Depression.

The Voice said:
So I’ve struggled with sciatica for the last 9 months (was basically crawling around because I couldn’t walk at a stage). I was put on a nerve blocker called pregabalin. It’s basically anxiety/epilepsy medication they figured out can also block nerve pain by disrupting the signals to the brain. Didn’t work all that well, but because of my history I eventually decided I needed to get off it when I started having suicidal thoughts: one of the side effects, it seems. I was on 600mg at the time, and had to wean myself off it because it’s apparently also highly addictive (I found that out the hard way when I tried going from 150mg to zero and nearly went of my head).

I was then put on its cousin, gabapentin, and wouldn’t you know it, it hasn’t worked, either, and depression has started creeping in, so I’m currently weaning off it, too.

Having survived my clinical depression, I’d rather just live with the pain I’m in until I can get an injection from the pain clinic.

Makes you wonder, though, how many other pharmaceuticals actually make people depressed without them realising it?
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Thanks for sharing.
 
Jings said:
Well I do know him and he's moved past a lot of issues in his life. When he's feeling good though his mood changes and negative thoughts creep in.
His mother also seemed to suffer from depression although she didn't seek treatment for mental illness except for the time she had PMC after a short hospital stay. Also a brother who has regular depressive episodes, lives with their sister. His sister and other brother have fortunately not been affected by depression. Not that they didn't have reason because each have had their fair share of battles in life.
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Could be a lot of things that trigger it, in his present environment. Might be worth paying attention to what happens when he is depressed and he moves completely out of his present environment.

For example when he's depressed and you need him to go with you somewhere he's never been before to collect something... a shop or something.

But must be as different as possible. If it lifts for as long as he is out of that environment, you will then know at least it is worth focusing on that as a potential solution.

Sorry, it can be like finding a needle in a haystack. These things have a cause though. They don't just happen on their own.
 
I once witnessed someone go into a state in which he switched from being an adult to a baby.

Like literally flipping a switch. As though he were literally 8 or 9 months old.

It was surreal. And there were a bunch of us who witnessed it. And his wife was sitting next to him at the time, obviously upset/embarrassed but it was perhaps 2 mins and he snapped out of it just as easily as he went into it.

And he had absolutely no idea what had just happened. Zero... he acted normally but with no idea what we had all just witnessed.

It was as though he had been given a hypnotic command, and he was being the chicken on stage, but instead it was being the baby slouched back in the chair. No awareness of the transition in himself whatsoever.
 
lexity said:
Could be a lot of things that trigger it, in his present environment. Might be worth paying attention to what happens when he is depressed and he moves completely out of his present environment.

For example when he's depressed and you need him to go with you somewhere he's never been before to collect something... a shop or something.

But must be as different as possible. If it lifts for as long as he is out of that environment, you will then know at least it is worth focusing on that as a potential solution.

Sorry, it can be like finding a needle in a haystack. These things have a cause though. They don't just happen on their own.
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Change of environment doesn't change anything. Have you ever been away on a holiday with someone who's feeling depressed?
 
Jings said:
Change of environment doesn't change anything. Have you ever been away on a holiday with someone who's feeling depressed?
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I'd hazard a guess that lexity is one of those 'oh just cheer up' types.

Zero actual experience with chronic depression and how dibilitating it can be for a person.
 
Jesus, this Lexity dude has no idea. Just another keyboard warrior who knows how to use google. I bet you’ve never seen someone else die, in person, see one of your friends get shot to death, another getting his head squashed by a car, the list goes on. Putting a gun to your head at 7 years old. ****, there are things that cannot be fixed, or remedied by some wellbeing bullshit. There is a point of no return.
 
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Jings said:
Change of environment doesn't change anything. Have you ever been away on a holiday with someone who's feeling depressed?
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I know how many variables there are to change. So by 'complete' change, I wasn't suggesting you could tick every box.

Not everyone is the same. Most cases people miss the obvious stuff. This is a fact.

They then turn to hard-core drugs... like putting your head in a vice, turning the handle until they hear a crack, and then expect relief.

Rule #1: First Do No Harm.

You think you have to try something, when you are that desperate, but you forget that you yourself as the 'helper' cannot think straight when you are that desperate. When you act out of desperation, people are unknowingly self-treating, rather than actually being much help to their suffering family member.
 
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ToxicBunny said:
I'd hazard a guess that lexity is one of those 'oh just cheer up' types.

Zero actual experience with chronic depression and how dibilitating it can be for a person.
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I'd hazard a guess that you are one of those unless my doctor has cancer, like me, he cannot help me, types.

Zero actual experience with cancer and how painful it can be for the person.

Read Jings' posts... she tried several times over the years with professionals. With all their experience, they could not help and possibly made things worse. He could actually be lucky to be alive after all that.

People forget, you are the one who is not depressed.... as such you are the stable point that person has to hold on to. Not some professional who knows didly squat about that person's personal life.

Assuming it can't possibly get any worse if I put my family member's head in a vice and squeeze.... or fingers in a socket i.e. ECT. is just barbaric.
 
ToxicBunny said:
I'd hazard a guess that lexity is one of those 'oh just cheer up' types.

