StayOnTop: Depression

4 Responses to “Contents”

1. 1 Marcia Lesman Jul 26, 2012 at 05:30

   I was diagnosed 10 yrs ago after suffering all my life, with Chronic depression, anxiety disorder and dysthymia. I have been able to function pretty well on paxil, and cymbalta and xanax, but lately, since my youngest son had his first child I went from an excited grandma to a sad, depressed , unloved unneeded, person who feels like there is nothing left for me. I don’t get to see any of my kids or grand kids as often as Id like. maybe once a month. I live in a senior apt. complex, have never been very outgoing, have always been shy , very low self esteem, I also know that I am a control freak, but right now i feel as if all I want to do is sleep , nothing else interests me. Do I need something to help with my dysthymia? It doesn’t exactly feel like depression, but more like dysthymia, extreme sadness. Maybe empty nest syndrome?

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   • 2 Henk Jul 26, 2012 at 13:46

     Dear Marcia: I hope you’ll understand that only someone who knows you personally (like a good friend, or a therapist) would know enough about you to be able to answer your question. If you seriously wonder if you need more help or medication, then you should not hesitate to ask someone who is in a position to advise you on a personal level.
     On a more general level, the best things one can do in a situation like yours are, in my own opinion:
     (1) try to force yourself to be really active for some hours every day, both physically (taking walks?) and socially (joining a club?).
     (2) focus not on your future but on your actual experiences right here-and-now, not on long-term goals but on simple, immediate short-term-goals.
     (3) do not keep asking yourself endlessly what’s wrong with your situation or with yourself, but for each day try to register a few little things you’ve done well.
     I’m sorry I cannot give you more specific advice, but at least these three basic rules may help to reverse a downward spiral and turn it into an upward spiral again. Wishing you success (and the happiness that may come in unexpected ways when you’re not too frantically searching for it).
     Henk

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2. 3 Aleison Bracho Jan 11, 2013 at 23:32

   What do you really think about Deja Vu? Do you have some theories only about that? Or you always associated it with depression?

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   • 4 Henk Jan 12, 2013 at 00:35

     Hi Alison, I wrote about that almost a year ago, in a post “Depression and Deja Vu”. See http://stayontop.org/2012/03/20/depression-and-deja-vu/
     Please take a look, maybe it will answer your question. It also refers to my own theory: the brain generating Deja Vus as a kind of defense mechanism.
     If you already did read that, then please let me know what issues you think need to be clarified, and I’ll try to do so.
     Thanks!

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