Depression is ruining my life.

DSGamer wrote:
sometimesdee wrote:

If you find out, please let us know! Then, make millions by selling a book on how to do it! ;)

I'm personally done it purely through referral so far. But I'm curious if anyone has found a reliable website, online community, etc.

Ooh! Angie's list for shrinks! We need to get on this, stat!

Would it be worth checking Yelp?

edit:\ A quick look shows they have a Counselling & Mental Health category.

I've gone through referrals from therapists that either I've had good rapport or someone else I trusted. I've specifically met with a therapist with the goal being to get a referral to another therapist. This avoids the uncomfortable business of seeing the same therapist as a friend, but still getting trusted advice.

DSGamer wrote:

Does anyone know how you find a good psych these days aside from trial and error? Is there a good starting spot? I'm trying to find someone in my area and having trouble as I'm starting from scratch.

Not sure if you mean psychologist or psychiatrist, but if you are in the US and you need a psychiatrist, look for a Nurse Practitioner. I had a ton of trouble finding a psychiatrist who didn't have a six-month wait, or who would return phone calls. I had an appointment within a week with my NP.

Hell I've just about given up hope on finding a worthwhile shrink.

I could write a book on this... I've got it down to a dark art now. I'll post later when I'm not on my phone.

Hey! Monkeyboy! I have this big manly but not too hard on the back hug lying around here. Do you know anyone who could use it?

Keep strong mate. Thinking of you here.

Thanks Floomi and Maq (and Ms Diaz, circa that movie, with those curves).

In session tomorrow at 11am. Just hoping the fingernails don't give out, the hold is tenuous at best...

It's going to be a rough session, getting worked up just thinking about it.

I know you can handle the wait until tomorrow. You will find surprising reserves of patience and comfort. Also a loud voice in Chicago yelling encouragement.

Jolly Bill wrote:

I know you can handle the wait until tomorrow. You will find surprising reserves of patience and comfort. Also a loud voice in Chicago yelling encouragement.

Bit of a punch in the gut this morning - got let go from a job I have had for almost nine years.

The depression has been okay, but my anxiety has been way up leading up to this.

Just like m0nk3yboy, I am hoping my fingernails hold out.

mortalgroove wrote:

Bit of a punch in the gut this morning - got let go from a job I have had for almost nine years.

The depression has been okay, but my anxiety has been way up leading up to this.

Just like m0nk3yboy, I am hoping my fingernails hold out.

Be the Boognish... Sorry to hear about the job man, that truly sucks. (((Hugs)))

Just a little thanks to this support group for being there over the last few months. Things are settling down for me here, I've decided to go with medication for a while and, while I had a nightmare time getting used to them with massive fatigue, dizziness, and mood swings, they've levelled out a little now and I'm finding life much easier to cope with.

The meds even managed to start working just in time to nail a job interview for a job my depressed brain had already turned down. They interviewed me anyway, I sat a test for something I'd never done before then did a presentation to the directors. I did so well they created a role for me. Apparently that test had previously made people with far more experience than me get up and walk out of the room there and then. Not sure I could have done that a couple of months ago.

So again, thanks for all your help. This is the one place I feel I can vent and for that I'm truly grateful.

Congrats on the new job, Maq! *hugs*

Congrats, Maq!

My therapy appointment today went better than previous ones. I explained about how I was feeling frustrated by not really making any progress or getting a diagnosis. She had me call a specialist clinic a week ago and I'm in processing for that, but I was having some real self-loathing that since I didn't have an "official" diagnosis I was just taking up resources from people with real problems.

She basically said she wouldn't have referred me to the specialist in the first place if she didn't think it was appropriate, and that WAS her diagnosis. Which of course makes sense, but I guess I just needed to hear it. And we talked a little bit about what treatment might be like.

So yeah, OCD therapy. This should be fun! I've been reassured that they're not going to tackle me and take my hand sanitizer, but you never know.

Glad to hear, maq and Demyx! I hope m0nk3yboy's appointment went just as well today. Sounds like a good news Wednesday!

Just checking in.

Therapy was, as it usually is for me, an awesome space to unpack and sift through the rubbish.

I just want to echo Maq's thoughts, and voice my own deep and profound appreciation for this thread. You guys are 'officially' part of my support network. Identified in session repeatedly as my 'asynchronous group therapy' I need you guys more than you'll ever know, and I am lost without you.

Grats Dymx on the therapy. Never hold back with your therapist, be more honest with them than you've been with yourself. They read more into what you disclose, get defensive about, tone of voice, etc, than you realise.

Happy Wednesday indeed.

Great news!

