Does "I Can't Cope" Sound Familiar? (My Experience of Depression)

Member Name: jennystevenson

Product:	My Experience of Depression
Date:	17/07/01 (91 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: With help you can become a stronger person

Disadvantages: Nearly losing yourself

These are the desperately spoken words of many people suffering from depression. It's common, it may not be a textbook physical ailment, but that doesn't make it any less significant or debilitating. The trouble is spotting the signs of depression. Everyone goes through rough times and suffers from stress, but it's when life becomes unbearable or difficult to cope with that it could be something different. Obviously I'm not a doctor and can't give you the best information, but I can share my experiences through suffering from depression.

I've suffered from depression for about three years now. Two of these years were wasted, as I was too afraid and embarrassed to seek help from a councillor or a doctor because I didn't want to come across as being a hypochondriac or a drama queen. So this is my biggest regret and I would say to anyone feeling low or suicidal to see a doctor as soon as possible. Even if that seems too daunting, take along a friend or family member for moral support, this is what I did and it helped. Also, make sure you see someone you are comfortable with talking to as you'll need to be able to tell him or her how you're feeling and that you want help. I spent months with a doctor I couldn't speak openly with and nothing got done until I saw another GP I was comfortable with. Don't be afraid to change GPs or even surgery, as you deserve the treatment you need.

OK, so what is depression?
Not the most straightforward question to answer, but it can be a combination of wanting to end your life, feelings of worthlessness, low self esteem, anxiety, insomnia, constantly getting upset at the smallest of things, unable to cope with everyday tasks, shying away from people and so on.

People who are depressed need support, people around them, and people there to listen and understand. Passing it off as a phase or telling someone to just get on with things do not help. If a
nything, it makes a sufferer feel even more isolated. Just because you can't see the condition does not mean it isn't there.

What Causes Depression?
I describe it as a chicken or the egg situation. Commonly, depression involves personal experiences (e.g., trauma, shock, or bereavement) as well as an imbalance in a chemical called Serotonin. Basically, serotonin is released in the brain and influences functions in the body, most importantly our mood. It has been discovered medically that a lack of seratonin relates to depression. For some it is genetic, for others it is through personal experience that leads to a chemical imbalance. Whichever reason it is, there is help available.

So how do you treat it?
I mentioned seeing a GP as this leads to many sources of help. Anti-depressants is probably the first route and unlike many peoples perception of them, they aren't a miracle cure, they aren’t amphetamines so they won’t give you a sense of euphoria, they won't make you feel happy 100% of the time but they do take the edge off the symptoms, balancing your moods making you feel more like a normal person again.

Just as important as medication, if not more, is counselling. This lets you talk over your fears, find new answers, get someone else's perspective and get deep down to the route of your depression. There are so many different approaches and methods of counselling that there is bound to be one to suit. Whether it is a psychiatrist or a voluntary organisation, I am confident that counselling does work as it enables you to face your fears, question how realistic they are and have someone else’s point of view to guide you.

There are things you can do yourself to make small changes to help you get through each day. One of these is exercise. It may not sound too appealing, but exercise releases endorphins, which naturally make you feel good, a bit of a natural high. Hey, it
may not be much but at least you can gain some control over your depression and that in itself is progress.

So whatever you do, don’t be afraid to talk to people. You need to let people know what you’re going through, you’ll be surprised at how much help you can get. For two years I got nothing because nobody knew, now I am taking medication, getting help from a psychiatrist and doing training courses in anxiety management and self-confidence. There really is no need to feel ashamed, as there are so many people in a similar situation. Life can get so much better.

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