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Has anyone been in this situation?

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Depression
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Posted 3/1/2007 3:18 PM (GMT 0)
It would really help me if I could read some stories of people who "bounced back" after a bout with depression/job loss.

Do any of you have a recovery story you could share?  Or could you direct me to a place on-line that does?  I am feeling very discouraged right now in my job search and could use some hope right now.

Thank you for your help.

zinniagirl

Posted 3/1/2007 6:43 PM (GMT 0)
I totally do. I first had a bounce with depression 8 years ago. I was fortunate that a good coworker and friend was brave enough to be honest with me. One day she looked me in the face and told me that I had a problem with depression (of course I was uncontrollable crying at the time, so it sounded reasonable). I was as low as I had ever been so I totally took her at her word and went straight from work to the doctor. At th e time I was working for a tyrant boss, had some other mysterious medical problem that was freaking me out, my kid was uber challenging and we were struggling as my husband was trying to get his business up and running. My doctor was great, I started antidepressants. The meds helped me so much that I was able to see that I had a total lack of control over every part of my life as I was giving it away to everyone and not holding onto anything for me. I made a 5 year plan and a 10 year plan and started walking towards achieving that. I hit the 5 year on the nose and hit the 10 year goal at 7 years. It was fabulous and when I went off of meds I was sailing for 7 years no problem.

A year and a half ago my entire life changed. Youngest kid left for college, husband was stressed to the max (long story) and a new job that I had started a year before was falling apart through bad management. I started to sink because there was nothing I could do about anything that was stressing me out. I began to have extreme anxiety and after 4 months of trying to fight that depression hit me. I am back on meds but this time I went to therapy. Hubby went to therapy and worked on his issues (bless his wonderful little heart) and together we began to rebuild our lives. I think most couples have to do that when the kids leave because a huge focus of your life is different now. Since that time I have found out some amazing things about what has caused my anxiety and seasonal depression issues. I posted a thread titled The amazing things that I have learned where I explain all of that so I won't repost it here. The point for me is that I can be in control even when depression is a factor in my life. It will be with me for the rest of my life but it does not have to control me. I know that each person's story is different but this is mine. Today I feel great, I have life challenges but I can manage them (with a little help from my friends virtual and otherwise).

Hope this helps. Read my other thread it has been a pretty amazing journey and I posted it because I hoped that it would help others.

Take Care,
Posted 3/2/2007 1:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Zinnia,
I have been a chronic depressant since I was 12 I think. I did not get help though until I was about 26.
I had been sexually abused as a child. Then married at the age of 18 to a man that became a monster. Sending me deeper into the depression.
I finally got help with my depression,and by that time they wanted to admit me to the hospital,but I had 2 kids and I refused.
After 13 years of emotional and physical abuse I finally got enough courage to leave him.
I went down hard after that,as I had a hard time paying bills,lost my job and my son was diagnosed with bi-polar,and the divorce made him act out alot worse.
I started taking more meds than I was supposed to,did alot of drinking and just acting plain stupid basically.
After about 4 years of this,I met my best friends nephew. I have never been the same basically.
I ended up moving in with him after a short time of dating,because my ex-husband just would not leave me alone.
And my kids decided that they wanted to live with their dad. I think that was the hardest time I have ever been through. I cried for hours on end. I never smiled,I would go for days without eating. I just did not care.
I finally admitted to my b/f about how many meds I was taking,about not eating ect ect. And he put his best foot forward and helped me get better.
I had no job,so no insurance and my doctor refused to order my meds. He told me to basically get a bottle of Jack Daniels for the withdrawals and that was that. So...my kids left me,my mom said she did not want me,and my doctor of 15 years left me. I had no one..or I thought anyway.
I found this site,and used it to finally tell things that I had never told anyone. By doing that it helped me open up to my b/f. He stayed up nights with me. He talked me thru the withdrawals. He encouraged me by telling me how much better I looked by being off the meds,and the first night I actually slept (after about 2 months of not sleeping due to the withdrawals) he woke me up in a panic as he was sure I was not breathing.
I know it is not healthy to depend on someone so much. But,he was my savior. I needed someone to step into my life and care,and help me get back on my feet.
I have been med free now for almost 2 years. I have actually been able to gain weight,I eat alot better. My depression is alot better. I still have bouts to where I am scared that I am going down the deep end. But,at this point I do not want to go back to the way I was. I want to stay med free,so I am determined.
I used to envy the people that could laugh,that actually had a smile that was not fake.I can do that now,and quite frankly I had not done that for a long time.
It is very hard to stay on this road believe me. But it can be done. If I can do it...anyone can as I was in a very very dark hole and had not seen the light at the top for a very long time.
So,there is hope the healing process is hard. But you have to be strong,and know where you want to be.

Shy
Posted 3/3/2007 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
Wow. Thanks, stronglady4me and shy, for those posts. It really did help for me to read them. Is it that misery dearly loves company, or is it that it's only human to want to be reminded that others have gone down the tubes...and then back up. Whatever. Thanks for being there for me.

I am doing somewhat better today (Saturday), but still feeling down over no job and not much of a social life. But at least I can return to one of my all-time favorite escapes, reading, as I have re-gained a great deal back of my concentration. I am at home by myself today, and my cats are keeping me company. In fact, one of them just walked on the keyboard as I was typing this post. Her contribution to this post was: '''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

I got two calls back on my resume, but I am still just dreading having to call them and explain that I was fired. God, what a long two months this has been. I just keep reminding myself that this too shall pass.
Posted 3/3/2007 8:16 PM (GMT 0)
I am bouncing back!!!! I had a really tough year last year and had a massive breakdown and spent 4 months in hospital recovering from depression and anxiety. It took a while, but I am really getting better now. Recovery from depression is a long road but there is light at the end of the tunnel I promise. Since leaving hospital, I have had great support from family and friends and started a new job. I still have bad days but my good days outway those now. Stay strong.
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