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cocorosie Ultra breif pulse ECT
  • replies: 1

Hi all, I have been reading allot on ECT therapy, and there is so many mixed reviews, memory problens from mild to servere, not working, worsening symptoms etc. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with ultra breif pulse ECT.​ If so effectivn... View more

Hi all, I have been reading allot on ECT therapy, and there is so many mixed reviews, memory problens from mild to servere, not working, worsening symptoms etc. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with ultra breif pulse ECT.​ If so effectivness, time in hospital, cost anything really. I have been struggling with depression for over 15 years, i have tried countless medications, therapy etc and nothing works. I think about suicide daily, because the pain is unbearable although if i could just find something maybe ill be ok. I don't want to die, but at the same time I'm exhausted with living this way.

Shivers88 MINDFULNESS MEDITATION and BI POLAR HELP PLEASE
  • replies: 3

Hi guys, so so for the last 5-6 days I've been feeling myself become stressed, irritable, moody, snappy, but before that had feelings of deep relaxation and calmness. I I was mediating (mindfulness) 3 times a day.. And felt such deep calmness and so ... View more

Hi guys, so so for the last 5-6 days I've been feeling myself become stressed, irritable, moody, snappy, but before that had feelings of deep relaxation and calmness. I I was mediating (mindfulness) 3 times a day.. And felt such deep calmness and so relaxed, then I started thinking, well I feel amazing, I'll paint and so up my daughters room ( moved into newly built home, been a long time coming) and did it. During it, I find myself becoming a little overworked, so j had to take a step back a breathe, then start agin... It's like I'm tying to make the most of feeling great before the wave hits again maybe? Such as anxiety, stress build up, as I'm very sensitive too. Has anyone found wen they've really meditated that it's worked wonders, for anxiety as deep relaxation and calmness, patience too? I just want to know if it's the mediation, or now I'm thinking it maybe something like a hypo mania/ mania? (My anxiety is making me think the worst) when stopped doing mindfulness meditation does it make a lot of difference to you?? I found when I stopped j became more angry, more stressed over little things, more shouts and snappy and sometimes verbally abusive towards family members. Does hypomania/mania make you feel relaxed and calm? Does it make you patient? Or am I just letting my anxiety get the best of me.. The thing is when I stop after realising in becoming a bit tense or overworked I can calm myself down with breathing and meditation and feel ok again. im a great worrier, even though my clinical psychologist saids I don't have Bi Polar, or anything like that.. I still yet believe or worry over these things... My psychologist said I have great fears of my mental health and to say the very least, I do. Please ser help and share :,(

hope4joy do many side effects = effectiveness, for anti-depressants, and vice versa???
  • replies: 11

Hi there, I've just started a new anti depressant and I'm concerned by a comment my psychiatrist said. She said that anecdotally anti depressant medications that cause many side effects in a person are normally the ones that are most effective, and o... View more

Hi there, I've just started a new anti depressant and I'm concerned by a comment my psychiatrist said. She said that anecdotally anti depressant medications that cause many side effects in a person are normally the ones that are most effective, and ones that cause few side effects usually don't work so well. I'd like to know if this has been your experience - that the most successful medications also had many side effects??? I guess I'm worried because I've found an anti depressant that helps me to some extent (SNRI) but I'm unhappy with the side effects so am trying out new meds, at the moment i've started a new one (tricyclic) and i'm scared it wont work because i'm not having any side effects. Thanks!

Surfergirl Relapse or withdrawal?
  • replies: 4

Hello everyone, first time poster!!! I have been on AD's off and on (mainly on) for 16 years. Prior to going on AD's i had had 3 episodes of unmedicated depression - each episode lasting about 8 months. In the third episode i finally went on meds as ... View more

Hello everyone, first time poster!!! I have been on AD's off and on (mainly on) for 16 years. Prior to going on AD's i had had 3 episodes of unmedicated depression - each episode lasting about 8 months. In the third episode i finally went on meds as i was just worn out. In between episodes i am 100% recovered with no residual symptoms. When i went on the medication i was so anxious about it, but was amazed at how good i felt in 4 weeks - i thought i had the answer and didn't need to be scared of depression anymore. I initially stayed on for about 9 months after i was feeling well, and reduced off over about 3 months. I stayed well for about 6 months and then got depressed again, so went back on. Stayed on again for 9 months and reduced off and this time only stayed well for about 3 months. This time my doctor said i would need to stay on for about 2 years. So i did this and when i came off i was only well for 6 weeks. The next time it was 2 weeks. I had this feeling that the medication had changed something in my brain and was making me more vulnerable to become depressed. I did some internet searching and found websites that supported this view - so i joined a forum and started a really, really slow reduction. I tried this 3 times and was reducing about 10% of my dose every month. When i got down to low dose I would relapse again. I am so confused. On one hand i consider myself fortunate that i can be SO stable on a fairly low dose of an antidepressant, and on the other hand i beat myself up for going on antidepressants as my scrambled brain is convincing myself that it's the drugs causing the problems. I worry about the long term effects of antidepressants on the brain - but i also realise that its a moot point as i can't seem to get off them and the long consequences of depression are not good either. I can't understand how my episodes were 4 years apart before i went on AD's and since being on them i can't seem to go more than 6 months without them - and that was in the early days. I have tried to stay off the AD's when i have been off, but the symptoms are really acute. Why is there so much negative information on the internet about AD's? and why do we struggle so much to accept staying on long term? If i knew that AD's would stop me ever experiencing depression again i would probably be OK, but now i worry about relapsing whilst ON them....

