any one else suffered from depression?

[kalinx]

hi guys

im a student studying medicine and have recently had a recurrence in depression which has really got me down.

i was just wondering if anyone else has suffered with this illness and what they found helpful

 

[Franks Wild Years]

Yep, and its a right fucker.

 

[blue and white army]

Sounds like a good endorsement for Medicine, tried Prozac ?

 

[Notters]

Yes, when I was a teenager... It's difficult, I think the best thing for me was trying to occupy myself as much as possible, which can be difficult, particularly with M.E. as it makes you very tired... but the more you think about it, the worse it gets and while you're doing stuff you don't think about it.

Can I also recommend getting along to Brisbane Road on Saturday, that should help (hopefully!)

Oh, and best of luck.

 

[Milton Keynes Seagull]

I think anyone supporting the Albion at the moment is suffering from depression!

Seriously, this often misunderstood condition can take a number of forms and differs in degrees of severity. I myself have had episodes of it, but apart from a tiny percentage of acute cases, most people get through albeit with a combination of medication and counselling. Support from friends and family is very important.

I think the main thing you should do, is not think that this will take over your life and believe that you will get well which I am sure you will. Take your GPs advice and continue the treatment he/she prescribes. This is a dificult one I know, but you need to abstain from alcohol for the period of the medication. Combining alcohol (especially in excess) with anti-depressants is a no-no I'm afraid.

Best wishes.

 

[Franks Wild Years]

In my experience, not drinking, not doing recreational drugs, getting regular exersice and forcing myself to get out and about even when it seemed to be the last thing I wanted to do. Good luck and best wishes to you.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Yeah, had it in my first year at uni, and do have little repeats of it every now and then. Best thing is to talk it through with someone - as you are studying medicine, you have lots of access to medical professionals - talk it through with your tutor, and go and seek medical advice. I took tablets (can't remember which ones), but they did the trick. I found that they didn't stop you from getting down, but they stopped you from staying down about things.

I know it's a big cliche, but diet and exercise is also really good.

As you are a med student, you'll also have access to BMJ journals and the Cochrane database has a really good review on meds vs lifestyle changes - it might help you understand more reading about it.

The biggest thing I had to accept was to not feel guilty about it. Depression happens to about 1 in 5 people i believe, and those odds are significantly shorter at uni, so don't feel like you are the only one - i can promise you you arent!

 

[Notters]

The biggest thing I had to accept was to not feel guilty about it. Depression happens to about 1 in 5 people i believe, and those odds are significantly shorter at uni, so don't feel like you are the only one - i can promise you you arent!

Particularly for med. students.

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I think everyone has suffered with depression at some point, in different varieties. I'm currently out of work (well, I've been doing some work with an online shop), and that's quite depressing. But it's quite easy to break out of the funk if you actually do something out of the ordinary. So I've been playing a lot of football and tennis recently, and today I joined a gym (which is a bad idea considering I'm out of work as I mentioned!), that's the only way to break out of a depression for me personally.

Good luck my friend.

 

[The Grockle]

i suffered from severe depression in my late teens which was treated with prozach. Although in the short term prozach was very effective, finding a long time solution seemed impossible. I was lucky to have a very good doctor who was aware of alternatives, he suggested a herbal alternative called st johns wort, you can buy it from holland and barrat. I really cant stress enough how effective it was and is. I'd strongly advise trying it fella.

 

[Notters]

I think everyone has suffered with depression at some point, in different varieties. I'm currently out of work (well, I've been doing some work with an online shop), and that's quite depressing. But it's quite easy to break out of the funk if you actually do something out of the ordinary. So I've been playing a lot of football and tennis recently, and today I joined a gym (which is a bad idea considering I'm out of work as I mentioned!), that's the only way to break out of a depression for me personally.

Good luck my friend.

I'm not sure that's clinical depression though is it? Sorry if it is, but clinical depression is like a huge barrier inside your brain that's very hard to get through.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

i suffered from severe depression in my late teens which was treated with prozach. Although in the short term prozach was very effective, finding a long time solution seemed impossible. I was lucky to have a very good doctor who was aware of alternatives, he suggested a herbal alternative called st johns wort, you can buy it from holland and barrat. I really cant stress enough how effective it was and is. I'd strongly advise trying it fella.

Word of warning - do NOT take St Johns Wart if you are taking ANY other medicines - especially cardiac drugs or anti-depressants.

 

[Notters]

Word of warning - do NOT take St Johns Wart if you are taking ANY other medicines - especially cardiac drugs or anti-depressants.

Really? I had it with seroxat (and I was only 12/13!)

 

[Ninja Elephant]

I'm not sure that's clinical depression though is it? Sorry if it is, but clinical depression is like a huge barrier inside your brain that's very hard to get through.

Yeah, actual depression and just feeling sorry for yourself are massively different, at the moment I'm just a little bit short of motivation in life. Which has nothing to do with depression I know, happily, I don't suffer with depression much.

But I did a few years ago, my first love. Needless to say, she turned out to be a lesbian and that does things to your self esteem... Happily, I was able to work through it. I do feel sorry for anyone and everyone suffering with depression, it's not something that anyone should suffer alone. That's the best advice anyone can give really, get help from someone, anyone really.

I studied psychology at A level, which really opened my eyes to what depression is all about.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Really? I had it with seroxat (and I was only 12/13!)

Yup - St Johns Wort is really to be taken with caution

 

[Notters]

Yup - St Johns Wort is really to be taken with caution

Thanks... though fingers crossed I'll never need the stuff again.

 

[seagullsovergrimsby]

Prozac , counselling , giving up booze , getting back to work so that you are socialising helps. I had an acute episode 15 years ago and because alcohol and Prozac didn't mix stopped drinking altogether. I was on Prozac for 6 months but have been teetotal from day 1.

 

[sir albion]

I would suspect most of you where on a come-down from taking e's

 

[Notters]

I would suspect most of you where on a come-down from taking e's

 

[Bluejuice]

Has been mentioned more than once already but giving up the booze is one of the best things you can do to help yourself get through it.

Hard work, but alcohol really won't help you, and the money you save can be used to buy things that make you happy