Does HW depress you?

It can. I believe any health forum can often show a bad side to disease in that people who recover move on with their lives - as it should be.

Sad to say, but it does nowadays. After 6 years of participating, 5 1/2 years of it every day, with the site left open on my browser and reading multiple times daily, I finally had to back away some. I can say that I read every post daily for the first 4 1/2 years, first as a learner and later as a Moderator. After 5 years, I just burnt out and found myself feeling down and worrying about so many others situations. Too much empathy? Perhaps.

Now I will open it up and scan the topics, picking ones to read, rather than reading every word of every post. Then I close it up and go do something else until tomorrow. I find that I feel better, am less stressed and don't have the whole situation on my mind all the time.

If things change beyond my anticipated SRT, whenever that arrives, to where I need the information or closer connections to you guys here, I'll be back to the old routine. Some may feel slightly offended with how I've worded this, but really it boils down to I love you guys, and worry about you all, but I gotta step back for my own sake.

No, having PC depresses me. I'm happy to know that HW is here for any help and advice I might need, and I also find members' journeys interesting. Like anything else, and especially on the internet, it can be overdone.

It doesn't depress me, but it does remind me I have cancer. Otherwise, I rarely think of it. (When I'm feeling the SEs of my HT, I blame it on the HT...for some reason my mind doesn't blame it on the fact that I was diagnosed with cancer.)

I can see how it would be possible to burn out on HW after a while. But for now I'm fine and I've learned so much here I want to be able to share my experiences with the newly diagnosed when they're relevant.

Michael

I take it all in moderation;)
Cmetalman

Quite the opposite. The main focus of my own participation at HW is helping the newcomers who have just been hit with “the big ‘C’ word” and are at what us more experienced PC vets know to be the precipice of their patient education process.   Too often we hear tones of men who “wished they knew then what they know now ” about prostate cancer.   Newcomers are hungry for good information, and it is satisfying to help provide them with that information (or to help provide the sources of that information to other HW vets who I see re-use much of the material I previously provided).   My reward, which keeps me coming back, is knowing that I’ve provided solid guidance (including the legacy of enduring posts) to many people—both newcomers and not-so-newcomers—based on the numerous emailed or posted notes of appreciation for my efforts. HW does not depress me.   I know, from much training in my professional life, that change is difficult and can be a bitter pill.   Not everyone will get it, but I do believe that “we can do better.”   In March 2010, I predicted in a HW posting that a "tsunami" of change was on the horizon; I believe that the "wake-up call" the PC-world received more than a year later, in October 2011, (while not inofitself being a particularly good change) has and will continue for some time to serve as stimulus for change to the better. And finally, I am inspired to “ pay it forward ,” as I am indebted to the knowledge and experience of others who gave me counsel over the phone, especially in those first few scary weeks/months after my own diagnosis.   They were “paying it forward.”   As I am not able to “pay them back,” I do look to “ pay it forward ” with like knowledge, experience and wisdom to others. Having some, and perhaps more than the average, interest in history, I found this letter by Benjamin Franklin to be fascinating, and I first published this quote in a HW post over 2 years ago in June 2011.   It was written while Franklin lived in Paris (for 9 years, through the duration of the Revolutionary War) as he helped another American he met there get re-started in his life back in the States after going through a rough patch, and beautifully conveys his personal descript ion of “ paying it forward ”: Passy [was outside Paris; now absorbed into Paris] , April 22d, 1784 Dear Sir, I received yours [a letter] of the 15th Instant [the current month] , and the Memorial it inclosed. The account they give of your situation grieves me. I send you herewith a Bill for Ten Louis d’ors [French money] . I do not pretend to give such a Sum; I only lend it to you. When you shall return to your Country with a good Character, you cannot fail of getting into some Business, that will in time enable you to pay all your Debts. In that Case, when you meet with another honest Man in similar Distress, you must pay me by lending this Sum to him; enjoining him to discharge the Debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shall meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go thro' many hands, before it meets with a Knave that will stop its Progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money. I am not rich enough to afford much in good works, and so am obliged to be cunning and make the most of a little. With best wishes for the success of your Memorial, and your future prosperity, I am, dear Sir, your most obedient servant, B. Franklin .         Post Edited (Casey59) : 10/3/2013 12:35:37 PM (GMT-6)

I got depressed reading this thread.

Like others have said. I now do selective reading. I get sad when some of my brothers are having a difficult time and I offer support however I can. With that being said. Many of the threads are upbeat and enjoyable. Some of them are funny and I really enjoy the comments that my friends post.

This is a great site and the most frequent posters are the new guys trying to get info. Most of the older members fade into the dawn. I encourage members that are doing well to continue to post those zeros! It is important for new members to know that we do have members with GREAT Results of treatment.

Cajun Jeff

I don't get depressed but reading this site is a reminder and I would rather focus on things non Prostate Cancer. I don't visit the site as much as I did when first diagnosed because it is a reminder.  Plus the site can cause me some unnecessary worrying.  Just recently there was discussion of PSA test after surgery and someone commented (paraphrasing) they know their cancer may have returned when the number starts climbing and no one really challenged the statement.  In their case the number had risen from "0" to something like .05.  Now mine had gone from undetectable to .1 in three months and yet my Uro told me not to worry until and unless it reaches .2   Now you can probably guess that post had all kinds of thoughts running through my head and I admit I was really worried to the point of making myself sick.  I had convinced myself, because of the post that my Uro was keeping bad news from me.  Days later I read other post that confirmed what my Uro had told me and it eased my mind.  I have tried to educate myself but have to admit all of this still confuses me from time to time. Guess part of the confusion comes from why some of you insist on PSA test carried out to two decimal places? If there is no need to worry until the PSA hits .2 then why even be concerned if a PSA rises from .01 to .05 or even .10 for that matter?  Probably shouldn't have posed the question as I might not like what I hear.LOL

Cancer depresses me, HW enlightens me.

I really enjoy discussions here; it's the whole personal PCa situation that sometimes brings me down. The lack of clear cut answers or guidelines frustrates me. The stats about limited long term survival for T3 G9 cases depresses me, quite apart from this forum. I was planning on living into my 80s, but this diagnosis makes that seem pretty unlikely.

I have an "undetectable" PSA after end of radiation therapy, so I'm rejoicing in that! It's tempting to just turn away 100% from this site, and maybe I should, to clear my mind of it. It's good until it's not good.

But, I'm so grateful for everyone's input that I feel it necessary to share my experience where it may be helpful. Also, I'm still undergoing HT so venting here is sometimes helpful. Mostly I'm ok, but sometimes my mind starts running out the darker possibilities of my diagnosis, and I have a bad day (like yesterday). It's not clear if HW kicks that snowball down the hill, or if it helps to stop it.

I have to admit, my recent G9 thread "Welcome and how ya doin' ", while intended to be helpful to this subgroup, has freaked me out a bit (an unintended side-effect). There aren't a whole lot of good-news stories there, but some very brave people facing some difficult situations.

My faith is all that keeps me out of the vortex, but I understand and accept this isn't the forum to discuss that.

I'm more prone to anxiety than depression. I generally find that avoiding something increases my anxiety, while facing it head on decreases my anxiety. HW and my support groups definitely reduce my fear and anxiety.