[Brewster]

Alright ya'll I'm just going to throw this out there because I know I'm not the only one here that has some issues I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety about 12 years ago and have been receiving treatment for it since. I'm on Zoloft which has helped immensely. Like many of ya'll dealin with personal issues like depression, bi-polar disorder, etc on the daily can be hard but I think it helps if we talk about it and know we're not the only ones out there.

So how about it. Anyone else want to step up?

 

[ditto1958]

Brewster, my wife is a therapist, and based on her experiences I can assure you that you are far from alone. Men find it especially hard to even admit to having any problems. Fortunately, these days there is a lot of help available. Hope you are doing well.

 

[James6591]

I'm on Zoloft which has helped immensely.

I was on Zoloft for a short period of time about 12, maybe 13 years ago. I found it to be very debilitating due to the side effects.
I weaned myself off it against a doctors advice and have never looked back since.
Not that I would recommend anyone else doing that, I was in a very good position to be able do that.
We're all here for you Brewster, this forum is family.

 

[Waveform]

Hey Brewster - I have a close family member who has struggled with depression/bi-polar disorder for many years. At times it seems to close in with suicide attempts and hospitalization but more lately the medication and therapy has kept things leveled out pretty well. Mental health issues are really quite common but unfortunately still rarely discussed and I admire you for standing up and saying so. No one tries to hide their chronic back pain or arthritis or any of a number of other health problems and mental health problems are no different. I'm glad the Zoloft is working for you. One of the frustrating things about theses medications is they do not work the same for everyone. For whatever reason some things help some people while the same medication can make another person worse. Some folks have bad side effects while others seem to have no ill effects whatsoever. The medications do seem to be effective once the initial trial-and-error process is sorted out and the right medication or combination is found. I think therapy helps too and it's important to talk through things with someone.

OK - I'm rambling now. Sorry! Stay on top of this in your life and know you have friends who support you here.

Wave

 

[Amishman44]

As a former high school teacher and Athletic Trainer...I has several student / athletes who suffered from those issues! As the medical person with athletics, I worked in conjunction with the school nurse on these issues as several of the athletes were taking prescription medication to help them balance and perform better each day!

While some (teachers and students) made fun of their peers, I took the other approach and said we're all just one step away from being their ourselves (incidents or accidents that can occur, changes in the body's chemical balances, illness, etc.) and chose to show consideration for each individual! Several of those individuals are still 'friends' today...each having stated their gratitude for being accepted for who they were and for the encouragement to do their best, regardless of the situation(s) they found themselves in!

I've been under a physician's care for burnout (fall of 2010...after working 80-90+ hours per week trying to keep other's happy)...and all they did was get mad at my work-restriction of 40 hours per week x 4 weeks! I looked at my beautiful wife and 3 adorable kids...and told the job to shove it! They had offered the position to 4 people (3 of whom rejected it as it was) before a lady took it. That was only after they made the changes I recommended that needed to be made! She got everything I had asked for in the position!

Physical activity can help with those issues...see if you can be physically active for 60-90 minutes per day x 6 days per week! You'd be surprised how much better you will feel and how much better you will relax and sleep!

Take care of yourself...take the time to be happy (whenever possible) and don't let life get too serious! Your health is important too! God Bless!

 

[Troubador222]

I deal with depression too, though a mild anti depressant seems to work for me now. Back in 2007 I lost my job and then dealt with some serious anxiety for a while. My doc had me taking Valium for a while to combat anxiety attacks. They worked and after a while, I stopped taking them and I was alright. After all was over, I often wonder if the job itself contributed to the anxiety. I supervised a survey crew doing engineering studies on states roads, and we were always in the traffic. Your adrenaline levels stayed spiked all the time. Then one day, I just stopped.

 

[Larry the Liberal]

I have a relative who suffers from schizophrenia. Depression usually accompanies this disease. This individual takes Zoloft for their depression in addition to a host of other medications.

It is a human tragedy that many people suffer from mental illnesses and do not get treatment for a variety of reasons. Thanks for starting this thread, Brewster ... it is certainly worth discussion.

 

[ExArmy11b]

I deal with Anxiety and Panic Disorder, I feel largely caused by my experiences in the Army although I may have already been pre-disposed to it. I don't know, but I have found ways to deal with it.

My Dr. tried to put me on medications, after 3 days on the one (Citalopram?) I woke up at 3 am feeling like I was about to die..........turned out the medication gave me Seratonin Syndrome, which is too much Seratonin in my body. I was not depressed, but my Dr. put me on a strong antidepressant which did NOT work out well for me I went off it immediately.

