Major Depression

[Etta1]

Hi, I'm new here, honestly don't know where else to turn. I spiralled into depression a year ago. Nothing seriously wrong with my life, I have a supportive husband, grown up children, friends, yet am struggling to cope .. tried antidepressants & counselling. Each day is getting a little harder. I feel as if my brain & memory have stopped functioning. Even simple daily tasks seem impossible..

[tyme]

Hey @Etta1 ,

Welcome to the forums.

I'm so sorry to hear how hard things are for you.

Do you have any particular interests?

I'm sure there are many others who can related to how you are feeling at the moment.

Please know you are not alone.

[Etta1]

I used to be full of life, enjoyed the outdoors, bike riding, bushwalking etc, however knee problems/ replacement left me with pretty much swimming and water activities only. Also loved reading and a whole lot of other things, which I'm unable to enjoy and therefore make myself do anymore. How is it possible to lose interest in life so badly? Am struggling to eat. I would love to hear from anyone who managed to recover and any possible tips.. I, myself managed to pull myself out in the past, but this time it is so much worse. I am struggling to find that light in the tunnel 😔

[SBE]

@Etta1 @I’m sorry to hear you are struggling. It is a good step that you reached out in here. Having a willingness to find help is a great first step. 

I was once given an activity to find the smallest joy in every day. This was even a cup of tea or patting my dog, I had to write this down every day for a few weeks. I think about this activity to this day as it made me realise the smallest things that have an impact. 

sometimes if you are having negative thoughts it can be good to have a people bringing you different perspectives or ideas. There are some brilliant self help books and podcasts. Such as On Purpose with Jay Shetty. It may not always work but sometimes even doing basic chores or driving and listening to people with new ideas or potential tools (yoga, meditation, gratitude journaling etc) could be helpful. You can always try and if it’s not for you, try something else.

Wishing you all the best.

[Suzie66]

Yes this is exactly how I feel. Just empty inside and discontent. No real reason. I am full time carer for my Mum and all I can manage to do now is meet her basic needs. I also used to be very fit and love outdoor activities. Even just having a shower is a huge tasks.

[Jynx]

Hey @Suzie66 just a lil tip, if you want other members to be notified that you've responded, you can tag them - use the @ symbol and a drop down will appear, and you can choose their name. If their name isn't there, you can type it out and it should then appear for you to select, and it will show up in blue, like this: @Etta1 

I'm sorry to hear that things are so rough for you, sounds like maybe in working hard to meet your mum's needs, it's been harder for you to meet your own. Do you have much in the way of mental health support? You could also look into Carers Australia for some extra support/resources, if you haven't already 😊

[tyme]

Hey @Suzie66 ,

You certainly are not alone. I'm hearing you. I can relate to what you are saying about feeling empty and disconnected. I certainly felt this way for a long time. 

I have to honestly say I was so depressed and empty that I couldn't even get out of house for years. After trialling numerous medications, one finally worked slightly. Only then was I able to get out of bed a little to attend therapy. Without the anti-depressants, I don't think I would have been able to focus in therapy.

I'm not saying medication did all the work, because it didn't. It took a lot of hard work to get above the depression. 

@Suzie66 @Etta1 @SBE What are your protective factors? What keeps you going even when things are very tough?

Remember, you are not alone.

[Suzie66]

@tyme , some of my protective behaviours is to meditate, try and connect to my indigenous spirits, make myself garden or take dogs for a walk, but some days I just can not do it. I wanted to go for a walk this morning, went in to put on my walking clothes and walked back outside again, thinking it is too hard. I know what I should be doing but acting on it is hard

[Suzie66]

@Jynx , thank you for responding. Yes I do get supports for Mum, she is on an aged care package. I still feel down. 

[tyme]

Hey @Suzie66 ,

Yeah, things can be really hard sometimes. But what I found is if you can make yourself accountable, it can help. For example, if you tell someone you are going out for a walk, or you ask them to go for a walk with you, then you have to go, and can't just pull out.

Do you think that would work?