Dysthymia

[Hopefullseeking]

Hi All, long time no posts.

I have seen a psychiatrist for 20 odd years, now only 3 monthly. Seen psychologist for about 5 years on mental health plan. Still see both.

l have had Depression, Anxiety, PTSD, etc,nearly all my life, am 60ish. Can’t beat it, omg have l tried, have done everything my psychs suggested and more.

Have osteoarthritis so have pain and physical limits.

It’s the dysthymia that won’t go away and l fight it everyday. I’m tired off it. Made huge steps towards recovery last year so expected 2020 to be a better year and disappointed as it’s not. The dysthymia seems to be getting the better of me.

Does it ever go away, I am medicated but still struggle.

???

[therising]

Hi Hopefullseeking

Sorry to hear you are really struggling.The whole process of experimenting with ways to come out of depression can in itself be depressing.

Seeing you've tried just about everything inside the square, am wondering about any thoughts regarding things outside the square:

Let me start by saying that quantum physicists agree that we are energy. One might suggest we are energy in motion. Another way of putting energy in motion is 'Emotion'. How many forms of emotion do we hold? A few would involve physical emotion (matter or on a cellular level), mental emotion (thought) and natural emotion (the whole or holistic aspect of energy that happens both inside and outside of us).

The body is a truly amazing thing once you get to truly understand it in more of an emotional way. It can be almost humorous at times. A couple of examples. Perhaps someone you know is driving you crazy, day in and day out. After spending some weeks with them, you develop a pain you just can't seem to get rid of. Strangely enough, you would refer to it as a pain in the neck. Or maybe your shoulder area is so tight whilst you're experiencing terrible headaches. Maybe this all happens during a time where you feel like you are carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders and the stress of it all is making you feel like your head's about to explode.

Certain holistic therapies deal with not just specific ailments but a general over all approach to how energy is interacting. Certain therapies will deal with what lowers our energy, what makes it swing dramatically (due to internal and external factors), what raises it, what blocks the energy in motion (mentally and physically - taking us from dis-ease to disease) and the list goes on.

Whilst medicine deals with altering energy through medication and/or thought processes, the holistic approach simply tackles it from another angle. Finding someone highly reputable in the field of natural therapies is a must. Finding someone who'll explain the concepts used is significant.

I have seen natural therapies used on the greatest of doubters, with amazing positive results. Often, raising our energy or shifting it gently in natural ways can take us outside the square into a whole new world of self understanding.

By the way, I lived for about 15 years in my depression some time ago, experimenting with psychiatrists and meds. Very little of it worked for me. It can definitely become disheartening.

🙂

[Hopefullseeking]

Thanks for your reply therising, l do believe in other therapies and did try a few before going down the conventional path, unfortunately didn’t have a lot of success. Have tried Art therapy, a combination of massage and talk therapy, reiki, and a couple of others.

[banksy]

Hi Stephen still trying to work out how to use beyond blue.I was diagnosed with disthymia 10 years ago just looking to reach out to other people with the same condition that know how I feel👍

[banksy]

Yeah its tough🙁

[MissBenthos]

Hey guys,

That's super tough struggling for so long, I admire your strength in continuing to fight. I had dysthymia for about 10 years and I'm grateful to be in a better headspace now. There's still hard times but I've been bouncing back when they pass by. I still regularly visit a psychologist, take medication, have check ins, etc to try prevent any relapse.

I imagine you've seen lots of different professionals, but just want to check off the list that you are seeing people who are the right fit for you? I saw a couple of good psychologists, one that was on a completely different wave length to me, and now see someone who really gets me and is able to steer our sessions in a way that has helped significantly more than anyone else I saw.

I made a lot of changes to my life, so I can't say that it was 1 thing that is THE solution, plus all of us are different.

Wishing you all the best and here to continue the conversation if you wish xo

[Hopefullseeking]

Thanks MissBenthos and others. I appreciate your replies.

My Shrink told me l will always be on medication as this is the way my brain works. I don’t want to accept that, I keep hanging out for the turn around that never seems to come.

My psychologist is not sure the dysthymia will ever go away either but we try new things in the hope it will. I have just started painting which I am really enjoying but when I stop the dysthymia is still there.

i wake up every morning hoping it will be different but it’s not so l get on with my day and it’s distractions.

l don’t feel normal, like there is something wrong with me, then l think the why me’s so stop myself.

Any input from fellow sufferers?

l will be here for you as you are for me.

[MissBenthos]

Hi Hopefullseeking,

I would hope there's nothing normal about having dysthymia. Feeling always low is not a normal baseline, nor should it be. Why you? Well it's the human condition. We all struggle to some degree. There's no use in comparing your struggle to someone elses. You are unique and the only person who can be you. Your experiences are what shape you, even though your suffering is not fair.

I wonder if you haven't found the right medication yet? I went through a number of medications before I found one that lifted my mood. After some time it felt like the effects were disappearing so I saw a psychiatrist where I was prescribed a higher dose. I remember being really upset, thinking it was never going to end, like nothing I did was truly going to fix me. It actually did work though, I have been on that higher dose since and honestly it doesn't bother me if I have to be on it the rest of my life (it beats falling back into depression any day, even if there are side effects).

It's good to hear you are enjoying painting, if it brings you joy keep doing it. Find those things that bring out your passion and give yourself permission to do them.

[Hopefullseeking]

Thanks for answering, that in itself helps.

l thought I had found the right combination of meds and they are working but not completely if that makes sense. One was put up about 12 months ago. My psychologist is wondering if I need to change one of my meds aIl together, I am on two types of anti-depressants. I see my shrink next month, will mention it to her, yet again. She is good but knows how scared I am to change so unless I say I definitely want to try something else she will leave it be.

l find using meds hard to take, my liver doesn’t work 100% and most meds affect my liver so to think of dropping one anti-depressant and trying another one is scary.

I am enjoying my art work. I do everything that is suggested to me by my psych & shrink, i make cards too, have two cats, some good friends so have a social life. It gets frustrating because I do so much yet nothing seems to help overcome the Dysthymia.

Most people would never pick I have depressions as I am a good actress. I do get tired of covering it up as it is draining.

i have a lot to be thankful for, roof over my head, food in the pantry, clothes on my back and being on the disability pension have money coming in. Yet this dysthymia cloud over me is there 24/7.

I suppose all I can do is keep going, love my cats and try love my life too.

[white knight]

Hi HS ndash other’s here

I did write about this topic

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/online-forums/depression/sad-all-the-time-dysthymia#qmJl53HzvGGEbv8AAOnT_A

or use search

- sad all the time? Dysthymia

I can say I feel the medication prescribed (low dose anti depressants) has placed me in a condition mirroring cure.

My sensitivity has remained however that is apparently due to my bipolar.

Having depression and some anxiety means it’s a cocktail of illnesses difficult to separate. Other meds taken could also be having a positive effect on my dysthymia so yes, my case like all individual cases, as pointed out by others here, is unique.

what I do know is- I no longer cry one third of my life away. I am more realistic with my thought patterns and more normal with my emotions.

This tells me that there is hope I want to convey to you all. Please don’t be afraid of changing psychs if you’ve been with them for a long period.

TomyWK