Kix Do antidepressants stop working after a while?
  • replies: 2

Hi i was wondering if anyone could help answer my question? Im 28 and have been on antideprssents for 14 years diffrent ones the ones im on now for about 10years i seem to be having a feeling of somthing bad is going to happin my hands get sweaty and... View more

Hi i was wondering if anyone could help answer my question? Im 28 and have been on antideprssents for 14 years diffrent ones the ones im on now for about 10years i seem to be having a feeling of somthing bad is going to happin my hands get sweaty and my tummy feels yuk am i just being paranoid or do tablets stop working after awhile

Summerskye Needing support group on Goldcoast
  • replies: 1

Hi I'm after a support group or such that is on Goldcoast. I'm single, 36yo female & new to area and all my friends are interstate. I would like to meet for support & friendship as I tend to keep to myself when I'm depressed & with no support I'm fee... View more

Hi I'm after a support group or such that is on Goldcoast. I'm single, 36yo female & new to area and all my friends are interstate. I would like to meet for support & friendship as I tend to keep to myself when I'm depressed & with no support I'm feeling very isolated and alone. Can anyone recommend anything around the area? Thanks xx

Opalite Anti depressants and weight gain
  • replies: 2

Hi, I have been on antidepressants since late July last year. I have found my weight has been increasing steadily since being on them. My GP said that the medication would make me loose weight. I was doing solid exercise and healthy eating before I h... View more

Hi, I have been on antidepressants since late July last year. I have found my weight has been increasing steadily since being on them. My GP said that the medication would make me loose weight. I was doing solid exercise and healthy eating before I had a mild injury. Has anyone else gained weight whilst being on anti depressants ? I am now in a good place emotionally and would like to reduce my meds and eventually get off them completely. Is anyone slowly detoxing from medication ?

Slark To medicate or not?
  • replies: 5

Hi everyone, I've had moderate depression for about 7 months now, and my doc, psychologist, family and friends are suggesting I go on medication. I've spent a great deal of effort eating healthy, unprocessed foods and exercising, and the last thing I... View more

Hi everyone, I've had moderate depression for about 7 months now, and my doc, psychologist, family and friends are suggesting I go on medication. I've spent a great deal of effort eating healthy, unprocessed foods and exercising, and the last thing I want is to fill my body full of chemicals. I would much rather try natural alternatives (but haven't tried any yet). My depression is getting better, I'm functioning, but there still feels a 'weight' on my mind, and I find it hard to get excited about things. I find myself still biased to the negative. I know I can and will get better, and I will eventually feel like the joker I used to. I'm just not sure I want to rock the boat with meds and the possible side effects, or if they're just what I need to really get me rolling on the road to full recovery. Does anyone else experience the same feelings? Can anyone offer their own experiences (good or bad) with meds? Has anyone gone natural? My gut is telling me I should go on them, but I'm dreading any side effects, coming off them, and the chemicals. Thanks for reading and your thoughts. Peace and love. Dan

Greyhound123 Stoping medication, what is a normal withdrawal? has anyone has scuccess?
  • replies: 7

I have been on SSRI's for OCD since i was about 15, and am currently 33. Although i am an anxious person, i have never been in a better position in my life now. i am more confident and generally happy, and don't get may OCD symptoms. About 9 months a... View more

I have been on SSRI's for OCD since i was about 15, and am currently 33. Although i am an anxious person, i have never been in a better position in my life now. i am more confident and generally happy, and don't get may OCD symptoms. About 9 months ago my wife convinced me I should stop taking my medication, i spoke with my psych and she had no issue with this, i tapered down and stopped. Then I had my in law's stay for a couple months (enough to drive anyone crazy I know!) and i went down hill so i started taking my medication again (though consultation with my psych). After they went home, we agreed to stop again and my psych supported this, that was 3 months ago, and although i have been a bit more anxious etc, there was no real issues.....until this week when i really went downhill for about 3 days, it is the worst i had felt in years. I don't really want to go back on to my medication yet, as i feel i have never lived my life as an unmediated adult, and indeed i have been worse at other points in my life when i was on medication. What I am not sure of is if this is normal to go down hill 3 months after stopping? is this the medication or is this what my life will be like in an unmediated state? Does anyone have any experience stopping medication after such a long time? or should i just resign myself to being medicated forever?