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Ask HN: How to cope with depression

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Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#111

Post by lotsofthrows »

Kronopath wrote: post #69

I want to start off with a bit of encouragement. You've admitted that you have a problem and you're taking steps to solve it. That's a great thing, because it's showing acknowledgement of the problem and a commitment to getting better. Too many people lack that, and so you should feel proud of yourself for that. That said, a therapist can probably guide you better than the internet can. The trick is finding the right…

> Most of the effectiveness of a therapist comes down to the "fit" between the two of you, so if you've gone to about three sessions or so and you're still not feeling it, it's encouraged and expected to try another one. Your current therapist may even refer you to another.

thank you. this is very helpful. you're the second person to mention this, and it's the sort of advice about treatment I may not have come by otherwise.

as it turns out, this is something I've been curious about (how / when to change, the etiquette of switching therapists, etc).

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#112

Post by Tomte »

While I don't have actionable advice for you, on the subject of depression I strongly urge everyone to read this blog post by Wil Wheaton: "Depression Lies", http://wilwheaton.net/2012/09/depression-lies/ It moves me to tears.

Afterwards, read his wife's account of it, "The Other Side of Depression", at http://www.annewheaton.com/the-other-side-of-depression/

For an overview of the current scientific knowledge, an introduction to brain chemistry and the psychology of depression, and -- most importantly -- a forceful argument that depression is a bona fide illness, a biological/medical condition, not just some "oh, pull yourself together" thing, see this video of Stanford professor Sapolsky: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOAgplgTxfc

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#113

Post by Lewisham »

lotsofthrows wrote: post #107
Lewisham wrote: post #2

Take the meds; if you aren't able to feel like you can do the other things, your depression might be too severe for those to help anyway. I didn't realize I was depressed for a number of years, until my wife forced me to go. I am now on medication and I feel much improved. The wrong medicine will dull your focus (I had a very bad sedative reaction to Lexapro) but the right ones will make you feel more normal. My work…

> The wrong medicine will dull your focus (I had a very bad sedative reaction to Lexapro) but the right ones will make you feel more normal. My work is the same as it was before, except I am happier now. I'm really glad to hear that. It's surprisingly reassuring. Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to decide Lexapro wasn't right for you?

Three days, and it was the introductory dose as well. I struggled to stay awake on Day 3 and couldn't recall things from my mind. It was bad. If you can avoid driving while figuring things out, that would be awesome.

I'm now taking Prozac which is way way better for me.

The important thing is that you have to keep trying at it; finding the right medicine and right dose will take time, but at least in my case (and it seems like others here too), there is a right formula. It's rough going for a while, but like I said before, I just feel more like the normal me, not like the angry, irritated, anxious me. And I have to believe that would have ended up a net positive productivity wise.

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#114

Post by giftandgourmet »

jklinger410 wrote: post #68
jgrowl wrote: post #58

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I feel like his point was that OP needs to make an effort to find something that works and that no amount of online advice will likely help.

Thank you.

You owe it to yourself to take the meds. Keep trying different ones until you find what works for you. This is what I was finally able to do and I've gotten my life back. If your current psychiatrist doesn't seem to help, seek out a new one. You are meant to live a fulfilling life with love and happiness. And don't worry about getting off the meds. Your body needs them as much as it needs food and air. Enable yourself to have what you need. I pray you find your way out of the darkness. : )

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#115

Post by beat »

lotsofthrows wrote: post #108
beat wrote: post #34

As everyone else is saying, take the meds. But be sure to work thoroughly with your psychiatrist to monitor the effects of the medication, and stop anything that's going awry. Don't make the decision on your own to quit a med, either - make an appointment. Don't self-medicate with alcohol, "drugs" (the non-prescription kind), promiscuity, video games, or other things that numb you. As the psych meds take hold, you'll…

> Don't self-medicate with alcohol, "drugs" (the non-prescription kind), promiscuity, video games, or other things that numb you. As the psych meds take hold, you'll be able to get up, but you'll be dragged back down as well. poignant. I either have at one point or actively self medicate with all of the above. > Be very conscious of suicidal ideas as you heal. The real danger point for depression-driven suicide isn't…

Please, make sure you have someone keeping an eye on you. I've lost friends to suicide, but never while they were really at the bottom... it was when they were on the way back up. It takes real attention to watch for that.

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#116

Post by Kronopath »

lotsofthrows wrote: post #111
Kronopath wrote: post #69

I want to start off with a bit of encouragement. You've admitted that you have a problem and you're taking steps to solve it. That's a great thing, because it's showing acknowledgement of the problem and a commitment to getting better. Too many people lack that, and so you should feel proud of yourself for that. That said, a therapist can probably guide you better than the internet can. The trick is finding the right…

> Most of the effectiveness of a therapist comes down to the "fit" between the two of you, so if you've gone to about three sessions or so and you're still not feeling it, it's encouraged and expected to try another one. Your current therapist may even refer you to another. thank you. this is very helpful. you're the second person to mention this, and it's the sort of advice about treatment I may not have come by oth…

I don't have a lot of personal experience with that kind of situation of needing to "shop around", so I'm not sure I'm the best source of information for things like that. But if you do a bit of digging, you can find some links and information online:

http://drpatrickkeelan.com/psychology/the-importance-of-clie...

https://drkathleenyoung.wordpress.com/2009/04/30/the-therapy...

