Depression

[marchbaby]

Hello diettalk,

I am starting to wonder if I am depressed and was wondering if some of you who have been diagnosed with depression would share how you finally came to realize/admit that you were depressed. Are there tests that a doctor would do to help diagnose it?

I feel lost alot. Like I just don't know what to do next or I just don't want to do anything. I want to be on my own, but then I don't want to be alone, I am tired of being on my own so much. I am married but I don't feel very close to my husband(who is a good person, and I know he loves me, but I just need something).

Maybe I am just reaching a point where I am realizing that I need to do something. I don't like myself, or I don't like this body, I feel sluggish, I feel ugly. I don't want to be this anymore.

Anyways, any sharing of your experiences would be appreciated.

[Beth]

A Dr is the best person to help you decide if you are depressed or not. Now days most of them are very well trained to know the signs of depression. If I were you I would see my Dr and talk with him/her and make a plan to getting you some help, be it meds or support/therapy or all. Please don't wait until you feel so bad that you don't want help - depression can get that serious left untreated.

[JoThrive]

I agree with Beth - you need to discuss this with your doctor. We are not equipped here at Diettalk to give medical advice. Also there are so many forms of depression that what one person is experiencing would not necessarily be what another person is experiencing.

Another person you might want to consult with would be your clergyperson. He/she is in a great position to diagnose depression and offer advice regarding treatments available.

Take that first step - get some help, please.

[r-D]

Hello diettalk,

I am starting to wonder if I am depressed and was wondering if some of you who have been diagnosed with depression would share how you finally came to realize/admit that you were depressed. Are there tests that a doctor would do to help diagnose it?

Be careful what you dwell on, as how we think may be how we become. Consciously avoid dwelling on toxic, negative thoughts and you help nurture a neutral if not positive outlook imo.

My first episode (decades ago) was preceded by anxiety leading to sleepless nights and eventually this was followed by suicidal self-talk. As I had no 'tools' for coping with toxic thoughts and mood problems back then, they grew and festered. At first I could readily dismiss the thoughts as being irrational. But I was doing nothing about them so they kept returning, their frequency was growing, I was starting to get mild hallucinations (phantom phone ringing) and I felt I'd get worn down so I saw my doctor who put me on Prozac. Six months later I seemed to have sorted things out and dropped the med, and did fine for almost a decade.

Later, when the symptoms returned I now recognized them early on, and used an over the counter approach (St. John's Wort) to manage them for about a decade (but then the side effects caught up with me and I dropped the SJW. I had started studying up on Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) and have been using a simplified version of that approach ever since with fair success, in combination with healthy eating practices, calming routines and meditation.

Your doctor might have you take a test (there are many screening tests for depression) but I suspect most doctors would use 'trial & error' by just pulling out their prescription pad and start giving you antidepressants to see if those were helpful [some have major side effects, which vary depending on the patient]. Talk therapy (variations of CBT and other approaches) has comparable success with meds (best of all is a combination of therapy & meds).

rD