i am a 50 yr old has been who is washed up

To heck with the gas prices Life goes on . You need to get out . I am 55yr and was home bound for a while . But I told myself self get your buns up and go . Started going to the senior center and now I HAVE my life back . I am on disability . You can do it . Llife is to short to sniffle about it.

Missie Hi,

I'm truley sorry that you are having such a hard time of things right now,but have to agree you need to find some kind a outlet because just sitting there is not goint to get it.There are services for people that need help.But you have got to want to get help and I know that it is easier said than done but that is the only way you are going to get better.I just want you to know that we are here for you every step of the way and we have you in our thoughts and prayer's.I would also like for you to know you are not alone and I was where you are now.I was a healthy women and worked full time a raised three step kids and it seemed like I went to bed and then I woke up the next morning and my world was turned up-side down and I want you to know that I have crohns,ra,oa,as,sejerens and looking at a possible MS diagnoses as well.I was also in a wheel-chair for over a year because I could no longer walk because of the arthritis and I was having problems with fluid retintion(edema)and I was severley depressed and I had to do about six months of intense theraphy to buld my musels and to get the streanth to be able to walk on my own.I would like to say please don't take me wrong I think you want help and you just don't know were to turn.But you have taken a step forward by posting here.

Missie,  depression is a very debilitating condition (I guess you know that, huh?).  Others are right--you need to get out of the house.  If you are uncomfortable driving, there are other ways to get around.  Also, you mentioned that prozac oversedates you.  There are many other very good SSRIs (anti-depressants) (e.g., Lexapro, Paxil, Zoloft, etc...) that will not necessarily have the same effects on an individual.  I took Prozac briefly after having my girls for post-partum depression, and that drug had the opposite effect on me.  I became very jittery and jumpy, couldn't sleep.  And I was on a very low dose.  It was not the right drug for me. 

Also, talk therapy should not be underestimated.  If you don't have insurance, you may qualify for state assistance, and you can receive mental health services through your state.  Even if you only went to see a counselor once a month, you may find it tremendously helpful.  I would recommend that, if you have a choice, you see either a psychologist or a clinical social worker.  A psychiatrist may prescribe you a good anti-depressant, but they are horrible talk therapists.  A psychologist and clinical social worker are trained in talk therapy. 

Pastors offering pastoral counseling are also good options that you might wish to take advantage of.  At my church, some of the pastors (I go to a fairly large church) offer pastoral counseling free of charge.  Many churches also participate in the Stephen Ministry, which is a lay ministry that trains people to serve as crisis counselors.  If you participate in the Stephen Ministry, you will be assigned a Stephen Minister, who can meet with you once a week, help you to get out more, talk to you about your depression, chronic illness, other health conditions, and address your spirituality concerns.  I'm not trying to push religion; just wanted you to know that Stephen Ministry exists--and is free.

I hope you feel better soon.

Elcamino

{{{{{{{ hugs missie }}}}}}}}}}}}

i won't be redundant...so i'll add some personal stuff.  like yourself, i never imagined THIS would be life for me.  i used to get up, work out for 2 hours, go to class, go to work, go out, and do it ALL again the next day.  at 25 i never thought i would be saying, "oh to be 16 again!"  it's a shame.

i feel i have a lot in common with that 1 ton man you know?  trapped in a body, a prisoner...it's sad.

and it is a day by day thing.  heck, i have to take it hour by hour.

the joint pain is enough sometimes that i cry!

i do my hardest to find even the tiniest of all things...because i feel useless a lot of the times.

so posting here, even though i can't physically tend to patients the way i was trained...i can still at times offer advice/education..like you do as well.  you gave me a lot of help with going through the SSD process!

i have a few cats. see...i'm on ya about the kitties!  so many animals are put down because people throw them away, and it takes a good soul to adopt a cat.  without my FieldPea i'de be lost!  seriously!  and i have a great boyfriend too, but my life wouldn't be complete without Pea.  silly? no...she makes me happy.

i see you're computer savvy...and that's great.  i know nadda about ebay.  you might have a GOOD thing there...perhaps sitting and taking a few months to plan a small vintage business?  that's sweet!  i would dig that!  you obviously have an eye for jewelry and vintage items...whenever the chance comes to get to a consignment shoppe or thrift store...take note of hot items, given a good deal buy it and start cataloguing you know?  people make a lot of income doing this.  very cool.

i'm not going to sugar coat anything...no one can feel exactly the way you do, and that goes for everyone too.  each individual is unique in how they cope...and some take longer than others, and that's ok.

hang in there tiger!

