Depression...

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Archers Road said:
I have a mate like you, very annoying he is <laugh>. After years struggling to get off smack and crack, and a few years completely clean, he smokes one or two spliffs a day, and can have one bottle of designer lager in the pub - and not even ****ing finish it, the bastard. I can't do that, and there's no sense wishing I could.

I have a lot of trouble sometimes, trying to explain to people who don't understand that, no, I can't just have one. One drink's no ****ing use to me, never has been - I either avoid that first drink altogether (which is not difficult these days) or you'd better warn the landlord to get some more kegs in and be ready to stay open until ****ing doomesday, or until my money runs out, whichever is the quicker.

If you gave me my own brewery, a suitcase full of bugle and another one full of brown for the comedowns, it wouldn't be enough.

A tough one explaining that to people who haven't experienced the mad alky's raging thirst. But as you said about depression, why should they understand, really? A lot of things don't make any sense until you've lived them.

Do you still keep in touch with any of your NA buddies? For some reason, ex drunks and junkies are some of the sweetest people you can meet.
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I know exactly where you're coming from mate, 100% the same with me and drugs back then. Same illness just different substances. Respect.

I'm still in touch with a few of them, some local and some from various other places I've lived. Mainly keep in touch over the phone though tbh as I wouldn't want to jeopardise their recovery. I know they'd do anything to help and vice versa. Like you say, some people that are ex-addicts are seriously nice down to earth people. I guess queuing up at the gates of hell does change your outlook on life.

Some of the **** I did or went through I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Non addicts will never understand addiction, it's alien to them. The feelings, the situations, can't be read in a book. That's why I went into the substance misuse field in the prisons, I knew they'd get me, and I got them. Made such a difference, compared to some of my colleagues - many times the inmates would ask to see me and no one else. Bit awkward for the rest of the team, but that's how it is.
 
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I used to get depression in my late teens and 20 something years. Mostly gone now, although I occasionally get it, pretty rare now. Usually there is no rhyme or reason. Nothing particularly sad or bad in my life (I've had an incredibly good life all things considered), I just get down for weeks at a time for no reason.



Exercise is a great suggestion. The more down you are the harder it is to exercise, but if you can force yourself it really helps.

For me, natural lighting helps. Nothing better than getting outside.

Quality of indoor light helps too. Look for light bulbs with a colour temperature > 4500 Kelvin. Yellow lights are the absolute worst. You want natural daylight bulbs. Yellowy bulbs and "soft white" trick your brain into shutting down and thinking it is getting late/night.

I really think a major reason I don't get depression much anymore is because I do use nothing but daylight bulbs now.
 
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Importance of being Milk said:
I used to get depression in my late teens and 20 something years. Mostly gone now, although I occasionally get it, pretty rare now. Usually there is no rhyme or reason. Nothing particularly sad or bad in my life (I've had an incredibly good life all things considered), I just get down for weeks at a time for no reason.



Exercise is a great suggestion. The more down you are the harder it is to exercise, but if you can force yourself it really helps.

For me, natural lighting helps. Nothing better than getting outside.

Quality of indoor light helps too. Look for light bulbs with a colour temperature > 4500 Kelvin. Yellow lights are the absolute worst. You want natural daylight bulbs. Yellowy bulbs and "soft white" trick your brain into shutting down and thinking it is getting late/night.

I really think a major reason I don't get depression much anymore is because I do use nothing but daylight bulbs now.
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You can actually get daylight bulbs now that have the full spectrum of light in them, rather than just mimicking daylight <ok>

Every office should be fitted with these. It's not natural for people to spend hours sitting under strip lights.
 
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PISKIE said:
Every office should be fitted with these. It's not natural for people to spend hours sitting under strip lights.
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At one point I was working for a bank. I was in a cube farm. Very few windows in the building. I was near none of them.

Even more frustrating to me. The lucky sods who had windows, without fail all had the blinds down.

In winter months I would arrive for work in the dark, and leave for home in the dark
I wouldn't see any daylight at all until the weekend. It was hugely depressing.

