Don't know I can do life anymore....

Are these events that are upsetting you going on in your life, inside of you, or both?

Have you always been depressed? What started it? Did you inherit it?

Aer you seeing a psychiatrist? Taking an anti-depressant?

I'd be depressed ,also, if I wasn't on an anti-depressant, Mirtazapine.

What are some of the events that getting you down?

Do learn meditation and mindfulness. It really helps in situations like yours. It is something you can do for free and it gives you power of thinking. It slows the mind down a bit too which we all need.

I Hope you start feeling better soon. I hope you can get home soon too.

Hang in there, know we all care...

Hugs, Karen...

Glad you responded.

Yes, that does complicate things if you're pregnant and not wanting to take anti-depressants.

You say, "life was simple when I was single."

Are you married now?

You say, "Ive never been on meds ever, im worried as I hear the side effects can make you even worse, more depressed etc."

There is also a side effect of not taking anti-depressants, and that is, you'll probably stay depressed. At least, when you're not pregnant, you can try an anti-depressant and see which you like better.

You say, "I've made some mistakes in the last year as I was vulnerable and finding it hard to deal with now. I'm sick of obsessing over things I hear and don't understand"

I take an anti-depressant, Mirtazapine, and Lithium, a mood stabilizer I suppose. I have an idea of what you're talking about when you say, "finding it hard to deal with now."

If I wasn't taking those meds, I couldn't deal with now, either, or the future. As a bipolar, my mind would be going so fast I would be wanting time to speed up, but the meds slow down my mind to the speed of the clock. As for dealing with now, I would have trouble with that, also, probably. My mind would be going so fast in the manic stage, or so slow in the depressed stage, I couldn't deal with the present.

But the Lithium and the anti-depressant get my mind in synch with reality and the present.

You're going to have to assume some responsibility here, as you say, "Ive never been on meds ever, im worried as I hear the side effects can make you even worse, more depressed etc"

Medicines are available, and you're not even giving any of that a chance, and wondering what is the problem and who? To ignore that meds might help and go on with your agony, gets back to self-responsibility.

You could have taken care of yourself in UK, and you'll still have to take responsibility for yourself in Australia. You need to quit running around in circles and figure some of this out.

Implying you've done and said everything possible, and you haven't even tried medicine so you can't even say whether it helps or not, is hardly doing everything you can, except running from your responsibilities and from yourself.

You say, "12 years is a long time to try." 12 years of trying, and you didn't even try medicine? I'm glad you wrote and let everyone know that you're on this mission to avoid medicine. How would we have ever known?

You say, "I've had anxiety and depression for 12 years now, it's been one thing after the other in terms of anxiety obsessive thinking."

When I first took Lithium many years ago, it felt like the air had been let out of an over-inflated balloon. I never knew I was that uptight for that long. It was the greatest relief.

I hope you will consider at least trying meds.

Also what's helped me is trying to stay positive. "One problem at a time, and be positive about hat problem."

Tim tam, for me the meds thing is just a last resort, I know many who have gone years and then gotten to the point where they will go on meds. I have gone in the past for meds but because I haven't been able to see a psychiatrist they can't prescribe me any. I went to do this but it's out of my control here, the health system in the uk is terrible and I wouldn't recommend anyone with mental health issues to live here. So like I said, I did actually try.

I went to the gp and explained and I actually did ask for medication but he said no as I'm pregnant. So in time I think I've reached the point where I will have to try it. I don't regret ever trying to do what I can for myself naturally, I've always managed actually but the lifestyle here doesn't provide that relief.

I'm pregnant but the problems and issues I've had regarding anxiety I have, have always been there regardless. I might explain it abit better later on. And no Tim I'm not married. I think I just find it easier dealing with my depression and anxiety on my own. I plan on seeing a psychiatrist when I get back to aus and hopefully sort things out from there.

Hello and welcome.

Wow! I cannot imagine moving to another country! How brave! The most I've done was move to another State! It was as if they spoke another language. The foods were strange to me too. I felt so out of place.

Now, you have no beach to walk or anything else familiar to you. While it's not the same, I struggle with the seasons. I've started buying scented candles that remind me of spring and summer. The sense of smell is one of the strongest memory triggers. When I smell lilac or hyacinth, my mood lifts instantly. Freesia, roses, etc. are lifters too. Some candles smell like suntan lotion. I also have one that brings to mind a wood fire.

Eating 'summer foods' can be helpful for me as well. Oranges, watermelon, grapes...these are available year round now. "Fool" the brain. Dark chocolate contains a natural mood elevator. I eat a small amount every day, year round.

Buy a poster and hang it up where you will see it often. Throw some beach towels over the chairs! Wear your sandals in the house. Play a sound machine with ocean waves.

"Find your happy place." Do your best to recreate it, as much as possible.

I 'force' bulbs into bloom during the winter months. To see something green, growing and then blooming is a huge help for my mood. Caring for something besides myself is good for me.

Maybe some of these ideas will help you until you can be back home.

Pitmom thanks your message made me smile! I have always been a brave one but it gets tiring after a while I want to just settle down now and live a simple life.

Tim tam I'm going back next month in about four weeks!! Can't wait. I'll let you know how I get on. Xo