So does everyone do therapy on Wednesday? I'm curious, because that's my standing date as well. I really like going in the middle of the week. It lets me go through half the week, then take stock and make sure I'm not torpedoing myself. It also helps me make sure that if there are things that I am supposed to be working on, then I don't let them slide too long before acting on them.

RedJen wrote:

Great news!

So does everyone do therapy on Wednesday? I'm curious, because that's my standing date as well. I really like going in the middle of the week. It lets me go through half the week, then take stock and make sure I'm not torpedoing myself. It also helps me make sure that if there are things that I am supposed to be working on, then I don't let them slide too long before acting on them.

Hah. Seems that way

Wednesdays are the only day I don't have the kids with me, purely coincidence. Depending on my study schedule next year, it may move to Tuesday, or Wednesday morning.

Next year I'll have both in school, eldest in 1st grade (pre-primary this year), and youngest starting kindy 2.5 days a week (Monday, Tuesday, half day Wednesday). Looking forward to a bit more 'personal' time, that's for sure (even if it's just for catching up on sleep).

I could do a Monday, but my therapist only counsels Tuesday through Thursday.

Kotaku did this thing 2 weeks ago, looks like nobody mentioned it, but I thought of this thread.

4 Video Games That Help You Understand And Deal With Your Depression

And the game links:
Depression Quest

Elude

Actual Sunlight

Inner Vision

Seemed interesting. From the various comments some of the games may invoke some depression-like images. Might not be the best thing for someone to play when they are feeling down. But might also be something to share with friends or family to help them understand what you're going through?

Don't know if it will help anyone, but thought I'd throw them out there. Going to try to play them myself tomorrow and see, but thought I'd toss them out there for others.

Be very careful with Depression Quest. I ended up in a puddle of tears. (It is very good, though.)

Depression Quest is particularly good for non-sufferers. That review mentions that striking out the mentally healthy choices is inauthentic but I think it's important to communicate to people who aren't depressed that they're not an option. "Why don't you just think positively and snap out of it?" is something mot sufferers have heard at one time or another.

Given my mood leading up to my last session, I may just skip, all of those for a month or so. The falling pit one especially made my stomach flip, just reading the reviewers overview.

Thanks for the links though Stele, once I can play through them, I may just use those to help convey my particular blend (if it fits the bill) to others.

Floomi wrote:

Be very careful with Depression Quest. I ended up in a puddle of tears. (It is very good, though.)

It's almost impossible for me to cry but I was welled up playing that game. I stupidly did it on my lunch hour at work and had to close the door to my office. Thankfully, no one came by looking for me. I felt awful for the rest of the day and that was only by playing it while taking the "smartest" choices that I likely wouldn't have were I that person in real life. If I took some of the darker choices...ugh. It's an excellent interactive fiction experience though.

I felt nothing going through Depression Quest - like I was dead inside. I've been through some of those situations and have been with some of those thoughts. Not sure what that means.

LarryC wrote:

I felt nothing going through Depression Quest - like I was dead inside. I've been through some of those situations and have been with some of those thoughts. Not sure what that means.

Considered therapy? Always good to get a checkup, mental or otherwise.

Yeah. I'll talk to one of my Psych friends.

I'm feeling a bit like a failure right now. Because I had the Absurd Baby of Unusual Size via c-section, I haven't been able to do many of the things expected of a new mom. The kid's been in the NICU because he initially had a fever, and I was too busy recovering from the section to start breastfeeding right away, so we're still having difficulty. To top things off, I'm being discharged today, but baby will have to stay in NICU for 1-2 more days because he has jaundice. I keep having the nagging feeling that if I hadn't agreed to a c-section, things would have been less difficult, at the very least because I wouldn't be spending so much time on my own recovery. I know that if I get anywhere near a new mommy forum, I'd get the fifth degree for not having a "natural" childbirth and for the kid having some formula. While I know they're insane, the guilt still remains.

If it's any help, I actually think your situation is fairly commonplace, so there's no reason for anyone to rag on you, or for you to feel guilty. You already know that, though, so...

Breastmilk is best, but best isn't always, er, best, if you get my meaning. If you have to go halfway around the world and kill foxes in the middle of the night in Bolivia to make it possible to breastfeed, it's okay to use formula. That's what it's for. A few of my female relatives feel guilt about this as well. They resort to supplemental or full formula replacement for work reasons. It's fine. Don't worry about it.

Finally, never second-guess with hindsight. This is especially true for elective CS stuff for really large babies. They say that hindsight is 20/20, but it isn't always. Sometimes you forget the reasons, and sometimes you don't see what could have happened. It could have turned out really bad, and I won't horrify you with what I've seen. You did right.