigmatism attached to mental health. This is something I'm really passionate about and I can absolutely lose it when confronted with people who are ignorant (don't understand) and label sufferers of clinical depression 'emotionally and mentally weak'. I've been tempted to bash people over the head with objects lying nearby :D
 
I could tell you about a certain medication that put me into a depressed state and if I didn't understand a bit about depression or research the drug, I would have thought I was losing my mind...being unhappy and angry about everything . I also agree that doctor's are negligent when prescribing meds. Having read about how difficult it is to get a doctor to prescribe this drug, I went to him with a whole spiel ready to convince him to prescribe it. He just handed me the script with no blood tests or any of the other tests required done, and told me the only side effects were that it would probably keep me awake.

I can relate been on numerous drugs that were not necessary and which they neglected to inform about the side effects. The last was a "vitamin" like "booster" drip that almost had me pushing up daisies I went so far off the deep end. Turns out it's a drug for stroke patients :rolleyes: Certainly more powerful than anything Killa or Velenso ever sampled I'm sure.

A shrink also considered an anti pyscotic drug as an "experiment" based solely on the advice of a doc who said I couldn't possibly be as sick as I claimed the "science" said otherwise. The same doc who originally put the symptoms down to the one condition I did have despite not being recognized as common symptoms for it, then side effects to the meds despite having the symptoms before ever taking them etc. Both would later change minds again.

There is simply no accountability at all. We've seen what that has done too politics in this country. So to the medical "profession".



/I sincerely hope no one here takes umbrage at anything I've said and feels compelled to start up the circus again...and no, I don't enjoy preaching or climbing up on my soapbox, but the more we discuss depression and share experiences ,the bigger the step we take towards possibly removing the stigmatism attached to mental health. This is something I'm really passionate about and I can absolutely lose it when confronted with people who are ignorant (don't understand) and label sufferers of clinical depression 'emotionally and mentally weak'. I've been tempted to bash people over the head with objects lying nearby :D

In fact they are the strongest and bravest people you're likely to find. Not only do they have to confront their crippling illness, prejudice, stigma and abuse but also work and support their families. Often a battle they fight alone.
 
Nobody has shouted positive only though, we have just said be positive whether on meds or not. Rather look at the world positively tha negatively and you can be positive while on drugs.
 
Personally I think people with depression are people who does not have faith & religion and have lost hope.

Unfortunately people who are not religious have nothing to hold on to when things really go wrong.

Depression is very much a dangerous disease. And I have noticed that a high proportion of religious folk suffer from depression.
 
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