New to Depression

[Stas]

Hi, I'm 24 and while I was angsty and did experience some hardships while as a teen, I never suffered from what I felt was depression. I'm a writer and in the past few months I have found myself unable to feel creativity at all. I haven't written a single word which for me is a long time. At first this frustrated me but now things have escalated so quickly. I am frustrated by everything, I cry for no apparent reason and despite no fun activity or occassion seems to brighten my mood. I don't feel like myself.

To get to the treatment part of things. I want help, I'm driven to feel better, but I'm scared that if I go to my GP I will be put onto medication. However mild, I'm not interested in using medical treatments, at least not at this point. Are there any alternative things I can try to pull me out of my blues rut.

Thanks so much in advance. Sorry if I've gotten forum etiquette all wrong.

[white knight]

Hi Stas, welcome to Beyond Blue forums

I'm a poet and have been for 28 years. I cannot write a single word of poetry (that is satisfactory in my eyes) unless I'm melancholy and in a low point of my mood.

Hence effective medication that has enhanced my life, has caused a lull in my writing. However of course, my priority is mental health for my benefit and those around me. You may differ in opinion. That's ok.

AND EVEN MORE

Ever taken your last exhaustive step?

then stepped several more, then more again?

Ever got to the point of no return then returned anyway?

Have you ever climbed a hill and pledged it be your last?

Then climbed one higher?

Perhaps you have worked hard and couldnt see yourself return to work the next day only to return and work even more?

What about love? what about care?

Have you thought you couldn't love someone more - than you already love them? Why not?

Or reached out only to be taken advantaged of?

When you have reached out and taken advantaged of and after cursing you reach out further still ?

Cradle the ideals of life, yes- reject the cruel , the revengeful and the wicked

...but catch the tears of the needy, the kind and the caring and more

Then, just like those mountains....give even more than your heart contains.

A flush of emotion will come....it be like warm water cascading over your heart....perhaps your sole reward.

For you dont seek rewards from others, no thankyou's, no compensation.

It's why we live here in this world....to give to others as much as we can....and even more......

Use search to read other relevant threads like -

DEPRESSION - a ship on the high seas

Depression - is there any positive?

Meditation - words of wisdom - it helped me for 25 years

MELTDOWN - back to basics

Being positive - what's the secret?

Take care    Tony WK

[CrashCoyote]

Hi Stas,

Thank you for your post.

I like to write, too, but it would be nicer if I could make a living out of it!

I don't know if you are just having a bit of writer's block but don't be afraid to see the G.P. The standard solution is neither psychiatrists nor medication, although both are options. Maybe just some sessions with a psychologist (they don't prescribe meds, just use other therapies.) to get a better idea of what is going on for you.

So what do you like writing? Have you been published. I was a Sydney policeman for thirty years and reckon I could tell you a few stories that you would never be able to dream up!

Let me know how it goes for you. Life has hiccups, maybe this is one.

Kind regards, John.

[geoff]

dear Stas, there have been some great replies back to you by Tony, and I'm not forgetting you John in regards to all those terrible police stories which most of us would never believe people would be capable of doing, but the sites that have been offered to you to look at would be very useful.

Your doctor can put you on a mild or low dose antidepressant which has proven to be more effective than the natural herbal St. Johns Wort which hasn't been accepted as a way to overcome depression, however it's meant to help people with only just a very mild sadness or feeling low.

Some people have taken it, but my psychologist who was also a GP recommended I not take it, because my depression was too severe.

Hope that you can get back to us. Geoff.

[Stas]

Hi Everybody.

Thank you for replying to my post. I'm a screen writer and I have so many concepts that I want to work on but when I go to do it I'm stuck. It makes me feel really upset which then just blocks my creativity more. I mostly do black comedies, so if I don't feel like laughing then nothing gets achieved.

I have some time off around Christmas, so I'm hoping to overcome this by then. If I don't I know I will feel very overwhelmed if I get nothing achieved.

I try to be healthy, but I thought prehaps it was a nutrition thing. I read that fish oil has shown to improve elements of mild depression. I've been taking two a day for a week. I feel better when I take them but I'm not sure if it's just a placebo effect.

I didn't take them on the weekend and then one little thing got me really down.

PS John, I would love to hear your stories!

[CrashCoyote]

Hi Stas,

Please let me know how you go with Christmas. There is a thread on here especially for people struggling with it. "Coping With Christmas" in Mental Health.

I would love to tell you some stories but they are inappropriate for the site and the rules prevent direct and private contact between us. Sorry about that!

Kind regards, John.

[geoff]

dear Stas, I do take fish oil along with a dozen more pills, 50 odd per day, which annoys the ********* out of me, but there are other vitamins which you could consider taking and these are vitamin D, as many depressed people have a low level of this, even though you may get plenty of sun shine, it may not be enough, plus there are vitamin B tablets all of different sorts.

Betamin which is bought off the shelf is also vital for people who who drink alcohol, as I've been told by my doctor, because it has a particular function, in that it keeps your mind active, and I have been told that people who are administered to a nursing home lose their brain functionality and it eventually stops working or they can't decide what's good and what's bad, so what Betamin does is to keep the mind active, just saying.

Why don't you google this site 'comedians who have depression', as there have been many comedians who have suffered from depression but were still able to perform, and maybe they did their best work when under depression, just a couple that come to mind are Robin Williams and Peter Sellers.

I'm sure that they have autobiography's which would be fascinating to read. Geoff.

[Stas]

Hi Geoff. Thanks for your response. It was very helpful. Do you find that the fish oil tablets are helping? I suppose it may be hard to tell if you are taking quite a few vitamins.

I have found that I am in better spirits since taking the vitamins. However, I still haven't gotten any writing done.

I am also finding that I'm tired constantly, despite how much sleep I get. I'm not sure if this is related.

In regards to your comment, John, it's not Christmas that I'm worried about. Simply the fact that I'll have two weeks of free time which I would usually spend writing. If I don't utilize it I know I will be hugely disappointment. However, putting this pressure on myself seems to be hindering. It's a Catch 22