I deal with it on my own, without medication. I quit smoking, and also GREATLY reduced my caffeine intake and it has made a world of difference. Nicotine is a stimulant and studies show it can increase anxiety in people already prone to it........and caffeine was really aggravating my anxiety, to the point where I had a large ice coffee from McDonalds one day and 30 minutes later I had a full blown panic attack. I took 4 or 5 sips of my wife's Monster drink yesterday and I was edgy for hours......... so one cup of normal coffee for me in the morning is about it for me....my goal is to get down to pretty much 0 caffeine, maybe the occasional cup. It makes it difficult at times, my wife is a coffee freak and a chain smoker, so two of my former addictions are in my face constantly

 

[Rivers2k]

I started having anxiety attacks in 2000 when I started taking a GNC product called xenadryn. I stopped when I found out that it was triggering my attack and it lasted nearly 40 days while it flushed through my system it was horrible. 12 years later I still deal with anxiety from time to time (once or twice a year) but it has been about a year and a half since my last anxiety attack. It used to be debilitating but not any longer.

What has worked for me;

1. My faith in God. Turning to Him and knowing he is on control and he loves me.
2. Limit Caffeine I rarely drink coffee and no more than 1 soda in a day.
3. Something in Diet drinks really makes me jittery so I don't do anything with nutra sweet.
4. 1 hour of exercise 5 days a week really enhances my mood.
5. When I was going through an attack I would try to get out in the sun for a bit.

 

[Troubador222]

It is hard to talk about anxiety attacks to people who have never had them. I posted above, about how I had them when I lost my job. I experienced them again this summer, and the causes were totally external. Got diagnosed with colon cancer, my best friend died, and then my grand daughter at 2 days old developed some very serious respiratory problems. After 3 days of it, I went to the the doctor. Took a low dose of Valium for a month, and spent some time with a good friend and ex band mate, who is also a therapist. The result by the end of the month, was, my cancer was a very early diagnosis, and very easy to treat, (though i will have to be checked the rest of my life), my friend dieing is something i cannot control, and though i will miss him, that kind of grief is something that happens, and my grand daughter responded to anti biotics and is thriving. You know, life happens. This all happened in the space of about 2 weeks with me. Probably the cancer diagnosis caused more, because, it takes time, to find out where you are. That and the baby being so sick, and with the other stuff, the feeling of helplessness just escalates. The difference between now and then, once it started this time, I was at the docs, and telling him everything. Back in 2006-7 when everything went down, I tried to be a tough guy, and not go. That is the wrong thing to do. That is the worst part of anxiety and depression, is, there is so much help out there, but people wont go for help. The first time it happened to me, I delayed. Ya know, there is not any of us who are superman, (Though I liked to think I was when I was in my 20s). So, I hope people learn this lesson easier than I did the first time. The second time, I knew what to do. And the bottom line, is it affects a persons physical health. It can kill you.



Hope everyone who posted here in this thread has found some relief. There is nothing trivial about it.

 

[303lithgow]

I have been diagnosed with PTSD from my military experiences. While I took drugs to help the drugs didn't really do much good. I went to group therapy for years and that DID help. Talking to others that have gone through similar experiences and knowing you are not alone helps big time.

Staying active and interacting with others is important I think.

 

[Sightngrl]

You guys are so awesome for just putting it out there. I admire you all for being able to do that. I have been through Hell with a family member for the last 2 years. I think we might be on a more solid, permanent road back. Thank God! I'm starting to see them see the light of day more & more. When I see them smile more everyday & act like their old self, its really a blessing. I have never been through anything like it before with anyone, and I don't think I could take going through it again without running away.

 

[hightechredneck123]

The doc told me five years ago I had only two years to live at best. I had undiagnosed sleep apnea for probably a decade. It's severe enough to lower my blood oxygen content to less than 40%. Anyway, the doc was wrong, but the shock of hearing him say I should have been dead already really knocked me down. I, too, was on anti-depression meds. Mentally I'm OK now, I beat the doc's prediction. I'm going to school now and trying to learn a skill I can do that requires very little physical exertion. I won't ever be completely healthy, but it is what it is.

So, no, Brewster, you are not alone. Hang in there.

 

[Argo]

my fiancee's family and my own both struggle with anxiety, depression, and bi-polar issues. i sometimes wonder if i have undiagnosed anxiety issues. talking to my closest friends about it reveals that their families have the same things going on. the big secret is that these things happen in every family and to any of us, but nobody talks about it. keep doing what you're doing to take care of yourself and your family. peace.

 

[Ruger GP100]

I think one of the main reasons some gun owners keep their mouth shut about situations like this, is because of losing our gun rights. I've seen it here in my state. So many who have these issues are afraid to seek help due to the fact that the counselors report it to the authorities for fear you might go "wonko" and start blowing people away.

Hence, many shut up.