Zero actual experience with chronic depression and how dibilitating it can be for a person.
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If only it were as simple as 'oh just cheer up.

Many a day is a challenge and takes a lot of effort to function while not in control of emotions.
 
lexity said:
I know how many variables there are to change. So by 'complete' change, I wasn't suggesting you could tick every box.

Not everyone is the same. Most cases people miss the obvious stuff. This is a fact.

They then turn to hard-core drugs... like putting your head in a vice, turning the handle until they hear a crack, and then expect relief.

Rule #1: First Do No Harm.

You think you have to try something, when you are that desperate, but you forget that you yourself as the 'helper' cannot think straight when you are that desperate. When you act out of desperation, people are unknowingly self-treating, rather than actually being much help to their suffering family member.
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At his lowest points I was fortunate enough to have foresight, and think swiftly and rationally, and make decisions on his behalf that he couldn't at the time, and he has expressed his gratitude on many occasions.

Do you have any experience assisting someone who's depressed but reluctant to get treatment again because it hasn't previously worked?
 
lexity said:
Yes. I have some personal experience.

Although, I was the one they acknowledged was the sensible one, as I warned them 2 decades previously i.e. about the knee-jerk response, and naively thinking psychiatry was a bona-fide medical specialty.

Put it this way, if we had a free market in counseling i.e. no State intervention, we may well have made some actual progress in the field a long time ago. That's my view
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Well as long as you're not getting to religion being the answer to treat or cure depression because it doesn't. My SO's first stint in rehab comprised of detox, prayers, bible quotes and literature that contained very little good practical advise. They made no effort to equip him with the life skills needed to adapt to being sober.
 
lexity said:
Yes. I have some personal experience.

Although, I was the one they acknowledged was the sensible one, as I warned them 2 decades previously i.e. about the knee-jerk response, and naively thinking psychiatry was a bona-fide medical specialty.

Put it this way, if we had a free market in counseling i.e. no State intervention, we may well have made some actual progress in the field a long time ago. That's my view
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So not so much the guy assisting someone that was reluctant to get treatment, but more the guy encouraging him not to get treatment?

I somehow would not be surprised.
 
Jings said:
Well as long as you're not getting to religion being the answer to treat or cure depression because it doesn't. My SO's first stint in rehab comprised of detox, prayers, bible quotes and literature that contained very little good practical advise. They made no effort to equip him with the life skills needed to adapt to being sober.
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Sounds like a well-known 12-step program.
 
lexity said:
I'd hazard a guess that you are one of those unless my doctor has cancer, like me, he cannot help me, types.

Zero actual experience with cancer and how painful it can be for the person.

Read Jings' posts... she tried several times over the years with professionals. With all their experience, they could not help and possibly made things worse. He could actually be lucky to be alive after all that.

People forget, you are the one who is not depressed.... as such you are the stable point that person has to hold on to. Not some professional who knows didly squat about that person's personal life.

Assuming it can't possibly get any worse if I put my family member's head in a vice and squeeze.... or fingers in a socket i.e. ECT. is just barbaric.
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I am sorry - it doesn't matter how stable your friends or family are, or how many people care about you and love you. If you are suicidal none of that matters. And depression is close to suicide but not all depressed people take their lives. Some become reckless in the hope that their life will be taken - and are not able to think of the danger they pose to other people. Depression cannot be changed by diet and exercise - well not most of them. Not even logic and determination can help. Sometimes you just cannot. Cannot get out of bed, cannot eat, cannot deal with other people, cannot leave the house.

Sometimes it is your situation that causes the depression, but in most cases, it is difficult to determine the cause. So making changes is a distraction at best.
 
TribbleZA said:
I am sorry - it doesn't matter how stable your friends or family are, or how many people care about you and love you. If you are suicidal none of that matters. And depression is close to suicide but not all depressed people take their lives. Some become reckless in the hope that their life will be taken - and are not able to think of the danger they pose to other people. Depression cannot be changed by diet and exercise - well not most of them. Not even logic and determination can help. Sometimes you just cannot. Cannot get out of bed, cannot eat, cannot deal with other people, cannot leave the house.

Sometimes it is your situation that causes the depression, but in most cases, it is difficult to determine the cause. So making changes is a distraction at best.
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I agree mostly with what you say. Except that is doesn't matter how stable your family and friends are.

That's false.

So what are you sorry about?
 
lexity said:
I agree mostly with what you say. Except that is doesn't matter how stable your family and friends are.

That's false.

So what are you sorry about?
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I know people who have committed suicide and their families were nothing but supportive. Gave them all the help they could. It still didn't matter. Unless the person is open to being helped, all the help in the world will not stop the inevitable. I am not talking about those who threaten to kill themselves - that is a cry for help/attention. When the actual attempt comes, it is very quiet. Perhaps one last cryptic message, which if missed, will make it too late.
My uncle shot himself. He could not take life anymore and did not want to be a burden for his wife. For me, it was more putting myself in danger and seeing if life would take me out. Luckily medication and really good friends helped, but the thoughts are never far away.
 
I was sure I posted here this year, apparently I didn't?

Anyway, I'm in a really good place. I haven't been this happy in a long time. Still taking meds, still having weed, everything is good!

Good luck friends, the good times are coming <3
 
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