I didn't stay there much more than a year. Couldn't stand working somewhere where I couldn't see the outside and natural light.
 
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I cry out of nowhere at times, Even where I listen to music, I don't know why though, I don't want to talk about football when I'm in a low mood, It's the last thing on my mind to be honest.
 
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The Liebherr Legacy said:
Cheers for replies everyone, a lot of sound advice there too which I'll try take on board.

Regarding exercise it's probably a great idea but like Sky says putting it in practice is slightly different, espescially as I have lack of time doing shifts n looking after my nipper.

For those who asked if it could be stress then it's certainly not. I've suffered with this on and off for around 15 years... never really gone away but this is worst bout in a long time.

Actually at the best point in my life for years too so i know it's not stress related.

I know that drinking is really not helping and probably a big part of it but it's hard to cut that out when it's my only release... like I say a vicious circle where you drink cos you feel like **** but long term it's a depressant.

Cheers again, some cracking responses here.
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Cold beer good skunk cocaine and sex at weekends, work during the week sleep properly and eat healthy.
 
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Importance of being Milk said:
I used to get depression in my late teens and 20 something years. Mostly gone now, although I occasionally get it, pretty rare now. Usually there is no rhyme or reason. Nothing particularly sad or bad in my life (I've had an incredibly good life all things considered), I just get down for weeks at a time for no reason.



Exercise is a great suggestion. The more down you are the harder it is to exercise, but if you can force yourself it really helps.

For me, natural lighting helps. Nothing better than getting outside.

Quality of indoor light helps too. Look for light bulbs with a colour temperature > 4500 Kelvin. Yellow lights are the absolute worst. You want natural daylight bulbs. Yellowy bulbs and "soft white" trick your brain into shutting down and thinking it is getting late/night.

I really think a major reason I don't get depression much anymore is because I do use nothing but daylight bulbs now.
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This is me right now. Got nothing really going my way at the moment and i've not really got any desire to change it. I'm in a bit of a rut.

I wouldn't say i'm depressed but I'm definitely not right. I need to lose some weight and be healthy again, become more involved with friends and start to enjoy the fact i'm still a young lad. Seems easy to type that but as daft as it sounds, I can't be arsed.
 
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Matth_2014 said:
Thanks for that, I might have it actually after researching it.
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Don't start Googling depression you will diagnose yourself with everything.
I had to have a wisdom tooth removed and looked on Youtube at horrific surgery slicing gums apart and bits of tooth snapping off etc.
Told my dentist and he laughed and said people do it all the time and freak themselves out over nothing.

Google is a hypochondriac's worst enemy.
 
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The understanding of depression is making real progress in the last year or two. It's been discovered that those who suffer repeated bouts of depression may have a link in their brain between the part of the brain that deals with bad news and upset and the part of the brain that deals with blame and self-image. It's not present in most people.

Tests are being done at the major London hospitals with subjects being told test information that one would expect to cause upset but in some depressives will cause individuals, who suffer repeated bouts of clinical depression, to become depressed as their brain is automatically and subconsciously blaming them for these events. This might help to explain why people suffer repeatedly with no obvious personal cause. Understanding of the causes will lead to significantly improved therapies.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/s...ed-and-what-treatment-is-needed-a7664016.html

There's real hope from these studies. I'm one of the guinea pigs, having suffered from depression numerous times personally and throughout my family, including one of my daughters, I'm very keen to try and contribute in some small way to finding improved treatment and care.

Anyone suffering depression should go and see their doctor or in an emergency go to A&E. The treatment is very good as I discovered when my daughter was very depressed a year and a half ago. The help is so much better than 40 years ago when I first began to suffer. Love and good health to all.
 
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DUNCAN DONUTS said:
Don't start Googling depression you will diagnose yourself with everything.
I had to have a wisdom tooth removed and looked on Youtube at horrific surgery slicing gums apart and bits of tooth snapping off etc.
Told my dentist and he laughed and said people do it all the time and freak themselves out over nothing.

Google is a hypochondriac's worst enemy.
Click to expand...

I've had 3 of mine out.
 
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