What helps with the depression?

It is so sad being sick. I have not been sick. I have never had the flu. It is over 25 years since I ever took antibiotics. Hubby is a jewel and we try and laugh away my symptoms but sometimes I just cry out of frustration.

So what do you do to get out of your funk?

Music helps my daughter and I. Working in my garden helps me, but if you live where there are a lot of ticks around, you'd need take precautions to keep them off of you.

We went to the fair several times this year and it pulled me out of the depression that I sank into earlier this summer. It just felt good to be out of the house and with people. We went to a couple of the concerts and other shows they had. I was just able to forget about my life for a couple of weeks and I chatted with a lot of people without mentioning Lyme, so it was a much needed break and only a couple of miles from home.

There are some natural things you can take including SAMe and St. Johns wort.

If you are just in a funk, then finding activities that you know are enjoyable and that you can still do, or finding new ones can be a big help!!

Sometimes even just a night away from the house, or a weekend road trip can really be helpful.

The disease and some of the meds create anxiety and depression so don't be hard on yourself. You've already seen that treatment can make it worse. We are all so relieved to have a diagnosis thinking HA now that I know this will soon be solved only to realize this is really just the beginning.

Listen to music, watch comedy, prep for the coming El nino.....hard to imagine. I know you are in Sacramento. There was a piece on the Bay Area news last night that if you have not already arranged for new roofing it's too late. I need to call to get my gutter down spouts unclogged...I guess today? Order umbrella's

I've missed two Sharks season and have been a season ticket holder for 15+ years. I'm going this year....that's the plan.

St. Johns wort is great. Just check with each abx that it's not listed as an interaction. It can effect liver enzymes that remove the abx from your body making the abx less effective.

LOL! PeteZa, you live in an area that sounds like where I live - only I'm not in Cal. I left there when I was still a kid. While we do have a community nearby with 1 grocery store and a Post Office (fortunately!!) there's not much else here! It suits me just fine though.

But maybe a night or two out would still be good for you?

((((((((((Hugs))))))))) back to you!! <3 <--- that's supposed to be a heart in case you don't recognize it!! LOL!

LOL!! Same here!!! Okay, it honestly started with trying to keep up with the kids, but now that we have grandkids, it's invaluable!!

Trust me, I understand that some of us have super debilitating symptoms that don't allow us to go out and do things. That still does not mean Lyme defines us; it simply means we have to find our own ways of mentally coping. Just like any other illness, once you accept that you *are* that illness, it will consume you. You are not Lyme, you are an awesome person that is dealing with a terrible illness. Listening to music, drawing a picture, coloring in a color book, reading a book, listening to an audio book or podcast, heck even going outside and sitting in the sun and absorbing some vitamin D will do wonders (just be careful if you're on doxy, wear sunscreen!).

The problem I see with mental issues with Lyme is that people give up. When people are depressed without Lyme, some are able to see it and make conscious changes to improve their wellbeing (like what I said above). However, with Lyme, many people seem to adopt the mindset of "there are bacteria in my brain and I can't help the way I feel! Only drugs/herbs will help!" Of course these things will help, and of course these evil bacteria are making a huge difference in our cognitive abilities - however, positive thinking is by no means impossible; and it is definitely not futile.

If you have the flu, do you feel like singing & dancing?

It might help to know that depression just might be a side effect of your body being out of whack. And to not doubly beat yourself up because you are not skipping & zippity doo-da-ing it when you feel like dog poo!

Here's an article discussing "cytokines...inflammatory messengers...correlative with depression":
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/17/psychoneuroimmunology-inflammation.aspx

Post Edited (happyjo) : 8/26/2015 7:11:15 PM (GMT-6)

My naturopath just put me on rhodiola - can't report much back yet but so far so good - I'm slowly coming out of a pretty miserable depression with that, a couple homeopathics for relieve emotional issues and more meditation :)

Hang in there, PeteZa. I know how tough this is, I found myself that way at a very young age. There simply is no way to understand this much disability without having to live it or have someone that you love go through it - and even then it's hard for them to understand. I'll never forget the look on my husband's face when he was infected with Lyme this summer - and felt part of what I felt for years. When the realization that I have lived with this for years hit him - he was shocked. He just sat there, speechless.

This is often the most ill a lot of us have ever been, and without the support from our community and those around us, it's also very isolating and hard to deal with. That's where we come in. We are your community. We understand. We are here to listen and to offer our best understanding - and we believe you, and we believe in you. Believe you will heal too - just none of us can look to see when that date will be.

Try to always keep in mind this is temporary and that you are very ill. Our debilitation is often compared to those with congestive heart issues, MS and other serious health issues. I'll be glad when it's really widely recognized, but that's for another conversation.

I found myself repeating the phrase, this is only temporary, quite a bit when I was ill.

Many, many ((((((((((hugs)))))))))) to you, PeteZa - I really do understand how tough this can be, as do many here.