Ultimately it does just come down to trusting your gut, and whether you feel comfortable with them and their approach. If you do choose to switch, your therapist should understand that things like this can and do happen, and shouldn't have a much of a problem with it. (If your therapist does have a problem with it, that's a huge red flag right there and you're better off ditching them.) Some of the better therapists may even make it clear near the beginning of your therapy that they can connect you with other resources or refer you to other places if that's necessary. But even if they don't you do have recourse to do that. Just keep trying, even if it means you have to go through a whole bunch of them to find one that's right for you.

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#117

Post by brerlapn »

lotsofthrows wrote: post #107
Lewisham wrote: post #2

Take the meds; if you aren't able to feel like you can do the other things, your depression might be too severe for those to help anyway. I didn't realize I was depressed for a number of years, until my wife forced me to go. I am now on medication and I feel much improved. The wrong medicine will dull your focus (I had a very bad sedative reaction to Lexapro) but the right ones will make you feel more normal. My work…

> The wrong medicine will dull your focus (I had a very bad sedative reaction to Lexapro) but the right ones will make you feel more normal. My work is the same as it was before, except I am happier now. I'm really glad to hear that. It's surprisingly reassuring. Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to decide Lexapro wasn't right for you?

You've gotten a lot of good advice here, and I just wanted to chime in on a related point to this--different anti-depressants may be more effective for you at different stages of your treatment. If you start on Lexapro/Prozac/Paxil, and it works great, but after six months you start to feel like it's not as effective, definitely talk to your doctor about looking at different meds, even other SSRI's. There are subtle differences in how they work that can make a difference (I'm not a doctor or bio guy, but they affect different receptors differently, even when they are primarily aimed at serotonin). Depression isn't a monolithic problem (it feels like it, but there can be multiple factors feeding into it), so as you do the talk therapy and the drugs your equilibrium between maladaptive cognitions, chemical imbalances, relationship and work patterns, etc. can shift, just be aware of how you're feeling (and if differently, how) and keep your doctor apprised. Also, therapy can be intimidating because you're talking about problems that feel insurmountable while you're depressed--but just spill it; they get less insurmountable once you've expressed them. Sometimes just hearing yourself say something out loud can make it obvious what the issue is, or how you could look at it differently.

Good luck, it's worth the effort. Something I read that I thought was useful to keep in mind when dealing with this stuff: you're not depressed because the world is shit; you think the world is shit because you're depressed.

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#118

Post by DanBC »

112864 wrote: post #101
DanBC wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Anti psychotic medication, especialy depot injections, is very different to anti depressant tablets!

worse? (in term of effects)

Yes, anti-psychotic medication have worse side effects.

They tend to be more sedating or have more severe weight gain associated with them.

Re: Ask HN: How to cope with depression

#119

Post by rmxt »

jklinger410 wrote: post #64
rmxt wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I get that you're trying to be edgy, but none of those are full-on substitutes for the the results of evidence-backed medical trials. They are great in conjunction with standard pharmacological and therapeutic approaches, but might end up pushing someone already on the brink further into the abyss of depression. They might not have good familial relationships or friends to fall back on, or they might have issues with…

I'm not trying to be edgy at all. I have anxiety disorder and personally suffered through depression. I spent years on medications that didn't work. Sometimes you can't fix depression with pills. There are alot of mights in this situation because none of us know what OP is actually going through. I would kindly ask that you consider my advice from personal experience and not downplay it so much. I never suggested OP…

My apologies for the dismissive tone in my first post. I can't and didn't downvote any of your posts. I misinterpreted your "don't listen to this advice" to be the strict opposite of what your explanation was: "don't listen to everyone else, but DO listen to me." I too (as many of us have) have been in similar shoes re: depression and anxiety. Finding what works for each of us as individuals is the most important thing. I agree with the potential therapeutic benefits of hallucinogens, but I also am a firm believer in the trial-backed science of medicine and therapy as the first and best line of defense. "Ultra-safe sterile" or not, it's the best answer for the broadest range of people. Call me a Vulcan, but that's what I'd suggest for people that are on "the edge", instead of "getting dirty" or "make mistakes", both of which might help, but also might let people slide further into the abyss. At least with medicine and their "black-box" labels, you are under the monitoring of a trained professional that can catch and negative side-effects of the medication. Best of luck on your quest to get and stay better.
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