Here to introduce myself & find support

[Cobulus]

Hey Guys,

I'm Cobulus, 33yo male with no diagnosed illnesses. I say that last one because although I'm undiagnosed I'm pretty sure I know what's going on.

So I'm here because I need help. I've spent my entire life with these feelings and I'm at a point now where I have no reprieve and am unable to do it alone. I've lead a reasonably unremarkable life up until this point, just trying to work my way up and earn some money to start a happy life with a home and partner. I have worked at the same job/company for almost 16 years now, had many chances to evolve and grow but have always been let down/failed to make it stick.

I honestly think I am borderline mentally handicapped. I have struggled with learning my entire life, my memory has always been rubbish and is getting worse, I am extremely lazy despite wanting otherwise. Anytime I say something about it, I'm just met with something like "you're not dumb" or "don't put yourself down". I have had an up and down journey with fitness, I get into it hard but find my ability to learn holds me back so I fail. Basically everything I do, I try really hard with, to the point I try and make up my shortcomings with trying harder. Whatever I try though, I always end up failing.

So I'm pretty sure I have depression, I don't need to see a doctor for them to confirm that. I just want to know, if I ever find the courage to see a doctor about it, will the medication actually do something about feeling so stupid? I have read that depression has an affect on cognitive function, but surely it won't fix a lifetime of stupidity?

Also sorry if this is more info than a normal introduction, I just don't want to write multiple threads in multiple sections.

Any advice/help will be greatly appreciated... Or even just some friendly chat with people who feel the same.

Thank you for reading.

[mocha delight]

Hi cobulus I’ve not been diagnosed with anything yet but I believe I have depression of some type and anxiety of some type to but last appointment I had with my psychologist she said she agrees with my gp that I have depression so a confirmation in a way but not official yet though. And yes I’m not been diagnosed yet but my gp has prescribed my a antidepressant. I also was diagnosed with coeliac disease last year and GORD (the autoimmune side of acid reflux), have a learning disability and only just on the autistic spectrum to so I know a little bit of how your feeling in a way but if you ever need to chat I’m here for you ok.

[yggdrasil]

Hey mate thanks so much for sharing your experiences. Depression is a pretty complex thing. My opinion is that talking to a GP is a great first step, as prescribing meds is just one of the things they can do for you. If you're an Australian citizen, they can also refer you for up to 10 free sessions with a psychologist of your choice (https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/mental-health-care-plan). You can also see a social worker if you prefer. Because of COVID you can actually get up to 20 sessions this year. You can shop around and find a psych that works for you too. There's heaps of different therapies out there, Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). All have decent evidence bases. Meds can also be prescribed, but generally that's a last resort after everything else has been checked and tried. Some people (like myself) take meds, and take them long term. For me, the meds basically got me from being unable to get out of bed, to at least being able to function basically, but they didn't stop the lows or anything like that. In some sense meds, along with all the other treatments and strategies I employ, have definitely improved my cognitive function, but they haven't made me smarter or anything like that. The main thing is that depression for me results in this really heavy "foggy brain" experience where I can't think clearly and everything slows right down. Getting treatment helps reduce the frequency of foggy brain for me, but it doesn't increase my normal level of intelligence or anything like that! Anyway, I think seeing a GP you trust is a great idea regardless. They can check in with you about it whenever you see them, and see how you're tracking re exercise, diet, and all the other things known to help with depression. 🙂