Posted 10/16/2016 6:05 PM (GMT 0)
Tired of this:
You say:
"I want to get better but the more I try the worse I feel.
“What do I do to identify the true problem? Where do I go for help?
“I tired of feeling like this.”
Well, you’ve already gotten a great start, you’ve reached out for help.
To the question of “What do I do to identify the true problem?
And “Where do I go for help?”
Those are great questions.
Since I’m manic-depressive, and I’ve been in depression a lot, I think it’s depression.
Looking on the net search engine under “depression” I found:
Definition
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Depression is a mood disorder that causes a persistent feeling of sadness and loss of interest. Also called major depressive disorder or clinical depression, it affects how you feel, think and behave and can lead to a variety of emotional and physical problems. You may have trouble doing normal day-to-day activities, and sometimes you may feel as if life isn't worth living.
More than just a bout of the blues, depression isn't a weakness and you can't simply "snap out" of it. Depression may require long-term treatment. But don't get discouraged. Most people with depression feel better with medication, psychological counseling or both.
As for symptoms
By Mayo Clinic Staff
Although depression may occur only one time during your life, usually people have multiple episodes of depression. During these episodes, symptoms occur most of the day, nearly every day and may include:
• Feelings of sadness, tearfulness, emptiness or hopelessness
• Angry outbursts, irritability or frustration, even over small matters
• Loss of interest or pleasure in most or all normal activities, such as sex, hobbies or sports
• Sleep disturbances, including insomnia or sleeping too much
• Tiredness and lack of energy, so even small tasks take extra effort
• Changes in appetite — often reduced appetite and weight loss, but increased cravings for food and weight gain in some people
• Anxiety, agitation or restlessness
• Slowed thinking, speaking or body movements
• Feelings of worthlessness or guilt, fixating on past failures or blaming yourself for things that aren't your responsibility
• Trouble thinking, concentrating, making decisions and remembering things
• Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death, suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts or suicide
• Unexplained physical problems, such as back pain or headaches
For many people with depression, symptoms usually are severe enough to cause noticeable problems in day-to-day activities, such as work, school, social activities or relationships with others. Other people may feel generally miserable or unhappy without really knowing why.
When to see a doctor
If you feel depressed, make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as you can. If you're reluctant to seek treatment, talk to a friend or loved one, a health care professional, a faith leader, or someone else you trust.
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Have you ever been to a psychiatrist before?
They treat people who have various emotional problems.
One of the things they treat is manic-depression, like I have.
For depression, she gives me an anti-depressant, Mirtazapine, 7.5 mg. at night, and some day or days after I take the pill I'm not depressed. I don't know how that works.
For mania (up late at night, racing thoughts), she gives me Lithium (700 mg at night). And a day or days after I take the pill I'm not manic anymore. I don't know how that works, either.
(if you have depression, you may have manic-depression, so look on search engine for bi-polar or manic-depression, to see if you have any of those symptoms. if so tell your doctor, he or she may miss that.)
Since I’m not dep. or manic, what was I able to do yesterday?
Invite my son, his wife and 2 children over for his birthday. Would I have been able to do that without my medicine? No.
On the computer yellow pages for your city, under "psychiatrists," you could look up the names of some psychiatrists, male or female as you choose; write down their phone numbers and addresses, list the order that you want to call them, and call one or two of them.
It's hard being both the patient and the caretaker. If you have to do it, you're going to have to overcome yourself and your depression.
Not easy.
Maybe one day, all you do all day is look on the computer yellow pages, psychiatrists for your city, and write down the names of two or three or four of them. Then go back to bed.
Next day, all you do, is call the first one you want to call. That's all you do, all day. Then write down the appointment day and time. Put several notes around the house.
If you have a wife who can help you, first you get down on your knees that you have that. Second, get her to help you with this.
What you also need is a positive attitude that you can do this.
Also, "the person you have to defeat is the person you have to look at in the mirror each morning."
Let us know how this is going.