Who gives a **** what your "old man" wants, you go and get your self a kitty!!!! I don't know what I would do with out my "orangeman" I feel for you girly! I do! I know exactly what you are going thru. I am fortunate to still be working. Its the only way to have insurance and I have a wonderful group of people I work for. However I am very lonely. I divorced my "all day pot smoking musician of a husband" who had no job, no ambition a 12 yo little girl who did as she pleased (and he let he) and I moved to Texas to start over. I fear for what future hold for me, I have no friends, no social life to speak of. It is exhausting to just get to work and back I don't have the energy to "go out", so I prop my foot up on some ice and just watch TV all night until I fall asleep (or a version of sleep)  I tell you what, you chat me anytime!!!! I don't have a pc at home, I'm a Monday thru Friday 8-5 on liner   I have my own bouts of depression and now my doctor believes I may be bi-polar (great, one more problem to write down on my list)

I can give you my $0.25 worth of advice though....I look at life like a messy chest of drawers and you know you need to clean it out. Empty out all of the drawers, go thru the contents, throw out what you DON'T NEED and start tidy-ing things up...ONE DRAWER at a time. You can't do it in one day, but you will feel good as you watch your self putting the drawers back in...My email is in my profile and feel free to contact me ANYTIME. In the mean time be well and go get a kitty!!!!!!!!!!!

I did forget to say Dr. put me on Lexapro , the best thing that ever happen to me. Nothing to be ashamed of . I take it a day at a time too. Best wishes .

thank you all i am a nervous wreck he is all i have. he seems to think he should be there and not here for  some mission?

i could spank him still he is not too big for that but if he wantsto go again i cant stop him. he says he wantsto move there and live there permanently!!!! why?

my family moved from the russian progroms and was in steerage for years and years and finally got the chance to be in america in 1900.

now he wantsto go there? it seems to me like he is going back in time to be among persecution again. i dont know why.

i told him no where is it perfect to live but at least in america you can be free and have less bombing here. agree, it can happen here also but not as likely. it is safer here.

if it was west palm beach that was bombed i would get out of florida, there is not way to stop or figure out where the bombs are going to land next.

gosh

I am 29 and am often housebound. I took up knitting and it's been a savior for me, I feel productive and it's interesting and challenging. My husband was killed by an elderly driver last year, a month after our first anniversary and a month before his 33rd birthday. Most of our only year of marriage I was sick as a dog, went from a size 4 to a 20 on the pred, every side effect you can imagine, then fell and crushed my ankle. A month after I was in remission and off crutches/bedrest, Adam was killed. I flared again, and now also have AS. My dad was just diagnosed with cancer (hopefully he'll be ok- caught early). And you know what? crap happens. It does. Life really ****ing sucks sometimes. But you just have to try and be grateful for what you've got, look inside yourself and find something that makes you happy and do it. Otherwise I'd have killed myself by now. Just think, if you die tomorrow, what would you really be pissed off that you'd never done, or wasted so much time doing? Then fix it. As best YOU can. Or go crazy. That's how I look at it.

thank you to all!! have my son back home for a while at least. he is obessed with the state of Israel and wants to live there permanently. he is disenfranchesd with the usa.

i wouldnt mind if they would stop being attacked and live in peace with hte neighbors but i dont think this is ever going to happen b/c too many want to wipe out the jews there.

there are 6 billion people living in the world today and only 15 million jews worldwide. this means they are only less than 1/10 of 1% of the entire population in the world. a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the world. why cant we all live in peace, when they knock out all the jews the christians will be next

as the Muslims want ALL to  be one whole religion and nothing else. i dont understand it, it is like the crusades once again in the world.

it is depressing. to think that we have not evolved to live and let live in this world.

i am doing better today as i have my son by my side for now. it has helped my depression and i have wanted to do more but still in pain i mask it so my kid will not see how much i hurt, so i am putting my best foot forward...thank you for asking i ffeel like i have some family with all you guys who have responded and that has made all the difference in the world to me!!!!!!!!!!!! i love each and every one of you on this board

thank you....i am hanging in there while i have him home with me. he is helping me loads,  i will feel the loss when he goes back to school next week but for now i am ok.....you all dont know but i absoluetly adore my son and he is all i live for.....more later guys!!!!