 

[jlh820]

I guess if misery loves company, you're not alone. My ex-wife and one of my daughters suffer from bi-polar disorder. My ex refused to believe the diagnosis and to take her medication. It was a major factor in the divorce. I suffer from depression and have been taking Zoloft for about a year. I can't tell that it's really helped that much. What has helped is my interest in guns. I've shot guns since I was 4 yrs old but lived in CA until '06. I moved to Phoenix away from family and friends for my job. In '07 my health took a nose dive. In 2010, I was laid off and had 5 stays in the hospital in 2011. At one point I was on hospice. But in January of '11, I got interested in guns again and bought one. I was out of work all last year. I had to cash out my savings to live because my disability was denied. The economy halved my savings so I used what was left to live and invested the rest into guns. I have a pretty nice collection now and plan on giving it to my kids when I kick the bucket. I'm not giving any more of my life savings to banks and financial investments. I figure it's a lot more secure this way.

But regarding my depression, my hobby has been a life saver. My health kept me from the activities I used to enjoy, but working on, shooting and collecting my guns was something I could still do, and do pretty darn well. It's given me something to do again that I really enjoy and it's helped me more than anything else. I do see a shrink about every 2 months. She's been great and helped me through some rough times. She also monitors the Zoloft. I was on 3 medications but now she's decreased it to just the one. We talk guns when I see her. She and her husband like to shoot, too. She credits my gun hobby with turning things around for me.

But, it's a constant battle. I have to police my thoughts, especially around the holidays. I've always loved the holiday season but now that I'm alone, old and in failing health, spending them alone is tough.

It's great you brought this up. Mental illness is a disease like any other. It's not like you did something to cause it. But recognizing and accepting your mental health and seeking help and following the treatment plan is all most people need to be "normal", or at least what people call normal. I think in reality, having a mental health issue IS practically the norm.

Good luck to you and all the rest that battle with these issues.

 

[BuckeyeBlast]

I think one of the main reasons some gun owners keep their mouth shut about situations like this, is because of losing our gun rights. I've seen it here in my state. So many who have these issues are afraid to seek help due to the fact that the counselors report it to the authorities for fear you might go "wonko" and start blowing people away.

Hence, many shut up.

Agreed. There are lots out there, but for reasons above it's not discussed openly as it should be.

 

[303lithgow]

I guess if misery loves company, you're not alone. My ex-wife and one of my daughters suffer from bi-polar disorder. My ex refused to believe the diagnosis and to take her medication. It was a major factor in the divorce. I suffer from depression and have been taking Zoloft for about a year. I can't tell that it's really helped that much. What has helped is my interest in guns. I've shot guns since I was 4 yrs old but lived in CA until '06. I moved to Phoenix away from family and friends for my job. In '07 my health took a nose dive. In 2010, I was laid off and had 5 stays in the hospital in 2011. At one point I was on hospice. But in January of '11, I got interested in guns again and bought one. I was out of work all last year. I had to cash out my savings to live because my disability was denied. The economy halved my savings so I used what was left to live and invested the rest into guns. I have a pretty nice collection now and plan on giving it to my kids when I kick the bucket. I'm not giving any more of my life savings to banks and financial investments. I figure it's a lot more secure this way.

But regarding my depression, my hobby has been a life saver. My health kept me from the activities I used to enjoy, but working on, shooting and collecting my guns was something I could still do, and do pretty darn well. It's given me something to do again that I really enjoy and it's helped me more than anything else. I do see a shrink about every 2 months. She's been great and helped me through some rough times. She also monitors the Zoloft. I was on 3 medications but now she's decreased it to just the one. We talk guns when I see her. She and her husband like to shoot, too. She credits my gun hobby with turning things around for me.

But, it's a constant battle. I have to police my thoughts, especially around the holidays. I've always loved the holiday season but now that I'm alone, old and in failing health, spending them alone is tough.

It's great you brought this up. Mental illness is a disease like any other. It's not like you did something to cause it. But recognizing and accepting your mental health and seeking help and following the treatment plan is all most people need to be "normal", or at least what people call normal. I think in reality, having a mental health issue IS practically the norm.

Good luck to you and all the rest that battle with these issues.

Remind us around the holidays and we will be here for you.

You mentioned mental illness. My PTSD is not concidered an illness. My shrink described it as a normal reaction to insane events and those that don't get it after witnessing certain things are the ones with an illness.

 

[Yiogo]

You are not alone. Once you find the med that helps stick with it. My wife is bipolar. Thank God her cousin, who is a doctor, recommended Lamictal, which has been a God send for her. Yiogo

 

[ExArmy11b]

The biggest help is just talking to my wife about things that are bothering me......and when something is bothering her, she talks to me about it. We have both been down some rough roads in life, for various reasons so we both have our share of mental baggage I really think it takes someone who is dealing with their own issues, to help someone else.......so in turn, we help each other. I always joke with her that someone "normal" couldn't deal with me, and vice versa. Not many people would have stayed with either of us, after the things we put each other through earlier on in our relationship. It also helps to stay positive and joke about things.......

Things do get better when you feel that you have found someone who actually cares, and wants to help. Not just someone who is being paid to pretend to care and then put me on medications I don't need or don't want to take.