Lived Experience Forum

[Sahara]

 I wonder if you could get 'home help' through the city council to help with the houswork? Since depression is an illness, then I think you could qualify for this kind of support.

Yep, I find it hard to motivate myslef to do the housework, too. And yet I find myself weirdly obsessed with it! I think about the dishes in the sink way too much. I don't know why.

[ThirtyOne]

The dishes! Funny how something so stupid gets to us all. I make my bed as soon as I get up, if nothing else is done at least my room looks clean and I feel like an adult, usually this motivates me to pick up the clothes then my motivation carries on to the lounge and so on.
If my husband gets home from work and the bed isn't made...he knows the weather is getting stormy lol.
Sometimes I will just sit and think about what needs doing. Good intentions count right?
If I run the sink water, and put a few things in I can go back to sitting down and watch telly, then after 10 minutes I might wash a few more things, it could take me awhile but at least I'm trying and for me, starting something at all on the crappy days is a big step. Don't put pressure on yourself, you are surviving just like all of us and you are doing as much as you can on that day.
I have days where I can cook a great dinner, work all day, be on time, clean the house, mow the lawn.. Some days I can barely manage to wash my face and speak to people.
What a roller coaster.
There is some good advice in the comments above.
Talk to your doctor about meds, try to get more 'beneficial' sleep, eat some good meals, and plenty of sun thru the day, maybe by walking, I'm considering getting a dog to motivate me.
Oh and if you are trying to get into a good sleep pattern I've heard we should turn the tv and phone / iPad screens off at least an hour before as the white light can stimulate you to stay awake. i haven't mastered this yet, I usually just read until I drop my phone or book and pass out lol so whatever works for you.

[dr-ev-md]

Fantastic that you seem to be able to plod along, I live on my own with all its pros and cons I do seem to enjoy it even though it can be expensive. Im renting a unit since my marriage breakup, and I dont have the motivation to sort out the finances of the marriage breakup, hopefully some  day I'll get out of this rut and get the basics sorted out in my life.

[dr-ev-md]

Well I feel like I've cimbed out of the abyss, at least for today. I changed my doctor a couple of months ago, he increased my medication but it made absoulutly no difference, so now he's put me on a different type of medication so i'll see how I go. Ive seen people on this forum who have been admitted to hospital, yesterday I felt so unwell pure depression, so tired I really felt that I should be in hospital. Fact is I could'nt even walk to the mailbox. I've been on this treadmill now for two and a half years, ups and downs and if anything i'm getting worse. to the people out there that have had a spell in hospital. Did it make a difference? Did you find after leaving hospital, that you got better support, did you learn about more services? How do you get admitted?

[kdoll]

@dr-ev-md I've been to hospital and was in the mental health unit for 10 days - I was involuntarily admitted after getting to a pretty bad place. It was really scary at times with some patients coming off some pretty hard core drug dependencies. But there were also alot of really lovely supportive people. One lady took me under her wing and took the time to help me not get lost trying to find my room.

I've been on anti-depressants since my first (emotionally and physically abusive) marriage. This time I wore myself out doing too much and anxiety took over my sleep (3 nights without it). Paranoia kicked in followed by hallucinations. I have since suspected I might of accidently doubled my (already really high) anti-depresant dose on a couple of my foggy days. It would explain the hallucinations. It wasn't a good place to be.

In hospital I was diagnosed as having mild psychosis. Hospital was great for me. I probably wasn't meant to - but I really loved it there. The daily check ups with a team of people (nurse, psychologist, psychiatrist etc etc) was great.  I often wish I could go back because I don't feel my after care program is working and I don't truly feel the doctors got to the bottom of issues. I'm too polite and quiet so I got looked over and pretty quickly deemed as 'stable'. I'm on an after-care program but now I feel I've been forgotten and lost in the system because I seem 'polite and stable' as it's really hard to get an appointment with the psychiatrist and my case manager. 

[Appleblossom]

Hi @dr-ev-md

Plodding along sometimes is the best a lot of people can do ... its seems extra slow in a fast world of high speed trains and the internet ... but maybe its the right speed for you at this time.  my survivingbrother likes to travel at the speed of light and ping pong all over the world .. but he is losing his health and integrity ...

Take your time and when you are ready ... bite the "finances" bullet.  I hate it too ... and I used to work for ATO ... does ya head in ..

Re dishes ... and beds ... we are all different .. my style has been to cover the range of bases for adequate living .. and not worry to much about the details ... bed unmade ... is now for me a personal statement that I am good with .. but I used to be soooper doooper bed maker ...

Try and be fair and hope the world is too ...

[utopia]

@dr-ev-md. In may this year I went to a private mental health hospital. My depression was getting out of control and I had some pretty scary suicidal thoughts - & I did not want to die.
I stayed at the clinic for 26 days. I believe it saved my life. I finally got a psychiatrist - my first ever - and I felt safe. The first few days were rough. Mainly sleeping and crying. I slowly started to go to group therapy sessions.
Even though I had been seeing a psychologist for a while -I think these sessions helped kick start my learning process on different coping techniques.
The real work started when I got home. My pdychologist and I then really started working on the techniques. I could finally understand why I got sick and what triggers me. We have worked on these areas. I'm feeling 100% better from where I was in May.
Now I'm just practicing my exercises / techniques and fine tuning everything.
Our plan is for me to go back into the workforce before the end of this year - after a 2 year absence.
If you are considering going to hospital - do you have private health cover - as I believe there is a big difference between public and private hospitals.
However, if suicidal thoughts are there, any hospital could be a help.
I wonder if you are also on medication. Of so, a hospital stay is also a safe place to change medications and see if it works better for you.
A hospital stay won't cure you. But it can save you and offer respite and professional care & may be the start of your recovery.
I wish you all the best

[Chattabox]

Hi, I know how you feel. Its tough that some of us live with depression and even harder knowing how to get through it. Recently I moved house and that just made it worse. Hang in there, people care, and despite how you feel now, it will get better in time. I believe in hope and being optimistic and thats what helps me day to day.