I am new to this, wondering if it really helps.

[Youre1]

Hi all, I just joined this forum, I have tried pretty much everything else to deal with my very severe depression over the last 12 years. My depression is in the very severe. What started it off is the loss of a career that I devoted my life to. Then I lost my mom to cancer and have been on a downward spiral ever since. I am a softie and mum told me that softies have a hard time in life and suffer more. I just wanted to try this forum and from what I have read, there are many people suffering just like me. It makes me feel that I can relate to so many of you. Depression is a horrible illness that has taken control of my life or as I call it an existence. Every day I wonder why I woke up today, what is the point? But mum always used to tell me to keep going and be strong. Its very hard. Anyway, thanks to all for posting your personal feelings on this forum, it is a bit uplifting that we are suffering in different ways, but at the same time we have so much in common.

[Doolhof]

Hi You're #1,

Welcome to the community here on the forum. Yes, you are right, there are many people here who suffer from various degrees of depression and many people who find ways to deal with it daily, to accept it exists and who manage to make it through another horrid day.

I'm sorry to read of the loss of your career and also the death of your mum. Loosing loved ones is very difficult.

You mentioned you have tried lots of things to help with your depression, would you like to share some of what has helped along the way?

I realise there are days when nothing seems to help, those are days I try to read a book, watch a movie, water the garden, go for a walk or just sit and stare in space and think what I can try to do differently the next day.

There are many sections to this forum, including the social zone where there are some light hearted threads.

Hope you feel welcome here. Many of us have a lived experience with some kind of mental health issue or have loved ones who are. We all share from our own experiences.

Regards from Dools

[Youre1]

Thank you for your welcoming words, you asked me about what I have tried for dealing with depression. I have tried pretty much all available medications and nothing helped. For 10 years I have self medicated with alcohol to try and mask the depression and make it bearable if only temporarily. After my 3rd stay in Hospital for detox, I have now been alcohol free for over 2 years. I don't think about alcohol anymore. It wasn't helping and was generally making me sick and put on weight. Since giving up the alcohol, my blood tests have returned to normal and I'm saving money, which I don't have much of being on DSP. One thing that has helped is I started up a worm farm. The local council had cost subsidised worm farms kits available so I got one. I have expanded this to two large worm farms, they are breeding like crazy and I kind of consider them my pets. They produce fantastic worm juice which is fantastic for the garden, but for me it gave me something to do during the day. I feed them vegetable scraps that I get from my local supermarket. I collect up the cauliflower scraps and other vegetable scraps that the supermarket would otherwise throw out. They are happy for me to take them for free. I live in a unit so I had to set up the worm farms at the rear of the common area downstairs, no one minds. It gives me a sense of doing something positive and keeps me busy. They generally don't need daily care, so when I'm having a very bad day and can't leave the home, they just look after themselves. I realise that this isn't for everyone, but I really got into it, so it might be worth a try for others.

[quirkywords]

You're #1

Thanks for sharing what has helped you.

They you described the worm farm and how you set it up and how good the worm juice is for the garden, really shows how despite your depression you found something that interests you and helps others and is ecofriendly.

It sounds like a very worthwhile idea that you can work on during the day.

I think it may give others an idea of what you they can do.

Quirky

Quirky.